Lightning Washington and prisoners: Good God Almighty (1933)

[@slydoll7877]

Thank goodness these were preserved.

[@brandonlatham4204]

Sends chills through my spine spirit lives through this music.

[@yourfabuloushappymann5154]

awesome!!!Work chants....or field hollers as they call 'em...chain gang..

[@TenThumbsProductions]

Thanks for sharing this, a real window to our countries past.

[@roslynmclean8593]

Reminds me of the theme music to the movie 'O Brother Where Art Thou'. Great movie, great soundtrack!

[@Mixed_Activist]

That’s caz Kaleo copied our style. I was introduced to his music a few years ago and you should’ve seen the look on my face when I was told he’s white!

[@dwaynecolbert9355]

I would have to set these men free after hearing this song amen

[@alexfilter2379]

they are free so or so - read the bible bro =)

[@jamesrobertson9697]

Is it you or merely your upbringing that would allow you to make that decision?

[@adrianabrunofero4530]

Thanks for posting this song

[@JRT176]

Oh, and abolish privately owned prisons.

[@gurzification]

*abolish prisons

[@pops1507]

Build more.

[@pegerockas]

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

[@KamalShariff]

These songs were invented to alleviate the drudgery of back-breaking, uncompensated work.

[@adonaiyah2196]

Love your vocabulary

[@charlespeterson3798]

Bullshit...

[@KratomFlavoredAdidas]

@@charlespeterson3798 Are you R-worded?

[@cinders302]

I can't even imagine the struggle. Hard times. I can appreciate the music, though.

[@cinders302]

​@charlespeterson3798 why do you say, bullshit?

[@mannymarotta]

Everybody you hear in this recording is now dead. Edit: also, if you think about it, this is probably the closest thing we have to knowing what slave songs actually sounded like. It's like looking back in history. This should be preserved forever.

[@kishascape]

Audio has always been one of my favorite mediums. It's very immersive and really sucks you in like you were back there, and music recordings like this basically warp you through all of someones life experiences and story in such a short time.

[@crazyinq8617]

If you want to know what slave songs were... they're the Negro Spirituals of then and the Southern Gospel of today.

[@KratomFlavoredAdidas]

It is a slave song. These people, very least their parents, were still "sharecroppers" in the south.

[@2mandolin]

You got it. The future owes him so much...........

[@SteveCournane]

In the sun?…. morning. Oh my lord lord I went to the bottom. Good God Almighty I went to the bottom. Oh my lord lord With a big round diamond. Good God Almighty With a big round diamond. Oh my lord lord Saw the captain riding. Good God Almighty Saw the captain riding. Oh my lord lord O’ captain won’t you help me. . Good God Almighty O’ captain won’t you help me. Oh my lord lord I’m down in trouble. Good God Almighty I’m down in trouble. Oh my lord lord

[@shonamarie1116]

I believe he says" i went to warden" instead of the bottom.he was probably trying to get the warden to give him a pardon or hopefully some time off to go see his family~Duane Colbert~

[@domdude64dd]

I was soon one morning

[@SteveCournane]

@@domdude64dd Or maybe It was soon one morning perhaps..? I have never heard that expression I was soon..

[@domdude64dd]

@@SteveCournane That's what I meant, thanks

[@SteveCournane]

@@shonamarie1116 Sorry I never saw that, thanks for the info

[@thomashumphries3519]

It was alittle rough at work today...rain...wind...heavy things...i.hear.these ole boys here....i am humbled...my one day is laughable comparing to this

[@countbasie8470]

I wonder if the guards felt anything hearing this or were they to enslaved to notice

[@apuntes8883]

sometimes it happens that a common day to day situation fits to enlightenment.

[@Albertanator]

I am sure they were to busy working......your question is very odd.

[@derekmiller7961]

too

[@dwaynecolbert9355]

Count Basie I always wondered the same thing

[@Spacecowboy42]

I was wondering the same thing. Like if the songs got stuck in there head when they went home at night

[@jtoddjb]

the chain gangs and work farms are back.

[@gingerpeters1383]

They HAD to come back...all the DRUG DEALERS, GANGS, MURDERERS, CHILD MOLESTERS, RAPISTS & every other kind of CRIMINAL. State prisons can't house all this vermin. But, it sounds like you have a better solution ??? Just let every AMINAL run wild & KILL or HURT the INNOCENT ???

