THERE IS A HAPPY LAND
Then Ma began to sway gently in the comfortable
rocking-chair. Fire-light ran up and down, up and
down the barrel of Pas pistol in her lap. And Ma
sang, softly and sweetly... -- Little House on the
Prairie, Chapter 17, "Pa Goes to Town"
'Charles,' Ma said, softly, to remind him that
this was Sunday. Then they all sang together,
'There is a happy land...' -- On the Banks of Plum
Creek, Chapter 24, "Going to Church"
Men were unloading the cars into wagons. But they
all stopped suddenly and jumped down from the
wagons. Some of them yelled, and one big man began
to sing ma's favorite hymn. Only he did not sing
its words. -- By the Shores of Silver Lake,
Chapter 4, "End of the Rails"
Then Reverend Alden preached the sermon. After
that, Pa's fiddle gaily and sweetly played and
they all sang... -- By the Shores of Silver
Lake, Chapter 23, "On the Pilgrim Way"
After dinner Pa played hymn tunes on his fiddle,
and all the afternoon they sang... They sang Ma's
favorite, 'There is a Happy Land, Far, Far
Away'... -- The Long Winter, Chapter 37,
"We'll Weather the Blast"
"There is a Happy Land" (or "Happy Land") is the song appearing the most times in the "Little House"® series, used in four books and Laura Ingalls Wilder's handwritten Pioneer Girl manuscript, as well as in the Bye, Brandt, and shorter revised Pioneer Girl manuscripts typed by Rose Wilder Lane. A variation on the lyrics is sung by railroad workers in By the Shores of Silver Lake, and more than once, Wilder referred to the hymn as her mother's favorite.
The words to "There is a Happy Land" were written by Andrew Young in 1838. They were adapted to a Hindustani air (often called "Indian Love Song") by Leonard P. Breedlove in 1850. Andrew Young (1807-1889) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was a Scottish schoolmaster and poet who served as the headmaster of the English department of Madras College in India. He wrote "There is a Happy Land" based on the lyrics of a popular parlor song which began: "I've come from a happy land..." because he thought the words could be adapted for Sunday school use.
Leonard P. Breedlove (born circa 1803) was a great 19th century Georgia singer, renowned for his strong bass voice and his knowledge of music. He was a singing school teacher who helped spread Sacred Harp singing in Georgia and neighboring states. He was on the revision committee for the 1850 edition of the Sacred Harp singing book and composed music for several songs, including "There is a Happy Land." He was secretary of the Southern Musical Convention from 1845-1850.
Sacred Harp singing is a non-dominational musical event emphasizing participation, not performance. Singers sit in a hollow square, facing inward, and take turns leading the singing, keeping time with motions of the hand. Sacred Harp music is printed in patent notes, in which the shape indicates the syllables fa, sol, la, and mi.
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THERE IS A HAPPY LAND
1. There is a happy land, Far, far away, Where saints in glory stand, Bright, bright as day; Oh, how they sweetly sing, Worthy is our Savior King, Loud let His praises ring, Praise, praise for aye.
2. Come to that happy land, Come, come away; Why will you doubting stand, Why still delay? Oh, we shall happy be, When from sin and sorrow free, Lord, we shall live with Thee, Blest, blest for aye.
3. Bright, in that happy land, Beams every eye; Kept by a Father's hand, Love cannot die; Oh, then to glory run; Be a crown and kingdom won; And, bright, above the sun, We reign for aye.
THERE IS A HAPPY LAND (Variation from By the Shores of Silver Lake)
There is a boarding house, Not far away Where they have fried ham and eggs Three times a day.
Wow! How the boarders yell When they hear that dinner bell!
Whoop! How those eggs do smell! |
THERE IS A HAPPY LAND (from Little House on the Prairie)
There is a happy land, Far, far away, Where saints in glory stand, Bright, bright as day.
Oh, to hear the angels sing, Glory to the Lord, our King--
THERE IS A HAPPY LAND (from On the Banks of Plum Creek)
There is a happy land, Far, far away, Where saints in glory stand, Bright, bright as day.
THERE IS A HAPPY LAND (from Little House on the Prairie)
There is a happy land, Far, far away, Where saints in glory stand, Bright, bright as day.
Use the navigation bar above to listen to "There is a Happy Land." If you do not see the midi player above, click HERE to listen. To hear an mp3 file of Sacred Harp singers singing "Happy Land," click HERE or see: http://pilgrimproduction.net/sacredharp/rockymt1997/rockymt1997.html
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