The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #90173   Message #1706852
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
30-Mar-06 - 02:35 PM
Thread Name: off-color gospel song - where's it from?
Subject: RE: off-color gospel song - where's it from?
I'm sure there are more like this great song.
Many years ago, N. L. White termed songs of this type 'upstart crows.' The ones in the literature are mostly humorous and brief and probably are a poor sampling.

If you want to go to Heaven
I'll tell you what to do;
Just grease all over in Brunswick stew;
The devil will grab at you and miss his man,
Then you'll slip right over into the promised land.

Chorus
Oh, mourner, you shall be free.
When the good Lord sets you free.

Collectedin 1915-1916, NC, in N. L. White, 1928, "American Negro Folk-Songs," Chapter 3, no. 9.