<P> Another version, titled "Come, Let Us All Go Down," was published in 1880 in The Story of the Jubilee Singers; With Their Songs, a book about the Fisk Jubilee Singers . That version also refers to a valley rather than a river . </P> <P> In some versions, "in the river" is replaced by "to the river". The phrase "in the river" is significant, for two reasons . The more obvious reason is that the song has often been sung at outdoor baptisms (such as the full - immersion baptism depicted in O Brother, Where Art Thou?). Another reason is that many slave songs contained coded messages for escaping . When the slaves escaped, they would walk in the river because the water would cover their scent from the bounty - hunters' dogs . Similarly, the "starry crown" could refer to navigating their escape by the stars . And "Good Lord, show me the way" could be a prayer for God's guidance to find the escape route, commonly known as "the Underground Railroad ." </P> <Ul> <Li> 1927: Price Family Sacred Singers (Okeh 40796) </Li> <Li> 1929: Delta Big Four from Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton (Gennett Records) </Li> <Li> 1940: Lead Belly from Let It Shine On Me--The Library Of Congress Recordings, V. 3 (New Rounder) </Li> <Li> 1966: Doc Watson from Home Again! (Vanguard Records) </Li> <Li> 1970: Arlo Guthrie, single, Reprise Records 0951 </Li> <Li> 2000: Alison Krauss from O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Lost Highway / Mercury) </Li> <Li> 2002: Alison Krauss from Live (Rounder) </Li> <Li> 2003: Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs and Alison Krauss from The Three Pickers (Rounder / Umgd) </Li> <Li> 2005: The King's Singers from Six (Signum UK) </Li> <Li> 2005: Jill Johnson from The Christmas in You (Lionheart Records) </Li> <Li> 2009: Mormon Tabernacle Choir from Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing: American Folk Hymns & Spirituals (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) </Li> <Li> 2012: Sonya Isaacs from Hymns from the Old Country Church (Spring Hill Music Group) </Li> <Li> 2014: Nia Frazier performed a solo to a version of the song on Lifetime's Dance Moms </Li> <Li> 2014: Noah Gundersen partially covered the song on his 2014 album "Ledges". It was titled "Poor Man's Son ." </Li> <Li> 2015: DeAnna Johnson performed on The Voice (U.S. season 8). </Li> </Ul> <Li> 1927: Price Family Sacred Singers (Okeh 40796) </Li>

Who sings down to the river to pray
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