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Origins: Wade in the Water
DigiTrad:
WADE IN THE WATER
Related thread:
Discussion: Wade in the Water (23) (closed)
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Subject: Wade in the Water From: Jeanie Murphy Date: 18 Aug 98 - 12:48 PM Does anyone have the OT verses to "Wade in the Water"? Not the corny ones, but the ones where everyone's dressed in colors: such as, "Who's that yonder dressed in black, must be the hypocrite turning back." I'd sure appreciate them and we could get them on the data base.
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Subject: Lyr Add: WADE IN THE WATER (trad + Paul Ashton) From: Joe Offer Date: 18 Aug 98 - 02:18 PM WADE IN THE WATER traditional, additional verses by Paul Ashton ©1968 Chorus: Wade in the water, wade in the water, children Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water! Who are those children there dressed in red? God's gonna trouble the waters. Must be the children that Moses led God's gonna trouble the waters. …white / Must be the people getting ready for the fight …blue / Must be the people gonna see this through …black / Must be the hypocrites turning back (next 2 verses below are by Paul Ashton) He spoke and divided the sea in two / God's gonna…. Allowing all his people to pass on through / God's gonna.. He spoke and the water flowed back again… And drowned the oppressors pursuing them… The enemy's great but my Captain's strong… I'm marchin' to the City and the road ain't long… (note that some of these verses are also used in "Go Tell It On the Mountain") source: Rise Up Singing songbook |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WADE IN THE WATER (from Lomax) From: Joe Offer Date: 18 Aug 98 - 03:18 PM WADE IN THE WATER traditional this version, from "Folk Songs of North America," by Alan Lomax, © 1960 Chorus: Wade in the water, wade in the water, children Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water! 'Member one thing an' it's certainly sho' Wade in the water Judgment's comin' and I don' know, Wade in the water. (Chorus) Up on the mountain, Jehovah, he spoke, wade… Out of his mouth came fire and smoke, wade… I heard a rumblin' up in the sky… Must a-been Jesus passin' by… Down in the valley, down on my knees… Askin' my Lawd to save me, please… You can hinder me here, you can hinder me there… But the Lawd in Heaven will hear my prayer… The enemy's great, but my Captain's strong… I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long… I tell you once and I tell you twice… My soul's been anchored in Jesus Christ… You may baptize Peter and baptize Paul… But the Lord-God-er-mighty gonna baptize um all… Matthew, Mark, Luke, and john… Tell me where my Saviour gone?… My Lawd spoke in a 'ponstrous voice… Shook the world to its very jois'… Rung through Heaven and down in Hell… My dungeon shook and my chains, they fell….
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Barry Finn Date: 18 Aug 98 - 05:30 PM I believe that the Georgia Sea Island Singers did this in a workshop recently & refered to it as a "code song" & was made up for when Harriet Tubman came around. When Harriet came into the area the slaves would sing a new song to let everyone know her train was coming through, but the songs would change so that no one would put 2 & 2 together. Frankie Quimby claims at least 4 songs she sings are these Harriet Tubman songs. Barry |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Ian HP Date: 18 Aug 98 - 06:52 PM There's a wonderful version of this on the Sweet Honey in the Rock at Carnegie Hall CD. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Joe Offer Date: 18 Aug 98 - 07:36 PM I meant to mention the 4-CD series called "Wade in the Water" from Smithsonian Folkways. It's absolutely the best collection of black gospel music I've ever seen. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who founded Sweet Honey in the Rock, put together this collection after the success of her radio series with the same title. It was a great radio series, too - sure wish I could hear the series again. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Barry Finn Date: 18 Aug 98 - 08:09 PM Joe you may be interested in Lomaxs' Southern Jouneys, if you haven't already checked it out , there's at least 1 volume of gospel. Barry |
