This pancocojams post showcase a sound file of Big Mama Thornton singing "Everything Gonna Be Alright". The lyrics to this rendition are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Big Mama Thornton for her musical legacy and Muddy Waters Blues Band for their musical legacy. Thanks to the composer of this song and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
**** SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLE: Big Mama Thornton-Everything Gonna Be Alright
TravelerIntoTheBlue, Published on Sep 22, 2011
Big Mama Thornton With Muddy Waters Blues Band 1966
Willie Mae " Big Mama" Thornton Vocal Muddy Waters.. Guitar Ottis Span.. Piano James Cotton...Harmonica Francis Clay Drums Luther Johnson Bass Samuel Lowhorn ... Guitar
**** LYRICS: EVERYTHING GONNA BE ALRIGHT
Come here, baby Sit down on my knees Right here pretty baby Ah, sit down on, on my knees You know i wanna whisper in your ear, baby Tell you what you mean to me
I know I love you baby With all my heart and soul I give you everything I got, baby I�d even go to Fort Knox and rob it of all its gold Yeah, baby, it�s gonna be alright Because I need the one and the money And cause everything is gonna be alright tonight
[instrumental music]
Everything gonna be alright baby I know because i feel it in my bones Everything gonna be alright baby Because I feel it in my bones Hey hey hurry baby I don�t want you to leave me alone Come on, come on baby you got it Get it baby, get it! You got it
[instrumental music]
Come here, pretty baby
[instrumentall music] -snip- Transcription by Azizi Powell from the recording. Additions and corrections are welcome.
This pancocojams post presents excerpts from two Mudcat folk music discussion threads and other online sources about early text examples of the song "Do Lord Remember Me" and other religious songs that influenced "So Lord Remember Me".
This post also includes a YouTube sound file of Mississippi John Hurt's rendition of "Do Lord Remember Me".
The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers and collectors of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to Mississippi John Hurt for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
**** PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES From reading these excerpts, I gather that the song "Do Lord Remember Me" is dates at least from the early 1860s United States. Certain "African American*" religious songs (referred to as "jubilees") are cited below as early examples of "Do Lord Remember Me" or as songs that influenced versions of that song.
From reading these excerpts, it also appears that [White American] Julia Ward Howe (1819 � 1910), best known for composing "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic", also wrote "Do Lord Remember Me" or, at least, composed a version of that song.
These selected excerpts and quotes are given in no particular order. I've assigned numbers for these excerpts and quotes for referencing purposes only. Multiple selected quotes within an excerpt are also numbered.
*Note the referent "Negro" (also spelled with a lower case "n") is used in some of these quotes. That referent hasn't been used as a referent for African Americans since at least the late 1960s.
**** ONLINE EXCERPTS AND QUOTES
EXCERPT #1 From http://www.grace-notes--southern-styling-on-a-digital-piano.com/do-lord-oh-do-remember-me-way-beyond-the-blue-southern-gospel-on-piano/ Do Lord, Oh Do Remember Me (Way Beyond The Blue) Southern Gospel on Piano Posted on December 16, 2012 " �Do Lord is such a fun song. Many think of it as a kid�s song, but the truth is, you�re never too old to enjoy it. Easy melody, simple lyrics, yes, it�s perfect for children to learn and sing along with. But I never outgrew it. Standing in church, clapping our hands, tapping our toes� having fun. Church should be a happy place...
The message is a good one, and more likely to be remembered for it�s simplicity. It�s also easy to add verses. Over my life, I�ve heard multiple variations, and there�s likely plenty that I haven�t run into yet. Some of the verses I know best are:
(of course) Do Lord, oh Do Lord, Oh Do Remember Me I�ve got a home in Glory Land that Outshines the Sun I took Jesus as my savior, you take him Too Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord Do Lord Oh Do Lord Lyrics Do Lord Oh Do Lord Lyrics
Wait, what was that last one? Yes, it�s Battle Hymn of the Republic. That�s actually a legitimate blending, because Battle Hymn and Do Lord are both credited to Julia Ward Howe (1819 � 1910). If she wrote both songs, then she can mix them up any way she wants. There�s a lot of history regarding origin of the Battle Hymn, but not much over Do Lord. And truthfully, her life was a life full of accomplishments, though she�s best remembered in association with Battle Hymn of the Republic, Julia was a speaker, a promoter of women�s rights, an author, and spent her life as an outspoken proponent of several grand causes. In many ways she was far ahead of her time, and not appreciated for it at that time. She even tried to establish an official Mother�s Day, though her attempt at that time was less than successful.
As I record these songs, I�m learning a lot. The songs themselves have deep meaning to me, but for each, some time is spent researching. Learn some history, begin to understand how and when they were written. Unexpected meanings behind the lyrics, social forces that drove the creation. For instance, Battle Hymn was written using an old folk tune, �John Brown�s Body�, for the melody. Before that, it was �Canaan�s Happy Shore�, and �Brothers Will You Meet Me�. She was requested to write new lyrics, to give fighting men a marching song to stir patriotism.
That�s just barely scratching the surface. If you�re interested Julia is worth reading about, and there�s a lot tor read, both by and about her. For me, the main point of interest is the music."
To the same melody, I've got a sister in gloryland (or Beulah Land, wherever that is) Outshine the sun I've got a sister in gloryland Outshine the sun I've got a sister in gloryland Outshine the sun Away beyond the sky
I've got a brother/mother/father/etc.
Come and go to gloryland Outshine the sun (etc.)
This from Mississippi John Hurt, who RULES.
Alex
** 2. Subject: Do Lord Remember Me From: Dicho Date: 13 Nov 01 - 03:13 PM
DO LORD REMEMBER ME
Do Lord, do Lord, do remember me (3 times) O do, Lord, remember me.
When I'm in trouble, do remember me, (3 times) O do, Lord, remember me.
When I'm dyin, do remembr me (3 times) O do, Lord, remember me.
When this world's on fire, do remember me (3 times) O do, Lord, remember me.
1st verse of When My Blood Runs Chiller and Cold identical to 1st verse here. John W. Work, American Negro Songs and Spirituals, 1940, p. 82.
