% HOLY BLUES THE GOSPEL TRADITION Mark A. HUMPHREY i the eat frm he Land oa Jackon “Din et the De Holy bles isan evident oxymoron “a igre of spec combining seemingl con tuaicton expressions” (Ovord American Dictionary) Holy blues is oxymoron if we Feline Hes tobe “the devi's musi ateet held by many “reformed” blues singers Inthe sins" of some Afncan-American churches. Blass unholy. and sacred tsi unbluery Blues celebrates pleases ofthe flesh, we acted music elebrats release Hom worldly bondage, One sel to theater's ly water, unmiable. At Teast sme ld hae it 0 ‘Once viewed asthe twin populist woes of African-American culture, bes and pel music aditions have geal come to be sen a5 existing on ihe sie of ‘hast die crossed ony at peri tones sou We have come to believe thatthe ‘hoes fered Anca Amereans were those of metua exclusion: ether blues oF fomel msie Cod ofthe Devi Heaven o Hel The es singer took the ater, Sontetines striking Faustian bargains (or 30 Tomy Johnson ssid to have lane) for eats masters of “the des music Tren. many blues aficionados gad blues singers especial the male Bes singers the Misssipp Delta twenteth-century AvicanAmerica analogues to thenincenth-entuty Romantic pots, who cb agaist cal convention, tle Promethean fie with thei art and died sung o audarum addetion uberuloss, ssphils sie (choese ne) The mt ofthe Byonicpoet—brilint deat, find ell destacivehassstaned is grat power and resonance for more than 150 ‘Sears of Wester culate That myth subtext o ur eontined asination withThomas A Davey wa the ingle mst mp ddl ie twenty ep mac He wore br ori To. the paneling ending bles pare Tam Red Cutis OH sch dsiniaeicons othe 1950 the best pots andthe county singer ded the hilly Shatespear,” Hank Willams. lt has been the rason dete of many rock tating and deod The th tells that ie and at ae ssepaable For the Romantic artist fe and art must both dey taboos, ol with internal and external cent a ultimately marty heats “The prble ith projecting tht myth ont Bes singers thatthe eaten wich the ned and worked was one with no tangible nk tothe Romani radon some besmen believed thes were playing the devils musi.” and fa few bragged tf with such appellaons as “The Denis Sona,” none seem to have equated demonic defiance” with an aerate toate to some higher truth, the evident goal ot European Romantics (a goal iced by the well warn pase fom Willa Blake's Proverb of Hall “The rad of excess eas to the palace of wisdom). The Romantic Aeaton ofthe individuals tondamentally foreign to African-American cult, fd the projection of Byrne character ont Bes singer most visibly, of couse tonto Raber Johnson) tells more about the observer than the observed ‘Thisan't tosay thatthe dus of “the devil's musi" as stark opposite to songs of paises something white ntlectuls have merely smagined to recreate the Blsestun in our own mage No, theres ample evidence to suggest that an ‘ther sensibility was one wth which Bue singers tu grappled. There sao wea Son to believe tha the eulture in which they led was more forgiving of them than itrelgou etre might, on the sure suggest How else can we explain the men ‘uo worked vatioul as blues singers and preaches, apparently without becoming Parisi the communities? ‘Blues and sored musi served different soil functions in Afcan-Amevican clus The expences (one could eve ideologies) they exemplified were in Conflict, but the musics asscited with this confit were nota stl serezted From one another out poadigan of the Byron bluesman mat lsd wt believe Blyes came to an Arctn-American cular in which the ecstatic Holiness ard Pentecostal churches were spreading, and thove populit fuths embraced eclectic ‘sia expression, Convery, blues, new idiom at the tom ofthis century, could ‘ot hulp but be in pat shaped by the varied and venerable Alican-American sated ‘sie taditons nea two centuries its enor ‘Coming to term wth Aca American music is imposible without ade: sng the anvil on which wae forged, Between 1505 and 1870, some ten milion Aicans wes enslaved and brought tothe Amence nthe mort extzordinary forced ‘gation of human history. The Engh, ntl repelled by slavery, enthusiastically raced the trade when they sw the bountiful fats ugh from hve labor be their ated real elit, the Spanish, England thew self nto saving in the mid seventeenth centr, though Means had been brought tothe North American Colones aly as 1619 fa eat before the Pilgrims Idd), as indetured servants In 1788, Alexander Falconbridge observed in A Acount ofthe Slow Trade on the Coast of Afnca "The poor wretches at frequent compelled to sing alo; but