By the Mark

This was the first song that Martha and I performed together, for Music 181, a folk-music class at Stanford. It is not a hymn per se, but it was written in the music tradition of folk spirituals. The first recording is from our original performance with Music 181 at Stanford. The second version is a live take recorded on Martha's laptop.

Words and Music by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.

Live at Stanford, 6.5.06


Live


Download Live at Stanford Version or Download Live Version

Verse 1
When I cross over
I will shout and sing
I will know my savior
By the mark where the nails have been

Chorus
By the mark where the nails have been
By the sign upon his precious skin
I will know my savior when I come to him
By the mark where the nails have been

Verse 2
A man of riches
May claim a crown of jewels
But the king of heaven
Can be told from the prince of fools

Verse 3
On Calvary Mountain
Where they made him suffer so
All my sin was paid for
A long, long time ago