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Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: FREE GRACE From: BSeed Date: 18 Aug 98 - 08:39 PM Joe's second Offering (excuse me) of verses for Wade in the Water remind me of another Georgia Sea Island Singers song, "Free Grace." Here's the way we sing it: (G)Mary and Martha (G)just gone along, (D)Mary and Martha Just gone a-(G)long, (G)Mary and Martha (C)just gone along(C) To (G)ring them [D]chimin' (G)bells (a-cryin') --chorus-- (G)Free grace, I'm (G)dyin', Lord, (Free grace) Free [D]grace, I'm dyin', (G)Lord. (Free grace) Free grace, I'm (C) dyin', Lord, To (G)ring them [D]chimin' (G)bells. The preacher and the teacher just gone along (3 times) To ring them chimin' bells(a-cryin) Way over Jordan roll (3 times, etc.) Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (3 times) (The words in parentheses are lines for bass voices)
I think that's about it. Additional verses could be made up to fit the occasion, of course. I don't know if it's in the digitrad, or not. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Joe Offer Date: 18 Aug 98 - 10:05 PM Sounds interesting, Seed. Are the square brackets around the D chords for a reason, like maybe to indicate a D7 chord? Now, any way you might be able to master MIDITXT and enter a tune? Oh, and Seed, you've been here long enough now that you can no longer get away with a phrase like, "I don't know if it's in the digitrad, or not." See that box in the upper-right corner of the page? Once we have you searching the database and posting tunes, then we'll give you your Official Mudcat Whiskers and you, too, can be a real Mudcateer. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: harpgirl Date: 18 Aug 98 - 10:23 PM Joe and Barry, Oh, this thread reminds me of the song "Green Sally Up", a field song. Where did I first hear it? Does the DT have any more songs like it?
Of course this will all come out in one long stream since I have no idea how to use html. Joe did you say put brackets around each line?
Hi, Harpgirl - Click here for hints on how to post things. It's angle brackets you use to enclose HTML commands. The command to end a line is very simple, just "br" in angle brackets. It looks like < br >, but without the spaces. Hope that helps. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Barry Finn Date: 19 Aug 98 - 03:04 AM harpgirl, it sounds like it could be a ring game song. I'll see if I can't check it out somewhere. Barry |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Kathleen Date: 19 Aug 98 - 05:29 PM I don't know if these are the "corny" verses or not, but I sang this with a chamber choir this year: See that band all dressed in white Well it looks like a band of Israelites God's gonna. . . See that band all dressed in red Well it looks like the band that Moses led God's gonna . . . That's all we sang. It's a good song when you've got a strong alto for the solo Later, Kathleen |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Barbara Date: 19 Aug 98 - 05:55 PM Maybe we need a Zipper Gospel thread. Seems like there's a set of interchangeable verses to a lot of these. I posted some for Gene in the Lighthouse thread earlier. In addition to those mentioned above, there's: Paul and Silas bound in jail Ain't nobody to go their bail
One of these days about 12 o'clock
One of these days before very long
If you get to heaven before I do
My Lord he done just what he said
These can go to Go Tell it on the Mountain, Wade in the Water, Lighthouse, Swing Low, Go Down Moses, Rock My Soul, and more...
