Bessie Jones - I'm A Rollin', I'm A Rollin' (Everybody's A Rolling Stone)

[@nadineraye618]

I'm Bessie Jones Great granddaughter and I'm Rollin through this unfriendly world.

[@joejohnson6321]

Love her and the great Charlie Patton.

[@hubertowens8954]

Nadine Raye are you from the Brunswick area too?

[@pygmygodeus9450]

I met your great grandmother when I was about 7 or 8. I got to hold hands with her and she taught me and a little group of kids a song/game from her own childhood. She sang a lot of songs. She was powerful and amazing. It was a great experience for me. I taught that game to other little kids n my school. It was called Froggie in the Bucket Can’t Get Out.❤️

[@mthomas5027]

Nadine Raye god bless you

[@poiemas3160]

No unfriendly here my dear - impossible to be unfriendly when someone is blessing you with words right from God.

[@mthomas5027]

As a black man I cannot express in words my gratitude to my ancestors. What they put up with and fought for for me can never be repaid

[@gafriendship]

THANK YOU

[@tracyfirstlight]

a whole world in her voice 🌍

[@hilmarwensorra1215]

In very loving memory of Mrs. Bessie Jones (1902 - 1984 R.I.P. // gone but not forgotten).

[@JonelleElise]

I’m Bessie Jones’ great, great, granddaughter from Connecticut.

[@nathaniel.7172]

Just in case I die, I wanna say peace brother behind TheBWjohnson youtube channel, I hope The Good Lord sees me through these times an God bless you. Hard times came. Shalom.

[@TheBWJohnson]

Really rough reading these words, Nathaniel and there's certainly nothing i can say that wouldn't be insufficient. But i think, at its core, what you describe is what the Blues, the real blues like the stuff i tried to post here, connects with so fully. And tells us across time that, no matter the shallowness of the material world, there have been others who felt this way and were defiant in their sufferings. And through this defiance, we witness the true beauty that is earned through the trials. Hang in there, brother. We're all here. Much love and Shalom.

[@nathaniel.7172]

@@TheBWJohnson I'm still here brother I appreciate your words, maybe pray for me, The Gospel an blues have helped in these times I'm in, I'm not even sure if I should say but if one day I don't reply I'm probably in the grave sadly, I hope God has mercy upon me an you, sitting here on Christmas eve with some family an a bottle of wine an music, sucks things came to what it is in my life been goin like this since October 14th an most likely ain't got much longer an I'm only 22 so it kinda sucks, hopefully it's all good with you though brother thank you for spreading the love an the music here on your channel, God bless brother, maybe in the next one brother, or if I'm still around next time I'm online, currently getting more music goin. Peace Gospel blues brother. Shalom.

[@nathaniel.7172]

@@TheBWJohnson I guess in a way I got them future blues like the title of willie browns song. Peace man

[@TheBWJohnson]

​@@nathaniel.7172 Good to hear from you, Nathaniel. Just know that - whatever's going on, we're all in one boat brother. You know there's no immunity from those Future Blues for any of us. Sometimes we just gotta feel our way out. So please save a little in the bottle for me, keep the music going, and drop a line next time you're in the low down blues neighborhood. I'll try and hang around as long as i can...

[@zacwhite1368]

I love her voice most of her soul!

[@MyMoppet52]

This is just incredible! Her voice is magnificent in this video. ...and what a perfect video. I can't thank you enough for posting this! My best, Moppet

[@TheBWJohnson]

hey, good to see you around again, Moppet. and thanks for the kind words. ol' Bessie Jones was the real deal.

[@MyMoppet52]

Thank you. I've been out of commission for about 2 years. I'm back & sure enjoying your music!