** 3. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Do Lord Remember Me From: Dicho Date: 17 Dec 01 - 02:53 PM
DO LORD REMEMBER ME
Cho. Do Lard, do Lawd, do remember me (3 times) Do Lawd, remember me.
When I'm sick an' by myself, Do remember me; (sing couplet 3 times) Do, Lawd, remember me.
When I'm crossin' Jurdon, etc.
If I ain't got no frien's at all, etc.
Paul and Silus bound in jail, etc.
One did sing while the other one prayed, etc.
When I'm bound in trouble, etc.
When I'm goin' from do' to do', etc.
Grissom, The Negro Sings a New Heaven, 1930 (Dover 1969), p. 68-69 with music. Some different verses here.
** 4. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Do Lord Remember Me From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 18 Nov 10 - 02:01 PM
1863,"Under the Palmetto," H. G. Spaulding, Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 198.
O, Lord, Do, Lord (no title)
I'm a like to die as Jesus die, An' he die with a freely good will, He lay in de grabe, An' he stretchy out He arms, O Lord, remember me. Chorus:
O, Lord, remember me, Do, Lord, remember me; Remember me when de year rolls round, O, Lord, remember me.
Cho. Oh, do, Lord, do, Lord, do remember me, Do Lord, do, Lord, do remember me, Oh, do, Lord, do, Lord, do remember me, Oh, do, Lord, remember me.
When my blood runs chiller and cold, do remember me, Oh, when my blood runs chiller and cold, do remember me, Oh, when my blood runs chiller and cold, do remember me, Oh, do, Lord, remember me.
Cho. I've got a home in Beulah Land, outshine the sun, Outshine the sun, outshine the sun, Oh, I've got a home in Beulah Land, outshine the sun, 'Way beyond the sky.
Cho. Oh, the shoes that my God give me, outshine the sun, etc. Cho. Oh, the robe that my God give me, outshine the sun, etc.
Cho. If you don't wear no crosses, you can't wear no crown, (3 times) 'Way beyond the sky.
Cho. Oh, the crown that my God give me outshine the sun, Outshine the sun, outshine the sun, Oh, the crown that my God give me outshine the sun, 'Way beyond the sky. Cho.
Rev. J. R. Gipson and wife, Merryville, LA. John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip. Two songs combined? Only the 1st verse and chorus seem to go with the title.
**** 2. Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN MY BLOOD RUNS CHILLY AND COL' From: Dicho Date: 18 Nov 01 - 06:19 PM
When my Blood Runs Chilly and Col'
Oh, when my blood runs chilly an' col', I'se got to go, I'se got to go, I'se got to go; Oh, when my blood runs chilly an' col', I'se got to go, Way beyond de moon.
Cho. Do, Lord, do, Lord, do remember me, Oh, do, Lord, do, Lord, do remember me (twice) Oh, do, Lord, remember me.
Ef you cain't bear no crosses, you cain't wear no crown, 3 times) Way beyond the moon.
I'se got a mother* in de Beulah land, she's callin' me, She's callin' me, she's callin' me, I'se got a mother in de Beulah land, she's callin' me, Way beyond de sun.
*Repeated for father, brother, sister, etc.
**De harder yo' crosses, de brighter yo' crown, (3 times) Way beyond de moon. **Or, Right under your cross, there lies your crown.
Unattributed, in American Ballads and Folk Songs, John A. and Alan Lomax, 1934, p. 610-611.
**** 3. Subject: Lyr Add: JESUS, THOU ART THE SINNER'S FRIEND From: masato sakurai Date: 20 Nov 01 - 03:39 AM
"Do, Lord, Remember Me" is also in Grissom, The Negro Sings a New Heaven (1930; Dover, 1969, p. 68; with music)[quoted in Jackson, White and Negro Spirituals, p. 165], and Odum and Johnson, The Negro and His Songs (1925; Negro Universities Press, 1968, p. 92). The version sung by Jimmie Strothers and Joe Lee is in Various Artists, Negro Religious Songs and Services (Rounder CD 1514). George Pullen Jackson says, "A negro spiritual inspired by this song [Jesus, Thou Art the Sinner's Friend in the Sacred Harp (1844), the Southern Harmony (1835), etc.] is 'Lord, Remember Me'." (Spiritual Folk-Songs of Early America, 1937; Dover, 1964, p. 144). The first stanza with refrain (2x) is:
Jesus, thou art the sinner's friend, As such I look to thee; Now in the bowels of thy love, O Lord, remember me. O Lord remember me, O Lord remember me; Now in the bowels of thy love, O Lord remember me. ~Masato
**** 4. Subject: Lyr Add: GOIN' TO OUTSHINE DE SUN From: Dicho Date: 10 Feb 02 - 09:09 PM
Lyr. Add: GOIN' TO OUTSHINE DE SUN
Well, my mother's goin' to heaven, She's goin' to outshine the sun, O lord. Well, my mother's goin' to heaven, She's goin' to outshine the sun, Yes, my mother's goin' to heaven to outshine the sun, An' it's 'way beyon' the moon.
You got a home in the promise lan', Goin' to outshine the sun, O Lord, An' it's 'way beyon' the moon.
The crown that my Jesus gave me, Goin' to outshine the sun, my Lord, An' it's 'way beyond the moon.
Goin' to put on my crown in glory, An' outshine the sun, O Lord, 'Way beyond the moon.
H. W. Odum and G. B. Johnson, 1925 (1976) The Negro and His Songs, p. 110, no music."
FOLK MUSIC OF THE UNITED STATES "Issued from the Collections of the Archive of American Folk Song �� A. 1. DO, LORD, REMEMBER ME
A. 1. DO, LORD, REMEMBER ME [Song and] banjo by Jimmie Strothers and Joe Lee... 1936*
[...]
BLIND Jimmie Sirothers learned his hearty minstrel style of gospel singing while traveling with a medicine [show. Joe Lee sings jubilee songs in truly spiritual fashion. Both have considerable showmanship. In the first selection Joe Lee beats two pieces of wire on the finger-board of the banjo, deftly avoiding the fingers of the player.*
For �Do, Lord, Remember Me" see Spiritual in Old and New by Edward Boatner and Mrs. Willa A. Townsend (Nashville, Tennessee, 1927), No. 54, and American Negro Songs by John W. Work (New York,1940), p. 82.*
[...]