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dani Date: 20 Aug 98 - 10:47 AM ...and to Oh, Mary Don't You Weep, and to... |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Tinwhistler Date: 20 Aug 98 - 11:41 AM add: green/hypocrites turning mean
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Kathleen Date: 21 Aug 98 - 01:37 PM This has nothing to do with 'Wade' but has anyone heard the song "Elijah Rock" done well? There's an arrangement of it with eight parts and it sounds great if the singers know what they're doing. I think maybe Sweet Honey in the Rock has done it. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Joe Offer Date: 21 Aug 98 - 02:38 PM Hi, Kathleen - Our Hero and Resident Wizard Max has added yet another feature to the Mudcat Cafe. If you search for a song using the search box at the upper-right corner of most pages here, you'll go to another page thate eher does or does not have the lyrics. Here's the new thing: on the top of that page, you can choose to search a number of CD merchants, who pay Mudcat a fee if you buy through their link. The CDNow link says there are recordings by Janie Frickie, Mahalia Jackson, by Acappella, and a few other artists - no sound samples on this particular song, unfortunately. I'll betcha the recording you heard was by Acappella. I have the Mahalia Jackson recording of "Elijah Rock,", and it's a good one. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Kathleen Date: 27 Aug 98 - 02:24 PM Hello! Thanks for the new info, Joe. Actually, we sang that song last year as part of my choir's Sacred Concert. I just really like the piece. I'll have to check out that new service. Later, Kathleen |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: BSeed Date: 27 Aug 98 - 03:57 PM Joe, I couldn't remember where I had posted "Free Grace," so I used the forum search (unsuccessfully, at first--I used full lines, forgetting that I had inserted the chords. Finally, just the words Free Grace got me this thread, and a link to Has Anyone the Courage Now, where I had mentioned the song in one of my postings. That's how I missed your question about the chord names in brackets. I use the brackets to indicate a chord that comes in mid measure. I started doing this when I posted verses I had written for "Abilene" in a thread of that name. I just ran across the What is ABC thread, and am going to take the time to learn it. Meantime, "Free Grace" uses some very familiar old folk melody I can't identify. --seed |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Sir Date: 28 Aug 98 - 01:18 PM Does anyone remember Herb Alpert having version out in his Tijuana Brass days? |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Sir Date: 28 Aug 98 - 01:20 PM A version of "Wade in the Water", that is... |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: BSeed Date: 29 Aug 98 - 02:44 AM Joe, I still haven't learned ABC, but I have refined and explained my harmony notation: Check it out on the thread Abilene II. --seed |
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Subject: Lyr Add: GOD'S GONNA TROUBLE THE WATERS From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 06 Dec 01 - 07:55 PM GOD'S GONNA TROUBLE THE WATERS Oh, see that man dressed in white, God's a-gonna trouble the waters, He looks like the leader of the Israelites, God's a-gonna trouble the waters. Cho. Wading in the water, Wading in the water, children, Wading in the water, God's a-gonna trouble the water. Oh, see that man dressed in red, God's a-gonna trouble the waters, He looks like the man that Moses saved, God's a-gonna trouble the waters. Wading in the waters, Wading in the waters, children, Wading in the waters, God's a-gonna trouble the waters. Oh, look over yonder, what do I see, God's a-gonna trouble the waters, The Holy Ghost coming down on me, God's a-gonna trouble the waters. Cho. If you don't believe that I've been redeemed, God's a-gonna trouble the waters, Then follow me down to the Jordan stream, God's a-gonna trouble the waters. Cho. One of the better gospel versions. The Carter Family, song texts. www.silcom.com/~peterf/ideas/carter2.htm @religion @gospel @spiritual
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: GUEST,sarah Date: 14 Jan 02 - 08:55 PM i was wondering if anyone had the meaning of the song wade in the water, like, the decoded version of it. if you do please contact me. nutritiousandtasty@hotmail.com thanks a lot! |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 14 Jan 02 - 10:02 PM Wade in the water(s) is used it at least two ways in versions of this song. God troubling the waters, letting the Israelites through, and as a song theme during the baptizing ceremony. In other versions, the fire that will come next time is mentioned. I doubt that there is any special "code" involved here. Of course, any word or line change in any song may be used as a code if the change is agreed upon by those