when thes do so, ther songs ae generally melancholy mentation oftheir exile frm thei “Tht exile ma followed by futher dehumanization: the dsolution (ia the suction bk) of ny tba oc fail hs that had surived the passage for Af. Expressions of Afcan culture and religion were lags suppressed, a were any gat cringe that might be sen ae pretext for nsurtetion Stepped of past eltua iden- tty and dened ll opportunity to form new nes, the African in Ameria ws withoutSVYVYYVVYYYVYYYYows eecccsccecscccccesesossestessseseses Holy BLUES the dv the ole. Colona editions of Watt's Hyams and Spat Songs fist Uppeated in 1739 and proved particulars popolt with avs. The religious inst Tl fred them by Wesley and ike minded missonanes fue both Hs Writ read yn, whic emphasized ts essons 1755, the Reverend Samu Davies a Presbutcran evangelist, wrote: Teannot but sere tat the neers. above all ok fhe human species that Tever behave the mest ea for musi Tes hal a ind of ecstatic deght in psoas tn aed twen-igt eas ate, snted Ln Anges Landa (Chutes then pasted bs Johnny Oris sythen ad bles mde best bi the 1985 uel it Wille andthe Hand five "The bois ead singer adessed the congestion and in ecaling the msc she head av a ch mae reference to in of hose of Dr Watt fens" The congregation ul-hoed recognition CGaneations ater and on the fre ofthe continent fom where Wat's hans sere fist leaned by ses ths erence still nga resonant bell. In 1760 the Reverend Mi Tod, e misionay dstibutinghyrinal to newly comserted aves, reset tha he had been “obliged to tar sundry empty away who have come tome for Watls Palms and Hens") ‘Over lin blacks hve in the United States by 1800, comprising 19 percent ofthe nation’s population, More har one hundted thousand wee free. and among these Heedmen were the founder of he frst AFsean-Ameriean denominations Richard Allen founded the Bethel Alcan Methodat Episcopal Church in Pradelpiain 179,andin 180, pblsbed the fist American hymnal designed solely fora Black congregation's use “The eration of sepa lack churches wasin pata response to white unease at a black fle epregated) presence in American houses of worship, but i aso po ‘eda tre communi center beyond white sanction and obsercation, That center ‘proved pila of strength fr generations and proce the commurit's adr in Fs preachers, who took to heat Watts advice. “Miners ought ao to cu ‘ate the capeityof composing spinal vo and exercise it along wath the other pst of worship preaching and prayer” ‘A"Sccand Awakening” swept America in the ealyyear ofthe nineteenth com: tury, characterized by weeklong encampments ("amp meetings) wooded ae sth constant preaching, paying and singing, The Back presence fad enthusiasm) these camp meting often exceeded that of whites. An observer at an 1838 Fennsshanin meeting atended by seven thousand complained that "Their shouts dad singing were so very boisterous that te singing of he whit congregation was tien completely drowned inthe echoes and eerbeations of the eoexed people's tumultuous stains Wershipes were swept long tides of mas ecstacy sma to ‘hone experiened n Pentecotl churches centr ater. The camp meeting ngs that were sigficant pat ofthe oral tranemited“spntul” ratios took shape thi tine Not allof these songs would have given white masters much comfort, had they ‘undetsto them In 1550, a stig Scotsman, Petr Nea, noted of black spirit tls “The downfall the achtiend forms the pieipal topic oftheir anthems" One tf theanthens Neikon heard, Satan Your Knigdom Mast Come Dow" woul be feconded nea eet later by Bind Joe Taggat.The time of Nelsons cbse thm andthe thinks concealed subtext of the song the tae peson ofthe archfiend anenotevorty. A yea ltr in ISL, Nat Turner's nsuteton sept through Southampton Counts Vigna. ts alermath, Vaginas Goseror Floyd tol hisBlshopcpad Erewecectecccccccssccooooooccscooooes HOLY BLUES Theol Blas rewoutefthe always within heating, with its mistare of pity and pola, and its castane-ike sane arg pate Clapping ofthe hands Then there ae quieter paver meetings, with pious ivocs thon arspoencdmss tone and slow pains, “deaconed out fram memory bythe leader, wo ines at time ina sot of wang chant In 1867 theft election of pitas” was published. Slave Song of United Sates, clected by William Allen, Chases Ware, and Luey McKim Garrison Amomits contents were the hymns of Dr Watts as well 3 folk spnitvals. hich ‘soul ind he way alt altered frm, oat 78 the I In 186, Fisk Univesity, open ta blac students, wa established in Nash From its ak ame the ik jubee Singers, the fist soup to“concertze" spn tls The Fk ube Singers undertok