Samuel Robert ("Bob") Gibson (November 16, 1931 – September 28, 1996) was a… Read Full Bio ↴Samuel Robert ("Bob") Gibson (November 16, 1931 – September 28, 1996) was a folk singer who led a folk music revival in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was known for playing both the banjo and the 12-string guitar. He introduced Joan Baez at the Newport Folk Festival of 1959. He produced a number of LPs in the decade from 1956 to 1965. His best known album, Gibson & Camp at the Gate of Horn, was released in 1961. His songs have been recorded by, among others, Peter, Paul and Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, the Byrds, the Smothers Brothers, and the Kingston Trio. His career was interrupted by his addiction to drugs. After getting sober in 1978, he attempted a comeback, but the musical scene had changed and his traditional style of folk music was out of favor with young audiences. He did, however, continue his artistic career with albums, musicals, plays, and television performances. In 1993 he was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). He died from PSP on September 28, 1996 in Portland, Oregon.

Wayfaring Stranger
Bob Gibson Lyrics

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I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world of woe,
There's no sickness, no toil or danger
In that bright land to which I go.
I'm going there to see my father,
I'm going there no more to roam,
I'm going there just over Jordan,
I'm going there to my new home.

One of these mornings, and it won't be long,
All men will rise and stand side by side.
Then hand in hand they're bound for glory,
Their foes will fall before freedom's tide.
I'm goin' there to see my brother,
I'm goin' there no more to roam,
I'm goin' there just over Jordan,
I'm goin' there to my new home.

I'm goin' there to see my mother,
I'm goin' there no more to roam,
I'm goin' there just over Jordan,

I'm goin' there to my new home.
I am a poor wayfaring stranger.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bob Gibson's "Wayfaring Stranger" evoke imagery of a lone traveler, making their way through a difficult and trying world. The singer describes themselves as a "poor wayfaring stranger," journeying through a land filled with sickness, toil, and danger. However, the song also speaks of a brighter land that the wayfarer is headed towards, a place free of the hardships they have faced so far. The wayfarer is going to this new land to see their father, brother, and mother, and it is clear that this journey is one of great significance to the singer.

As the song nears its end, it becomes clear that the hope and promise of the new land extends beyond just the singer. The lyrics speak of a time when all men will rise and stand side by side, hand in hand, bound for glory. Their foes will fall before freedom's tide, and this new land will be a place of true hope and promise, not just for the wayfarer, but for all. The song's powerful and emotive lyrics speak to the enduring human quest for meaning and purpose, and the hope that we can find something greater than ourselves to guide us through life's difficulties.

Line by Line Meaning

I am a poor wayfaring stranger.
I am a traveler who doesn't have much material wealth or belongings.

Traveling through this world of woe, There's no sickness, no toil or danger In that bright land to which I go.
I am journeying through a world full of sorrow and pain, but the place that I seek is free of sickness, labor, or peril.

I'm going there to see my father, I'm going there no more to roam, I'm going there just over Jordan, I'm going there to my new home.
I am traveling to visit my father, and once I reach that place, I will no longer wander. It is just past the Jordan River and is my new permanent residence.

One of these mornings, and it won't be long, All men will rise and stand side by side. Then hand in hand they're bound for glory, Their foes will fall before freedom's tide.
Soon, a time will come when all people will stand united, and they will triumph over their oppressors and enemies.

I'm goin' there to see my brother, I'm goin' there no more to roam, I'm goin' there just over Jordan, I'm goin' there to my new home.
I am traveling to reunite with my brother, and after that, I will not continue wandering. My destination is just on the other side of the Jordan River, and it is where I will reside permanently.

I'm goin' there to see my mother, I'm goin' there no more to roam, I'm goin' there just over Jordan, I'm goin' there to my new home.
I am traveling to see my mother, and after that, I will not wander anymore. It is just across the Jordan River, and it will be my new residence.

Wayfaring StrangerBob Gibson Lyrics

Wayfaring Stranger
Bob Gibson Lyrics