Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name

26 Jul 01 - 10:43 AM (#514910)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: catspaw49

Several references to recordings on the web, but the only other info outside of that I could find is HERE.

Spaw

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26 Jul 01 - 10:45 AM (#514912)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: Sorcha

No complete lyrics, but see here (click!)

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26 Jul 01 - 10:46 AM (#514913)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: Sorcha

That's what I get for not waking up before I try to post.......

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26 Jul 01 - 10:56 AM (#514927)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: GUEST,Eileen

THANKS! That seems to be the song, but it's way before 1973. During the late 1940s, my mother would play the piano and my father and I would "sing" from a tattered, paperback of songs. That ended when my mother said she couldn't stand to hear us torture music. However, I recall that the song was considered traditional.

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26 Jul 01 - 11:11 AM (#514941)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: wysiwyg

I believe it appears in the book, American Negro Folk Songs, John W. Work, Dover Publications, among the 230 spirituals, work songs, and other tradtional pieces in the book which oincludes melody lines and lyrics, as well as good introductory material. But since it isn't listed under that title I can't find it. When it turns up I will post it, and I could do a Noteworthy tune for it as well. (So Eileen, bookmark this thread.)

Thematically, this would be related to a number of songs I have seen in various gospel collections, where the theme is the admonishment of the ones calling themselves Christians while living as the same old judgmental people they were to start with-- hymns railing at various hypocrisies. The other ones I have seen WOULD be sung in church-- as an effort to bring people to the awareness of the wrongness of their behavior. Preachments.

It would also be related to the Mississippi John Hurt version of BLESSED BE THE NAME, where instead of describing the bad attitude he gives the cure.

~Susan

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26 Jul 01 - 12:10 PM (#514987)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: mousethief

And here I thought the phrase "scandalize my name" was something that Larry Norman made up. This is cool. He was more studied in folk idiom than I give him credit for!

I've been shot down
Kicked around
Some people scandalize my name
But here I am
Talkin' 'bout Jesus just the same
---Larry Norman

Go, Johnny.

Alex

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07 Aug 01 - 12:58 PM (#522661)
Subject: ADD: Yo' Low Down Ways
From: wysiwyg

Here's an example of one of this theme, from the Spirituals book I referenced above.

YO' LOW DOWN WAYS
Traditional Spiritual

CHORUS
Yo' low down ways, yo' low down ways,
God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.
Yo' low down ways, yo' low down ways,
God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.

VERSES
(Leader) You talk about yo' elder when he's tryin' to preach the word,
(Response) God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.
(Leader) You talk about yo' elder when he's tryin' to preach the word,
(Response) God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.

(Leader) You talk about yo' neighbor when he's tryin' to praise the Lord,
(Response) God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.
(Leader) You talk about yo' neighbor when he's tryin' to praise the Lord,
(Response) God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.

(Leader) You talk about yo' sister when she's on her knees a-prayin',
(Response) God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.
(Leader) You talk about yo' sister when she's on her knees a-prayin',
(Response) God's goin' to get you 'bout yo' low down ways.

SOURCE
American Negro Folk Songs, John W. Work, Dover Publications, NY.

SH

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07 Aug 01 - 01:49 PM (#522707)
Subject: ADD: Scandalize' My Name
From: wysiwyg

Well, dang me, I found it!

This would also have some call/response features, like the one above.

The tunes for these will be available shortly in Noteworthy Composer via e-mail, and posted eventually as well (most likely in the Mudcat MIDI pages).

~S~


SCANDALIZE' MY NAME
Traditional Spiritual

Well, I met my sister (brother) (preacher) de other day,
Give her (him) (him) my right han',
Jes' as soon as ever my back was turned
She (he) took'n' scandalize' my name.

Do you call that a sister (a brother) (a religion)?
No! No!
Do you call that a sister (a brother) (a religion)?
No! No!
Do you call that a sister (a brother) (a religion)?
No! No! Scandalize' my name.


SOURCE:
Songs of Zion (ISBN 0-687-39120-2), Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN USA.

SH


Regarding source: This is a hymnbook prepared for the United Methodist Church in the US, to incorporate "the Black religious tradition" in the worship of that national denomination of the Protestant church. There are a number of songbooks published under the same title that are very different from this book, which contains a wealth of songs and information from the Black tradition in the US. It is suggested that potential purchasers check the ISBN to be sure of the book before purchasing. (SH)

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07 Aug 01 - 02:51 PM (#522764)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: Sorcha

Well good on ya! Too bad she was a guest without e mail.

