*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"John the Revelator" — Blind Willie Johnson (1930)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Lyrics

The lyrics below are Blind Willie Johnson's version of "John the Revelator" as found in the Anthology of American Folk Music. Subsequent versions feature a variety of substituted verses and different interpretations of Johnson's lyrics, all quoting passages from the Bible, in the tradition of African American spirituals.

[call] Well who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator[6]
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals[7]
[call] Tell me what's John writin'? [response] Ask the Revelator
What's John writin'? Ask the Revelator
What's John writin'? Ask the Revelator
A book of the seven seals
Well ooh ooh why me, thousands cried holy[8]
Bound for some, Son of our God[9]
Daughter of Zion, Judah the Lion[10]
He redeemeth, and bought us with his blood[11]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
John the Revelator, great advocator[12]
Get's 'em on the battle of Zion
Lord, tellin' the story, risin' in glory
Cried, "Lord, don't you love some I"
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
Well Moses to Moses, watchin' the flock[13]
Saw the bush where they had to stop[14]
God told Moses, "Pull off your shoes"[15]
Out of the flock, well you I choose[16]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
These are the lyrics for Son House's 1965 recording version, which explicitly reference three theologically important events: the Fall of Man, the Passion of Christ, and the Resurrection. Roughly similar lyrics, with an additional verse, are used in the movie Blues Brothers 2000.

[call] Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator[6]
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals[7]
[call] Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Well who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
You know God walked down in the cool of the day[17]
Called Adam by his name[18]
But he refused to answer
Because he's naked and ashamed[19]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
You know Christ had twelve apostles[20]
And three he led away[21]
He said, "Watch with me one hour,[22]
'till I go yonder and pray."
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
Christ came on Easter morning
Mary and Martha went down to see[23]
He said, "Go tell my disciples[24]
To meet me in Galilee."[25]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]