[@anotherpointofview222]

@@gingerpeters1383 In the words of L.L. "Don't Call it a Comeback" they been here for years. But There's a better Plan a coming. Redemption and Judgement. And yes some "innocent" will die. They always do.

[@logitimate]

@@gingerpeters1383 You do realize that the murder rate has declined over time, right? As a long-term, multi-century trend (with a few hiccups), and also specifically (in the US) since the early 1990s? From 1970 to 1995, the *lowest* murder rate in any given year was 7.9 per 100,000 (and the highest was 10.2 per 100,000). Since 1999, the *highest* murder rate in any given year has been 5.7 per 100,000 (and the lowest, 4.4 per 100,000). Rape statistics are now complicated, because reporting rates have risen over time (so the same number of actual rapes will produce a substantially higher number of reported rapes today than in 1970), but even there, the numbers peaked in 1992 at 42.8 per hundred thousand, and have been falling since; it was 30.6 per 100,000 in 2007, and has been under 30 in ever year from 2008 to 2016 (the last year I have data for on hand). And there are similar patterns for other crimes.

[@mstooth]

Lyrics please anyone ? English is not my mother tongue Thanks

[@joshuagarrard3859]

Beautiful Southern Gospel song

[@kaecake9575]

Without the blues. There would be no Rock n Roll:)

[@tiffanydame2488]

history is beautiful and amazing

[@gudlisner501]

The saddest thing is that they were singing to the God of their oppressors.

[@johnkoval1898]

Oppressors? They were in prison for a reason.

[@UnfilteredAmerica]

They weren’t prison for a reason. During Jim Crow, black folks would be arrested and put on chain gangs for virtually no reason other than existing.

[@UnfilteredAmerica]

@@johnkoval1898after slavery ended, white folks didn’t want to do their own work. So they instead utilized the prison system to get free labor and would thrown black back in there for no reason other than to use them for work

[@cainy101]

The prisoners had axes because they were chopping wood. I believe the prisoners chopping wood might have thought it was stupid to being doing it for free, but under the threat of being shot, whipped or tortured what are you going to do?? Maybe, create some the most beautiful music ever!?

[@logitimate]

On a related note, one of the major functions of work songs was to regulate the tempo of work, both as a safety measure for certain types of work - you don't want the guy next to you swinging his axe out of time with your own movements! - and to keep the pace slow enough to survive. Otherwise, the guards would whip whoever was working slowest, which, in addition to being harmful or even fatal to weaker prisoners, would also drive the group as a whole to work faster, as everyone tried to avoid being the slowest, thereby increasing exhaustion and injury risk for everyone. But everyone works to the same rhythm, then no one is slowest, no one gets whipped, and everyone goes to bed *merely* bone tired.

[@SteveCournane]

part 3 Well the baby gets worried. Good God Almighty Well the baby gets worried. Oh my lord lord She’s a worried about her daddy. Good God Almighty She’s a worried about her daddy. Oh my lord lord I’m down in trouble. Good God Almighty I’m down in trouble. Oh my lord lord Ain’t got nobody. Good God Almighty Ain’t got nobody. Oh my lord lord

[@derekmiller7961]

alabama no no?

[@duanecolbert9196]

My ,my, lord, lord,

[@oimej1]

Hi everyone, does somebody has transcripted the lyrics ? Thx !

[@SteveCournane]

If anyone has better ides for the words please give me your suggestions, Sorry I could not post in one hit

[@SteveCournane]

really tough getting all these words.. anyone got any ideas?

[@JoseManueldelaCruzFlores-wc1di]

Interesante

[@RickyMotis]

And yes Thomas, I can turn twenty five Doritos bags into something that you do not want to experience in the blind spots.

[@leadfarmer5853]

sounds like you know....you know???

[@eternalbeing3339]

Wtf does that even mean

[@ugmold]

They were chained together

[@v.eatonhart8146]

@ Edmund Hamill , are you saying for blacks or everyone ?

[@jns972]

Je pense que certain son la a cause du prof de musique...

[@ugmold]

They were doing what is called "hard labor".

[@JRT176]

America's laws need to be revised before we can think of implementing more draconian and harsh punishments for prisoners. Prisons should be reserved for violent people who actually pose an imminent threat to the public, not drug dealers.

[@countryboy6767]

More here now! www.cdbaby.com/cd/foxylady

[@lastEvergreen]

The deterrent was the 5 or so guards with guns making sure they don't chop anything but wood.

[@diomandemcgregor8338]

Rien que la source

[@ascotamos4825]

I don't know anything other than if someone wants to use this song. Do so. If they like it why not.