DO,LORD,REMEMBER ME CHORUS: [Oh,] Do, Lord, do, Lord, Lord, remember m Do, Lord, do, Lord, oh; Lord, remember me.
Hallelujuh!
Do, Lord, do, Lord, oh, Lord, remember me.
Oh, do, Lord, remember me.
1. Oh, when I'm in trouble,
Down on my knees,
When I was in trouble,
Lord, remember me.
Oh, when I'm in trouble,
Lord, remember me,
Lord, do, Lord, remember me.
2. Oh, when I am dyin',
Lord, remember me,
Oh, when I am dyin',
Lord, remember me,
Oh, when I am uyin',
Lord, remember me,
Oh, do, Lord, remember me.
Oh, I'm gonna take a little journey,
Lord, remember me.
I'm gonna take little Journey,
Lord, remember me.
Oh, I'm gonna take a little journey,
Lord, remember me,
Oh; do, Lord, remember me." -snip- *These portions have multiple misspellings. I rewrote them in this post without those misspellings to enhance their readability.
**** SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLE: Mississippi John Hurt - Do Lord, Remember Me - field recordings
MyMoppet52, Published on Oct 3, 2014
This is from the 1963 field recordings of Thomas Hoskins when he first met Mississippi John Hurt after tracking him down through a 1920's song. Mrs. Hurt joins her husband in singing "Do Lord, Remember Me". Hurt didn't own a guitar, had not performed in years, had forgotten some of the words, AND had a sore throat that day the stranger showed up. He passed away in 1966, so all (but one recording) the wonderful music we have from him was made in 3 short years. The album, "Discovery: The Rebirth of Mississippi John Hurt" was made from tapes of March 1963, but released in 2011. Enjoy the first meeting of the musicologist and Mississippi John Hurt!
This pancocojams post showcases two sound files of Red Saunders & His Orchestra With Dolores Hawkins & The Hambone Kids's "Hambone" record (1952, 1963).
Information about Red Saunders is also included in this post along with information about The Hambone Kids The lyrics to the 1963 version of this record are also provided in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Red Saunders & His Orchestra and Dolores Hawkins and The Hambone Kids for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube. -snip- This post is part of an ongoing series about the "Hambone" song and percussive body patting activity.
Click the tag below for other pancocojams posts that are also part of an ongoing series on "Hambone".
**** INFORMATION ABOUT RED SAUNDERS & HIS ORCHESTRA From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Saunders_(musician) "Theodore Dudley "Red" Saunders (March 2, 1912 � March 5, 1981)[1] was an [African] American jazz drummer and bandleader. He also played vibraphone and timpani...
Saunders remained in control of the Club DeLisa house band until the club closed in 1958, apart from a hiatus between 1945 and 1947 when he led a smaller band at other venues in Chicago. Among his sidemen were Leon Washington, Porter Kilbert, Earl Washington, Sonny Cohn, Ike Perkins, Riley Hampton, singer Joe Williams and Mac Easton. Among the arrangers he employed were Johnny Pate[3] and Sun Ra.[2] He made his first recordings as bandleader for Savoy Records in late 1945, and later accompanied such rhythm and blues performers as T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, Sugar Chile Robinson, Rosetta Tharpe, Willie Mabon, Little Brother Montgomery and LaVern Baker (then credited as "Miss Sharecropper") on sessions. He continued to record under his own name with relatively little commercial success for several years, until early 1952 when his recording of the traditional children's song "Hambone" on the OKeh label, with Dolores Hawkins and the Hambone Kids (who included Dee Clark), reached some R&B charts. In 1956, he recorded with Guy Warren on Warren's album Africa Speaks�America Answers![2] Despite his regular gig and disinclination to go on the road, Saunders also played with Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Woody Herman. He continued to lead a band at the Regal Theater in Chicago into the 1960s, and played with Little Brother Montgomery and Art Hodes at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in the 1970s."....
**** INFORMATION ABOUT THE "HAMBONE" RECORD BY RED SAUNDERS AND HIS ORCHESTRA WITH DELORES HAWKINS & THE HAMBONE KIDS From http://www.somanyrecordssolittletime.com/?cat=2010 Hambone / Red Saunders & His Orch. with Delores Hawkins & The Hambone KidsSUNDAY, JULY 8TH, 2012 "Red Saunders found his first successful footing in the depression era Chicago clubs. His endless singles, on many labels, seemed to finally reach an early doo wop/RnB mix of ghetto wildness, a frenzy evident here.
First released in February 1952, the record was accompanied by large display ads in Billboard showing The Hambone Kids performing in front of Red Saunders and his drums. The originally issued take of �Hambone� included Dolores Hawkins� whistling but lacked her vocal interjections that appear on this version; it also included a brief passage for the full band and a tenor sax solo. The Kids� rhythmic practice was known as hamboning or patting juba: slapping various body parts as a substitute for drumming. Dee Clark, one of those Hambone Kids, also loudly stamped his heel on the 2nd and 4th beats.
Peaking at #20 on the Billboard RnB chart, it was, like Screamin� Jay Hawkins� �I Put A Spell On You�, a consistent seller. By �63, parent company CBS decided to reissue �Hambone� as Okeh 7166, pictured here. And then again in �67 (Okeh 7282). These reissues used an alternate take running 2:13, in which The Hambone Kids and Dolores Hawkins are accompanied throughout by guitar, bass, and drums only; the rest of Red Saunders Big Band / Orchestra contributing only shouts of �Hambone!� at the beginning and end of the piece.
There are many versions of �Hambone� floating around this earth, as was the case with all big selling black records in the 50's, endless vanilla white artists watered them down for middle America consumption. This here is the real deal though."
**** ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RECORD From The Virgin Encyclopedia of The Blues by Colin Larkin[Google books, page 1879] "He [Red Saunders] recorded on Sultan, Savoy, and Supreme before securing a contract with OKed. The featured vocalist on his 1950/1 session was "Jumpin' Joe Williams, some years and a coat of polish before his stint with Count Basie. Sanders also claim to fame was a ramshackle 1952 novelty hit 'Hambone'. 'The Hambone Kids', Sammy McGrier, Ronny Strong, and Delecta Clark (who grew up to become Dee Clark), patted 'juba', slapping their bodies in syncopated rhythms, between singing childish verses that anticipated Bo Diddley, while Dolores Hawkins ejaculated 'Yeah!' at the end of each stanza."
