Author Archives: garobins@usc.edu

I Pray The Lord My Soul To Take

Nationality: American
Age: 59
Occupation: Psychiatric RN
Residence: NYC
Performance Date: 4/5/18
Primary Language: English

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep, if I die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to take.

This is a prayer that my parents always taught me every night before I went to sleep. As the saying goes, if you were to die in the night, to give your soul to the universe. There is no implicit rule or distinction that you’re sore should go to God, but more of a higher being of some sort. It was first heard from my father’s grandmother, and most children are scared of the dark, she told him this prayer to reassure him that everything would be okay.  My parents instilled they’re saying into my brothers and my brain from as young as I can remember I could speak. It gave me the certainty that no matter what happens if I woke up in the morning I would be happy that I didn’t die.God is this omnipotent great thing, and asking God to watch over before I fall asleep, and take my soul if I pass. You never know what will happen, and send positive energy to the universe.

 

Angel of God, a Nightly Prayer

Nationality: American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: USA
Performance Date: 4/20/18
Primary Language: English

Angel of God, My Guardian dear, to whom God’s love, commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side. To light, and guard, to rule and guide.

The significance of this prayer and ritual was to say it before bed every night and see it when you wake up in the morning. The “reads “angel of God my Guardian dear, to whom God‘s love commits me here. Ever this day be by my side, to light and to guard to rule and to guide. “This means that you are giving thanks and acknowledging that God is your guardian, and that no matter what you are loved by God and respecting him. It is also saying that no matter what God will be with you to help you and guide you throughout your journey of life. My friends grandmother made her a pillow that has this prayer written on it, to remind her about her faith every day. While this is said in church and as a mantra, she grew up saying that every day before bed and reading it in the morning when she woke up. It serves as a reminder that if all else fails you can have faith in God to help you get through whatever hardship you are going through.

 

Childhood Rhyme

Nationality: American
Age: 56
Occupation: Contract Landscaper
Residence: NYC, USA
Performance Date: 4/4/18
Primary Language: English

 

 

 

 

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This came from the Wiggles, a show that my brother and I used to watch as a child. The song always came on and we danced around and had a great time. This song lyric was a large part of my childhood. My father and mother have a very large role in my life, and as a child, I remember singing this song pretty much every day. First, we would sing it when it came on the television when the famous wiggles would sing it. This then turned into a tradition where my dad would have my brother and I eat apples and bananas but also learn vowels at the same time and how to speak. We would sing this song before we eat apples and bananas every time or any kind of piece of fruit just to have a fun time. It was a way for all of us to be goofy and enjoy ourselves and also be healthy at the same time.

The Rolling Stones, You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Nationality: American
Age: 56
Occupation: Contract Landscaper
Residence: NYC, USA
Performance Date: 4/4/18
Primary Language: English

“Rolling stones, can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you get what you need.”

My dad grew up in the 70s and 80s and with that, he grew up learning various different decades of music. He had a particularly fond liking for classic rock and roll and garage band music. One of his all-time favorite bands is the Rolling Stones. As a result of that, I grew up listening to so much classic rock. Like my dad, the Rolling Stones have a special place in my heart, because it bothers me more with my father and gives us something to talk about and analyze. A lot of their song lyrics are about being on the road, love, drugs, sex, and other forms of profanity. One of our favorite songs is you can’t always get what you want. This song is a reminder that you always have enough and it’s also just an incredible song. The main chorus of the song goes “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need”. The significance of the song pertains specifically Richard’s use of Heroin, Jagger’s girlfriend who suffered a miscarriage and Jone’s who had overdosed in previous years. While not everyone has these experiences, it explains the specifics the band members experienced and has vague enough references to make it pertain to a generalized group of people.  I have always kept in the back of my mind and thought about this song and times that I’ve struggled. Again, it serves as a friendly reminder that you have everything that you need in life and you cannot always get what you want. Music is an incredible way to share folklore, especially when it’s shared through an epic band such as the Rolling Stones. They have had a 50-year career, And have toured all around the world. Wherever you go, people will know one of their songs. I personally know many of their songs by heart, and most of my friends will know a certain part of any given song. It has been a classic song and can be universally known and understood even when the language is spoken is different. People have idolized this band, and while they were on their tour around the world, they have gained an innumerable following. Again, this leads to the understanding of songs, messages, and sayings as a form of folklore.

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Remedy for a Cough

Nationality: Half Irish, Half American,
Age: 78
Occupation: Hospice volunteer
Residence: MA, USA
Performance Date: 04/03/18
Primary Language: English

Note: I have been sick all semester long and I usually call my Grandmother who lives across the country for some magical remedy that might alleviate some of my symptoms.

Recipe: Place two teaspoon of honey in a cup with one teaspoon of butter and boil it. Drink it when it is warm, and drink it three times a day.

This recipe was told to me by my Grandmother who had it passed down from her Mother and Grandmother. She always has some kind of remedy to fix a cough or cold. There is not a specific “cure” for a cough, but this certainly has been used to alleviate the symptoms of a cough and soothe the throat. There are other variations of this recipe that involve water, lemon, salt, pepper, ginger, but this is the only one I have heard of that includes butter. My Grandmother is half Irish, but this recipe has no correspondence as to the origins of the recipe.