[@SteveCournane]

I don’t want to see Judy. Good God Almighty I don’t want to see Judy. Oh my lord lord Now Judy has a baby. Good God Almighty Now Judy has a baby. Oh my lord lord Well go get the parson/doctor?. Good God Almighty Well go get the parson/doctor?. Oh my lord lord Well bonafide raider? ?. Good God Almighty Well bonafide raider ? Oh my lord lord I cross big ….??? Good God Almighty I cross big ??? Oh my lord lord I’m gonna see the baby. Good God Almighty I’m gonna see the baby. Oh my lord lord

[@shonamarie1116]

I crossed big Brazos.its big river down in central Texas

[@shonamarie1116]

And the other line he says "go get the guard dog"since warden wont let him go see his wife and kid he's probably getting ready to run" escape"

[@brianjones4026]

I pray that these sinners of that world have found peace in Heaven and were forgiven by the Lord for their daily praising of Him in their Captivity ! Amen

[@samblackwood4690]

I pray that their captors are one day recognized as the true sinners

[@youtub203]

God people turn towards home. Aint nothing out here in this world for you. You got a home waiting on you. Come on in.

[@disgruntledmural7171]

I think prison labor is quite useful. Puts the prisoners to something productive. Makes em' feel as if they're doing something. Which they are! And who knows maybe we could make it to where the more hours to work in labor the less hours you get knocked off your sentence.

[@disgruntledmural7171]

+Lu M No thanks, guy.

[@disgruntledmural7171]

Ricky Motis Maybe it's because of my "ignorance", but where do you get off calling me a fascist? I don't want a warmongering state where the means of production is seized by the government. Rather I want people to be free law-abiding citizens. Can't do that if you break the law. And while a prisoner is in there, wouldn't it help if they were actually contributing to society, making compensation for it, and rehabilitating themselves? Also why the hell did you spontaneously decide to brig race into this? All in all you've managed to baffle me on this one. Don't be such an ass.

[@RickyMotis]

Mr. Thomas. Mr. Ass here with my retort Sir, If there where a suitable "reform" process in place .YES. IN 2015 ALONE THERE WERE 85,000 pages of laws implemented that would subscript a "citizen" to a Felony charge. Do you know all of these laws Sir? IT MIGHT BE YOU THAT IS NEXT. We live in a world where the State, local and federal municipalities are Predatory, Cannibalistic even. Mr. Thomas I don't suffer a thief or a rapist "white collar or blue collar" , Murder has it's shades of grey. I didn't bring "race" into it spontaneously or any other way, SO DON'T TRY TO PLAY THAT CARD. I am a Proud 3rd generation off the boat Irishman, Cherokee mix Sir. I was taught to take people at face value No matter their Race ,Creed or Color and I live by it. Mr. Thomas maybe "Ignorance"and 'Fascist" were harsh statements, but I do believe that you Sir are Naive to the world around you . Yes, I have done TIME and I understand the long running over dogmatically inclined treatment of said individuals by "proper society". I now have a Dergree that was NOT funded by any of your tax dollars and I will make it work for the people that you so disperrage against. With that being said, let me say this. BROTHERS AND SISTERS that have had our short comings. LET US NOT BE DEFINED BY "THESE SMALL MINDED PEOPLE" WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY, FREEDOM AND THE PRESUIT OF HAPPINESS UNDER THE PROPER CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Good day Sir. Long days.

[@RickyMotis]

I see you shrunk and slunk off like most right wing sooth Sayers.

[@onethreesix]

Twat

[@projectmoon13]

Let’s all thank the white man for abolishing savory once and for all. Thank the Lord

[@nedohamilli]

THEY SHOULD BRING BACK CHAIN GANS AND HARD LABOUR ;MAYBE THEN THERED BE A BITTA SING'N TO BE HAD AGAIN IN THE GOOD OLD WORLD ;YEH LAWD

[@pigmeatmartin9418]

What makes you think they're gone? There are several states that still have road gangs. Steal a couple of cartons of smokes, go to one and tell us how much fun it was, Laddy buck.

[@5050TM]

​​@@pigmeatmartin9418 I assure you it's better than being cooped up in the cells all the time. Fresh air and some normalcy. And much better than it used to be.

[@alexfilter2379]

yeah main - fucc politics - love fo' evry'one feel this shit

[@alexfilter2379]

they are free so or so - read the bible bro =)