Black Men United's 1994 Song "U Will Know" & African American Vernacular English Words & Phrases

Brigette Nora, Dec. 23, 2008
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Here are statistics for this video as of July 7, 2022 at (;45 AM ET. total # of views - 3,888,995 total # of comments - 5,417

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Edited by Azizi Powell This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series that showcases the 1994 R&B song "U Will Know". This post showcases a video of Black Men United performing "U Will Know" at the 1994 American Music Awards show. This post also highlights some examples of comments from that video's discussion thread that include African American Vernacular English words or sayings. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/07/black-men-united-u-will-know-1994-r.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post showcases the official YouTube video of the 1994 record "U Will Know" by a collaboration of Black Rhythm & Blues singing under the name "Black Men United." Information about the song "U Will Know" and the lyrics for that song are also included in that post along with information about that song.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and linguistic purposes.

Thanks to Michael Eugene Archer (D'Angelo) and Luther Archer for writing this song and thanks to Black Men United for performing this song. Thanks to all those who were associated with this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube. -snip- Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Angelo for information abot D'Angelo. ****

SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. The African American Vernacular English words/sayings aren't highlighted and I haven't included any definitions or explanatory notes in this post other than these two definitions: sang - (African American Vernacular English meaning) - to sing very well, especially to sing soulfully very well ** take'em to church ..."The phrase "Take 'em to church" means to play an instrument, sing a song, etc. in a fashion similar to or reminiscent of the way it is done in many african american churches (especially those of Protestant lineage i.e. Baptist, Pentecostal, Holiness)."...
-sc0rpi001, Feb. 17, 2006, https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/tookem-to-church.18302/#:~:text=The%20phrase%20%22Take%20'em%20to,Hope%20this%20helps!

2009

1. rrrickster3137 "These dudes is straight jamming...." ** 2. Chris Williams "How in the world are most of the people I see in the video sitting in their seats like they're dead to the world. All the brothas andsistas were up in there showing love and it was like church up in there for them. One of my favorite songs ever. To give everyone an update, D'Angelo is working on new material. A friend of mind ran into him a month ago in Richmond, VA."

**** 2010

3. Geone2 "Some big acts from new and old  fantastically done love it, and big up to stars there that are no longer with us, fabulously done love it love it the singing is amazing, even a very young Usher there!! Lol. & Black Men United tough tune."

** 4. JOE KING of R&B THOMAS (Facebook) "I LOVE YOU JOE (yellow, blue & red jacket)!!! You're the greatest. They ALL DID THE DAMM THING.... everyone on point & made it happen. Love it."

** 5. menhlywd "This is one of the hottest joints ever....we need this kind of unity again."

** 6. Fat Daddy Toys "JOE IS THE MAN!!!! I love this freakin song... It sends chills through my body every time I hear it" ** 7. Anna Ramirez "YOU CAN FEEL THE HOLY GHOST IN THIS SONG ,THANK YOU JESUS. LOVE ANNA" ** 8. Bobsyermomsuncle "Thissong makes me want to get up and do the Holy Dance."

**** 2011

9. wr513 "This is FIRE!!!"

**

10. Rotonger Burns "Everyone of these guys deserve a best male singer award, but I w ish they would have let EL have a more leading part to put his signature high note on it as well to accentuate Tevon, who of course is also the bomb.

RIP to the men who has passed on in this great classic song."

**** 2012 11. BMecca "Stokley's voice is so unique and amazing! Gerald Levert is taking it to church!" ** 12. Tye K. "Those are some bad boys on stage. Brian mcKnight came in,with,that note and set it off  Usner was trying to break in. usher is about swag. Iys funny when,he,tried to riff,

Tevin smiled and put his,head down like "is he serious? Let me,show him how to do that". My man Stokely, as usual, killed it with his little part. Mcknights riff from,the note it started out at was so on point. Wld have liked to see Wanya on,that mic though 

**** 2013 13. AngelEyes Taunie "Tevin kilt" ** 14. BB McKinlay "Gerald levert. Boss."

** 15. dappadan777 "Joe looks like such a G here in the Tommy Hilfiger :)"

**** 2014

15. Sandra Young "They need to be at the Soul Train Awards or B.E.T. awards ,the audience is dead"

** EC Dilly

16. "I see you Joe, ol' sexy darkness !" ** 17. BRENDA J. PEART "The ROLL CALL on this is SWEET!!! Maaaan

time for these performers today to RISE UP!!"

**** 2015

18. Masiah Ketika "best collab ever straightup cant beat this all r&b 90s allstar team lol"

**** 2016

19. Jo Rhodes "What a beautiful sight this was back in the day.  We need this right now.  And, dang that Tevin Campbell know he can "sang".  RIP to those in the video gon on.  Love this song."