**** From http://www.madmusic.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=4306 "Re-popularized in the early 60s by NYC kids host and former radio actor Sandy Becker on his show on WNEW Channel 5 in NY. He developed a character called Hambone [dressed in a bizarre marching-type uniform, pith helmet with huge feather and 6"-long "glasses"] and would strut and stride around on camera while the song played, and would also put up words on signs on a board to form a witty saying. Becker was also a cartoon voice actor (Go Go Gophers, others) and is fondly remembered by kids of the 50s & 60s from the NY area. The 1952 release was re-released in 1963 due to the popularity of Becker's character, and was a re-edited take with Becker squealing "Yeaaaahhhhhhh!!!" in character over the original record. Among the Hambone Kids was a young Dee Clark, who would later have hits such as "Raindrops", a staple of oldies radio."
This is the first version of Red Saunders' "Hambone" from 1952 - released as OKeh 6862 - which has a saxophone break in the middle of the song - does not have the drawn-out "YEAH!" exclamations found in the later version - and does not have the "false fade"prior the the last exclamation of "Hambone!". The later version was issued with "Rumble Mambo" by Link Wray on the reverse side as OKeh 7166 in 1963 and OKeh 7282 in 1967.
**** Example #2: Hambone - Red Saunders and his Orchestra with the Hambone kids - HQ
jrocuts, Published on Aug 14, 2010
**** LYRICS: HAMBONE (Version #2) Hambone!
Hambone!
Hambone, hambone Have you heard? Papa�s gonna buy me a mocking bird And if that mocking bird don�t sing Papa�s gonna buy me a diamond ring And if that diamond ring don�t shine Papa�s gonna take it to the five and dime Hambone! Yeah!
Hambone, Hambone, where you been? Round the world and I�m goin' again Hambone Hambone, where's your wife? In the kitchen cookin' rice. Hambone Yeah! Yeah!
Look at him holler, look at him moan* He always called for his hambone. We he get it he eat it fast That ole hambone just wouldn't last. Hambone! Yeah! Yeah! Ah Yeah! Ah ha!
-snip- This is my transcription of this song from that sound file. Additions and corrections are welcome.
*I can't decipher what is said in this line. I got those words from this version of "Hambone" which is partly attributed to Red Saunders
This pancocojams post provides information about Southern Soul Blues singer Denise LaSalle and showcases a YouTube sound file of Ms. LaSalle's singing her composition "Now Run Tell That". Lyrics for Denise LaSalle's "Now Run Tell That" are also included in this post.
The Addendum to this post presents information that Denise LaSalle shared with journalist/writer David Whitesis about how she came up with the title for that song. David Whitesis shared that information with me via email and gave me permission to post it in this blog.
The Addendum also provides information about writer David Whiteis and his one of his books on African American music Southern Soul Blues.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
My thanks to Denise LaSalle for her musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Special thanks to David Whiteis for his research and his writing and for sharing information with me about the saying "Run Go Tell That". -snip- This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on the phrase "Go tell it" as it pertains to African American music.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/12/early-lyrics-for-christmas-song-go-tell.html for Part I of a four part series on "Go Tell It On The Mountain". That posts features information and text only examples of the "Christmas" version of that Spiritual. Links to the three other posts in that series are included in that post. Other posts in that series showcase examples of this song as sung by Mahalia Jackson, civil rights versions of that song as sung by Peter Paul and Mary and by civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, and an adaptation of this song as sung by the Wailers.
**** INFORMATION ABOUT DENISE LASALLE From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_LaSalle "Ora Denise Allen (born July 16, 1939),� known by the stage name Denise LaSalle, is an American blues and R&B/soul singer, songwriter, and record producer who, since the death of Koko Taylor, has been recognized as the "Queen of the Blues".[3]
Career Born near Sidon, Mississippi[4] and raised in Belzoni, she sang in church choirs before moving to Chicago in the early 1960s. She sat in with R&B musicians and wrote songs, influenced by country music as well as the blues, before winning a recording contract with Chess Records in 1967. Her first single, "A Love Reputation" was a modest regional hit.[5]
She established an independent production company, Crajon, with her then husband Bill Jones.[5] Her song "Trapped By A Thing Called Love" (1971) was released on Detroit-based Westbound Records. This reached #1 on the national R&B chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song ranked at #85 on the 1971 year-end chart. The RIAA gold disc award was made on November 30, 1971 for a million sales.[6]
She also wrote successful follow-ups, "Now Run And Tell That" and "Man Sized Job" which made #3 and #4 in the R&B Top Ten and also charted in the Hot 100. Her early hits were recorded at the Hi recording studios in Memphis, operated by Willie Mitchell, using the cream of southern session players. She continued to have hits on Westbound and then on ABC Records through the mid-1970s, including "Love Me Right" (#10 R&B, #80 pop) She continued to produce and perform live. Her co-penned song, "Married, But Not to Each Other" (#16 R&B) was included in the 1979 The Best of Barbara Mandrell, compilation album.
In the early 1980s, she signed as a singer and songwriter with Malaco Records, for whom she released a string of critically acclaimed albums over more than 20 years, starting with Lady in the Street (1983) and Right Place, Right Time (1984). Both albums became major successes among soul blues, R&B and soul fans and on urban radio stations. In 1985, she enjoyed her only recognition in the UK Singles Chart, when her cover version of Rockin' Sidney's, "My Toot Toot", reached #6.[7]
LaSalle appeared at the 1984 and 1993 versions of the Long Beach Blues Festival, and also in 1993, she performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival. Her album Smokin' In Bed (1997) sold well.[5] After more than a decade away, when she recorded three albums with small Memphis-based soul-blues label, Ecko, she returned to Malaco for her 2010 outing called "24 Hour Woman". She continues to work as a live performer, particularly at festivals, and more recently has branched out into the gospel genre. In 2011, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.[8]
[...]
In 2013 and 2014, LaSalle was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Soul Blues Female Artist' category.[12][13] On June 6, 2015, LaSalle was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame."...