who wish to give or receive a signal or pass a message. There are several versions of this song; it would be difficult to determine which one was in use in any particular area at a particular time. Even if there was a message, its form and meaning would be lost as a result of the changes made through the years. Some people think of the Sea Islands as if they were completely cut off geographically and in time. This is simply not true. Isolation from the mainstream, yes, but the phonograph, the islands owners and their visitors, the radio after the 1920s, children going to the mainland to find work and then returning to visit, etc., would influence the way songs were preserved and would allow some new material to be added. Gullah-speaking natives of the islands were not infrequent as servants in the coastal mainland towns. We are lucky that so much was still there when the collectors became interested. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Ringer Date: 15 Jan 02 - 01:08 PM A) Where are the Georgia Sea Islands? B) Who is/was Harriet Tubman? |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 16 Jan 02 - 04:02 PM There are many bios of Harriet Tubman See www.nyhistory.com/harriettubman/life.htm, or go to Google. She was born ca. 1820 in MD, married a freedman, John Tubman, at age 25, escaped to Canada, and thereafter worked with the underground railroad helping slaves to freedom. During the war, she worked as a nurse and spy. After the war, she returned to NY and was active in womens rights, and ran a home for the aged. She died in 1913. The Georgia Sea Islands extend along most of the Georgia coast; sometimes the adjacent SC coast to Port Royal is included in discussions. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: GOD GONNA TROUBLE THE WATER (from Alabama From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 16 Jan 02 - 04:51 PM There are many versions of Wade In The Water or God Gonna Trouble The Water. Here is one from Alabama. GOD GONNA TROUBLE THE WATER Chorus I'm er wadin', I'm er wadin' in the water, chillun (3 times) God gonna trouble the water. Oh, Satan is er liar en er conjurer too, God gonna trouble the water, Ef you don't watch out he'll conjure you, God gonna trouble the water. I 'members the day, I 'members hit well, God gonna trouble the water, When Jesus freed my soul from hell, God gonna trouble the water. Chorus One day, one day I went out to pray, God gonna trouble the water, My soul got happy en I stayed all day, God gonna trouble the water. Ole Satan mad en I am glad, God gonna trouble the water, He missed er soul he thought he had, God gonna trouble the water. To "wade in the water" is to undergo the spiritual regeneration symbolized by baptism. "The migratory Satan stanzas may appear to bear ...no relationship...to the theme of rebirth, but rebirth frees the soul from the sin that Satan personifies. "Got happy" is a Southern folk expression for the religious ecstasy of conversion or other transcendent experience." Olivia and Jack Solomon, "Honey In The Rock," The Ruby Pickens Tartt Collection, 1991, p. 10. @religion @spiritual |
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Subject: Lyr Add: GOD'S A-GWINETER TROUBLE DE WATER From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 16 Jan 02 - 05:27 PM Lyr Add: GOD'S A-GWINETER TROUBLE DE WATER Chorus Wade in de water, children (3 times) God's a-gwineter trouble de water. See dat host all dressed in white, God's a-gwineter trouble de water, De leader looks like de Israelite, God's a-gwineter trouble de water, Cho. See dat ban' all dressed in red, God's a-gwineter trouble de water, Looks like de ban' dat Moses led, God's a-gwineter trouble de water. Cho. Johnson and Johnson, 1953, The Books of American Negro Spirituals, Book 2, p. 84, with music. @religion @spiritual |
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Subject: Lyr Add: LET GOD'S SAINTS COME IN From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 16 Jan 02 - 06:02 PM Lyr Add: LET GOD'S SAINTS COME IN Cho. Come down, angel, and trouble the water, (3 times) And let God's saints come in. Canaan land is the land for me, And let God's saints come in. Canaan land is the land for me, And let God's saints come in. There was a wicked man, He kept them children in Egypt land. etc. God did say to Moses one day, Say, Moses, go to Egypt land, And tell him to let my people go, And pharoah would not let 'em go. God did go to Moses house, And God did tell him who he was, God and Moses walked and talked, And God did show him who he was. Chorus and 1st verse used together as a chorus. From William Francis Allen, Slave Songs of the United States, 1867, p. 76 No. 99. @religion @spiritual |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: GUEST,Pam Date: 25 Jan 02 - 06:31 PM I am a middle school choral director and plan to use the spiritual, WADE IN THE WATER in our spring concert. I would like to tell my students the history, meaning, interpretation of the lyrics. Can anyone help me? Thanks you, PY |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 25 Jan 02 - 06:46 PM Try Here If that doesn't work, the website is : www.si.edu/sites/exhibit/wade.htm |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 25 Jan 02 - 06:55 PM I thought that website had some information, but not so. The basic background of Wade in the Water is mentioned in my post of 14 Jan 02. At the same Smithsonian site "it is said" that Harriet Tubman used the Wade in the Water simile to urge escaping slaves on the underground railway to keep going ahead. it is a good one, but whether she actually used it or not is open to discussion. