Bury My Body

"Bury My Body"
Single by Joshua White and His Carolinians
A-side	"I Don't Care Where Dey Bury My Body"
Released	1949
Recorded	August 6, 1940 (New York City)
Genre	Gospel blues
Length	2:58
Label	Harmony 1006
Songwriter(s)	Traditional
Joshua White and His Carolinians singles chronology
""Josh and Bill Blues"" "Bury My Body" ""I Wonder Will My Mother Be on Dat Train"/"Soon in De Mornin'""

"Bury My Body" is a traditional gospel blues song. It is also known as "(Lord) I Don't Care Where Dey (They, You) Bury My Body" and "My Soul Is Gonna Live with God".

The origins of the song are obscure. The earliest recording may be by the Norfolk Jazz and Jubilee Quartets, as "Lord, I Don't Care Where They Bury My Body", in 1927–29.^[1] The various titles are taken from the chorus: "Bury my body, Lord, I don't care where; for my soul is gonna live with God".

As is common with traditional songs, the words vary between performers. The verses sometimes seem to refer to the miracle of the empty tomb; at others to the rapture; at yet others to the singer's indifference to the manner of disposal of his or her remains, as a small matter compared with salvation.

Recordings

The following recordings are by artists with Wikipedia articles:

• 1937 – "I Don't Care Where You Bury My Body" by Mitchell's Christian Singers^[2]
• 1940 – "I Don't Care Where Dey Bury My Body" by Joshua White and his Carolinians^{[3][4][5][6][7]}
• 1954 – Lonnie Donegan, on the 45 rpm EP Decca DFE 6345. This version is sometimes erroneously credited to Chris Barber, who played on the recording as a backing musician ^{[8][9][10][11][12]}
• 1964 – The Animals on the album The Animals ^[13]
• 1965–66 – The Misunderstood^[14]
• 1970 – Al Kooper and Shuggie Otis on the album Kooper Session: Super Session, Vol. 2 ^[15][16]
• 1977 – "I Don't Care Where You Bury My Body" by Ella Jenkins on the album Songs, Rhythms and Chants for the Dance ^[17]
• 1991 – Davy Graham on the album Playing In Traffic ^[18]
• 2001 – The Starlite Desperation on the album Show You What a Baby Won't ^[19]
• 2005 – Chris Barber on the album The Grand Reunion Concert ^[20]
• 2012 – Robert Plant on the album Sensational Space Shifters (Live in London July '12)
• 2013 – The 77s on Gimme a Kickstart ... And a Phrase Or Two^[21]

Other uses

Songs

The following songs are unrelated to the main subject of this article, and to each other, despite having related titles:

• 1993 – "Bury My Body" by John Lee Hooker, a blues song on the album Nothing But the Blues ^[22]
• 2006 – "I Dont Care Where I Go When I Die", a grindcore song on the album of the same name by Gaza^[23]
• 2014 – "Bury My Body" by Fishboy on the album An Elephant ^[24]

Albums

Bury My Body may refer to several compilation albums of songs by various artists, unrelated to the main subject of this article.

• 2006 – Bury My Body ^[25]
• 2012 – Bury My Body, Vol. 1 ^[26]
• 2012 – Bury My Body, Vol. 2 ^[27][28]

References

1. Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartet: Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 4 (1927-1929) at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
2. Mitchell's Christian Singers: Mitchell's Christian Singers, Vol. 2: 1936-1938 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
3. "Josh White discography". Retrieved February 24, 2015.
4. Josh White: "I Don't Care Where Dey Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
5. Leonard DePaur / Carrington Lewis / Bayard Rustin / Bill White / Josh White: "I Don't Care Where Dey Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
6. Josh White: "My Soul Is Gonna Live with God (I Don't Care Where They Bury My Body)" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
7. Josh White: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
8. Lonnie Donegan: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
9. Lonnie Donegan: The Skiffle Legend at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
10. Chris Barber / Chris Barber's Jazz Band / Lonnie Donegan's Skiffle Group: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
11. Lonnie Donegan's Skiffle Group: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
12. Chris Barber / Chris Barber's Jazz Band: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
13. The Animals: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
14. The Misunderstood: The Lost Acetates 1965–1966 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
15. Al Kooper: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
16. Al Kooper / Shuggie Otis: "Bury My Body" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
17. Ella Jenkins: Songs, Rhythms and Chants for the Dance at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
18. Davy Graham: Playing In Traffic at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
19. Starlite Desperation: Show You What a Baby Won't at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
20. Chris Barber: The Grand Reunion Concert at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
21. "Bury My Body - 77s". 77s. June 15, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
22. John Lee Hooker: Nothing But the Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
23. Gaza: I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
24. Fishboy: An Elephant at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
25. Various Artists: Bury My Body at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
26. Various Artists: Bury My Body, Vol. 1 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
27. Various Artists: Bury My Body, Vol. 2 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
28. Various Artists: Bury My Body Vol.2 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2015.