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25 Aug 01 - 06:20 PM (#535271) Subject: Lyr Add: SHAKE IT TO THE GROUND From: Mark Cohen OK, maybe the third time is the charm with this one. I heard this song in a song circle at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Washington in 1990. The woman who sang it said that SHE learned it at a song circle from a man who disappeared before she could ask him anything about the song. Does anybody know who wrote this song, or anything about it? The last time I made this request (six months ago), I sent the tune to Joe Offer, so it's available somewhere in Mudcatworld. SHAKE IT TO THE GROUND (author unknown) Preacher man shoutin' that gospel out Thumpin' that Bible, pumpin' that crowd Hallelujah, shout out loud Shakin' it to the ground Me and my baby sittin' in a pew Shoutin' "Amen" and "Hallelu" Gettin' into that whoop-de-doo Shakin' it to the ground CHORUS Shake, shake, shakin', shake, shake, shakin' No more foolin' round, shakin' it to the ground Now in the garden there was a snake An apple he wanted Eve to take So he gave the tree a shake Shakin' it to the ground Well, Eve she gave her man a bite It opened up his appetite They spent that very night Shakin' it to the ground CHORUS Joshua fought the battle of Jericho He said, "Those walls have got to go" So he told the boys to blow Shakin' it to the ground Well, some blew sharp and some blew flat Joshua sang a line of scat The walls fell over just like that Shakin' it to the ground CHORUS Now Samson he was very strong But only when his hair was long Delilah shaved him to the bone Shakin' it to the ground But when his hair grew back again In the heathen temple he made a stand Took a pillar in each hand Shakin' it to the ground CHORUS Now me and my baby went back home Doused the lights and killed the phone In the bedroom all alone Shakin' it to the ground My baby told me, verily That she would like to marry me 'Cause I shake better than Jerry Lee Shakin' it to the ground CHORUS Anybody know it? Aloha, Mark
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25 Aug 01 - 10:54 PM (#535379) Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - who wrote it? From: wysiwyg I will look in my spirituals books and see, that's where I'd expect to find it. If I do, I will have a tune I can send you. ~S~ |
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25 Aug 01 - 11:14 PM (#535384) Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - who wrote it? From: Mark Cohen Thanks, Susan, but I already know the tune; I sent it to Joe as a NWC file back in March. (I'll send him a message and see if he can put a link to the tune in this thread.) What I'd like to know is who wrote the song. If you do find it in your spirituals books, that would be great. From the references to "scat" and "Jerry Lee", and its musical style, I'd suspect it was written sometime in the '50s or early '60s. But I'd really appreciate having any information about the song. I love singing it (sounds great with an improvisational doo-wop backup chorus!), and as a sometime songwriter I like to give credit when I can. I hope the 'Cat will come through this time! Aloha, Mark |
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26 Aug 01 - 01:25 AM (#535428) Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - who wrote it? From: wysiwyg I missed the tune reference in your post, sorry Mark. I was thinking that this was probably based on an old spiritual-- unless Jerry Lee was actually born about ten thousand years ago. *G* It's amazing (to me) how many items I am finding in that darn book that I thought were written by the people who recorded secular or blues-gospel versions based on them! How about sending me the tune? ~S~ |
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26 Aug 01 - 11:35 PM (#535896) Subject: RE: 'Shake It to the Ground' - who wrote it? From: Mark Cohen I guess instead of "third time's the charm" it's more like "three strikes and you're out". Come on, somebody must have heard this song--it's a gem! I sang it on HearMe back when there was HearMe, and it got a great response, in spite of my singing. Susan's working on the possibility that it's an old gospel song that was updated in the 50s. Where's that ol' Mudcat magic? Aloha, Mark |