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: masato sakurai Date: 25 Jan 02 - 11:35 PM Was this song recorded in the 19th century? According to the Cleveland Public Library's Index to Negro Spirituals and A. Kathleen Abromeit, An Index to African-American Spirituals for the Solo Voice (Greenwood, 1999), the records before the Second World War are:
Frederick Work, New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1902)
Sound clip of this song by the present-day Fisk Jubilee Singers is HERE. ~Masato |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 26 Jan 02 - 12:40 AM Agreed, Masato, I don't know of any 19C references. The references to Tubman's use of the song is not backed up by any literature (that is why I emphasized the "it is said"). The version "God's A-gwineter Trouble The Water" could be an assembled song, part old spiritual and part (the chorus) a relatively recent addition, but only the subject matter, not the form, seems to appear in older spirituals. Unfortunately, lack of documentation is true of a number of "old" spirituals and songs. Jeannie, color was used for separation of groups or characters and for emphasis in a number of the songs. This was not considered "corny" by those who sang them. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: GUEST,Amy Date: 26 Jan 02 - 01:32 PM Responding to a previous thread posted by Kathleen... A great arrangement of Elijah Rock was done by Moses Hogan. If you can get a CD...his choir is great. The arrangments have full harmonies and some very low bass parts. As for Wade in Water...I have recently really enjoyed listening to the late Eva Cassidy singing this song on the CD "Songbird." Nice collection of songs on this album too... |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: GUEST,Denis Keane Date: 11 Mar 02 - 06:36 AM I have recently bought Eva Cassidy's CD "Songbird" and was overwhelmed by "Wade in the Water" (as well as the other songs). I have a youth choir and think that they would really enjoy "Wade in the Water". Does anyone have the Guitar chords of same, particularly Eva Cassidy's version. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: masato sakurai Date: 11 Mar 02 - 10:13 AM Gracenote (click here) lists 404 CDs containing "Wade in the Water" (duplications and other songs included). ~Masato |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 11 Mar 02 - 11:34 AM Denis, Try ABC plus |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 11 Mar 02 - 11:37 AM MP3 of Cassidy, Wade in the Water: cassidy |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WADE IN NUH WATUH CHILDUN From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 20 Nov 03 - 08:56 PM Mentioned in this thread by Masato, but not reproduced, is the version of the baptismal song from the Georgia Sea Islands collected by Lydia Parrish. Lyr. Add: WADE IN NUH WATUH CHILDUN Chorus: Wade in nuh watuh childun Wade in nuh watuh childun Wade in nuh watuh Gawd's go'nah trouble duh watuh If a you don' believe Ah been redeem' Gawd's go'nah trouble duh watuh Follow me down to Jurdun stream Gawd's go'nuh trouble duh watuh. Repeat chorus Who dat yonduh drest in white Gawd's go'nuh trouble duh watuh Mus' be the childun uv the Isralite Gard's go'nuh trouble duh watuh. Repeat the chorus. "Although the water was bitterly cold that February morning, the young people behaved very well, and only one squealed a little- which was considered very bad form. If you do not come up like a lamb it is "suspicioned" that your conversion has not been authentic, and the baptism may need to be performed again." "In the old days,.... baptism in the tidewater section took place ... no matter how inconvenient the hour, on the outgoing tide". At the baptisms, the congregation may "pray to the river;" in Sea Island and Georgia coastal speech, this means that they pray beside the river, not to the river. Comments and quotes from Lydia Parrish. Lydia Parrish, "Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands," 1942 (reprint 1992), Univ. Georgia Press, pp. 170-171 with sheet music. |