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07 Aug 01 - 06:21 PM (#522971)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: ddw

Josh White did a great version of this. Didn't I send you the lyrics, WYSI?

david

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07 Aug 01 - 10:06 PM (#523114)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: GUEST

Paul Robeson sang it, you could check out some of his CDs.

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07 Aug 01 - 10:31 PM (#523127)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: wysiwyg

I don't recall that it was in there, ddw, but I could be wrong. We's on the road at present so I can't check.

Been using Noteworthy Composer to enter tunes so I can playback and HEAR them-- that's what will happen to Mr. Josh when we get home.

Tunes for both of the above are done if anyone wants it-- just e-mail me.

Software to play them is free (eval version) at:

NOTEWORTHY.

~Susan

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08 Aug 01 - 12:41 PM (#523573)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: GUEST,masato sakurai

For lyrics of spirituals, Erskin Peters' Lyrics of the Afro-American Spirituals: A Documentary Collection (Greenwood, 1993) is very helpful. "Scandalize My Name" is on page 37, the source of which is Calhoun Plantation Songs, published in 1901 and 1907. The reprinted edition of the latter (1907; AMS, 1976) contains it on page 65 with the music.

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08 Aug 01 - 04:04 PM (#523760)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: wysiwyg

WOW!

Welcome to Mudcat!

~Susan

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02 Feb 07 - 07:57 PM (#1956123)
Subject: Add: Lyr: Anyhow
From: Azizi

ANYHOW

[traditional African American spiritual]

Chorus:
Anyhow.
{anyhow}
Anyhow.
{anyhow}
Anyhow, my Lord.
Anyhow.
Anyhow.
Well, I'm goin up to heaven anyhow.

Verse 1
If my mother
talks about me.
Tryin to scandalize my name.
[I'll knell in prayer *
He'll meet me there] *
'Cause I'm goin up to heaven
anyhow.

Chorus

-snip-
Other verses: "if my father" etc; if "my sister" etc; "if my neighbor" etc; if my friend" etc, "if the preacher" etc.

This spiritual has a moderate tempo, and is sung in unison except for the optional response shown here in parenthesis.

I remember singing this spiritual in my Baptist church and singing it from my childhood in the 1950s Atlantic City, New Jersey and since then.

* I'm not sure whether these words are the right ones, but that's how I've been singing this spiritual for years. My take of the song is that the "He" referred to is Jesus and that because He meets the individual who is praying, that individual gets the strength to carry on inspite of people scandalizing her or his name.

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02 Feb 07 - 08:14 PM (#1956134)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: Azizi

Basically the same lyrics to Scandalize my name that Susan posted 07 Aug 01 - 01:49 PM are found on http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/scandalized_my_name.htm

Besides the dialect, the slight difference is found in the use of the word "preacher" instead of "religion" in this verse:

Well, I met my preacher de other day / Give him my right han' / Just as soon as ever my back
was turned / He took an' scandaliz'd my name / Do you call dat a preacher? / No, no! You
call dat a preacher? / No, no! Scandaliz'd my name

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02 Feb 07 - 09:02 PM (#1956161)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: Azizi

"Give him my right han' {hand}" refers to the phrase "to extend the right hand of fellowship".

"Extending the right hand of fellowship" is an act of greeting that occurs before, during, or after church services in Black as well as White Christian churches. In my experience in Black Baptist churches, usually towards the end of the Sunday church service, the entire congregation is directed by the pastor to 'extend the right hand of fellowship' to other persons in the church, with special attention given to visitors to the church.

I can't remember this custom occuring in my church in the 1950s, and 1960s or so. Maybe it had been practiced before and during those decades, but I know it occurs since then and to date at Black Baptist churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. "Bless Be The Tie That Binds" is the congregational song that I most closely associate with this practice. This song is sung by the congregation {to the accompaniment of what ever musical instruments the church has} while all of the church members-the pastors, deacons, deaconess, trustees, choir members, ushers, nurses, adults, teens, and children move randomly near their pews "extending the right hand of fellowship" to other church members. The only folks who aren't moving around at this time are the musicians and those who can't walk. Btw, hugs are often also given along with the handshakes {males or females hugging persons regardless of their own gender-but there's no kissing on the cheeks or elsewhere}.

For a similar practice, here's an excerpt of an online book that was written by the White evangelist G. Edwin Lint:
"The smile is bright, the handshake is firm, and the voice is warm. And then it's over, all in less than five seconds. The locale is the vestibule of any number of evangelical churches and this little scenario is played out over and over again. Just a long succession of five-second friendships, one after another. Some of these five-second friendships may be during the service while everyone is invited to move around and shake hands, usually while singing a song like "The Family of God."