**** LYRICS- NOW RUN AND TELL THAT (Denise LaSalle)
Every big city man, Run around town, just... Even tellin' how he loves, A man'll put him down, yes...
How he gets what he wants, Then he'll blow your mind, Aww, but baby, you met your match this time, yeah yeah.
Hey hey, Mr. Playboy, Hey Romeo, It broke your heart, If I let you go.
You been tellin' everybody where it's at. Now run and tell that. (Run on) That's what you're gonna do. (Run and tell that)
You say you never met a girl, That you couldn't win, That's what you said.
And if you been there once, You can go back again, Oh yes you did.
But ain't no two-timin', Bone-crushin', sweet-talkin' John, No, baby, Gonna get my love and then, Turn it wrong.
Hey hey, Mr. Playboy, Hey Romeo, It hurt you bad, If I let you go.
You been tellin' everybody where it's at. Now run and tell that. (Run on) That's what you better do now. (Run and tell that)
You said you were the greatest man alive, yeah. But I made up my mind to put you down in size, oh yeah. I'll put somethin' on your mind, You'll never forget, no baby.
I've got you walking in a daze, You ain't recovered yet, no.
Hey hey, Mr. Big Stuff, Hey Romeo, You can tell the world, That I told you so, That I was gonna show you where it's at.
You been tellin' everybody where it's at. Now run and tell that. (Run on) Now run on... (Run and tell that)
**** SHOWCASE EXAMPLE- Legends of Vinyl�LLC Presents Denise Lasalle - Now Run And Tell That 1972
legendsofvinylTM Published on May 17, 2014 Legends of Vinyl, Strictly Vinyl Events & Luis Mario's DJ Entertainment - New York & South Florida's Choice for DJ entertainment proudly present. -snip- Here's a comment from this sound file's discussion thread: Lancashire AGoGo, 2016 "thisi is part of that isnt it, so4t of Southern style big sounds with a hint of gospel in vogue around 72,73."
**** ADDENDUM Excerpt of David Whiteis' email to Azizi Powell [July 6, 2017] ..."Remember our discussion about Denise LaSalle's song, "Run and Tell That"? Well, I'm currently working with Ms. LaSalle on her autobiography, and as it turns out, she didn't quite get that title from where we thought she did. Here's her story about it:
�It was a phrase from a newsman in Chicago. During that time, you know, it was a lot of Civil Rights movement going on, a lot of Black folk runnin�, tellin� white folk what Black folk said they gonna do, a lot of meetings where everybody�s trying to figure a way how to get out from under the oppression. Black people had finally come to grips, to 'I ain't taking this sh&t* no more.' And they had meetings, they�d call a meeting to talk about what they were going to do to get � what they call him, we had a name for white folk � Mister Charlie � they had Black folk, Uncle Toms when they run to the white folk, and the white folk was Mister Charlie. And they was just trying to keep � they wanted to have their little say among themselves, try to use that on Mister Charlie. But you got some Black people would come to the meetings, and hear what they were talking about, and go back and tell Mister Charlie, okay?
So they got this thing going, where this guy would get on the radio, and say, 'We as a people are going to do this, and we�re going to do that,' and he didn�t mind saying what they gon� do; he wasn�t trying to be in no private meeting to tell � he said, 'We are going to do this. We are going to stick together, and we are going to do this and that.' He said, 'Now run and tell that!' That�s where it came from. He would always end every commentary he would do, on WVON in Chicago, with 'Now, run and tell that!' He was a crippled old, crippled Black man � his name was Roy Wood. He would use that "Run and tell that," and I kept liking to hear it. I liked what it meant, and I just said I would start working on a song with that. That�s where that came from."
---- Until now, every time I've heard that song I've thought about our earlier conversation about its spiritual/gospel roots. I'm sure that's where Roy Wood got the phrase from, but Denise got it from him! Thought you'd find this interesting . . ." -end of email excerpt *This word was fully spelled out in that comment.
**** Here's some information about David Whiteis and one of his books Southern Soul Blues: From https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/southern-soul-blues-david-whiteis/1113417453#productInfoTabs "Attracting passionate fans primarily among African American listeners in the South, Southern Soul draws on such diverse influences as the blues, 1960s-era Deep Soul, contemporary R & B, neosoul, rap, hip-hop, and gospel. Aggressively danceable, lyrically evocative, and fervidly emotional, Southern Soul songs often portray unabashedly carnal themes, and audiences delight in the performer-audience interaction and communal solidarity at live performances.
Examining the history and development of Southern Soul from its modern roots in the 1960s and 1970s, David Whiteis highlights some of Southern Soul's most popular and important entertainers and provides first-hand accounts from the clubs, show lounges, festivals, and other local venues where these performers work. Profiles of veteran artists such as Denise LaSalle, the late J. Blackfoot, Latimore, and Bobby Rush�as well as other contemporary artists T. K. Soul, Ms. Jody, Sweet Angel, Willie Clayton, and Sir Charles Jones�touch on issues of faith and sensuality, artistic identity and stereotyping, trickster antics, and future directions of the genre. These revealing discussions, drawing on extensive new interviews, also acknowledge the challenges of striving for mainstream popularity while still retaining the cultural and regional identity of the music and of maintaining artistic ownership and control in the age of digital dissemination."...
**** From http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/77kfd2bp9780252034794.html Southern Soul-Blues "AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: � Best History for Best Research in Recorded Blues, Hip-Hop, Rhythm & Blues, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2014 � Blues Book of the Year, Critics' Poll, Living Blues magazine, 2014
[...]
David Whiteis is an author, freelance writer, and educator living in Chicago. He is the author of Chicago Blues: Portraits and Stories, and his articles and reviews have appeared in Living Blues, The Chicago Reader, Down Beat, Juke Blues, Jazz Times, and elsewhere. Southern Soul Blues won the Best Blues Book of 2013 in Living Blues magazine's critics poll."
This pancocojams post provides an excerpt from the 2010 internet article "Cryin' Blind: Situating the Blind Blues Musician in History" by Rachel Lee.
This post also presents excerpts from three other articles or internet blog posts about the high proportion of African American singers/musicians in the early to mid 20th century who were blind, particularly in the Blues music genre.
Five YouTube examples of African American Bluesmen who were blind are also showcased in this post.
