The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54594   Message #3623255
Posted By: GUEST,Brennan
30-Apr-14 - 05:05 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Turn your lamp down low
Subject: RE: Origins: Turn your lamp down low
Apologies for multiple posts, but this has piqued my interest and I'm on a roll....

As I mentioned in my earlier post, Willie McTell used the following lines in "Mama, Tain't Long Fo' Day":
Wake up, Mama, don't you sleep so hard
Wake up, Mama, don't you sleep so hard

I just put 2 and 2 together.... Going back to Matthew 25:1-13, the bridesmaids fell asleep and those who didn't have enough oil to keep their lamps lit wound up missing the wedding (or missing salvation.) So "sleep so hard" implies oversleeping and missing the wedding, "turn your lamp down low" implies tending your lamp (so it doesn't run out of oil)...

Both basically mean that you aren't ready when the time comes.

Am I reading too much into this?