ther ist national tour in 1871, and eter Henn» Ward Beecher wrote ofthis New York Cty appearance, "They make thet rar by ging the spiritual and plantation hymns a oly they can sing them who {ow how to ep tie ta masters whip” The gap undertook a wold tour in 1886 and vasth expanded appreciation of Afican-Amencas sacred song, abet in 2 smogthed-over and Eutopeanized fer831 THE GOSPEL TRADITION Seeeseeesoseesesesesseees By he ime lcs Bez taking embronicshap the 1820, Afian “American ace ong was alvady station elder than the American public Whitecommentary ftom theeghtcen and nineteenth cetuns presets a Incomplete tue ofthis mse, but at Heat telus that many elements sil charac tenst of lek sased munca serices were ml established prior to te Cri War "Toterested, a yet at he sae time shocked” at a spectacle” observed at ‘ck church is Chattanooga 18, the Reverend Robert Malad wrote: “The Sole congregation kept up oe kad monotonous tran irre Tun gro and screams and clapping of hands” The Reverend Malad (eh Some llowaner, of couse rst be made forthe ‘emeesion to brats ws hat ‘abit of the Neg temperament) could have been socked by sia “spect fle more tha a century Ta. "lement of Afnican-Anericn worhip and sacred song remained costa ot generations the “deaconed eat” slo pls Higinon noted ding the Cail War KEaved fra the patie of ning ont” sed by or English Patan toretathers 38 alan 16H to teach psimsto the unlettered), but thisradition was by no means rerioustochange Change bas temored more apd and acl rough i in the pst hurded years than uring anyother epoch, beginning in the 189s th the Challenge the new Holiness churches posed to the established Baptist and Methodist ‘enomnations, Populist and cesta, the Holiness churches shook with shouts” and primitive jst bonds. An even mor isnt stan of experiential Chaistianity retged posto World War th the spread of Pentecostalsm, emphasizing {rine states and speaking in tongues Unlike he black musi that accompanied the CGret Awakening othe 1736 and the Second Awakening (with ts camp meetings) Some seventy yeas later thems ofthese religious uphewals is audible tous, Thanks to Ean’ tvention of 1577 Te 190, the Vetr Tabing Machine Company issued six single-sided records by the Dinwiddie Colored Quartet, her authenticity asserted in Vict’ 190 cata lag: "These ate genuine Jubiee and Camp Meeting Shouts sung son negroes en eethem” Male quttelsirging was a tradition lng standing, Vsti South (Caolina rom Sweden in 1850, Fria Bremer wrote her dary: "T heard the regis singing ct hy sung in quartete were gous “The nt Dinwiddie Colored Quartet performances were among the rte pe sentation of "genineJubike and Camp Meeting Shouts” atthe dawa of comme. iltccording The Fisk ublee Singers and oer performer of “concerted!” spi fost tok thet place on war elindes and dik alongside popular racist minstrel bits Ince song (ote, though not sway, performed by whites), but examples of bc muse which were nether offensive parodies nor smoothed for white consump thom weve sate a eco porto 1921. The widely eculatd Black newspapes, the (Chicago Delender, declredin 1916 that “Records ofthe Race's rat artist willbe place on the marke when record companies comprehen how nary Victrola ate oxned be membre of au Race "This realization became fact five yea liter, The rnuway sucess of Mamie Smith's Och recording "Crazy Blues created ov instant segue for women who sang vaudeilinfluenced asic” Hes “Ever phonograph compan.” Melenome snounced in 1922, has a colored gil recording Finest oom heat esident that bles ws nt the ony black musi the rear empanice sul ext successfully, The labels began scriting Back preachers fr tevordings of thee-minute sermons punctuated by congregtional shoots and Manic Sith puto the sama ving ar "ray Bl” tneseccccccccccrecesecseesesoseeosoes HOLY BLL Royrnd Gates ws fro Columbia Records reckon fit hat lo tdi tlt fie“ fallow might a wm but REV. J. M. GATES. | X Res. JM. Gat, South's reat preachers in contacr with the world, To hear him at hit very bett be sare ro got hit Columbia New p ike Hiei” sw Records, They ave DEATH'S BLACK TRAIN IS COMING | XEPDIOFPRAYER™Srmane nih Suing <4 singing. Calin Dixon's “As an Eagle Stith Up Her Net” was the it of thee tecondngs in 1925, and it ay be said tht the gene proopered wel into the ime of the LP. The recording of preacher singing and srmonizing to contreational ‘encouragement soared after 1926 when the Reverend JC: Burnett's "The Downfall of Nebuchadnezza” sold over eighty thousand copies, nd Reverend JM Gates ‘debut, Death's Black Trin I Comin’ kewse made cash registers ing Paul ‘Olver, writing in Songsters and Saints Vocal Traditions on Race Records (1954, sepots, “Eventually in the space of approximately a dozen years, 7 terns sventy peaches were etd Gates ws the most popular and prolific of them. He waxed some twohunded ties between 1926 and FT. Some ke “The Nee of Prayer” (0920), cde mo ingexarple ofthe “deaconed out. waling chant” Higginson herd at Ciil Wt amp. Others sutels captured buyers with sensational tiles, nclading “Dead Cat the Lin."