The content of this post is historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
Excerpts from online articles are featured on this blog as a means of publicizing those articles and sharing the information that is included in those articles. Pancocojams readers are encouraged to read those entire articles.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these YouTube examples, and thanks to the publishers of these two YouTube examples of this song. -snip- Pancocojams Editor's Comment This pancocojams post was inspired by my recent post about Blind Willie Johnson and my recent post about the Five Blind Boys Of Alabama. Those posts and other pancocojams posts about African American singers/musicians who are blind can be found by clicking the "African American singers and musicians who are blind" tag that is found below.
By at least the mid 20th century, it has been considered to be socially incorrect to use the word "blind" as a preface to someone's stage name because a person's disability shouldn't be use as his or her descriptor.
Also, by at least the mid 20th century it has been considered to be socially incorrect to use the word "boy" to refer to Black men (or any other men) in group names such as the Gospel singers "The Five Blind Boys of Alabama" and "The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi". Nevertheless, some blind recording artists continued/continue to use those names because their fans knew/know them by those names.
**** ARTICLE EXCERPTS ABOUT BLIND AFRICAN AMERICAN SINGERS/MUSICIANS These excerpts are given in no particular order.
Excerpt #1: From http://www.bostonblues.com/features.php?key=storyCryingBlind "Cryin' Blind: Situating the Blind Blues Musician in History" By Rachel Lee May 2010 "Before World War II, the black population of the United States had a blindness rate five times that of its white counterpart.
The facts of their lives�including highly dangerous working conditions, social diseases spread by slum overcrowding and malnutrition�made them more susceptible to injuries and afflictions, and their general poverty and lack of health care access made it nearly impossible to receive the early treatment necessary to prevent blindness. While treatment and work opportunities for both black people and the blind have advanced over the years, there was a time when being a poor, blind black man meant having to sing for your supper.
That is why American culture is stamped with the iconic image of the blind blues musician.
From Blind Pig Records to the Blues Brothers, nothing quite screams blues louder than a pair of shades. Why do blind people wear sunglasses? Isn�t that about as useful as deaf people wearing ear plugs? The reasons for the shades are as myriad as the reasons for blindness. In some circumstances they're worn to hide eyes that have been disfigured. In other cases, bright light can be painful to the eyes. Many blind people have varying degrees of sight and though they may be legally defined as blind, they can make out shapes and colors.
W.C. Handy, named �The Father of the Blues,� described the musicians he saw around Clarksdale as �blind singers and footloose bards.� Handy himself went blind at the age of 30 due to an accidental fall from a subway platform in New York City."... -snip- This article includes �a list (by no means definitive) of some of the more noted blind blues musicians.� Here are three entries from that list:
"Blind Blake (born Arthur Blake) Born: circa 1893 in Jacksonville, Florida Died: circa 1933 Instrument: Guitar and vocals Cause of blindness: Unknown as much of Blake�s life is shrouded in mystery Recordings: About 80 tracks for Paramount between 1926 and 1932 Where: Worked as a wandering musician throughout Florida, Georgia, and Ohio performing at medicine shows, parties, on streets, and at suppers and fish fries in the early 1920s
Trivia: He is not to be confused with another Blind Blake, a popular singer from the 50�s from the Bahamas who recorded calypso music.
Achievements: He was one of the greatest guitarists of his era--his ragtime based guitar style was the prototype for the piedmont style blues. His complex and intricate finger picking inspired Reverend Gary Davis, Jorma Kaukonen, Ry Cooder, Ralph McTell, Leon Redbone and many others.
** Rev. Gary Davis A.K.A Blind Gary Davis (born Gary Davis) Born: April 30, 1896 in Laurens, South Carolina Died: May 5, 1972 Instrument: Guitar and vocals Cause of blindness: According to Davis: �I was taken blind when I was three weeks old. The doctor had something put in my eyes that was too strong and that was what caused me to go blind.� Recordings: 1930s-1970s, America Record Company, Bluesville, Prestige, Folkways, Kicking Mule Where: Carolinas and New York
Trivia: Jorma Kaukonen recorded his song �I'll Be Alright� Achievements: Broke his wrist as a teenager; the bones never set properly and may have inadvertently contributed to his unique guitar style Developed a complex yet swinging approach to picking that has influenced generations of players, including Jerry Garcia, Dave Van Ronk, Jorma Kaukonen and Stefan Grossman
** Blind Boy Fuller (born Fulton Allen) Born: July 10, 1907 in Wadesboro, North Carolina Died: February 13, 1941 Instrument: Guitar, steel guitar and vocals Cause of blindness: Went blind in is teens either from ulcers behind his eyes due to snow blindness or an ex-girlfriend throwing chemicals in his face (there are multiple accounts) Recordings: Around 120 songs ranging from ragtime to blues to novelty tunes for ARC and Decca Where: Played on street corners and at house parties in Winston-Salem, Danville and then Durham, North Carolina
Trivia: Syd Barrett noticed the names of Pink Anderson and Floyd Council in the liner notes of a Blind Boy Fuller record, hence the name for his band Pink Floyd
Achievements: Played slide, ragtime, pop, and blues Several original compositions including "Lost Lover Blues" and "Step It Up and Go" have become standards of the Piedmont blues genre."...
**** Excerpt #2: From https://www.quora.com/What-explains-the-high-proportion-of-blind-Blues-musicians-in-the-early-20th-century What explains the high proportion of blind Blues musicians in the early 20th century? Merin Thomas, The Sky is Crying Updated May 1, 2013 "The history of blues and African-American music in general in the early 20th century is strewn with names like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Boy Fuller and Blind Willie McTell. The reasons why such a high proportion of blind blues musicians flourished in this period are many.
The lives of African Americans after the turn of the 20th century was unbearably hard with few avenues for relief except gambling and drinking. The vast majority were still in the deep south, where they were still fighting the last vestiges of slavery. Work was hard to come by and usually involved manual labour in the fields. Almost invariably, their lives involved dangerous working conditions, social diseases spread by overcrowding and malnutrition and lack of access to healthcare didn't make things any easier. Hence, it was nearly impossible to receive the early treatment needed to treat blindness.
The introduction of prohibition in 1920 prompted the illegal production of moonshine. One of the by-products of distilling moonshine was methanol (or anti-freeze), which if ingested, caused blindness.