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Subject: RE: Wade in the Water From: Amos Date: 20 Nov 03 - 09:03 PM Denis: Just saw this presumably unanswered question. The version I know works well with Em, A, and B7. A C7 can be thrown in for spice. There is a whole family of spirituals built on this formation, another member of which is "Keep Your Hand on the Plow", and another "Oh, What a Beautiful City" in some versions. A |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water/Green Sally Up From: Azizi Date: 08 Sep 04 - 10:51 PM I am gonna trouble the water by referring to a post in Aug 1998 by harpgirl in which she mentions the song "Green Sally, Up." Harpgirl included the verse: Green Sally up, Green Sally down Last one to squat got to till the ground. -- This African American children's game song is included on Disc 4 of Alan Lomax'z Sounds of the South, A Musical Journey fromt the Georgia Sea Isles to the Mississippi Delta.{Atlantic 787496-2; 1993} The notes for Green Sally,Up says this is "a black children's singing game performed by a group of women in Como, Miss. The slaves have passed on to a modern generation of children a whole literature of children's songs which resemble the familiar English Ring Around the Rosie, but which were gayer and more syncopated." Given these notes, this song should probably not be listed in Mudcat's wonderful African America file of African American spirituals. Instead it should be included in the children's songs and African American slavery dance song files {if you have the last mentioned file}. The words to this song sound to me like Green Sally up, Green Sally down last one squat got to till {touch ?}the ground Ole {Oh?}Miss Lucy dead and gone. Left me hear to weep and moan. If you hate it fold your arms If you love it clap your hands. -- The same verses are repeated again and again. The tempo of this song is rather slow and handclapping is the only accompaniment. In my opinion, the "Ole Miss Lucy etc. sounds alot like the "My ole missus {master} promised me" floating verses such as this one found in Dorothy Scarborough's On The Trail Of Negro Folk Songs: My ole marster promised me Ef I broke de record h'd set me free. My ole marster dead and gone, He lef' Bre'r Wahington hillin' up corn. -- Could it be that "Green Sally, Up" was a coded way for enslaved people to rejoice in the death of a cruel slave owner while singing a song that seemed to indicate that they weeped and moaned her passing? Remember that way back then "Miss" was a title that was reserved for white women, so "Miss Lucy" could have been the slave master's wife or some other family member. And since most people were bound to prefer clapping their hands to folding their arms,if Miss Lucy was a mean ole woman who left the slaves to weep and moan {over their terrible hardships not Miss Lucy's passing},then there was bound to have been whole lot of handclapping going on when this song was sung. "Green" Sally here could mean a young, naive, inexperienced woman who actually beleived that the Missus was going to free her. Any thoughts on this theory? Also, Bessie Jones has another version of 'Green sally,Up' in Step It Down, the book on African Amerrican children's songs from the Georgia Seal Isle that was Bessie Jones co-authored with Bess Lomax-Hawes. That version is presented as a syncopated handclap rhyme and dance song with a number of familiar floating verses, including verses that are most often now associated with Mary Mack: Green Sally up, Green Sally down Green Sally bake her possum brown. Asked my mama for fifteen cents to see the elephant jump the fence. He jumped so high, he touched the sky He never got back till the fourth of July. You see that house upon that hill, That's where me and my baby live. Oh the rabbit in the hash come a-stepping in the dash, With his long-tailed coat and his beaver on. -- Bess Lomax-Hawes indicates that "The last couplet 'Oh, the rabbit in the hash' may be repeated over and over, either at a steady tempo or speeded uo as much as three times faster. The 'Green Sally" couplet functions as a refrain, and may be put in anywhere ou want it". Also, the book relates that one of the Sea Islanders, Peter Davis, had said that he always said "Rabbit in the hatchet". This seems to be an example of folk etymology.. Unfortunately, I don't have a recording of the "Step It Down" version, but it's description leaves me to believe it's much faster tthan the Sounds of the South version. Is anyone familiar with this version of this song? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: Mooh Date: 09 Sep 04 - 07:21 AM I love this song, but it evaded me until about 10 years ago when I heard Eve Goldberg do it. It's fun to do with a cappella breaks and rhythm percussion instruments in jam situations. Peace, Mooh. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 09 Sep 04 - 10:20 AM Play songs are poorly represented in early collections. There is a version here: Flower Azizi, you probably have seen this, but I wondered, where did the name "Flower" come from? |