*Manish Worn,” and "Speed On, Hell ls Wating for Vou” an admons thon to rekless dives. Cates used bath topical themes and then-current slang 2, hs appeal His 1930 message about the Depression, “These Hard Time pression "I's tight ike that” t indicate the national pasts fob and foc, bat Gate's audience would have tecgnized its 2 reference to Tampa Reds imnensely popular [928 hokum bles Ws Tight Like That a5 well as the sexual connotation ofthe tem ‘Wile the recorded sermons wth song such Baptists as Gates nd the Reverend A.W. Nov wee besslles, song ermpeliton came rm the hey exo tations th msi to match) of such "Sante preachers a Reverend D.C. RiceVicTOR erro Reverend Gangland Rend ureter tr prsckers ho a Tharpe mote th tyke anticipating that of Ss Caceres psng uncanny on Hs "Ths Weald ls Not Mf Hom se mance at sings th 3 mods eaceiona or be aera rater abe dep, going sout of Bsn fhnson was heard on 2 ‘One of her accompanist, gai dren sides waned in 19 Sere nembered Johns 5th smingst woman ve eve own” In crane with te emp og and» Wa Shade ow gua, he el eas SinetedSngers va ng espaking be Sancti aitin “He sr a fea sted of fer sion He Go etter Thing fr You Sas ad ates wet earls Stet Calls Fancy didnt inch from hsizng te nghty nh T1981 recording, "Death Reding Tough he Lard— Pe ATL Presidential if in God's has, This message for you And, Goeror, emer, When you oe sentence, My Gad etching yo. tn-Par I” of er sng, Sster Fane turned prophetic You thin the Ware ner Beast the USA. Fae joined the League of Nations, But the War an her wa: Jn 193 Japan invaded Manchuria, and Hitlers se in Germany wa ony wo sen away Fancy wamed that men should put their uth in God rather than rae econ face the Huns wat machine guns.” she sang, Her pio arremt may have ben Thomas A. Dorey, who, having recorded ald hokum Fee Tam Red, went onto become one ofthe prime moves shaping, modern gospel music re bom blind pianist and singer Arizona Danes was only twenty-oe then she made her tecoding debut for Oke in 1926 A favo atthe anal com er Memphis ofthe Church of God in Christ, Danes performed in churches Haan Tosa to Chicago, where she inpted the young Rosetta Thape. Hearing roe binten ofthe fou square and the syncopated i such piano show ere pr intamentl rion itseasy to magne aineags fam Dranes a ner Penecotal-tured-rocker pants as Jerry Lee Lew Holmes nd Pentee that accompanied back and white services was sir. In wires wee sometimes negated Even when they werent, he musi ase Holiness nes Cleland, receded Bayon Is Falling Down” ina highly hy ae Heute harmonica, and shouted aes. The song sprang Kom ABs Aenean tition and was aso waxed by Reverend FW, McGee wrth preachers ad Sancti sisters, the ecord facto of the 19205 sought ut ttn see singers who led out eager sstenasic from the aaa mgt of Herbert Hoovers America, Many ofthese men (and fe aval ve Bind Most payed a readily portable strument, the gitar, and have carne dubbed “putt evangelist” by electors of prewar lack recordingscappella, and ate among mances The popu “deaths lak ain” theme rumble My Mates Warn That Fain,” which fred tk admonii 111d you fre youve | ARIZONA DRANES0436, vy Blues saga tc sso ths ong with iar accompa ean Iie sete ite to "Wonder Wall Ny Teouble Then Be ves" One ot Tages’. ee tensa acconpanss fata What, went on to constable fame and inflcnce a follblues populate Tard on Tag's els nt the recording su ust weaned December 1926 His ital success was “The Gospel Ti ranneee Shh Valin esate to The Gantt Esangelst “The record kl esl a ort Drona ol Gonkh wot Revo he Best bs donee the yeas wl abel tation Byard W.Clatu ard XS Ceasyint even Rev Eland W last” Who the artist wa, however care eth bt ye His athe bane aa cates esta and Carb. ns Jno sages sented bags han that foes ata ea Fare cis comestue Hist tenor woke was accompanied bsg rate both bila and dion crt He was among the cleanest most aecutate ara putieneck sae gutansts ror yt is uk mela ines om the top arn ee arcompaned by an unchanging boom chang” bas, Clason voted ra veth requent chord changes yet be peer etted the guitar or ohersi ind tel that his tues weren't