The song “Down to the River to Pray” is considered a Christian folk hymn, an African-American Spiritual, an Appalachian song and a Southern Gospel Song. The exact origin of the song is unknown.
This version, sung by Alison Krauss, was part of the soundtrack for the movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou? The movie showcased many wonderful bluegrass/country singers and performers for the soundtrack, including Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and member of Union Station, Dan Tyminski, Sam Bush and others. Over 50 songs were recorded, then the Coen brothers handpicked a few to be the skeleton of their screenplay, based on the classic, The Odyssey. It was a deep South retelling in the Depression era, where three chain gang miscreants wander the backwoods, get tricked by a Bible Salesman, encounter a man that sold his soul to Satan, fall under the spell of river Muses and become overnight bluegrass stars. The soundtrack eclipsed the movie in popularity, stayed in the upper echelons of the Billboard Top 200 for several years, won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2000, and revived a massive following for folk music/bluegrass around the country.
Because of O Brother, Where Art Thou? I personally discovered a love for bluegrass music and Alison Krauss and Union Station quickly became one of my favorites. Her voice is so clear and pure.
Krauss was born to a German immigrant father and an artistic mother. Her mother played banjo and acoustic guitar and she was exposed to folk music at an early age. Krauss studied classical violin from the age of five until she was eleven. She played a bluegrass fiddle solo at the age of eight at the Champaign, Illinois County Fair and came in fourth. After that, Krauss developed a knack for turning songs into her own and attended bluegrass festivals for years, where she met Dan Tyminski and every member of her band, Union Station.
Krauss did two collaborative albums with Robert Plant, Raising Sand, in 2007 and Raise the Roof in 2021. She has performed on many soundtracks, including Cold Mountain. She has recorded studio albums from 1986 to the present, Arcadia released just this year with Union Station.
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way!
O brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on brothers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!
O mothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on mothers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!
O fathers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on fathers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Traditional / Carolyn M Omine
A Little Bit of Everything, With Love 