Those unfortunate enough to lose their sight couldn't work in the fields anymore, couldn't get decent healthcare if they were poor and having no other avenues for work, turned to music to earn their daily bread. They played at street corners, house parties, juke joints and labour camps, honing their craft in front of live audiences. And some of them got good. Real good. That is why today American culture is stamped with the iconic image of the blind blues musician."...
**** Excerpt #3: From http://all-that-is-interesting.com/blind-blues-musicians ..."Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Lemon Jefferson�in fact, just scroll down the Blues Hall of Fame list and every third musician seems to be preceded with the word �blind.�
In the jazz and soul worlds, there wasn�t anywhere near as many blind musicians. So why the disproportionate amount of unsighted bluesmen?
�Well, there were far more blind people back at the turn of the century when these blues artists were born,� says Brett Bonner, editor of Living Blues magazine. �Several diseases that were common � and often incurable � back then caused blindness: meningitis, measles, scarlet fever, smallpox, high blood pressure, venereal disease. If the diseases were treatable, many rural poor simply couldn�t afford the doctor.�
Outside of the farmland, distilling spirits could also lead to blindness. If not performed correctly, the process could result in the production of methanol, rather than ethanol; and consumed in large qualities, it could shred the optic nerves.
Given how commonplace blindness was then, perhaps a better question to ask is � why did so many of these blind people become bluesmen?
�When you were a blind child in a poor family in the rural south,� says Bonner, �you were a burden to the family because you couldn�t work on the farm like everyone else. Playing music was something a blind child could learn to do and could, as he aged, perhaps make a living doing it. Since they had to earn their keep and there were so few other possibilities available, they simply became a bluesmen out of necessity.�
Some of the bluesmen which Bonner cites were the lucky ones, who despite their affliction, were able to forge successful recording careers. Blind Lemon Jefferson, for example, became the blues darling of Paramount Records; Blind John Davis gained a big European following after touring with Big Bill Bronzy, and Sonny Terry, a blind blues-cum-country singer, went on to star in Steven Spielberg�s The Color Purple.
But for the great many, day-to-day existence was tough, jostling to earn a nickel on filthy street corners, heckled and abused by a hostile, sectarian society and fighting a raging battle against disease and addiction. Every blind bluesman certainly had a tale to tell."...
**** Excerpt #4: From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_musicians ..."Though the idea of blind musicians may be even more prevalent than their actuality, it remains true that at many points in history and in many different cultures, blind musicians, individually or as a group, have made important contributions to the development of music. Some of these contributions are discussed below.
[...]
American country blues Blind musicians have made a significant contribution to American popular music. This is particularly true in blues, gospel, jazz, and other predominantly African American forms � perhaps because discrimination at the time made it more difficult for black blind people to find other employment. In any case, the achievement of blind African-Americans in music is extensive. The first recorded gospel sanctified barrelhouse piano player, Arizona Dranes, was blind, as was Al Hibbler and Ray Charles, one of the most important figures in the creation of soul music. Art Tatum, commonly cited as the greatest jazz pianist of all time, was also almost blind. Stevie Wonder, who was blind from birth, has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and won twenty-two Grammy Awards[15] (the most ever won by a solo artist in history).
However, blind black musicians are still most strongly associated with the country blues. The first successful male country blues performer, Blind Lemon Jefferson was blind, as were many other country bluesmen, including Blind Willie McTell, Blind Willie Johnson, Sonny Terry, and Blind Boy Fuller. The figure of the black country bluesman became so iconic that when Eddie Lang, non-blind jazz guitarist, wanted to choose a black pseudonym for purposes of recording blues records with Lonnie Johnson, he naturally settled on Blind Willie Dunn.[16] Bogus Ben Covington was known for pretending to be blind.�...
**** FIVE SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLES: BLACK BLUESMEN WHO WERE BLIND These examples are given in no particular order.
Example #1: Blind Lemon Jefferson, "Jack of Diamonds"
TheLadyEmerald, Uploaded on Jul 19, 2011
Jack of Diamonds is a traditional folk song. It is a Texas gambling song that was popularised by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1926.
**** Example #2: Blind Blake - Diddie Wa Diddie
Glenn Weiser Uploaded on Jan 18, 2009
Recorded by guitar whiz Blind Blake and later covered by Hot Tuna and Ry Cooder.
**** Example #3: Blind Willie McTell - Statesboro Blues
Raiwons Uploaded on Sep 11, 2009
...Nobody can sing the blues as Blind Willie McTell ' (1), this at least is what Bob Dylan sentences in the topic who dedicated this big bluesman and who helped to increase his legend. A legend that as it usually happens often did not start blowing up even after his death, especially immediately after that in 1959 Sam Charters was including in the album that was accompanying his famous book ' The Country Blues ' one of his topics, ' Statesboro blues ', which later would be taken to the reputation in 1968 by Taj Mahal on his disc of debut and especially in 1971 by Allman Brothers Band in his mythical double album ' Live at Fillmore East ' (2).
William Samuel McTell, better known as Blind Willie McTell (May 5, 1898 (sometimes reported as 1901 or 1903) August 19, 1959), was an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was a twelve-string finger picking Piedmont blues guitarist, and recorded 149 songs between 1927 and 1956.
" Writin' Paper Blues 1927" http://youtu.be/n7J5XEG_E1g
**** Example #4: Nobody's Fault But Mine - Blind Willie Johnson
Taylor Darrow, Uploaded on Feb 28, 2012
**** Example #5: Truckin' My Blues Away - Blind Boy Fuller
Eric Cajundelyon, Published on Sep 24, 2012
Blind Boy Fuller (born Fulton Allen) (1907 - 1941) was an American blues guitarist and vocalist. He was one of the most popular of the recorded Piedmont blues artists with rural Black Americans, a group that also included Blind Blake, Josh White, and Buddy Moss. Enjoy and keep your blues away !!!
This pancocojams post showcases the song "Motherless Child Has A Hard Time" Information about Gospel and Blues singer/guitarist Blind Willie Johnson is included in this post along with the lyrics of that song and two YouTube sound files of Blind Willie Johnson performing that song. The second sound file is particularly featured on this post for its vintage photographs.