monocot eicath be could be quite inventive “Your Enemy Cano arn You Ba Watch Your Clone Pina) was paranoid warning that antiipted the Oa Back Stabe” by neal ity yeas People Lan to tll, feat how your fond wl They work to get your sexes And dig pit for 00 And Clasbor could be clings topical. On Januar 18,1925, he secured God’ Riding Phnugh This Land” Half speabing and hall singin the creas snodlated chant of preaches, Clabom drones Ah, nneten banded went Fourteenth day of November. God ade trough Pitsburg ‘Ore the Now side Cn the date Cayborn mentions, a gs tank nthe Ptsburgh plant of the Equtsble Coa Campan expleded: demolishing lesquare atea Twenty-cight peop: were lied anda osded hut Fine thousand were Left homeless Fresh nhs mind to Trent ater laser sa thas feeble retibation from a God of Jostioe He donde tke «nator man, He ho al power bs hon CCatachsmic vents sinking of the Titanic, World Warf he nfl ade of 915-19, toons the 1927 Data loader celebrated eee ee ad's woah i black sacted songs recorded sn the late 19208 and cath 19 Coloel Tigpnson may hve herd naar songs ring the Ci Wat; cei be Fred songs which, ashe noted the ld smager ofthe Apocalypse broughtThe right hand Similar sentiments thunder with frei intensis blind Texan brn nas a centuy alter alles hymnal appeared. lind Wile6 They eomsutytean incomparable bods of wot, a ence unnetallyegresive of Nha aectmencan tat and unique cxpresive ofan extraediany tute ei Jonson’ ose rate thes vet of profesional gpl musi inthe 190 fom f the Hack sacred music Hat evled rom the conser umn nce ealsanizes fos’ wot, bt thous host cogent aul coping exempiica oslves opt the ivciat Thereat fa spats of tne vantage Hagin heard "The United ‘Shoes Colo Trost ome othe ngs Jobson scored. "Recp Your Lamp Tamed and Busnng” Though blind Jonson Karad text and ues fom esas by ean them church a they wee performed by othe sect re Some he Tene Ha the sstraction a his we, Angee Sam Charter dene her Besunnont, Texas. living patetcpovets but surrounded nonetheless ty aneathof mune “There were over handed song books ano trunk beside Rygshne'sdhah in Beaton he wits. Among them was hyn pubbshed in TSS] wth ove five hundred sng. The anthem of Holiness eas a entered Johnsons rept ating the cleaning Bo of Jesu and the "ater a” thal woud ing ere tutes churches Such Sanchied symbolism, coupled wit the furious intensity of pean of fon’ eoedingsabeys seemed a eds with Angee insistence on Tohon's Bape fiiaton: Research by Dan Willams unearthed anotber woman in Johne's ile, Wile B Has, who claimed she was the female woes song cele stom two of Johon' sessions Sigufcanti ste linked Johnson withthe Chare of Gods Chast — “The Vitrola may hae influenced olson’ repertoite to a sight degree Prot FOUR RACE ARTISTS to hao recordings ofthe songs, “Bye and By Tm Goi to See the King” had SIGNED FOR COLUMBIA) nes cevrded bn both Aizona Dranes and Bld Mami Foschand, nd “Tabs Your - a navn othe Ln and eave le There” haben waned no es than far ines oy our new rae ris were ent d| pln ow Tags the Pac ube Singers, Washington Phils, nd Blind ete eicanely forte Gate ‘atPowmoerne Company derag the] 1h Geis) Other songs Jonson recorded have no known precedent and wer ‘Sect bine fpf Frank Wale| probably onsnal with him Some ae nile wit topical references and sogeest hat ee ge in is ice was seeing a erly toget. Others present a unique view ofa God ss ithe Zhasn i reoredas| mote manent than transcendent. Whether original rlared, Johnson's pero ‘pew sehation a te fonts min | ances welded these song te him. His versions became dfintve, and were the ones ec ones tow Be BE | ad Tite the vocals of Sanctifed preachers, Johnsons performances were emotional ase Bal sf pep aod pemorall|—gutpourings rippling wth ata, gow, and other fect aimed at exciting bein~ ‘fe ourmes a tuo ae, bien eery werd ts ever ne Robert Per suggests lineage from Afsian sare ital to Jobs's elebrat ‘honoerth (S-fae bess voice. “The masker was often believed tobe possessed ba god or ‘Watitgton Pipe presente swe Spi” Paler wrote in Deep Blues, so his voice had to change along with his tray sve infeed the practice of AfcatrAmencan et tht accompanied _ "Tf rae of al tee atte ave jn es tad Sar au ‘Serres fre vec] Jchson wold dro thee of sng pe nd et he tenes 4 rig ao favored by many Delta blues slide gutarsts, carne Other masked seer, expecially inthe lave coat region, mastered eepebent arose bss tones produce i the back of the throat, stangulated wits and urer deliberately bizare elles” Surivals of Mca estate religo mand the sng Tobe was an extsndiary gitar especial when