The growing practice of stationing "greeters" at the entrances of the church is creating opportunities for two-second friendship. These well-meaning greeters are asked to extend a smiling handshake to all who enter… Assigned Greeters: Everyone should greet visitors with a smile and the right hand of friendship.
http://www.diskbooks.org/cw04.html
Chapter 5: Creating True friendship in Your Church

**

Gal 2:9 is usually given as the basis for the practice of 'extending the right hand of fellowship". Some additional Biblical verses that mention God's right hand are:

"Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me" (Psalms 139:10) and "The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand." (Psalms 121:5).

And I'm sure that Wysiwyg and others can cite more Biblical verses and share more about this custom.

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02 Feb 07 - 10:34 PM (#1956218)
Subject: RE: Gideon's Band
From: wysiwyg

We adapted a song I heard was actually a minstrel song, but when I heard it done by the band that did it in the 1920's, it rang true as a song of fellowship and fun that fits our Saturday night service's intentionally open (read "loosey-goosey") atmosphere quite well. I dunno if I ever posted it here and I don't have time to look into that, but it has this line:

Do you belong to Gideon's band?
Here's my heart, and here's my hand.

It feels to me like what you posted, Azizi.

~Susan

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02 Feb 07 - 10:43 PM (#1956221)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: wysiwyg

PS we Episcopalians do what we call "exchange the peace" midway through the service, after hearing the Scripture passages du Jour and before communion, roughly. Not OUR peace-- we wish one another Christ's peace ("which passeth all understanding") with the handclasp as a sympbol of that and a sign of agape love. Some people, some parishes, use a kiss of peace or a hug (more smarmily secular IMO), but in the main it's the right hands offered and taken.

~Susan

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03 Feb 07 - 11:11 AM (#1956572)
Subject: RE: Scandalize My Name
From: GUEST,leeneia

Sometimes I like to talk about songs that feel good in the mouth. "Scandalize my name", with its clicky rhythm, is a phrase that feels good in the mouth. Remember the Kingston Trio's "Banua"?

I didn't mean to be fightin
and bringing you all to shame.
But the tongue of Jonathan Brighton
was scandalizin your name.

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14 Jun 15 - 10:30 AM (#3716542)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name
From: GUEST

Scandalize My Name was composed by Harry T. Burleigh

http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/burleigh.html

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15 Jun 15 - 08:43 AM (#3716725)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name
From: GUEST,Gerry

ddw noted on 7 August 2001 that Josh White had recorded Scandalize My Name. That recording is now available on a compilation CD, Constant Sorrow: Gems From The Elektra Vaults. 50 original recordings on 2 CDs, 1956 to 1962. It's on a UK label called One Day Music. There are tracks by Judy Collins, Jack Elliott, Paul Clayton, Josh White, Cynthia Gooding, Oscar Brand, Peggy Seeger, Dave Van Ronk, Bob Gibson, Jean Ritchie, Theodore Bikel, Jean Redpath, Ed McCurdy, and others.

There's not much information about individual tracks in the liner notes. All it says about the Josh White recording of Scandalize My Name is that it was made in 1955, and appeared on the album, Josh At Midnight. There's clearly a second singer on the recording, but he is not identified on this release. It appears to have been Sam Gary, about whom I know nothing. In fact, I think it's Sam Gary taking the lead vocals on Scandalize, Josh White doing harmonies.

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15 Jun 15 - 02:43 PM (#3716803)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name
From: BrooklynJay

Some information on Sam Gary:

Wikipedia

Discography

Sam Gary - His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Josh White and Sam Gary sing Timber (Jerry the Mule)

Enjoy! (Apologies for the thread drift)


Jay

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17 Jun 15 - 01:31 PM (#3717145)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name
From: Jim Dixon

Replying to the guest who posted on 14 June:

Yale University has a copy of "Scandalize My Name" dated "[c1921]," which says it is a "Negro folk song" arranged by H. T. [Harry Thacker] Burleigh. This is a presentation copy signed by Burleigh, so there can be little doubt this information is correct.

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29 Oct 19 - 04:16 PM (#4016070)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name
From: GUEST,keberoxu

The recently deceased Jessye Norman
sings a duet with Kathleen Battle
in this performance.

Scandalize My Name

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30 Oct 19 - 01:25 PM (#4016199)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name
From: keberoxu

... and this is the live-performance recording
from which the YouTube film clip was taken.

Spirituals in Concert

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30 Oct 19 - 01:40 PM (#4016201)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scandalize My Name
From: keberoxu

This recording of Marian Anderson, with her pianist Franz Rupp,
sounds as though it was made
when she was older and her voice was past its prime;
Ms. Anderson, God be good to her,
was one of those singers
who ought to have made fewer public performances
the older she got.

Scandalize My Name

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