** 20. bookie Austin "arron hall tavin Campbell and gerald gave me so much life

not to mention mr McKnight took it home this song is very sentimental for me lord knows we are living in  desperate times male unity is way pass due"

** 21. Browning the Butter "Gerald took us to church" ** 22. Boi Jupiter "These dudes were sangers!! Doesnt even exist in mainstream anymore. Tevin, levert, debarge, joe, boystomen,h town, tony toni tone, d angelo, that's a lot of pretty voices." ****

2017

23. 96NightRider96 "'m sorry yall, but Stokely snatched my entire existence."

**

C B 24. "You better sing Joe"

** 25. Minerva "Tevin laid it to rest...drops the mic...😁" ** 26. Terry Sanders "That Tevin took it..OMG!! listen to our brothers.. I love seeing my brothers get together and represent each other.

Thank you Jesus. Amen." ** 27. Cherish G "Tevin Campbell was being extra!"

** Reply 28. Sheldon Young "Stop hateing on tevin" ** Reply 29. Shante B, 2018 "No he wasn't extra. That's just talent"

** Reply 30. Kel El, 2018 " @Miss Shell  That was vocal control. Tevin was playin with they ass!  

Talent for the better sense of the word." ** Reply 31. beaulogist, 2018 "Tevin Campbell is extremely talented. I love Tevin, but he was definitely being extra! lol" ** Reply 32. fats69, 2018 "He was coming at usher" ** Reply 33. Frederick Jones, 2018 "Sonia Riley tell them Babygirl" ** Reply 34. Michael Diggs, 2018 "That’s cause he could out sing all of them" ** Reply 35. Boi Jupiter, 2018 " @Michael Diggs  Low key, Young Tevin Campbell carried the song. Folks was getting they life, when TC was at the mike. Of course,G Levert, Brian MCKnight, and Joe showed up & out as well. Everybody brought it, though Usher was weakest." ** Reply 36. Cuppy Robertson, 2018 "@Miss Shell  he was feeling the love😂😂😂" ** Reply 37. Frederick Jones, 2018 "Sonia Riley tell them again Babygirl" ** Reply 38. Cuppy Robertson, 2018 " @FOURNG  I think that he was so into it that he almost

missed his chance to do his solo part." ** Reply 39. Nick Jones, 2018 "Michael Reynolds quit hating joker we talking about unity

and here You go with foolishness" ** 40. shomari1234 "I'm mad D'Angelo's mic wasn't working

when he was about to bust that note 😂😂😂" ** 41. Lysha B "This was nice... Stokley always sounds good! That man can sang" ** 42. Aaron Email "Gerald Levert stomped this track and BLAAAAAZED it🔥🔥🔥"

****

2018 43. S.Punkie "Black Men United & not just singing but "SANGING"!😍" ** 44. cslworldwide "Brian McKnight and them runs, that man killed it.  Everyone sung their asses off. 

I miss performances like these.  Everyone did their part." ** 45. i_am_erica "When we had men that had them voices

back in the day sound like a whole church choir up there"

** 46. Reginald Evans "Gerald and Tevin was SANGIN! Whew if they woulda gave Stokley some more ad libs then I wouldn't have known what to do lol

" 47. Todd Maek

"Oh and for the record JOE MURDERED

everything on this stage lollllllllllll" ** Reply 48. Frederick Jones "No he didn't but he was still Great though"

** 49. Kejuwan Oyoro "All the white folk sitting down smh onlythe beautiful sisters looked happy, we love u sisters"

** 50. Kimberly Prescott "Mannnnnnnnnnnn💯💯💯💯💯💯💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞 i miss these days💞"

** 51. Better Days "PHATT JOYNTT BLESSED ARTISTS FO SURE" ** 52. Randy Miles "Standouts: tevin, gerald, brian. Joe. And dude with the gold dreads"

** Reply 53. Geoffrey Madu "Stokely in prime Mint Condition mode #Level." *** 54. Misty Norman "I can't help but cry everytime I watch this. So much love and unity and my gawd they can sang...especially Tevin,Brian Mcknight,Joe,Stokely and Aaron Hall omg they give me chillz"

** 55. Han "What do we have now? Thick mumble rappers, future, Gucci mane. So embarrassed and we are too dumb to realise why it’s like that now, our sons think it’s cool to be criminals, disrespect women and become idiots. Don’t you ever question why? Why do we celebrate these losers? We can’t we get back to this kind of beautiful message for black men. Who are the record producers for the crap music these days?????? Industry plants, if we don’t change, we will be continue filling up prisons because it’s “cool” to murder and sell drugs"

