This song was in The Stanley Brothers' repertoire in the 1950s and they first recorded it live on December 18, 1955 (though that version went unissued until 2004). Carter Stanley said he learned it from an old hymnal in his younger days. Their initial release credited William York (Don Pierce) who owned their Starday label, and often used his York pseudonym when registrering public domain songs. Ralph Stanley also later registered the song.