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by Blind
Willie Johnson
recording of December 10 1929, New Orleans
from The
Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives, & Steel, Vol. 1 (Columbia
CK-46218) & Praise
God I'm Satisfied (Yazoo 1058)
& Complete
Recordings of Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia
C2K-52835) & Dark
Was the Night [Indigo] (Indigo
2024), copyright
notice
Yes God, God don't never change
He's God, always will be God
God in the middle of the ocean
God in the middle of the sea
By the help of the great creator
Truly been a God to me
Hey God, God don't never change
God, always will be God
God in creation
God when Adam fell
God way up in heaven
God way down in hell
He's God, God don't never change
God, always will be God
Spoke to the mountain
Said how great I am
Want you to get up this mornin'
Skip around like a lamb
Well he's God, God don't never change
God, always will be God
God in the time of sickness
God in the doctor too
In the time of the influenza1
He truly was a God to you
Well he's God, God don't never change
He's God, always will be God
God in the pulpit
God way down at the door
He's God in the amen corner
God all over the floor
Well he's God, God don't never change
God, always will be God
__________
Note: see also Jesus Is Coming
Soon
Note 1: influenza, an acute highly contagious virus disease
that in 1918-1920 killed some 20 million people worldwide,
more then the Great War (WW-I) did, not to be mistaken for
the common flu.
Top
by Blind
Willie Johnson
recording of December 1929, New Orleans
from Dark
Was the Night [Indigo] (Indigo
2024), copyright
notice
Ah, Lord, ah, Lord
Year of nineteen hundred and twelve, April the fourteenth
day
Great Titanic struck an iceberg, people had to run and
pray
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run
and pray
The guards who had been a-watching, asleep 'cause they were
tired
When they heard the great excitement, then a gunshot was
fired
God moves, moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to run
and pray
Captain Smith gave orders, women and children first
Many of the lifeboats piled right up, many were liable to
crush
God moves on, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had
to run and pray
Ahh-ah
So many had to leave their happy home, all that they
possess
Lord Jesus, will you hear us now, help us in our
distress
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, people had to run and
pray
Women had to leave their loving ones, see 'bout their
safety
When they heard the liner was doomed, hearts did almost
break
God moves, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had to
run and pray
A.G. Smith, mighty man, built a boat that he couldn't
understand
Named it a name of God in a tin, without a "c", Lord, he
pulled it in
God moves, ah, God moves, God moves, ah, and the people had
to run and pray
(spoken: Well) Ahh, ah, Lord
__________
Note: originally released as Co 14520-D.
Top
by Blind
Willie Johnson
recording of 19
from , copyright
notice
Well, in my time of dyin', don't want nobody to moan
All I want for you to do is take my body home
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Well, well, well, well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus goin' make up
Jesus goin' make up
Jesus goin' make my dyin' bed
Well, meet me, Jesus, meet me, meet me in the middle of the
air
If these wings should fail me, Lord, won't you meet me with
another pair
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Well, well, well, well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus goin' make up
Jesus goin' make up
Jesus goin' make my dyin' bed
Lord, in my time of dyin', don't want nobody to cry
All I want you to do, is take me when I die
Well, well, well, so I can die easy
Well, well, well, well, well, well, so I can die easy
Jesus goin' make up
Jesus goin' make up
Jesus goin' make my dyin' bed
__________
Note: this song was contributed by a visitor credtiting it
to BWJ. Haven't been able to confirm this, couldn't find any
album on which it appears. Another visitor pointed out that
this could very well be a Josh White song and not a BWJ
song. If anyone is able to shed some more light on this,
please e-mail me.
Top
by Blind
Willie Johnson
recording of 19
from Complete
Recordings of Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia
C2K-52835), copyright
notice
Nobody's fault but mine,
nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read it my soul be lost
I have a bible in my home,
I have a bible in my home
If I don't read it my soul be lost
Mmm, father he taught me how to read,
father he taught me how to read
If I don't read it my soul be lost, nobody's fault but
mine
Ah, Lord, Lord, nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read it my soul be lost
Ah, I have a bible of my own,
I have a bible of my own
If I don't read it my soul be lost
Oh, mother she taught me how to read,
mother she taught me how to read
If I don't read it my soul be lost, nobody's fault but
mine
Ah, Lord, Lord, nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read it my soul be lost
And sister she taught me how to read,
sister she taught me how to read
If I don't read it my soul be lost, nobody's fault but
mine
Ah, mmm, Lord, Lord, nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read it my soul'd be lost, mmm
Top
by Blind
Willie Johnson
recording of 19
from Complete
Recordings of Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia
C2K-52835), copyright
notice
Well, we done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus
comin' soon
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
In the year of 19 and 18, God sent a mighty disease
It killed many a-thousand, on land and on the seas
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
Great disease was mighty and the people were sick
everywhere
It was an epidemic, it floated through the air
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
The doctors they got troubled and they didn't know what to
do
They gathered themselves together, they called it the
Spanish'in' flu1
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
Soldiers died on the battlefield, died in the counts too
Captain said to the lieutenant, "I don't know what to
do"
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
Well, God is warning the nation, He's a-warnin' them every
way
To turn away from evil and seek the Lord and pray
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
Well, the nobles said to the people, "You better close your
public schools,
until the events of death has ending, you better close your
churches too"
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
We done told you, our God's done warned you, Jesus comin'
soon
Read the book of Zacharias, bible plainly says
Said the people in the cities dyin', account of they wicked
ways
__________
Note: see also God Don't
Never Change
Top
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Lord,
I Just Can't Keep From Crying
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by Blind
Willie Johnson
recording of December 1928, Dallas, Texas
from Complete
Recordings of Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia
C2K-52835), copyright
notice
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
When my heart's full of sorrow and my eyes are filled with
tears
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
My mother often told me, angels bonded your life away
She said I would accomplish, but trust in God and pray
I'm on the King's Highway, I'm travelin' everyday
'Cause I just can't keep from crying sometimes
Well, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
When my heart's full of sorrow and my eyes are filled with
tears
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
My mother, she's in glory, thank God I'm on my way
Father, he's gone too, and sister she could not stay
I'm trusting Him everyday, to bear my burdens away
'Cause I just can't keep from crying sometimes
Well, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
When my heart's full of sorrow and my eyes are filled with
tears
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
I thought when she first left me, I'd pray4 for a
little while
Soon it all would be over, and I'd journey on with a
smile
But the thought as I get older, I think of what I told
her
And I just can't keep from crying sometimes
Well, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
When my heart's full of sorrow and my eyes are filled with
tears
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
Well, well
___________
Note: female gospel singer Willie B. Harris sang
accompanying vocals on this song.
Thanks to Jay Cech for all the lyrics corrections!.
Top
Traditional
recording of 19
from Complete
Recordings of Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia
C2K-52835), copyright
notice
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
Top
by Blind
Willie Johnson
recording of 19
from Dark
Was the Night [Indigo] (Indigo
2024) & Complete
Recordings of Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia
C2K-52835), copyright
notice
Won't somebody tell me, answer if you can!
Want somebody tell me, what is the soul of a man
I'm going to ask the question, answer if you can
If anybody here can tell me, what is the soul of a man?
I've traveled in different countries, I've traveled foreign
lands
I've found nobody to tell me, what is the soul of a man
I saw a crowd stand talking, I came up right on time
Were hearing the doctor and the lawyer, say a man ain't
nothing but his mind
I read the bible often, I tries to read it right
As far as I can understand, a man is more than his mind
When Christ stood in the temple, the people stood amazed
Was showing the doctors and the lawyers, how to raise a body
from the grave
Spoonful
Top
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