A Negro shouting-song from 1916.
Words by Renton Tunnah.
Music by Will E. Skidmore.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. Father was a deacon in a hard shell church
Way down South where I was born
People used to come to church from miles around
Just to hear the Holy work go on
Father grabs a sister ’round the neck and says
Sister won’t you sing this song
The sister tells the deacon that she didn’t have the time
Felt religion coming on
Just then somebody got up, turned the lights all out
And you ought to heard that sister shout
CHORUS
She hollered, Brother, if you want to spread joy
Just pray for the lights to stay out
She called on Deacon for to kneel and pray
You ought to heard that sister shout
Throw’d up both hands and got way back
Took two steps forward and balled the Jack
She hollered, Brother, if you want to spread joy
Just pray for the lights to stay out
2. Father tried to quieten down his lovin’ flock
Called on all the saints above
All that he could hear way down there in the dark
Was baby, Honey, turtle dove
Deacon grabs his bible firmly in his hand
Prayed to be showed wrong from right
Just then as if his prayers were answered from above
Someone got up, turned on the light
He feels himself a slippin’, grabs the first gal near
And she sings this sweet song in his ear
CHORUS
She hollered, Brother, if you want to spread joy
Just pray for the lights to go out
She called on Deacon for to kneel and pray
You ought to heard that sister shout
Throw’d up both hands and got way back
Took two steps forward and balled the Jack
She hollered, Brother, if you want to spread joy
Just pray for the lights to go out