Down by the Riverside

~ Song

Annotation

First published in “Plantation Melodies: A Collection of Modern, Popular and Old-time Negro-Songs of the Southland”, Chicago, the Rodeheaver Company, 1918

First recording and first release by Fisk University Jubilee Singers (December 29, 1920 / 1922)

Annotation last modified on 2026-08-04 08:44 UTC.

Relationships

lyricist and composer:[traditional] (special purpose artist)
SecondHandSongs:https://secondhandsongs.com/work/59954 [info]
Wikidata:Q4068801 [info]
referred to in medleys:Shticks of One and Half a Dozen of the Other (order: 11)
later translated versions:Lawr Ar Lan Y Môr
Vrienden voor ’t leven
later versions:Down by the Riverside
is the basis for:Four North American Ballads: No. 3. Down by the Riverside
Qu’il fait bon vivre
arrangements:Down by the River
Down by the River Side (arr. Jordan)
Down by the Riverside (arr. Barber)
Down by the Riverside (arr. Jackson)
Down by the Riverside (Udo Jürgens arrangement)

Recordings

DateTitleAttributesArtistLength
recordings
1943-07Down by the River SidecoverLucky Millinder & His Orchestra3:09
1943-07 – 1943-08Down by the RiversidecoverSister Rosetta Tharpe with Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra3:49
1943-07 – 1943-08Down by the Riverside (1943-07 or 1943-08)coverSister Rosetta Tharpe with Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra3:57
1947Down by the RiversidecoverSister Rosetta Tharpe2:33
1948-12-02Down by the Riverside (1948-12-02)coverSister Rosetta Tharpe & The Dependable Boys acc. Sam Price Trio2:32
1953-12-09Down by the Riverside (take 3)coverGeorge Lewis & His Ragtime Band2:43
1953Down by the River SidecoverBig Bill Broonzy2:18
1955-11-03Down by the RiversidecoverMahalia Jackson with The Falls-Jones Ensemble?:??
1956-12-04Down by the RiversidecoverThe Million Dollar Quartet2:31
1956-12-04Down by the RiversidecoverThe Million Dollar Quartet2:26
1956-12-04Down by the RiversidecoverThe Million Dollar Quartet2:22
1956-12-04Down by the RiversidecoverElvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis et Carl Perkins2:13
1956-12-04Down by the RiversidecoverThe Million Dollar Quartet2:27
1957-10-25Down by the Riversidecover and instrumentalThe Prestige All Stars5:51
1957-10-27 – 1957-10-28Down by the RiversidecoverKid Ory8:24
1957-12-27Bells of Rhymney / Sinking of the Reuben James / There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly / Study War No More (Down by the Riverside)live and medleyPete Seeger and Sonny Terry15:26
1958-02-06Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong & His All-Stars with The Sy Oliver Choir3:11
1958-03-26Down by the RiversidecoverMahalia Jackson2:18
1958-11Down by the Riversidecover and instrumentalHampton Hawes4:42
1958Down by the RiversidecoverThe Golden Gate Quartet2:45
1961 – 1962Ain't Gonna Study War No Morecover and liveSonny Terry & Brownie McGhee3:22
1964-02-24Down by the Riverside (take 5)cover and instrumentalAlbert Ayler4:23
1964-02-24Down by the Riverside (take 6)cover and instrumentalAlbert Ayler4:48
1965-05-12 – 1965-05-14Down by the Riverside / When the Saints Go Marchin’ Incover and medleyElvis Presley1:57
1965-05-14Down by the RiversidecoverJoseph Spence3:18
1965-05Down by the Riverside / When the Saints Go Marchin’ Incover and medleyElvis Presley1:42
1966-09-23Down by the RiversidecoverJimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery10:02
1971-06-20Down by the Riversidecover and instrumentalThe JPJ Quartet, Budd Johnson4:59
1971-09-28Down by the Riverside (live, 1971‐09‐28: Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan)cover and liveLed Zeppelin2:42
1971-09-28Down by the Riverside (live, 1971‐09‐28: Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan)cover and liveLed Zeppelin2:08
1971-09-28Down by the Riverside (live, 1971‐09‐28: Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan)cover and liveLed Zeppelin?:??
1971Down by the RiversidecoverVan Morrison3:54
1981-08-05Down by the River Side (live, 1981-08-05: Molde kirke, Molde, Norway)cover and liveMagnolia Jazzband, Lillian Boutté3:52
1988-01No Body Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen / Down by the RiversidecoverDavid Murray4:21
1998Down by the RiversidecoverThe Brazz Brothers møter Marinemusikken4:02