[@trw5653]

Déjà vu as we do :) That top shelf is still out of reach... 'Everybody's A Rolling Stone'

[@azizip171]

Thanks for publishing this sound file! Here's my transcription of the lyrics from this recording: Chorus I'm a rollin', I'm a rollin'. I'm a rollin' through this unfriendly world. I'm a rollin', I'm a rollin', Rollin' through this unfriendly world. I'm a rollin', rollin', Lord. I'm a rollin' through this unfriendly world. I'm a rollin', rollin', Rollin' through this unfriendly world. Verse: Every since I been newborn, (Rollin' through this unfriendly world.) Everybody's a rolling stone (Rollin' through this unfriendly world). Chorus I'm a rollin', rollin' Rollin' through this unfriendly world. I'm a rollin', rollin' Rollin' through this unfriendly world. Ah just rollin', rollin', Lord. Rollin' through this unfriendly world. I'm a rollin', rollin' Rollin' through this unfriendly world. Verse: Lord, every since I been redeemed, (Just rollin through this unfriendly world). I toss and I heard God's burnin steam. (Rollin through this unfriendly world). Just rollin, rollin, Lord Rollin through this unfriendly world. I'm a rollin, rollin Rollin through this unfriendly world. Verse: Lord, a mother's child has a hard time. (Just rolling through this unfriendly world.) He's sometime up and sometime down. (Rollin through this unfriendly world.) Chorus: Just keep rollin, rollin Lord Rollin through this unfriendly world I'm a rollin, rollin, Rollin through this unfriendly world. Verse: Lord, father will do the best he can (Rollin through this unfriendly world) But yet poor father don't understand (Just rollin through this unfriendly world.) I'm Just rollin, rollin keep rollin through this unfriendly world I'm a rollin, rollin, Rollin through this unfriendly world. Verse Lord, I'm sometimes up and sometimes down. (Rollin through this unfriendly world) But I know my soul is heaven bound. (I'm rollin through this unfriendly world). Chorus I'm just rollin, rollin, Lord, Rollin through this unfriendly world. Just rollin, rollin Rollin through this unfriendly world. Rollin, keep rollin, Rollin through this unfriendly world. Rollin, keep rollin Rollin through this unfriendly world. -snip- This is the end of this rendition of this Spiritual, but in that recording Bessie Jones is heard saying "Um hum. Yes, I am." Additions and corrections are welcome.

[@azizip171]

With regard to the line "I toss and I heard God's burning steam", if that transcription is accurate, then I think that "I toss" means that "I tossed and turned" i.e. struggled trying to do God's will. The words "and I heard God's burning steam" may refer to hearing God's Holy Spirit (which is often described as Holy Fire.) -snip- I showcased this sound file and included other comments in this post on my cultural blog: pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/06/bessie-jones-im-rollin-african-american.html

[@TheBWJohnson]

Nice work. Some of these great songs don't see the light of day for so long. We're lucky to have it. Just grateful for those who live with soul in spite of the cruelty and for those who captured a little bit of that for all of us to come. Thanks for your work on this.

[@azizip171]

"Just grateful for those who live with soul in spite of the cruelty and for those who captured a little bit of that for all of us to come." That's a great comment. Thanks and you're welcome TheBW Johnson.

[@azizip171]

Here's a correction to one line in that transcription. The line should be "a motherless child has a hard time" and not what I had initially written "a mother's child".

[@jackemlyn062]

Geez this is good. !!!

[@ibrake4butterflies]

Dang. So good.

[@PrincessRadojka]

Pure bliss! Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson, for putting this up!

[@CakepopsbyC]

I'm rolling out of hard times.

[@ibrake4butterflies]

Sweet.

[@MoiraRussell]

WOW

[@nevillegriffiths4395]

So good, keep rollin BwJ

[@TheBWJohnson]

always, Neville. even in the quarantine world, gotta keep movin'... and singing.

[@nevillegriffiths4395]

@@TheBWJohnson I’m with you. I’m trying to shake off the toxic political News which is distracting to say the least.So I am in and out of the music some of which is so relevant to now the Pandemic which Blind Willie Johnson sang about and Barbecue Bob Hard times. But when you feel the spirit in the voices almost nothing better. I keep hearing inside lead me to the rock, which I’ve been singing in isolation a medley of both parts along with Rosie, Diamond Joe then again Bessie and all the wonderful others so I’m not really in isolation.

[@TheBWJohnson]

​@@nevillegriffiths4395 and i'm with you. it's amazing. these are the same voices that kept their spirits and souls adrift with joy and love in the midst of their own terrors and, thankfully, left something behind so that we can know - even in a sea of terror and farce - that we, too, are not alone. some days it's tough, but i guess all we can do is rise with the sun and tell the truth about it all. something that is short supply these days. keep singing, Neville. gives me faith too.