** 56. Len Halz "So dope. They could have made so many versions of this rotating parts with those who have not touched the mic yet and it would come out dope each and every time. We had too many talent back then. Intro, add in Silk, add in Jodeci, let BoyzIIMen get on the mic, Shai, Jamie Foxx, Give Kevon Edmonds the mic, bring in Take 6, Luther Vandross, Prince, MJ, Raphael Sadiq, Tony Terry, Stevie Wonder boy oh boy.. man I could go all day long. Way too much talent back then. Everyone on this stage on this video was dope in their own right and different too. Then let the ladies of the 70s 80s and 90s get some too lol.." **

57. MsSexyDiva4Lyfe "Gerald Levert was my boo! 

Man I miss him!" ** 58. clbzone "Y'all brothas betta sAng! 😎" ** 59.MS Momo "Whoever dislike this was born in 2016😂

Young buck who don't know and can't appreciate REAL music. #2019 n still rockn" ** 60. Derece Johnson "Tevin Campbell give me LIFE!!!!" ** 61. Jahmarl Hughes "Sang, Joe." ** 62. Thomas Fair "TC was going to church" ** 63. Sit C. "Sang Gerald. When you literally had to

sing live on the awards."

** 64. stelthie "Tevin Campbell showed up!!!!  You better sang baby!!!"

** 65. J.Evans_TalktheTalk "Gerald levert could sing a damn restaurant menu and would have sung the hell out of it" ** 66. Samuel Crenshaw "Sing 🎤 y’all!!!!! My brothers I pray we all will do better!!!" ** 67. MsSexyDiva4Lyfe "They wrong for giving 50 black men 3 microphones! lol  I guess they

said...y'all ain't gon be adlibbing all day long tuday!" ** Reply 68. QueenLizzie, 2019 "MsSexyDiva4Lyfe this literally has me SCREAMING 😂😂😂" ** 69. Ms. Dani "Dead ass crowd! Im glad we know how to big up each other tho. 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿" ** 70. Boi Jupiter "TEVIN, GERALD, JOE, BRIAN MCKNIGHT ALL CAME TO SHOW OUT! When the male vocalist mattered." ** 71, Rosilyn MaKeba "You can tell they've ALL  been in somebody's Sunday morning choir-the way they were rockin!!

#GOHEADONBLACKMEN

#YOUAREAPPRECIATED

#ANDFINEASWINE (couldn't help it) LoL -snip- This is the way this comment was written in that discussion thread. ** Reply 72, J. Marshell Robinson "😂😂" ** Reply 73, Mimikinmiracle 83 "Yes honey, can't nobody do me like Jesus and black men!!!" ** 74, killakam612 "El's face is priceless when Tevin hit that nite" ** Reply 75. Walt Bionik "I never noticed that. He looked at Tevin like, "DAYUM!!!" "

**** 2019

76. Robert Ruiz "Lmao Tevin Campbell didn’t step on that stage to play no games" ** 77. Pvpgods123 "Salt Peppa and Spend showed mad respect... the rest were asleep and didn’t know they were in the presence of Black Elegance...damn shame" ** 78. April Lashon "This song is a sweet sound after George Floyd and all our slain Kings and Queens."

** 79. Caramel Spice "Thes 90s...when they didn't let you on an awards show stage unless you were about to bring it.👌🏽"

** 80. Love Lost "Just noticed Boys II Men was in the back row .. they def should’ve had their own mic !" ** 81. Thea Walker 'All hail these FINE BLACK KINGS singing right from the heart!!! Ripping this joint to pieces⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕❤️ GOD bless the BROTHERS still with us🙏🏾 and those that left us may they rest with the ANCESTORS😪💋"

** 82. ms Mayes "ed debarge wasnt ready for tevin's voice.   man that kid at that time.         cannnn sannnnnggggg     usher had no choice but try to shine." ** 83. Joshua McDowell "Salt n Pepa was up getting their lives in the audience"

** 84. me "Come on Queen Latifah lookin the same as you do today in 2019!!!! Love my ppls....oh this song is still the ish!!!✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾" ** 85. AC "TEVIN ATE EVERYONE ON THAT STAGE UP" ** 86. Toya Johnson "Joe was singing his BEHIND OFF!!!! ❤️🔥" ** 87. Franklin PatDhat Allie "These are sommmme sanging Men‼️

Tevin,Stokley, Brian Joe & Gerald‼️"

**** 2020

88. SheShe Bee "Everybody on this damn song can sang.

Times were good then. Brings back so many memories."