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Subject: Add: Green Sally Up From: wysiwyg Date: 09 Sep 04 - 10:34 AM From Q's link above: Green Sally up And green Sally down Lift and squat Gotta tear the ground Old miss Lucy's dead and gone Left me here to weep and moan Azizi, welcome to Mudcat! There's not a separate section as you describe it, now; the Spirituals permathread has become a place to stash related musics. It would be GREAT if you could keep posting here like you did above! WOW!!!!! And maybe a separate project will evolve with more accurate focus than we have here, so far. In the meantime I will add Green Sally Up to the permathread listings, but indicate that it's a children's song. (See this post's subject line to see how to make new songs easier to find on later searches, when they are added to threads of other song-names.) ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: M'Grath of Altcar Date: 09 Sep 04 - 10:51 AM I'm listening a great jazz piano version of the tune by Ramsey Lewis! It Rocks!!!! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: M'Grath of Altcar Date: 09 Sep 04 - 12:17 PM Just discovered that Ramsey Lewis' version of Wade in the water is Northern Soul! Northern Soul / folk music fusion. No wonder I like as much as I do. MMmm.. I think this deserves another thread. MofA |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WATER-FLOWER From: Azizi Date: 09 Sep 04 - 07:54 PM WYSIWG, thank you. Nice to be in such good company. Q, I'm not sure where the name "Flower" came from in relation to the song "Green Sally Up". I've learned from my "Jim Along Josie" experience not to state something with assurance unless I'm really sure. Notice how I try to qualify my supposings with "maybes", "could bes" and "IMOs". {Remember when I said that a josie was a woman's undergarment? That erroneous statement was circulated all around the Mudcat Cafe and the Internet and may still be... So, one more time, I was wrong...A josie is a joseph is a woman's riding coat..) This of course has very little to do with "Flower" as a name for Green Sally, Up. But I wonder, isn't there an old British folk rhyme called Wallflower? And doesn't that rhyme mention death? Green Sally mentions death. Is there any connection between these two rhymes? Could "Green Sally" be the name of a greenish flower growing near a wall? Probably not. But, just for the heck of it, here's what is "probably" a variant of the Wallflower children's rhyme. This girl/boy ring game with one person in the center is from from Altona Trent John's 1944 book "Playsongs of the Deep South." WATER-FLOWER Water-flower, water-flower, Growing up so tall, All the young ladies must surely, surely die; All except Miss 'Lindy Watkins, She is everywhere,- The white folks say, the white folks say, Turn your back and tell your beau's name. Doctor, Doctor can you tell What will make poor 'Lindy well? She is sick and 'bout to die, That will make poor Johnnie cry! Marry, marry, marry, quick! 'Lindy, you are just love sick! Johnnie is a ver' nice man, Comes to the door with hat in hand, Pulls off his gloves and show his rings, 'Morrow is the wedding-day. --- So this may not have anything to do with Green Sally Up. It certainly has nothing to do with Wade in the Water, which after all is the name of this thread- except that flowers need water...and so Green Sally has to travel upstream to go wading.... Never mind... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 09 Sep 04 - 08:29 PM Azizi, this thread is wandering far from "Wade in the Water." I am moving my comments on water-wildflowers to the thread on Children's Street Games, thread 4300: Children's Games They will be easier to relocate here. |
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Subject: Add: WATER-FLOWER From: wysiwyg Date: 09 Sep 04 - 11:13 PM Thanks, Azizi, for sharing that one. Now that Mudcat searches work better than they used to, we don't worry too much about things creeping into other threads. But Q is a good one to traipse after, if you have not yet looked at that threadlink he gave.... ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: LilyFestre Date: 10 Sep 04 - 05:27 PM I can't tell you what all the lyrics are but what I CAN tell you is that you haven't ever heard it sung if you haven't heard my pastor sing it...and it HAS to be in front of some of the stuffier older ladies with their jaws hanging down to the floor to make it complete!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dang...I LOVE THIS SONG! Here's to you Father Greg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ler 'er rip!!!!!!!! