The Spanish Flu.

Subject: The Spanish Flu.
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 09:50 AM

Dan Tate, Blind Willie Johnson & the Spanish Flu Pandemic.

At the end of World War 1 an epidemic (pandemic) of Spanish Flu spread rapidly across the world, killing hundreds of thousands of people. In 1979 I first met the Appalachian singer Dan Tate and Dan told me the following story about the epidemic. A large number of people died in the area around Dan’s home. People were very poor and were poorly clothed. However, there was one suit (matching jacket & trousers) in the area, and when somebody died their body would be dressed in the suit before a photograph of the deceased was taken. The suit was then removed before burial and placed on the body of the next person who died, so that a photograph of this person could be taken. And so the suit was taken around the mountains, to be used where needed. Dan developed the flu and became very ill. One morning he woke and saw ‘the suit’ hanging on the wall of his cabin. ‘Mike’, Dan told me, ‘that meant that the people hereabouts thought that I was about to die. And I thought , I’m not old enough to die yet. So I lived and here I am today to tell you what happened in those days.’
I recently mentioned this story to a friend who asked me if I knew Blind Willie Johnson’s song about the Spanish Flu. To be honest, I had forgotten about it. But I quickly found it – it is called ‘Jesus is Coming Soon’ and is on the double CD ‘The Complete Blind Willie Johnson’ (Columbia 472886 2). The parallels between this song and the current Corvid 19 pandemic are quite striking.

(Chorus) Well, we done told you,
I got some warning,
Jesus coming soon.
Well, I thought I got some warning,
Jesus coming soon.

In the year of 19 and 18 God sent a
mighty disease.
It killed men, many thousands (on the) land
and on the sea.

Great disease was mighty and the people
were sick everywhere.
It was an epidemic, it floated through the air.

The doctors they got troubled and they didn’t
know what to do.
They gathered themselves together,
they called it the Spanishin’ flu.

Soldiers died on the battlefield
died in the cities, too.
Captain said to the lieutenant,
‘I don’t know what to do’.

Well, God is warning the nation,
he’s warning them every way.
To turn away from evil and seek
the Lord and pray.

Well, the nobles said to the people,
you better close your public schools.
Until the (?) ending,
you better close your churches too.

Read the Book of Zacharias.
Bible plainly says,
Said the people in the cities dying,
‘count of their wicked ways.

Subject: RE: The Spanish Flu.
From: JHW
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 10:27 AM

Good suit story. I don't have a suit but hope I won't need one yet.

Subject: Lyr Add: JESUS IS COMING SOON(Blind Willie Johnson
From: cnd
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 10:56 AM

Mike, that's a fascinating story. I've never heard of that practice but it certainly sounds like a few other I've heard of around the area at the turn of the 20th century.

You can listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDnZlJwlsjI

A few slight corrections to your lyrics from the lyrics in that YouTube video and what I heard and think. These are, of course, just my opinion; open ears welcome.

CHORUS
Well, we done told you, our God's done warned you
Jesus coming soon.
We done told you, our God's done warned you,
Jesus coming soon.

In the year of 19 and 18, God sent a mighty disease.
It killed many a-thousand, on land and on the seas.

Great disease was mighty and the people were sick everywhere.
It was an epidemic, it floated through the air.

The doctors they got troubled and they didn't know what to do.
They gathered themselves together, they called it the Spanish influ' [short for influenza].

Soldiers died on the battlefields, died in the count of two [my correction; saying they died quickly?]
Well the captain said to the lieutenant, "I don't know what to do."

Well, God is warning the nation, He's a-warning them every way.
To turn away from the evil and seek the Lord and pray.

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."

Read the Book of Zacharias, the Bible plainly says
That the people, they did die, 'count of their wicked ways

Subject: RE: The Spanish Flu.
From: cnd
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 11:03 AM

For more flu songs, check out this thread and its linked topics (which I assume this thread will be added to)

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=66021

Subject: RE: The Spanish Flu.
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 11:17 AM

Thanks CND - your transcriptions sounds much better than the one printed in the booklet accompanying the Columbia set that I mentioned above.

Subject: RE: The Spanish Flu.
From: Mr Red
Date: 15 Jul 20 - 02:43 AM

In the year of 19 and 18, God sent a mighty disease

I heard it as:
mighty tarp disease (=type) and seas to rhyme with disease

Second chorus well I told you, I got some warning, Jesus coming soon

- listen and see if you agree

Blues singers, according to Paul Jones (of Manfred Mann) when they came to Brittain, didn't play blues in twelve bars as a "rule", they played as they felt, 11 or 13 or more as the mood took. Same with the chorus I am implying.

Subject: RE: The Spanish Flu.
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Jul 20 - 04:14 PM

And I'm sure it can be sung with or without teeth!!