Who’s Gonna Help Me Sing?

Bob Nolan
Original copyright: Undetermined

Oh my children, oh my children.
Did you hear that great “Haleleu”?
Oh my children - pray.

We gonna sing when tomorrow comes,
We gonna sing when tomorrow comes.
Who’s gonna help me sing tomorrow morning?
(We gonna help you sing tomorrow morning.)
Who’s gonna help me bring the new day’s dawning?
(We gonna help you bring the new day’s dawning.)
Who’s gonna help me shout and sing “Haleleuia”?
Who’s gonna help me sing tomorrow morning?

Maybe clouds fill the skies,
Maybe tears fill your eyes,
But your spirits will rise if you sing.

Who’s gonna sing when tomorrow comes?
Who’s gonna help me sing tomorrow morn?
(We gonna help you sing tomorrow morn.)
Who’s gonna help me bring the new day’s dawn?
(We gonna help you bring the new day’s dawn.)
Who’s gonna help me shout and sing “Haleleuia”?
Who’s gonna help me sing tomorrow?
(We gonna help you sing.)
Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.
Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.
This is my happy day!
(Oh, my children, did you hear him pray?)
Happy day, happy day!

This song might surprise those of you who are familiar with only the simpler of Bob Nolan's western songs. He wrote some complicated songs including this pseudo-spiritual song for an a cappella performance by the Hall Johnson Choir plus the Sons of the Pioneers and Roy Rogers in a Republic film, Heart of the Golden West (1942).

The song begins with the Choir evoking church bells and continues with various solo voices plus the Pioneers working against the choir. The verse might well be Bob's personal philosophy -

Maybe clouds fill the skies,
Maybe tears fill your eyes,
But your spirits will rise if you sing.

It was transcribed from the soundtrack of the film and we have been unable to find sheet music. Republic Pictures still holds the copyright on this song as it was a "song-for-hire". A song copyright in 1942 would be eligible for termination in 1998. Songs written under a "song-for-hire" arrangement are not eligible for termination. They remain the property of the original owner. Bob thought little of the songs he wrote for the Roy Rogers movies. There is no sheet music or any other recording.

We do not have any sheet music for this song.