[NEohioPAL]Folk Song Question - researching a Spiritual, seeking help

[Noah Budin]

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Hi Friends,
  I've been doing some research and not coming up with an answer, so I'm turning to you.
   
  There's an old spiritual which I've been singing for years:
   
  O Mary don't you weep don't you mourn
  O Mary don't you weep don't you mourn
  Pharaoh's army got drownded
  O Mary don't you weep 
   
  It's got lots of verses from various eras, many referring to Moses and the Exodus. That connection in a African-American spiritual is obvious.
   
  But, who is Mary?
   
  Does it refer to Mary, Mother of Jesus? Or Miriam, Moses' sister. Mary and Miriam are derivatives of the same name.
   
  Further, one of the verses I learned (from the 1984 live album called "HARP - Holy Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert and Pete Seeger: A Time to Sing") says: Mary wore three links of chain/and each link was in freedom's name. To what do those links of chain refer?
   
  Those are my questions. Anyone? Please respond to nbudin at sbcglobal.net.  Thanks.
  Noah

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<DIV>Hi Friends,</DIV>  <DIV>I've been doing some research and not coming up with an answer, so I'm turning to you.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>There's an old spiritual which I've been singing for years:</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>O Mary don't you weep don't you mourn</DIV>  <DIV>O Mary don't you weep don't you mourn</DIV>  <DIV>Pharaoh's army got drownded</DIV>  <DIV>O Mary don't you weep </DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>It's got lots of verses from various eras, many referring to Moses and the Exodus. That connection in a African-American spiritual is obvious.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>But, who is Mary?</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Does it refer to Mary, Mother of Jesus? Or Miriam, Moses' sister. Mary and Miriam are derivatives of the same name.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Further, one of the verses I learned (from the 1984 live album called "HARP - Holy Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert and Pete Seeger: A Time to Sing") says: Mary wore three links of
 chain/and each link was in freedom's name. To what do those links of chain refer?</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Those are my questions. Anyone? Please respond to <A href="mailto:nbudin at sbcglobal.net">nbudin at sbcglobal.net</A>.  Thanks.</DIV>  <DIV>Noah</DIV>
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