Down in the River to Pray is an Appalachian tune that gained popularity with the release of Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? in 2000. The song appears in Slave Songs in the United States, a collection published by William Francis Allen in 1867. The song as published in 1867 was titled The Good Old Way, and rather than the river, mourners are invited down in the valley to pray.
Twana Harris and I recorded this version for DisciplesNet Church in 2011.