[@nevillegriffiths4395]

@@TheBWJohnson Ol’ Hannah go down , but like you say when the sun rises let’s hope some learn to behave with Truth along with honesty, morality, humanity, compassion and a conscience. I remember reading in an old book of quotations many years ago Conscience is the voice of the Soul. Then I heard What is the Soul of a man. I walked the fields today singing HoGo ol’ time religion and I wish I was in heaven sittin down finishing on Another man done gone which is so meaningful now. Odetta live Europe 1960’s is so good Many people would do well to listen to your choice of music and understanding ,the education some may need is amongst your collection. Stay safe

[@TheBWJohnson]

@@nevillegriffiths4395 your knowledge runs deep, Neville. probably this old channel just skims the surface but hopefully opens the door to individual discovery, or re-discovery, as it will be for me as long as it remains standing. and those prison songs are some of the toughest stuff outside bach or beethoven for these ears, and no matter where you are and they are on - everything stops, as they demand to be heard upfront and center and never in the background. and of course, Odetta - it's like we're of one soul. and i'm doing my best. hope you are as well. can't say i haven't stumbled here and there as i look out at the state of things these days, but someone once said - we can not live in despair. that will surely do us in. the music helps, and so do the occasional messages. so my best to you, as we stumble forward...

[@Sliptrail]

Didn´t know what to say yesterday - just liked and shared! Today listening again, sending my thanks and rolling along. Thinking about this unfriendly world. Still glad I´m here: Bessie Jones So Glad I'm Here

[@TheBWJohnson]

thanks, Sliptrail. Glad you're here too. You know, this song hardly needs pictures but didn't know how else to spread the word. Keep rolling, brother.

[@thephoenix3155]

This song needs sampling

[@stephaniepayne3497]

Xx 💕

[@bluesloverz]

wonderful post. I just read Bessie's bio at the Association foro Cultural Equity site.

[@TheBWJohnson]

ha. tried to incorporate some of that info here and you know, debated this one but then decided, we might as well have a little fun before they tear the whole thing down. thanks, blues...

[@xxx-oj2ud]

💓

[@ibrake4butterflies]

Again excellent images. Do you know or credit the photographer(s(?

[@TheBWJohnson]

+ibrake4butterflies thanks, brake, you got it. always credit the photographer - check out the info below the video. got my favorites as you may see - but they got to have something to say - none of that showy stuff or the staged stuff. much like the music - got to have it in your soul. anybody can take a photo class; not everyone can see the truth.

[@ibrake4butterflies]

I see that you have good taste in photographers. Everyone is a photographer. Especially with iPhones and point and shoot digital. Sidebar... have you noticed in the past few years that almost everyone you see taking pictures has the lens pointing straight at themselves or themselves and a bunch of people with the scene or whatever WAAAY in the background? It's all about that perfect selfie.Its all about the image they are trying to portray. So much for real. Now they have selfie studios where you can pay to have the best background and light but still maintain that oh so casual look of a selfie. Really. The ads are here on You Tube. Telling the truth. A great photo always has something to say. A real photograph is difficult to capture. The photographer must remove his/her agenda and expectations. He must simply be there, have a good eye and know his equipment. Some WPA photographers set up or rearranged objects to get a better composition. It did not take anything away from the truth of the photo. It's a thin line. I dig the photos you chose. They go with the real raw music makers. I'm just so on the same page and same sentence with you on this topic. Peace. Keep on doing what you're doing. Do you. 💯 One hundred. One zero zero...keep it real.

[@TheBWJohnson]

+ibrake4butterflies always, butterflies. never been much for the contrived. you're right about some of the WPA photos and you'll see I don't use a whole lot of those. tricky territory. you've got some soul. that's also tough - navigating that selfie world you're talking about. but makes it easier for me to spot the fakes.

[@PotterPossum1989]

Are the majority of your postings available on disc? I'm not a fan of this digital-only lifestyle, and CDRs drive me nuts.

[@TheBWJohnson]

hey kegan, i'm with you on the "lifestyle" thing. you should be able to find most of it on cd and if not there, definitely on record. a lot of this stuff is being revived every day. this one has never been released to my knowledge. but if ever you can't find anything, hopefully this channel will still be around when needed... only time will tell.

[@PotterPossum1989]

My thoughts exactly.

[@annasigurdsson6755]

keep rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin', what?

[@TyranHepburn]

The original version was better