and two are: “Three was the Hebrew children; two was Paul and Silas.” As with many spirituals, these references to imprisoned biblical figures are analogues for the enslavement of African Americans. Coupled with the recording’s rhythmically driven jubilee quartet style, these features make the song a distinctly American folk tune. While the Golden Gate Quartet were largely responsible for popularizing the song, theirs was only one of many contemporary versions. The Golden Gate Quartet themselves learned the song from another jubilee quartet, the Heavenly Gospel Singers. Recordings and adaptations Blues duo Dennis Crampton & Robert Summers recorded the earliest known commercial recording of the song in 1936. The Weavers recorded the song in 1951. Ruth Crawford Seeger’s inclusion of the song in her 1953 songbook, American Folksongs for Christmas, helped establish the song as a Christmas carol nationwide. Nina Simone recorded a version on her 1959 album The Amazing Nina Simone for the Colpix Records label. Langston Hughes chose the song to be the closing number in the original 1961 production of Black Nativity: A Gospel Song-Play. Johnny Cash’s album Man In Black: Live in Denmark 1971 features a version featuring The Carter Family, The Statler Brothers, and Carl Perkins. Ralph Stanley recorded a version on his 1975 album Let Me Rest On A Peaceful Mountain. The Fairfield Four has recorded multiple versions of the song on various releases. Woody Guthrie rewrote the lyrics to the song in 1949 and adapted the song to become “Come When I Call You.” Written about the ravages of war in the aftermath of World War II, the song would go unpublished until the late 90s. The Klezmatics recorded Guthrie’s version of the song on their 2006 album Wonderwheel. Kenny Rogers recorded a version with Home Free on his 2015 album Once Again It’s Christmas. Other artist to record the song include Joe and Eddie, Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Natalie Merchant, The Kingston Trio, the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Florida Boys, Mike Seeger with sisters Penny Seeger and Peggy Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary, Ricky Skaggs, The Burns Sisters, Mandisa, Mahalia Jackson, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Audra McDonald, The Tabernacle Choir, Scala & Kolacny Brothers, Odetta, Hall and Oates, REO Speedwagon, Kenny Burrell, Nick Lowe, The Spinners, Ledisi, Colin James & The Little Big Band, Neil Diamond, The Laurie Berkner Band, The Blenders, Sister Thea Bowman, and Clara Ward. See