playing bottleneck stle Fusd and acewate, delicate yet diving hs melodic nes onthe tp sting found accond (and when be had inet with ir third) vce, SometimesTHE GOSPEL TRADITION ecccccessssscoccseee esses nine Johnson’ estar mastery and et Wie many comtemporary listener a ‘socal eve a they dss hs mesag, there's le dou ha fo Janson, Ws “Mty ws primanly a ears ha convicton-flled end, From the age of fe, his sett tld Charter hs gal vas to be a preacher Jonson's songs suggest thor vag knowledge of seiptre,pethap leaned from hearing sumerable sermons Any of hs sens were shaped along the ines of sermons. "fesus Is Coming Son ara thc neces pander Ha fllowed World War Las 2 sign ofthe Second ang wiih a preach might ating contemporary problesn and relating itt senpral precedent Bates October 1918 andl he end of February 1919, a estimated 2,642274 people proud aa woidside purer tha fr ts breity and seven as Fret equal More than alin deaths occurred nthe United Sats, Including fe thousand ina ingle mech New York City. Futile precautions were taken othe weaning of mass, the closing of public places (Jonson notes in his thst _but nothing stemmed the fury ofthe disease, which disappeared almost ‘eats aud seddenly sited appeared. On December 5,128, Johnson, ened byafemale vocals whom have been Wile B. Has, warned of God's wrath to the unnghtous in fiu shout Wel me done toa, Gad done warned a Tes unin’ oon Alone, Jonson delivered hs sng sermon In he yar of 1 andi, Gad sent a mighty divas Ieklled a-manythosind ‘On end and onthe a “The sss tht folly note that the epidemic "ated through the air" and that doctors, military lade, even “nobles® were helpes before this divine Seautge "Cad is wating the nation” Johnson grow and ends hs song iting snp ead the bok of Zecharish, Be pla, Sis the people ve ets din “Count of they wicks way Jesu ls Coming Son” monesin the ehetorcl se ofa vermon_ A contempe rar cone cbcred, the thesis stated that 8 purshment from God and omen ie Second Coming ad Judgment, sd scrptralauthonty sted to defend the thes ‘We fas preached “ld time slgion” his sons embraced an innenation thot minored closeness wth God. The ferocious 192 recoding “Jesus Make Up M [Doig Bed mingled ancient Chistian symbolism (the mamage of Christ to His Chor sugested by Resdations 197) with 3 then- popular metaphor, telephonic ommuniaton with Heaven Selig Blind Wile on rd throm dikpecccccscccssesssseoeess HOLY BLUES Since me amd fous gt mari Hove ben a meu pat With the recrer nm Ad eligon in het Team rng hi pee: A Jetsons aiteatieparall—teeve, gin, hand ata am ef tne ety th pla The metaphors wet il es went eas ater when the aoc res quit he Soul Stes scorde Johnsons eng», “Well Wel Bre Treen cy the telephone ust have seemed medhnnstc wt bi aan up" he ene of person mules away. Ava metaphor for pave eced unsafe Ff Lehn antemc “Te RonalTelephione pase Tugel the saints to: Telephone ogo (Ohare? Team fe the extent Moving on the ie Bult by Go the Father For ie ved ard ow, Wem alt ous “Though this yal telephone Reverend Sister Mary Nebon made arousing a eappela recoding ofthis in 1927, ane Frasacis fe Blind Roosevelt Caves an Brother waxed Thete were varied wes artic metaphor fbnson's sal guitar evangelist Blind J Tages, employed "Wonder Will My Teouble Then Be Ove Gallup eas n Heaven. He will newer ou He wll come to he phone, Put your fc om sol stone “The novel ofthis symbolism would not wear off von. As ate a5 1953, Rhe super Tens quartet the Pig Travelers sed iin “Te Got aNew Home vegeta tephone Dacha now ore Ws nay don my bosom Lead singer es Whitaker chanted Tell peatr to give me ong tance tel fog UGataneete gee Heaven and Fit tll Hessen Twant my Jesus When zt Jesus 1 tell on ry toubles (Other metaphors wekomingtwenieth-centurs innovation appeat Sancti recordings 1930, Mother MeCollom sang, (Jeu my airplane ede hv word is hands rides oer alTHE Gosre ae time, “When McCollum abo sang ong akong the ence Take Ns Vacation n Hens which Tarp Red would pats in 1935.5 "When Take My Vocation in Harn, ”The Sancti singers seem thane had ne ot fn i he preset and the eter sn an OK Testament epoch, Geran ane pada sane Bibl plas You bl To penn this emp’ ding Better close your chur, son viewed the United States aan emp a modern vets that Jurah would sul ste Legend hs him being ares for for singing his fevocous "HT Had Ms Way 1 Tea the Building Dini ont of the Cusonns House n New Orleans He dstatd Goes jad rent on mortal pie in “God Nlves onthe Water,” a acount ofthe 1912 sinking flthe Titan (Legend hara Titanic dekhand boating, “God Himself could not Sik hiss} Ad Johnson