2000-12-15 – 2000-12-17Down by the Riversidecover, instrumental and liveRay Brown4:10
2001-06-13[instrumental] / Down by the Riverside / Uptown Up (live, 2001‐06‐13: Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA)cover and liveMaceo Parker10:19
2004-02-16Down by the Riverside (live, 2004‐02‐16: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA, USA)cover and livePrince3:13
2004-05Down by the RiversidecoverElmhurst College Jazz Band?:??
2007-07-08Down by the Riverside (live, 2007‐07‐08: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA)cover, instrumental and livePrince2:52
2007-07-08Down by the Riverside (live, 2007‐07‐08: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA)cover, instrumental and livePrince5:18
2007-07-08Down by the Riverside (instrumental) (live, 2007‐07‐08: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA)cover, instrumental and livePrince2:50
2007-07-16Down by the Riverside (instrumental) (live, 2007‐07‐16: Auditorium Stravinski, Montreux, Switzerland)cover, instrumental and livePrince4:12
2012Down by the Riverside (live, 2012-06-07: Temple de Pentemont, Paris, France)cover and liveChimène3:35
2013-01-21Down by the RiversidecoverTaj Mahal3:34
2014-12-12 – 2014-12-14Down by the Riversidecover and instrumentalChristian McBride Trio6:48
Ain’t Gonna Study War No MorecoverTennessee Ernie Ford?:??
Ain’t Gonna Study War No MoreLeon Lishner?:??
Ain’t Gonna Study War No MorecoverTennessee Ernie Ford2:40
Ain’t Gonna Study War No MorecoverTennessee Ernie Ford?:??
Ain’t Gonna Study War No MorecoverTennessee Ernie Ford2:40
Ain’t Gonna Study War No MorecoverTennessee Ernie Ford?:??
Ain’t Gonna Study War No MorecoverTennessee Ernie Ford2:40
Down by the River SidecoverThe Blue Diamonds2:43
Down by the riversidecoverJames Last2:34
Down by the RiversidecoverKen Carson & The Choraliers?:??
Down by the RiversidecoverKen Carson & The Singing Choraliers?:??
Down by the RiversidecoverLara Downes3:13
Down by the RiversidecoverLed Zeppelin?:??
Down by the RiversideFisk Jubilee Singers2:17
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:09
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:11
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:10
Down by the Riversidecover and instrumentalOrchestra Max Greger1:05
Down by the RiversidecoverPlaying for Change3:50
Down by the RiversidecoverPlaying for Change feat. Keb’ Mo’, Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Grandpa Elliott3:50
Down by the Riverside (live, 1971‐09‐28: Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan)cover and liveLed Zeppelin?:??
Down by the RiversidecoverJack Scott3:18
Down by the RiversidecoverJack Scott3:22
Down by the Riversidecover[unknown]3:13
Down by the RiversidecoverElvis Presley2:24
Down by the Riversidecover101 Strings4:09
Down by the RiversidecoverOriginal Dixieland-Stompers3:44
Down by the Riversidecover and liveMahalia Jackson4:37
Down by the Riverside (master)coverBilly Lee Riley2:17
Down by the Riversidecover and instrumentalWycliffe Gordon2:44
Down by the RiversidecoverThe King’s Singers3:59
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:12
Down by the RiversidecoverAlabama2:49
Down by the RiversidecoverThe Blue Diamonds2:42
Down by the RiversidecoverThe Blue Diamonds2:43
Down by the RiversidecoverThe Blue Diamonds2:47
Down by the RiversidecoverThe Blue Diamonds?:??
Down by the RiversidecoverThe Blue Diamonds?:??
Down by the RiversidecoverThe Blue Diamonds2:42
Down by the RiversidecoverPreservation Hall Jazz Band2:55
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:12
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:06
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:12
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:08
Down by the RiversidecoverLouis Armstrong3:07
Down by the RiversidecoverCharlie Rich3:22
Down by the RiversidecoverCharlie Rich3:22
Down by the Riverside (demo)coverCarl Perkins1:27
Down by the RiversidecoverCarl Perkins1:29
Down by the RiversidecoverElvis Presley2:24
Down by the Riversidecover and liveMahalia Jackson4:33
Down by the RiversidecoverJackie Wilson duet with Linda Hopkins2:24
Down by the RiversidecoverChimène3:24
Down by the Riverside (1971‐09‐28: Osaka Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan)coverLed Zeppelin2:43
See all 146 relationships