Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On

Subject: Lyr Add: LET THE CHURCH ROLL ON
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:16 PM

LET THE CHURCH ROLL ON

Let the church roll on, my Lawd,
Let the church roll on, my Lawd.
You can put the devil out, my Lawd,
Let the church roll on.

If tha's preachers in the church, my Lawd,
An' they're not livin' right, my Lawd,
Jes' turn the preachers out, my Lawd,
An' let the church roll on.

If tha's members in the church, my Lawd,
An' they're not livin' right, my Lawd,
You can put the members out, my lawd,
An' let the church roll on.

If tha's liars in the church, my lawd,
An' they're not livin' right, my Lawd,
You can put the liars out, my Lawd,
An' let the church roll on.

If tha's sinnuhs in the church, my Lawd,
An' they're not livin' right, my Lawd,
Jes' put the sinnuhs out, my Lawd,
An' let the church roll on.

@religion @Negro spiritual.
"A favorite shouting song." Pp. 100-101, Mary Allen Grissom, 1930 (1969 Dover), "The Negro Sings a New Heaven." Printed with music.

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Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:40 PM

I have two great recordings of this song... by The Stanley Brothers and by The Badgett Sisters. Something about siblings, I guess. I't late at night and I've had a long day, so I don't have energy to dig out the CD and the tape and copy lyrics. I like the Stanley Brothers version better, although the Badgett sisters recording has a great spoken ending. My quartet does this song..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 10:53 PM

When Joe has a chance, he is going to do the Grissom music. It will be interesting to compare the lyrics.

Subject: Add Version: Let the Church Roll On
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:35 AM

LET THE CHURCH ROLL ON

Let the church roll on (My good Lord)
Let the church roll on (Oh, my Lord)
Turn him out (Turn him out)
And let the church roll on

There's gamblers in the church (My good Lord)
And they won't do right (Oh, my Lord)
What're you gonna do (Turn them out)
And let the church roll on

[INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]

Let the church roll on (My good Lord)
Let the church roll on (Oh, my Lord)
Turn him out (Turn him out)
And let the church roll on

There's drunkards in the church (My good Lord)
And they won't do right (Oh, my Lord)
What're you gonna do (Turn them out)
And let the church roll on

[INSTRUMENTAL BREAK]

Let the church roll on (My good Lord)
Let the church roll on (Oh, my Lord)
Turn him out (Turn him out)
And let the church roll on

There's members in the church (My good Lord)
And they won't do right (Oh, my Lord)
What're you gonna do (Take some new ones that could)
And let the church roll on

Let the church roll on (My good Lord)
Let the church roll on (Oh, my Lord)
Turn him out (Turn him out)
And let the church roll on

from the Carter Family recording, May 25, 1931

(The Carter Family 1927-1934, JSP Records Box Set)

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There's also a recording by Mahalia Jackson, a very interesting arrangement. Doc Watson sings this one, more-or-less the same as the Carter Family arrangement, but there's a bass voice that tells what we're supposed to do, and I can't make out what he's saying. One I caught was gamblers: "Throw the cards and dice away and let the church roll on."
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 04:00 AM

LET THE CHURCH ROLL ON

CHORUS
Let the church roll on
Let the church roll on
Let the church roll on
Let the church roll on

[Repeat Chorus]

There's a member in the church (It's a member in the church)
And he won't do right (And he won't do right)
Tell me, whatcha gonna do (Now, what shall we do?)
And let the church roll on (roll on)

There a singer in the choir
And she won't sing right
Tell me, whatcha gonna do (Now, what shall we do?)
And let the church roll on (roll on)

CHORUS

There's a deacon in the church (It's a deacon in the church)
And he won't do right (And he won't do right)
Tell me, whatcha gonna do (Now, what shall we do?)
And let the church roll on (roll on)

There's a preacher in the church (It's a preacher in the church)
And he won't preach right (And he won't preach right)
Tell me, whatcha gonna do (Here's what we will do)
[spoken] We won't do that, we just pray for him...
And let the church roll on (roll on)


[parts in parentheses sung by a male chorus]

Transcribed by ear from Mahalia Jackson: Gospels, Spirituals, and Hymns, Vol. 2, Columbia CD C2K65597

This track recorded March 27, 1956, Vocals by Mahalia Jackson and the Falls-Jones Ensemble.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: GUEST,Wbride2635
Date: 28 Jan 07 - 10:24 AM

[Let the] Four Winds [Blow]: In January 1955, the reigning king of New Orleans R&B production, Dave Bartholomew, cut a song called "Four Winds". It was a typical classic New Orleans R&B effort written by Bartholomew and Fats Domino, but it never gained any major exposure. In 1957, Roy Brown revived a version that reached No. 29 on pop charts and stayed there for 15 weeks. Fats Domino's 1961 version reached No. 15 on the charts.The original version of course was not a Bartholomew original. He borrowed the melody of the Black spiritual, "Let the Church Roll On". [Let the fours winds blow/let 'em blow,blow, blow/From east to the west/I love you the best....]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Jan 07 - 11:30 AM

As I recall it, I first heard this song on a Flatt & Scruggs recording which also included "Hot Corn, Cold Corn" and "I Traced Her Little Footprints through the Snow."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jan 07 - 01:26 PM

Looked for lyrics of "Let the Four Winds Blow," lots of mp3 sites, but no lyrics.
It would be nice to have them here. Couldn't find anything in Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Jan 07 - 02:39 PM

Q, If you found a full-length MP3 I can try to transcribe it-- care to take a look for one?

Let the Church Roll On is indexed to Permathread, BTW.

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jan 07 - 07:08 PM

Sorry, I steer clear of mp3 sites.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 12:54 AM

iF THE CHILDREN IN THE CHURCH THEY DON'T DO RIGHT , WHAT SHALL WE DO TAKE'M OUT AND TAN THIER HIDE. AND LET THE CHURCH ROLL ON.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: GUEST,Jose
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 04:16 PM

Hi guys Im looking for a link to some songs that I believe The Stanley brothers had done on an old 8 track tape that belonged to my grandfather. I combed the net and I cant seem to find any reference to it. On it the sang the songs, "Let the church roll on", "Everlasting Arms" and another song called "Drinking From the Fountain" with the lyrics going...

We are drinking from the fountain
We are drinking from the fountain, Lord
We are drinking from the fountain
That never runs dry

but the one song I been searching for has the words let me rest on the peaceful mountain....god's come back from childhood, old time memories return to me" or something to that effect. can anyone help me?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Let the Church Roll On
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 08:59 AM

Thanks to Jim who sent me MP3s of this song.

I can hear how it would easily be a play-all-night floating-verse song with many more verses than the few we have now in recorded songs long enough to play on radio. It also sounds like a fiddle/dance tune with just enough words to break up the screeching. :~)


My own interest in a song like this is whether it could be useful in worship. It would make a fine companion, for example, to the MJH "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord" that we do, which gives not only the "problems" in the Church but the >>>>>solution.<<<<<

If we were to use it that way, the "new" verses I'd create/edit/receive would be a bit different after the "what should we do" line-- I'd want to sing the solution applicable for each "category" of disappointment. For example, the preacher really needs a vacy followed by a time away for new learning-- a sabbatical-- to come back better-equipped, but 99% of the peeps don't see it from that viewpoint (I'm married to a preacher and sometimes preach, myself).

It would be serious info and teaching, in other words, but the light style of the tune would help it slide in easy. Our Band specializes in that juxtaposition.

~Susan