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Certainly Lord/Certainly Lawd
Traditional Spiritual and Gospel Hymn;
ARTIST: Skylight Singers
YOUTUBE Certainly Lord Kathleen Battle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxt96HUpQyQ
CATEGORY: Traditional and Shape-Note Gospel;
DATE: early 1900s; circa 1920s
RECORDING INFO: Certainly, Lord
Michel LaRueby/ American Negro Songs from Slavery Times: Certainly, Lawd
Carawan, Guy & Candie / Sing for Freedom, Sing Out, sof (1990), p 69
Skylight Singers Certainly Lord Lamp 1954
Bright Clouds Certainly Lord Fine 1970
http://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/18702
Bells of Zion Certainly Lord Let Me Lean on You Peacock 1966
http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/11817
OTHER NAMES: Certainly, Lawd
RELATED TO: "Sweet Soul Music" Wilson Pickett
SOURCES: WFMU;
NOTES: "Certainly Lord" is an African-American spiritual poularized in the early 1900s. The song, titled "Certainly Lawd," was included in The Green Pastures, a play written in 1930 by Marc Connelly which was adapted from Ol' Man Adam an' His Chillun (1928), a collection of stories written by Roark Bradford.
The play portrays episodes from the Old Testament as seen through the eyes of a young African-American child in the Depression-era South, who interprets The Bible in terms familiar to her. Following Bradford's lead, Connelly (a white man) set the biblical stories in New Orleans and in an all-black context. He diverged from Bradford's work, however, in enlarging the role of the character "De Lawd" (God) played on stage by Richard B. Harrison (1864-1935), who was born in London, Ontario, Canada. The Green Pastures also featured numerous African American spirituals arranged by Hall Johnson and performed by The Hall Johnson Choir. The play was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1930.
CERTAINLY, LAWD- Green Pastures 1930
[God] Is you been baptized?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
[God] Is you been baptized?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
[God] Is you been baptized?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lawd.
[God] Is you been redeemed?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
[God] Is you been redeemed?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
[God] Is you been redeemed?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lawd.
[God] Do you bow mighty low?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
[God] Do you bow mighty low?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
[God] Do you bow mighty low?
[Others] Certainly, Lawd.
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lawd.
See the lyrics to the 1954 Skylight Singers which is an early recording. One of the early examples is found in The Unitarian Register, Volume 119- Page 204 in 1940:
This "Certainly Lord" has become a password for many of the people, young and
old, in our church. Robert sang, "Have you got good religion?" and the choir answers: "Certainly Lord, certainly, certainly, certainly Lord!"
CERTAINLY, LORD- Standard lyrics
Have you got good re-li-gion? Cer-t'nly, Lord!
Have you got good re-li-gion ? Cer-t'nly, Lord!
Have you got good re-li-gion?
Cer-t'nly, Lord!___ Cer-t'nly, Cer-t'nly, Cer-t'nly, Lord!
2. Have you been redeemed? Cert'nly, Lord!
3. Have you been to the water? Cert'nly, Lord!
4. Have you been baptized? Cert'nly, Lord!
CERTAINLY LORD- arranged Timothy Wright
I want to know do have good religion
Like the Bible says Certainly Lord
I want to know do you love everybody
Like the Bible says Certainly Lord
I want to know is your name on the roll
Like the Bible says certainly Lord
I want to know if you've been baptized
Like the Bible says certainly Lord
(Verse)
Each sign shall follow
Them that believe
And if you trust in the Lord
You shall receive
Goodness and mercy shall follow you
If you just keep the faith
He'll see yout through
yes, Yes, Certainly Lord
Yes, Yes, Certainly Lord
(Repeat)
(Verse)
Yes, Yes, Certainly Lord
Yes, Yes, Certainly Lord
(Repeat)
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh Ohh Ohh Ohh
(Repeat)
Yes, Yes, Certainly Lord
Certainly Lord
Certainly Lord
Certainly Lord
Certainly Lord
Certainly Lord
Certainly Lord- Best-loved Negro spirituals: complete lyrics to 178 songs of faith By Nicole Beaulieu Herder, Ronald Herder
Certainly Lord
Certainly certainly
Certainly Lord
Have you got good religion
Certainly Lord
Have you got good religion
Certainly Lord
Have you got good religion
Have you got the feeling
Certainly Lord
Have you got the feeling
Certainly Lord
Have you got the feeling
Certainly Lord
Certainly certainly certainly Lord
Have you seen the Light
Certainly Lord
Have you seen the Light
Certainly Lord
Have you seen the Light
Certainly Lord
Certainly certainly certainly Lord
Have you been redeemed
Certainly Lord
Have you been redeemed
Certainly Lord
Have you been redeemed
Have you been to the pool
Certainly Lord
Have you been to the pool
Certainly Lord
Have you been to the pool
Have you been baptized
Certainly Lord
Have you been baptized
Certainly Lord
Have you been baptized
CERTAINLY LORD- Azizi; Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1962-1963
Do you want your freedom?
