Rocks and Gravel [Early in the Mornin']
- Written by
- [Traditional]
- Language
- English
- Comments
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This spiritual-oriented song most probably was derived from an African-American work song. The performances tend to have this refrain to start the song "Well it's early in the mornin', the mornin', Well, when I rise...", but can have floating lyrics from there. Most will also have the refrain "It takes rocks and gravel, baby to make a solid road". Most every performance has been registered by the respective performer as their own. Alan Lomax collected the song as "Early in the Mornin'" in 1947 at the Mississippi State Penitentiary's Parchman Work Camp during one of his Southern sojourns. It was sung by a group of unnamed black prisoners. Lomax registered the song as his own since it hadn't ever been registered. Instead of creating umpteen adaptations, SHS is treating them all as arrangements.
NOTE: There is another song called Rocks and Gravel that is derived from the same traditional African-American work song. It is performed as a blues song with much different pace and very different lyrics. Those versions seem to always start with the refrain "It takes rocks and gravel, baby to make a solid road". It's likely that one of the two "Rocks and Gravel" Works was the precursor of the other so they should be formally linked, but not certain which one came first. - Licensing
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