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: harpgirl Date: 14 Apr 05 - 09:31 AM I thought I just posted this..... Azizi, did I mention that I heard "Green Sally Up" from the singing of Bryan Bowers? He claimed it was a field hand song. I don't know whether he heard it in Virginia or picked it up from someone else along the way. Joe could ask him this Friday night! l,h |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: GUEST,Diane Date: 29 May 05 - 09:53 PM I really want to thank the folks who supplied the Alan Lemax-recorded versions of "Wade in the Water", a title I'd been racking my brains to remember from the 'sixties popular version (civil rights era?). I'm a big jazz fan, even more than I'm a blues fan, and I wanted the reference to this song from a snippet I keep listening to in a larger song written and performed by the late Charles Mingus. I think the pieces will all fall together now, so my sincere thanks! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: Margret RoadKnight Date: 01 Jun 05 - 04:34 AM Brilliant interpretaion included in "Revelations", Alvin Ailey's pivotal work. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: harpgirl Date: 05 Jun 05 - 11:44 AM Oh Azizi, I see you mentioned the book I told you I got from FFF. It is a very interesting book, isn't it? Now if I ever get grandchildren, I will have lots of ryhming games to play.... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: Azizi Date: 05 Jun 05 - 12:25 PM Yes, Bessie Jones' and Bess Hawes Lomax's Step it Down is a wonderful book. I've heard tell that there is a videotape and/or CD associated with this book. Does anyone have any information about that? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: GUEST Date: 12 Mar 07 - 08:52 PM Thanks for the helpful info! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: GUEST Date: 08 Apr 08 - 04:41 PM hi i love the words to this song |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: Azizi Date: 08 Apr 08 - 04:52 PM Here's a link to Alvin Ailey's dance company's Wade In The Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9uEq9Sjefg&feature=related Alvin Ailey Dance-Wade in the Water from "Revelations" ** I've had the pleasure of seeing this company perform this dance couple of times. It is stunning!! There are other YouTube videos available of Alvin Ailey's now classic dance "Revelations". |
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Subject: Lyr Req: Wade in the water From: JeffB Date: 28 Feb 10 - 07:43 PM There have been a number of threads lately on the River Jordan/Jerdan, just when I decided to learn Wade in the Water. With concertina accompaniement. Don't know if that's been done before. Anyway, the DT has a few verses, but not many and they seem to be floaters. Does anyone have any verses more specifically associated with this spiritual? Or failing that, any more floaters that might be suitable. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the water From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Feb 10 - 07:58 PM Please see previous thread: Wade in the Water Please check with filter for previous threads. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the water From: JeffB Date: 01 Mar 10 - 09:21 AM Thanks Q, should have done that first obviously. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: GUEST,msjae1025 Date: 10 May 11 - 10:45 AM My daughter once sang a verse that started: "In the beginning when the world began..." Is anyone fmailiar with the rest of this? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wade in the Water From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Apr 15 - 09:12 PM Atca song circle tonight I was asked to teach this song out of RISE UP SINGING. There are verses in that version about children drowning during the escapes of enslaved people and it disturbs me to think that particular slant has been promulgated as the definitive story of the songs or the people who originated the song, because the world of that time and that song were far more complex (see any Ira Berlin book on slavery). While it is true that crying children or babies have sometimes been 'silenced' with fatal results, most white folks do not know that culturally, many civilizations have not put children first when species survival is threatened-- that's a white, privileged, recent ethic. The elders and their accumulated wisdom have more often been the priority group. But the song was a work song first, a code song second as well as a bible-teaching song among folks prohibited from reading. IMNSHO, only much later did some well-intentioned person add verses about 'drownings.' Also, few know that only towards the end of slavery was it so difficult and dangerous to travel as to have left the plantation at night (See Berlin) that children would be drowned. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Wade in the Water From: Joe Offer Date: 20 Feb 23 - 04:17 PM The "trouble the water" passage comes from the healing of the paralytic at Bethesda Lots of scriptural references in this song. Could be a tour of the entire Hebrew and Christian Bibles. -Joe- |
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