TinDor,

That youtube video of sister Rosetta Tharpe, led me the video of her performing "Didn't It Rain,", which simply blew me out of the water. (Visually wonderful, also - a very proper looking, stout, late middle-aged woman in a Jackie Kennedyesque fur coat, absolutely rocking on that guitar!)

Ihope this isn't too much thread drift...if it is...slap my hand and tell me start another thread...

I ended up listening to several artists sing "Didn't It Rain", then did a search both hear and on the web. I found something similar in lyrics, burt not so close that I was sure it was the same song (and the midi wasn't very helpful regarding the melody), that said it was a traditional "negro" spiritual. The Mahalia Jackson lyrics website attributes it to Roberta Martin. Roberta Martin may have been the first to record it, but I could not determine is the song she (and subsequently everyone) recorded is based on the traditional O, Didn't It Rain , or is a more modern song.

Obviously, I fell in love with it, and would like to know more.

Janie