Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases five African American examples and two Jamaican examples of the Gospel song "Won't It Be Grand". Lyrics for this song are also included in this post.
I've not been able to find any information online about the composer/s of this song or which was the first group to record it and when. Any information would be greately appreciated.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thanks to all singers and musicians who are featured in these examples. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
****
LYRICS
(as sung by The Consolers)
Chorus:
Won't it be grand.
Won't it be grand.
Won't it grand.
Won't it be grand.
I'm going home to live with Jesus.
Won't it be grand.
I think I'll say it again.
Won't it be grand.
Won't it be grand.
Won't it grand.
Won't it be grand.
I'm going home to live with Jesus.
Won't it be grand.
Verse #1:
Listen children
When I get through singing down here.
Out of the sunshine out in the rain.
You know I’m going home to live with Jesus.
Won’t it be grand.
Verse #2:
That ain’t all children.
When I get through prayin down here.
Out of the sunshine out in the rain.
I’m going home to live with Jesus.
Won’t it be grand.
Chorus
[Ooh, won’t it be grand etc]
Verse #3
Yes, talk about me much as you please.
The more you talk, I’m gonna bend my knees.
You know I’m gonna home to live with Jesus.
Won’t it be grand.
Verse #4.
Yeah, one of these mornings it won’t be long.
You gonna look for me and I’ll be gone.
I’m going home to live with Jesus.
Won’t it be grand.
-snip-
This is my transcription of the sound file given as Example #6 below.
Other floating verses with the same two line rhyming structure can be sung substituted or added to this song. Often the lead singer vamps [improvises] lines while the group or choir repeats the line "Won't it be grand."
Two other verses for this song are given after Example #4.
****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their publishing dates on YouTube with the examples with the oldest dates presented earliest.
Example #1: Won't It Be Grand - Chaddrick Parrish.wmv
Stephanie R. Winfrey Uploaded on Sep 16, 2010
Chaddrick Parrish singing Won't It Be Grand @ Watkinsville Baptist Church in Waynesboro, GA . That was his Great-Grandfather, Dea. Luther Patterson, Sr.'s favorite Song.
****
Example #2: Holiness Apostolic Church Choir (Won't it be Grand)
BROTHERTENNYSON Uploaded on Oct 25, 2010
The Holiness Apostolic Church choir Jamaica marching during the collecting of the offering, and the Spirit of God came down in the place.
****
Example #3: Won't It Be Grand - Part 2
choyescodner's channel Uploaded on Jan 1, 2012
The Voices of the Overcomers Choir of Bethel Born Again Apostolic Church singing during Sunday Services on New Year's Day, January 1, 2012
-snip-
The choir is singing while they march during the church offering.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiEFlCQ6O5I for Part I of this video.
****
Example #4: Won't It Be Grand - The Gospel Imperials Of Huntsville,"Move Satan"
pannellctp, Published on Mar 4, 2012
The Gospel Imperials from Huntsville, Alabama made the top 2004 WEUP (Radio Station) song of the year in Huntsville, Alabama featuring "Good Bye World" as the #1 Song on Huntsville #1 Gospel Station. The Honoree received the Mattie Moss Clark Trail Blazer Award,and the Radio&recordsPlay List for July 10, 2005....
-snip-
Other two line rhyming verses [using the same chorus/verse format as given above]:
"I never been to heaven but I’ve been told
The streets up there are paved with gold."
"Jordan river is deep and wide
I got a home on the other side."
****
Example #5: Won't It Be Grand
1CNLT Published on Mar 9, 2014
****
Example #6: The Consolers - Won't It Be Grand [1963]
45 RPM Records & Music Published on Apr 21, 2014
The Consolers
Won't It Be Grand
Nashboro 772
****
Example #7: Won’t It Be Grand - The Swanee Quintet, "The Legacy Continues"
pannellctp Published on Dec 27, 2014
The Swanee Quintet - 70 Years: The Legacy Continues Audio CD Original Release Date: 2009
In 2009, The Swanee Quintet celebrated 70 years of singing gospel music with the release of the CD The Legacy Continues. The CD is a mixture of old and new material...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Regarding choirs marching for the church offering:
ReplyDeleteMy home church Union Baptist Temple Church, Atlantic City, New Jersey has two offerings. For one offering, the congregation remains seated and the ushers pass silver plates row by row for the church envelopes that contain the church members' pledged money, or money without envelopes that church members and/or guests contribute.
For the second offering at my Baptist church the ushers direct people from the front rows to the back to walk to a table placed in front of the pulpit to put in their offering. For that second offering, after the rest of the congregation has done so, the choir leaves their seats behind the pulpit and walks to the table to give their offering and then return to their seats. The choir and the congregation sing uptempo songs for both of those offerings.
Unlike many if not most Black Baptist churches, my home church's choir still sings and marches in a processional down the center aisle of the sanctuary to their seats behind the pulpit at the beginning of the church service. And at the end of the church service, the choir still marches silently outside the sanctuary along with the pastor and his wife. However, they don't march like the Jamaican choirs march.
I'm sharing this for the folkloric/cultural record, with the added statement that I like watching these Jamaican choirs marching. And it seems to me that one reason why the Jamaican choirs march this way, and an outcome of that marching is to contribute to the Spiritual energy of the church service.
Here's a link to a video of a Toronto, Canada church choir marching for the offering the same way as the Apostolic Jamaican choirs in the videos showcased in this post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ5xSuIMfuo
That choir's style of marching is almost certainly because like the Jamaican choirs showcased in this post, the denomination for the Black Canadian choir is also Pentecostal. Also, probably at least some of that Black Canadian church's congregants are of Jamaican descent.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/06/caribbean-church-choir-procession-video.html for another pancocojams post of a Jamaican choir marching for the offering.
Other pancocojams posts of Black church processionals can be found by clicking that tag and by writing in marching for Jesus in this blog's search engine