mised patti wath protest in "When the War Was Peshap ol ie oon ptr forthe sets Ionncccccccsccssccccesoscooossersosees Holy BLUES 0x," hiv only recording watout religious reerences ant we have tn song of Aftian-Amenican reaction to the War tw Bid Al Wars Neos ntermatenal event cate sad to hae sgticant teaches the Wes ck poowsutcrn backs Sudden, they were Ding calle to othe gh agaist the “Tecded Hines figure who must have seemed incredibly ranote Conserpeds they eld pone themsces abe voller (a contemporary renatment pose shows 2 iach dough saying gondbre tos swcetbeat above the gee “Colores Ate Ne Sackan"irbot they must have wondered abou thei olen defending natin that sosescrey cute thei stl mobi ohn schnomledges the aca "equa" ofthe draft (blacks seed sare ated ute commas be white ofc but abo concedes the complaints of those erfome ves ations tesased taxes, andthe high pce of food fa coherently shore naratv econded lever yeatsater the rot ofthe Kae, Jonson Washington Phi Feced the ambivalence ofthe disenfranchised lint 127 wth ow thr tanents no pata Well just about of year | comping anennnncemen! Ad some months oo | that ew ang oe reads United States comerted for war forthe Caleta Phneroph Samy called the men Company Pip mace From the East and West pect ga ut Ge sy, oy, we gt to do cur Bs. comparison vith ther rode Jeon’ faanty oth Uncle Sar *Samy”) suggests atte, So, more intel does he second ere telus arts of he tre Wl Frvdene Wikon, Siti’ on he throne | Maki’ fs for everyone | Didn't ell the blak man Leave ou the ite Johnson fale to sng what would have ben the final ine in the vets Instead he btted dazing phase on guar Tis omission suggests sel- He mat and he wasn't Philip's Now the Chrch of Gol Haein their ind That thy ean gto Heaven Without the sacramental win sh Cotubapromotd Wesingtn Columbia “Nf” Records | an "ovntna” Br oi | WASHINGTON: PHILLIPS IN his Race aeia we have 2 versie performer be | cause he not only sage hymns but ozeasionally -ecords a | Hae for Hs pcr fed thesared ange of the ace, but be is equally good sa incerpreter of both types ‘of music. ‘That hei popular is co be expected. Washing | ton Philips it an Exchsive | catumbis DENOMINATION BLUES Parti Iend2. 14388: 746 | TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD ‘AND LEAVE IT THERE ' LIFT HIMCUP THAT'S ALL |nase weceeedibesseccesesesoesssesesesees HOLY BLUES MoeStnincopon BERR WA 2 a emer en ves nmeeeatm tet reg te ee ome ery ~/ mare | Denominational diferences of worship wet also manifest in the musi heard in series, topic lustated by Lead in is Libary of Congres recordings vl eas gy when they sang” Leadbelly recalled ofthe Baptists, they cared it slo He demonstated with stately rendition of “Let It Shine o9 Me” rch as Bnd Wile Johason had introduce his recording of tin 1929, "Now the Methodists” Leadbelly continaed, "dey picked it up ite bit” He ang te choros ter, spighir nom, and added, "Now the Holy Chos, they picked it up and eamed {ton His inal enditon “rocked” apn alos as Johnson had performed it, mov fing fom the Baptist tothe Holiness of expresion. ‘Denominational dilferences had beating not ony onperoxmance tls with- in the church but also on degrees of sanction against prfocming "worldly” must “This came to light during the Blues teva ofthe 1960s, when some rediscovered ‘iuesmen edomanly fused to sing the devil's musc™ again wile others were ‘ard singing both Bes and pitas, Eddie “Son” House variously preached plowed, apd sang bles during hi ear adult years, Rediscovered in 1958, House [pent much of the next decade treating is young white admirer to both unadule [ed Dea Bucs and such ancient spntualas “Joa the Revelat.” Robert Wikis ‘ras rediscovered the sme yea ax House, an though e east some of his spe prwa blues in sacred eb ("That's No Way to Get Along” became the twenttwo- terse epi, “The Prodigal Son), the Church of Co in Christ minster newer again performed bus “Oh, I could” Wilkins old Pte Weng "If1 was inthe Baptist {Ghcheould ply those songs ad be accepted, bt Hey won't accept mein the church Cm House was Baptist, anda important tenet of Baptist faith “Once race shuays in grace "Alive “uly sve this denomination might belive that Iie Bes singing would jeopardize bis soul wile members of "ardshel! Holiness and Pentecostal churches would find such liberality untenable. Reverend Gary Davis nas Baptist which may explain whe could perform both “Twehe Gates tothe Ci" and "Cocaine Blueswere so tolerant Leadbelly ance got rhiion” but contin ‘church, Remembering ths more then tit eas later for Alan Lomas, Leadbelly was eset til