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Song: In My Time Of Dying
Album: Physical Graffiti [released Feb 24, 1975 (US) | Feb 24, 1975 (UK)]
Single: N/A
Credited to: Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
Related Songs:
Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed - Blind Willie Johnson (original)
Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed - Josh White (previous cover)
In My Time Of Dying - Bob Dylan (previous cover)
Bury My Body - The Animals (lyrics)
In My Time Of Dying - Fear Itself (previous cover)

Lyrics:

In my time of dying, want nobody to moan
All I want for you to do is take my body home

Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus gotta make up, sure 'nuff
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make it, my dyin' bed

Meet me, Jesus, meet me, oooh, meet me in the middle of the air
If my wings should fail me, Lord, please meet me with another pair

Well, well, well, so I can die easy, oh-whoa
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus gonna make up
Somebody, somebody, oh, oh
Jesus gonna make up
Jesus gonna make it, my dyin' bed

Oh, St. Peter at the gates of Heaven, won't you let me in
I never did no wrong, I never did no wrong

Uh, oh, Gabriel, let me blow your horn, let me blow your horn
Oh, never did no harm, did no harm

I've only made the young ones
I never thought I'd do anybody no wrong, no, no one, sir

Aww, good, good

(Guitar Solo)

Oh, I did somebody some good
Somebody some good, yes, oh

Oh, did somebody some good, yeah
I musta did somebody some good, yeah

Oh, I believe I did

I see the smilin' faces
I know I must convince their traces, oh

(Guitar Solo)

And I see them in the streets
And I see them in the field, yeah
And I hear them at my feet
And I know it's got to be real
Oh, Lord, deliver me
All the wrong I've done
Oh, you can deliver me, Lord
I only wanted to have some fun

Oh, hear the angels marching, they're marching
Hear them marching, hear them marching, they're marching

Oh, my Jesus, oh, my Jesus, oh, my Jesus, oh, my Jesus
Oh, my Jesus, oh, my Jesus, oh, my Jesus, oh, my Jesus
Oh, my Jesus, oh my Je-ah-oh
Now my Je, hey, yeah, it's got to be my Jesus, whoa-whoa
It's got to be, it's got to be my Jesus
It's got to be, oh
It's got to be my Jesus
Oh, take me home

Come on, come on, I can hear the angels singing
Oh, here they come, here they come, here they come
'Bye-'bye, 'bye-'bye, 'bye-'bye, 'bye-'bye, 'bye-'bye
Oh, it feels pretty good up here, pretty good up here
I'll touch Jesus, I'll touch Jesus, I'll touch Jesus
I'll touch Jesus, I'll touch Jesus
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oww yeah, ooh, it's real good
Come on, take it, take it, take it, take, take
Go, go, go, take, take, take, go, take, ooh yes, c'mon, uh
Oh, yeah

Oh, don'tcha make it, my dyin', dyin' dyin'...cough

(That's gonna be the one, Andy)
(Come and have a listen, then)
(Oh, yes, thank you)

Influences: This song has a long history. The main blues tune to consider is a song titled Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed, recorded in 1927 by Blind Willie Johnson. Josh White covered this tune in 1933 (Robert Plant allegedly claimed this version to be an inspiration for the band). Bob Dylan also covered this song for his 1962 debut album. To my knowledge, Dylan was the first person to use the title 'In My Time Of Dying', as opposed to 'Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed'. A little known psychedelic blues rock band by the name of Fear Itself, fronted by female vocalist Ellen McIlwaine, covered the song for their 1969 self-titled album (never released on CD), with a similar hard rock approach as Led Zeppelin used when they recorded their own version of the song.

Knowledgeable blues fan/historian Spike from CRF2 has informed me of an alternate version of Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed recorded in 1941 by the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet, with the title of 'Toll The Bell Easy'. He suspects that the alternate arrangement and different title of the song may suggest that the tune's been around in some form for a long time prior to Blind Willie Johnson's recording of it in 1927.

Additionally, the song Bury My Body featured on The Animals' 1964 self-titled album (UK version) contains lyrics that would seem to be borrowed from either Bob Dylan's In My Time Of Dying, or earlier versions of Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed. This particular song may have other blues roots, though.



Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed - Josh White

Now, in the time of dying, I don't want nobody to mourn
All I want my friends to do, come and fold my dying arms
Well, well, well, so I can die easy, well, well, well
Well, well, well, Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

Meet me, Jesus, meet me, won't you meet me in the middle of the air
And if these wings should fail me, Lord, won't you meet me with another pair
Well, well, well, won't you meet me, Jesus, well, well, well
Well, well, well, Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

I'm going on down to the river, stick my sword up in the sand
Gonna shout my troubles over, Lord, I done made it to the promised land
Well, well, well, I've done crossed over, well, well, well
Well, well, well, I've done crossed over, Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

Ever since I been acquainted with Jesus, we haven't been a minute apart
He placed a receiver in my hand, true religion in my heart
Well, well, well, I can ring up my Jesus, well, well, well
Well, well, well, I can ring up Jesus, Jesus gonna make up my dying bed

Going on down to the river, stick my sword up in the sand
Gonna shout my troubles over, I've done made it to the promised land
Well, well, well, I've done crossed over, well, well, well
Well, well, well, Jesus gonna make up my dying bed



In My Time Of Dying - Bob Dylan

Well, in my time of dyin', don't want nobody to mourn
All I want for you to do is take my body home
Well, well, well, so I can die easy, well, well, well
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus gonna make up, Jesus gonna make up, Jesus gonna make up my dyin' bed

Well, meet me, Jesus, meet me, meet me in the middle of the air
If these wings should fail me, Lord, won't you meet me with another prayer
Well, well, well, so I can die easy, well, well, well
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus gonna make up, Jesus gonna make up, Jesus gonna make up my dyin' bed

Lord, in my time of dyin', don't want nobody to cry
All I want for you to do is take me when I die
Well, well, well, so I can die easy, well, well, well
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus gonna make up, Jesus gonna make up, Jesus gonna make up my dyin' bed



In My Time Of Dying - Fear Itself

(same lyrics as Bob Dylan's version)

Unsolved Mysteries: (Please contact me if you have any information about the following)