The Addendum To this post features a sound file of the Five Blind Boys Of Alabama singing Blind Willie Johnson's composition "A Motherless Child Has A Hard Time".
The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Blind Willie Johnson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to The Five Blind Boys of Alabama for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these two YouTube examples of this song.
**** INFORMATION ABOUT BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Willie_Johnson "Blind Willie Johnson (January 25, 1897 � September 18, 1945) was an American gospel blues singer and guitarist and evangelist. His landmark recordings completed between 1927 and 1930�thirty songs in total�display a combination of powerful "chest voice" singing, slide guitar skills, and originality that has influenced later generations of musicians. Even though Johnson's records sold well, as a street performer and preacher he had little wealth in his lifetime. His life was poorly documented, but over time music historians such as Samuel Charters have uncovered more about Johnson and his five recording sessions.
[...]
Recording sessions (1927�1930) By the time Johnson began his recording career, he was a well-known evangelist with a "remarkable technique and a wide range of songs", as noted by the blues historian Paul Oliver.[12] On December 3, 1927, Johnson was assembled along with Billiken Johnson and Coley Jones at a temporary studio that talent scout Frank Buckley Walker had set up in the Deep Ellum neighborhood in Dallas to record for Columbia Records. In the ensuing session, Johnson played six selections, 13 takes in total, and was accompanied by Willie B. Harris on his first recording, "I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole".[7] Among the other songs Johnson recorded in Dallas were "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed", "It's Nobody's Fault but Mine", "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time", "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground", and "If I Had My Way I'd Tear the Building Down".[13][14] He was compensated with $50 per "usable" side�a substantial amount for the period�and a bonus to forfeit royalties from sales of the records.[13]
The first songs to be released were "I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole" and "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed", on Columbia's popular 14000 Race series. Johnson's debut became a substantial success, as 9,400 copies were pressed, more than the latest release by one of Columbia's most established stars, Bessie Smith, and an additional pressing of 6,000 copies followed.[15] His fifth recorded song, "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground", eventually the B-side of Johnson's second release, best exemplifies his unique guitar playing in open D tuning for slide. For the session, Johnson substituted a knife or penknife for the bottleneck and�according to Harris�he played with a thumb pick.[16] His melancholy, indescribable humming of the guitar part creates the impression of "unison moaning", a style of singing hymns that is common in southern African-American church choirs.[17] In 1928, the blues critic Edward Abbe Niles praised Johnson in his column for The Bookman, emphasizing his "violent, tortured, and abysmal shouts and groans, and his inspired guitar playing".[18]"...
**** LYRICS The lyrics to this song are included in the summary statement for the sound file given as Example #1 below.
**** SHOWCASE VIDEOS Example #1: Blind Willie Johnson �Mother's Children Have A Hard Time� Columbia 14343-D December 3, 1927
Tim Gracyk Published on Nov 3, 2014
Well, well, well, ah A motherless children have a hard time Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead They'll not have anywhere to go, wanderin' around from door to door Have a hard time Nobody on earth can take a mother's place when, when mother is dead, Lord Nobody on earth takes mother's place when, mother's dead Nobody on earth takes mother's place, When you were startin', paved the way Nobody treats you like mother will when Your wife or husband may be good to you, when mother is dead, Lord They'll be good to you, mother's dead A wife or a husband may be good to you, But, better than nothing has proved untrue Nobody treats you like mother will when, when mother is dead, Lord Lord, Lord, Lord Yeah, well, ah Well, some people say that sister will do, when mother is dead That sister will do when mother's dead Some people say that sister will do, But, as soon as she's married, she turn her back on you Nobody treats you like mother will And father will do the best he can, when mother is dead, Lord Well, the best he can when mother is dead Father will do the best he can, So many things a father can't understand Nobody treats you like mother will A motherless children have a hard time, when mother is dead, Lord Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead They'll not have anywhere to go, Wanderin' around from door to door Have a hard time
This African-American singer and guitarist was a pioneer in mixing blues and spirituals. Lyrics of all his songs were religious, but his music drew from both sacred and blues traditions. He was one of the greatest slide (bottleneck) guitarists of his generation.
When singing, he sometimes used a gravelly false-bass voice, but other times he makes use of a tenor voice.
Blind" Willie Johnson lived from 1897 to 1945.
**** Example #2: Blind Willie Johnson ~Motherless Children Have A Hard Time~
ween jeep Uploaded on Oct 23, 2011
This video was uploaded from an Android phone. -snip- Here are two comments from this YouTube video's discussion thread: Mary Hollingsworth, 2014 "organic beautiful music -- literally touches my soul --- and the video is unbelievable love the little boy on the couch and the dancing girls"
** Kelly Susan Israel, 2015 "agree this is the real deal here ! Nice footage as well would love to know more about the video here if you care to tell? Thanks for uploading this :) -snip- Unfortunately, as of the publication date of this pancocojams post, no information is given in the summary or in the comments about the film clips that are featured in this video.
**** ADDENDUM Blind Boys Of Alabama - Mother�s Children Have a Hard Time
Alligator Records Published on Feb 26, 2016 ...GOD DON'T NEVER CHANGE: THE SONGS OF BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON. A stunning collection of artists and performances celebrate the timeless music of legendary gospel bluesman Blind Willie Johnson. From the Blind Boys Of Alabama's soul-baring "Mother's Children Have A Hard Time" to Tom Waits' virtual embodiment of Johnson himself on "The Soul Of A Man" and "John The Revelator." From Derek Trucks' and Susan Tedeschi's reverent reading of "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning" to Lucinda Williams' slide guitar-fueled lament in "Nobody's Fault But Mine" to Luther Dickinson's spirited take on "Bye And Bye I'm Going To See The King" (with The Rising Star Fife & Drum Band). This record is packed with incomparable recordings that speak as much to the greatness of the performers as they do the enduring legacy of Blind Willie Johnson."
**** RELATED LINK Bessie Jones' version of "I'm A Rollin" includes the line "motherless child has a hard time"
Verse: Lord, a motherless child has a hard time. (Just rolling through this unfriendly world.) He's sometime up and sometime down. (Rollin through this unfriendly world.)
** If you know of other songs that included this "motherless child has a hard time" floater, please share those songs/performers in the comment section below. Thanks.