stung bythe experience "The chutehpeeple raise mot hall ths any twenty poople eer een” he ai biter, "because thes go to churchall the tise an the next week ter runnin’ al sound over the county, tending to some cv he's busess "The saints” abected ‘plang reels Asked bs ances, which branded hima bachlder and got him banished rm Tnthe wel ibewise se el to dese theeahet blues he beatd and remem another ie tht But the want mi Son Howe ead both sedLate an the evr mm of ered ffl saving “Uv Hea got wtb’ ead bi ph rec se Tec mtn remernered ee as acaba x social rus aad whether wa Bes the entry, on “connsicki’ song” a sity inthe 192 ete at he turn teal dane tunes ete equally “te desis must Thc attude sv cemmneated, ang with Watt’ roms, shaves dang fa, hea rad he snging of pln forsTendenc to divert ea aug Fath ea pent Songs and Balas” Latte wonder tht the nineteenth ane Vian W Lado would record is comment abt wn act dat frm "at ant lgar mada, Neds sings dem on ch songs afer d's go ign i sucexcloon tom the word waste believer's ideal. any fll srt of prolific Hes (One ads no eatety of eg ates de dscograpies of them cee ing tit of 1520s au eal 195Ts espe among the gitar veer The stungent secular epestoes ofa Louie fsa o Bind Blake ae Mencwhat exceptional And while wen stile atthe ruse of a Bind Lemon Jellonon pesfornence ofA Want I Tht Pore Religion” sued under the po Fon Deacon 1 Bates legen has Jelferson pious fusing to play bes on Sonus We dont Know enough abou! these men to assume either that their sated performances were enc afternptstocishin an the succes the guia va Fs or tht thes tclgious sentiments were genine. We on how tat any ofthe Fat pearMaesmen weve ea aswell equine woth the Lords msi a with the Det Of the fil for surviving ties By the Deltas Chey Patton, tem ate religious songs ‘Some the manner of Blind Wille fbson, feature a female second veal, orton’ nile Bertha Lee) and btleneck guitar Both tists he some ofthe cnc ngs Patton’ "fous Is a Ding Bed Maker sa version ofthe song Jenson sanded oe -fsus MakeUp My Dring Bed" "You'te Gonna Need Somebode When Yeu i's vant of Johnson's blue ofthe ime tile finds Patton intoning toa congregation: Wel ren, want ttl you thy tll me then He came dwn His at gona bie Fab’ wo td His ees ibe lame of fir an ers mn ga Tew He the son ofthe trang Go Auchetsplls, Paton drew the text of is ses frm what Higginson aed “the fri Tina ofthe Apoesypse. tangs tart, iy evocative yocabulary fom th Bok of Revelatio Th the Dela, Patton was own sais as 3 Blues sings anda preacher esas ths mine eptaton Inout i ogeer with a backs” Baptist Frese So Huse The to hal Bluse were janed by Willi Brown ap Tose folio fos ng tp to Grafton, Wisconsin, nthe spring of 1980 for ane of the mon celebrated receding sessions blues istay-On a ingle day—May 28 Paton reid the dri moving "Moon Gomig Down” nth Wie Brown tho saved be stunning" Future Blas,” and Lone Johnson recorded the bostct0us ‘Om the Wil Som Huse recorded ten tiles for Paramount that and the seven that sursve Bespeaka fascinating ambasalencetowatd hs Rapist ath fn °My Black MamPatt Howse seeming prolans himself an athensTue GOSPEL TRADITION tepeeeeeeeoesescscsceeses He, tan 0 hte. Tat intel Sap ahre i gt when Ide Cat nbs tl He then contrat this wt an motional plea to God for ain in "Dry Spel Biyes—Part ham apaalptic acount ofthe devastating drought of 1925-30 (1 lecheve tony soul thea word s"bout ten": Ob. Lad ave mes if 0 plo (Of Lord have ms, 0a pla Letras come dn, ‘And give or poor art case “The celebrated “Peahin’ the Blue-—Pats L&I" semed bath oid fake piety aa toconles, in regis terms the Fay ofits singer (Oh, cou ad eign, Lond, thi er dos Woh, 1 had ego, Lord, thi ser dy. But the womens and whisk. Wal thy would ro! etme pray “Though Howse adits bee’ qual tothe task of hating elgion" he nonetheless has a msticl encounter [Now Let th ls this morn Walkin jst ike amr, Wok, walkin’ just ideo man 1 sa, “Gu mori’ les, [Now gine our ng and” A vine stato sig prayer might bestow ona Custian the cling t preach ous suggests he's teed a ealing” of another order and states that hiss mis slot ofseme agen: (Oh tim gonna hast stayon the jb, 1 ain't got no met oe Be, La’ gt atime to lose Tanwar to Gad 1 got to preach the gospels ity seats ater House's scp, Muddy Water, woud enjoy great success sith a buoyant bes at combined a gospel shou with nes about an unsuccesfl thx Water felt any of Houses ambsalence about juxtaposing blues and gospel in ‘Got My Mojo Werlang” he never expesed st He did, however, lames Roones Iwas good Baptist. enging in he church. So got all of my go moaning