"Certainly, Lord"
Do you want your freedom?
"Certainly, Lord"
Do you want your freedom?
"Certainly, Lord"
Certainly, Certainly, Certainly Lord
Will you march for your rights?
"Certainly, Lord"
Will you march for your rights?
"Certainly, Lord"
Will you march for your rights?
"Certainly, Lord"
Certainly, Certainly, Certainly, Lord
Will you go to jail?
"Certainly, Lord"
Will you go to jail?
"Certainly, Lord"
Will you go to jail?
"Certainly, Lord"
Certainly, Certainly, Certainly, Lord
Jail over bail?
"Certainly, Lord"
Jail over bail?
"Certainly, Lord"
ail over bail?
"Certainly, Lord"
Certainly, Certainly, Certainly, Lord
CERTAINLY LORD- adaptation of traditional song by members of CORE [Congress Of Racial Equality] Source: book on Civil Rights Songs "Sing for Freedom," authors Guy and Candie Carawan, Oak Publications, 1963; p. 67; Library of Congress Catalog Number 63-23278
Well, have you been to the jail
Certainly, Lord
Well, have you been to the jail
Certainly, Lord
Well, have you been to the jail
Certainly, Lord
Certainly, certainly, certainly, Lord.
Well did they give you thirty days?...
Well did you serve your time?...
Well will you fight for freedom?...
Well will you tell it to the world?...
Well will you tell it to the judge?
Here's commentary on the gospel song "Certainly Lord" from Horace Clarence Boyer, Musicologist, on creating these songs:
"Many people would like to think that the Negro spiritual was created during a great church service and sitting in some wonderful cathedral, when in fact people were out in the field. The group is over here, chopping cotton. And a group is over here, picking tomatoes. And all of a sudden somebody over there says, ""Have you got good religion?"" And this group over here says, ""Certainly, Lord."" They may not have all said the same thing at the same time. They might have said, "Yeah," or "Mm hm." And he would come back: ""Have you got good religion?" " By that time, they’re thinking that ""Certainly", Lord" sounds good. "Have you got good religion?" Over here: "Certainly, Lord. Certainly, certainly, certainly, Lord." And you know how we talk about rhythm being the distinguishing factor between European music and African American music. That rhythm, that pulse is so strong in there that it’s a good working song. As a matter of fact, not only did they sing it when they were working, but they sang it when they walked from this field up to the big house, or to the next plantation, or when they rocked the baby to sleep, or when they were cleaning the greens for dinner. We don’t have them singing "I’m looking over a four-leaf clover," or "East side, west side." None of that. They’re singing these songs that somehow they put words to from their church service. And I have read enough now to know that yes, the Negro spirituals were sung during church service, but they were also work songs. People sang these to accompany something. Whatever they needed, they created themselves out of this music."
Certainly Lord- Skylight Singers 1954 (Vamp section is incomplete)
Lord, certainly certainly (certainly Lord)
Certainly certainly (certainly Lord)
Certainly certainly (certainly Lord)
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lord
Do you love everybody now? (certainly Lord)
Do you love everybody now? (certainly Lord)
Do you love everybody now? (certainly Lord)
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lord
VAMP
As I was out in the world
Of angry sin
Beaten and battered by the mighty winds
And I heard Jesus say a whole lot
Better than doing not
If any man hear my voice
Let him hear, let him hear, let him hear
And I heard him after awhile say
A charge to keep I have
And a god to glorify
He's tellin' every dying soul he saves
And fit em for yonder sky
I heard Jesus say
Do you love everybody?
I said yes Lord I love you
I love my neighbor as myself
I said yes Lord I love you
I heard Him say,
Do you love everybody? (certainly Lord)
Do you love everybody? (certainly Lord)
Do you love everybody? (certainly Lord)
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lord
VAMP
I said the storm of life will be over after awhile
And I won't have to worry about my Jesus anymore
Because tell me
When I get to heaven
I shall see him face to face
I'll sit down beside King Jesus
Tell Him how I'm doing
Sometimes I've been scorned
Sometimes I been talked about
I heard Him say,
Have you been to the river? (certainly Lord)
Have you been to the river? (certainly Lord)
Have you been to the river? (certainly Lord)
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lord
Do you love everybody? (certainly Lord)
Do you love everybody? (certainly Lord)
Do you love everybody? (certainly Lord)
Certainly, certainly, certainly Lord
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