INFO REQ:Jesus Make Up My

Subject: INFO REQ:Jesus Make Up My
From: Jon W.
Date: 22 May 98 - 03:40 PM

On the Kelly Joe Phelps thread I posted the lyrics for the Blind Willie Johnson version of "Jesus Make Up My Dyin' Bed." It seems likely to me, however, that Blind Willie was performing a song that was already familiar to his audience. I say this because he never sings the words "dying bed" in the song, instead he just plays the melody that implies those words on his guitar. My question is, does anyone know an earlier version of this song, and if so can you post the lyrics for comparison?

Subject: RE: INFO REQ:Jesus Make Up My
From: Rockaday Johnny
Date: 24 May 98 - 03:19 AM

Hi -Blind Willie Johnson recorded the Song 12/3/27 so he probably was the first to RECORD it,however the most popular version was recorded by Josh White under the name "The Singing Christian" 10/15/35 - It shows up in the Josh White Songbook (1963) Quadrangle Books - 180 Wacker Drive Chicago as "Traditional" so my guess is that it was in circulation well before either of them recorded it - Bob Dylan always credited the Josh White version for his source. (He Recorded it on his first lp "Bob Dylan")

Subject: RE: INFO REQ:Jesus Make Up My
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 25 May 98 - 04:44 PM

It's also known as True Religion and Motherless Children.

Subject: RE: INFO REQ:Jesus Make Up My
From: Mark Brown
Date: 25 May 98 - 10:38 PM

Motherless Children is actually a different song by Blind Willie Johnson but I can see how you could get confused, alot of his tunes are very similar in melody if not in lyrics

Subject: RE: INFO REQ:Jesus Make Up My
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 26 May 98 - 12:23 PM

Dan Smith, at least, combined verses from Motherless Children and True Religion. I suspect others did, too.