The Jubailaire's Noah - 1940s Gospel Rap (video, information, and lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest update- December 16, 2020

JUBALAIRES GOSPEL NOAH



Uploaded by recquilt on May 10, 2007

1940's Black Gospel & Pop Vocal Quartet

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This pancocojams post showcases The Jubalaire's 1940s Gospel "Rap" entitled "Noah".

Information about The Jubalaires is also included in this post along with my unofficial transcription of this song's lyrics.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to The Jubailaires for their musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube and all those who have assisted in correcting this transcription. 

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LYRICS - NOAH
(performed by The Jubaliares ; 1940s)

Chorus:
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.

Oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.

Soloist -Brother Noah
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist-My God's talking.
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Say you'll ride on the wind & tide.

(Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line)

Hey, to*, stop, (be) still, and listen to me.
God walked down to the Red sea.
He declared that evil had descended to man.
And then He decided to destroy the land.
He spoke to Noah and Noah stopped.
He said "Noah, I want you to build an ark".
I want you to build it three cubics long.
I want you to build it big and strong.
I want you to build it fifty high and fifty wide.
So it will withstand the wind and tide.

Chorus
So it's oh Noah etc
Well it's oh Noah etc
(repeat chorus one time)

Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist (Humming) Mmmm Mmmm
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- Brother Noah. Brother Noah, my God's talking.
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
Soloist- Said He would ride
Group- God's gonna ride on the wind & tide.
Soloist- on the wind and the tide.

(Narrative by one singer; the rest of the group quietly hums in response to each line)

Well after the foundation was laid.
Then Brother Noah began to hew and build.
The ringing of the hammer that judgement.
The hewing of the saw that [said we] repent.
One hundred years he hammered and sawed.
Building the ark by the grace of God.
When the ark was built God's voice was heard.
He said "Now, Noah let me tell you what to do.
I want you to call in the animals two by two.
So he called them in the ark two by two.
Birds, and ox, and the kangaroo.
Then he called in Japeth, and Ham, and Shem.**
Then God began to flood the land.
He raised His hands to heaven on high.
Shook the stars and they moved from the sky.
Shook the mountains, He troubled the sea.
[Hist] the wind, His chariot decree.
He stood on land and stood on the shore.
And declared that time there wouldn't be no more.

Chorus
Well it's oh Noah
Oh oh Noah
Oh oh! Noah
God's gonna ride on the wind & tide
-snip-
*Transcription by Ms. Azizi Powell, 12/7/2010 from the video above. Additions and corrections are welcome.

The words that I'm unsure of are placed in brackets. The word that is assumed by listeners is placed in parenthesis, For instance, in the line "Hey to stop, (be) still, and listen to me", I believe that "to" in that line means "got to" and I believe that "be still" is meant, although "be" isn't sung.

** Japeth, and Ham, and Shem are the name of Noah's sons. I had initially written "Sam" for the name "Shem".

Hat tip to cefinow who also posted lyrics to this song on that video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=6CLFwW85O20 after I did.

Thanks to Unknown December 16, 2020 for sharing some corrections to words I had placed in brackets in this transcription.
 
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE JUBALAIRES
Here's information about The Jubailaires from their Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jubalaires

The Jubalaires were an American gospel group active during the 1940s and 1950s. They were playing as the Royal Harmony Singers in Florida as far back as 1936, and under that name reached #10 on the R&B charts on November 14, 1942 with "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition", a song adapted from the speech of a naval chaplain in response to the attack on Pearl Harbour the previous year. In 1946, they secured a spot on Arthur Godfrey's CBS radio show. Willie Johnson left the Golden Gate Quartet to take the lead of the group in 1948, and in 1950 the band appeared in the musical comedy film Duchess of Idaho.

Much of their music was issued by King Records, some initially on their "Queen Records" label (devoted to African-American music) that was subsequently re-issued on the King label

Here's an excerpt from the uploader statement from another video of this same song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvoTT3t-Ois

The jubilee harmonie sound always got them compared to the Mills Brothers or the Delta Rhythm Boys, but that's about like hearing Jerry Lee Lewis & because it's rock & roll saying it's like Chuck Berry.

The Jubilaires brought their own stylization to the four-part harmonies act, remaining in the gospel & spiritual camp unlike most such groups seeking pop group status. - nipsipone; Apr 27, 2008 ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvoTT3t-Ois&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL6C96C77F922F6F8E

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SELECTED COMMENTS
Here's an interesting exchange from the featured video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=6CLFwW85O20:

scarlett24ca - Religious Rappers! Sick! Love it:D [Posted in 2008]

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recquilt - This type of Gospel singing as sung by the Jubalaires And The Golden Gate Quartet was known as narration...a little more of a positive message than rap though!

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wolwerone-o I'm agree on the message, no comparison with poor rappers of today, i was only talking about their physical movements and speeching words technique incredibly actual. Great !!:)

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RELATED LINKS
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/jubilee-quartet-videos-god-told.html for a video & lyrics of the very similar song "God Told Nicodemus". That post also contains additional information about The Jubalaires.

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