To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=162432
9 messages

Lyr Req: There'll Be No [church] Meeting Tonight.

12 Jul 17 - 04:20 PM (#3865780)
Subject: Lyr Req: There'll Be No Meeting Tonight.
From: topical tom

Yet again I am thinking of an old song.I remember neither the title and only a few of the lyrics.As I recall it's about a pastor ,preacher, or minister who had a sexual dalliance ,or even sexual intercourse with a woman and, because of this he announced that "there'll be no meeting, service, or sermon tonight".This was due to his regret from having had a sexual experience with the woman. There was to be no meeting, service or sermon (one of the three) that night.Can anyone help me with words and maybe a video of that song? It may have been an old country song.


12 Jul 17 - 04:41 PM (#3865783)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No Meeting Tonight.
From: topical tom

Oh sorry! I found it!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA7YBHQtIL4


12 Jul 17 - 04:53 PM (#3865785)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No Meeting Tonight.
From: topical tom

Oh sorry! I found it!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA7YBHQtIL4


12 Jul 17 - 05:12 PM (#3865788)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No Meeting Tonight.
From: topical tom

And the lyrics:http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Be_No_Church_Tonight.htm


12 Jul 17 - 08:27 PM (#3865804)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No [church] Meeting Tonight.
From: Joe Offer

OK, so Dani and I have disagreed for years about what's the melody for this song. I claim I'm singing it (more-or-less) to the tune of the Carter Family's I'll Be All Smiles Tonight, also recorded by the Louvin Brothers. But Dani says I sing it wrong.

Now, the lyrics were written without a tune by Woody Guthrie. The song was recorded by Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion - I think they're the ones who set the lyrics to music. Their tune is not exactly "All Smiles" - and neither is mine.

But what is the proper tune for this song?

-Joe-


12 Jul 17 - 10:17 PM (#3865816)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No [church] Meeting Tonight.
From: topical tom

I too have also Assumed that the melody is identical to that of "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight". What indeed is the exact tune for this song? Someone must know.


14 Apr 25 - 10:03 PM (#4220904)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No [church] Meeting Tonight.
From: BrooklynJay

I sing it to Danville Girl. Scans nearly perfectly.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but the Carter Family song never occurred to me.


Jay


15 Apr 25 - 06:16 PM (#4220956)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No [church] Meeting Tonight.
From: keberoxu

So who may post the lyrics to this thread?


16 Apr 25 - 08:36 AM (#4220982)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There'll Be No [church] Meeting Tonight.
From: BrooklynJay

Be No Church Tonight

Words by Woody Guthrie

Preacher Bill came to our house
One Sunday bright and fine;
To fill his belly with sweet potatoes,
Biscuits, chicken and wine.

He took our Nelly back of the barn
And carried on a sight;
I heard him whisper in her ear,
“There’ll be no church tonight!”

Chorus:
“There’ll be no church tonight, my dear,
There’ll be no church tonight!
One more kiss from your red lips,
And there’ll be no church tonight!”

While peeking through my knothole
I seen him take her hand,
Put his head upon her bosom
And called it the Promised Land,

The Mountains of Life and Glory’s Hills,
As he touched her leg so light;
He gasped for air and said a prayer,
“There’ll be no church tonight!”

(Chorus)

She lay on a pile of hay
And gently closed her eyes,
She said the words of the Twenty-Third Psalm
To the good Lord in the skies;

What I seen through that knothole
I cannot sing or write;
But now I know the reason why
There’ll be no church tonight!

(Chorus)