** 89. sonia uwhuba "Tevin came to SLAY!!--" ** 90. Zion McElroy "Who the light skin brotha next to Joe name?" ** Reply 91. FlyGIRL Metaphysics "Al B Sure!" ** 92. Princess Moon "Maybe they don’t need to recreate this. Maybe just leave this in history & celebrate this cause let’s be real, it ain’t gon hit the same if it’s done today." ** 93. VanToi Chandler "Am I the only one who noticed how the Other singers looked at Tevin Campbell when He went To Church on all of them ?🤔😂😂😂"
** 94. Jimmie Page "They sounded so good!! My brothas!!!" ** 95. K andre "Damn these boys can SANG"

** 96. Mathew "Stokley is so cool lol" ** 97. Whitney "Tevin Campbell was like everyone step aside and let me show you how to shut it down!" ** 98. Estelle Batts "Get it Gerald Levert!!!!! get it Tevin Campbell! Get it Brian McKinight! Get it Aaron hall. Heck get it everybody on that stage!!!! I couldn't stop dancing in my chair! lol" ** 99. CreaseChannel "Brian Mcknight last part:  "Yourrrr dreaaams!!!!!!!!!!!" 

Me:*throws shoe at the phone.* "you better sing that sht!!!!" -snip- This is the way this comment is written in that discussion thread. ** Reply 100. Linda Rivera, 2021 "Yas!!! Lol" ** Reply 101. Christina Farr, 2021 "🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣"

** Reply 102. Aandunno, 2021 "Lol “threw SHOE at the Phone”" ** Reply 103. Alicia G, 2021 "Brian got pipes too!" ** Reply 104. rettastar, 2021 "Riiiiight you better sang Brian 😂

🎼" **** 2021 105. MBA26 "Tevin, Aaron, and Brian ateeeeee! 🔥🔥🔥🔥" ** 106. Kim Miles "This is a serious throwback 💘 this song"

** 107. Shonny blue "Chileeeee I love me some Joe."

** 108. Sunny Gabriel "Let em try to revisit, excuse me reinterpret, reinvent Joe's runs!! That boy can sang" **

109. Way2ruf "Joe (Red and yellow coat bottom right) hit that dope ass note (3:57) then turned away like "Top that Tevin Campbell" Then Brian McKnight came through (after Aaron Hall)  like "I got you Joe" I remember this like it was yesterday and it's still in 2021 🔥🔥🔥"

** 110. Shanae Allday "Joe rock'n that jacket😍" ** 111. Rashad Robinson

"They all was vibing up there respect it" ** 112. R M
"Sorry these brothers had to perform this piece of history for that bunk ass audience."

** 113. nickie roc roc "Wow!!! What a POWERFUL song ...  How much POWER us Black people Got and we're Hated just because of it ... I Love Y'all Brothers ... Wake Up Stay Up And Keep It Moving Period"

**

114, Tony Lewis "Was tevin being extra or nah lol

** Reply 115. KayJay! "Hell nah he was being Tevin"

** 116. Kenneth Francis Jr. "Usher right before UURSHER."

** 117. Myia Jackson "That audience did not deserve them.  Period. I said what I said" ** 118. Michelle Clark "Tevin Campbell & gerald levert was the goat period yall hear it" ** 119. Anthony Ezioha "Usher ✨ a young G amongst greats" ** 120. Because the Internet "Imma need a look book made up exclusively of Gerald Levert fits. Man got drip for days" ** 121. Trillagan Lewis "Stoley came thru with the vocals" ** 122. Clarissa Coby "BEAUTIFUL BLACK MEN UNITED🖤💚❤️🖤💚❤️🖤💚❤️🖤💚❤️🖤💚 ❤️🖤💚❤️🖤💚❤️🖤💚  USA, YOU WILL KNOW

...TRUST AND BELIEVE!!!" ** 123. Roc Lee "Gerald Levert always understood the assignment. I miss him 💯"

****

2022

124. Maisha Green "2022 and this still hits heavy" ** 125. Tonie Hall "I was front and center for this epic event when 40+ VERY TALENTED MEN came together for this song. Not all 40 had a lead YET the Allllllll showed up and OUT to play Theeee Biggest Part of the entire project.. The Show of UNIFICATION and the giving a damn about what was and still is happening to their fellow #Brother !!! Not 👉🏾Dawg  or Ni&&@  Salute to the Kings/Brothers who act, conduct themselves and see themselves and others who look like them as one!! 🤜🏾💯🤛🏾✊🏾

#WeLoveYouBlackMan👑❣️👑❣️👑❣️👑" -snip- This is the way this comment is written in that discussion thread.

** 126. D AA "I can tell I lived a sheltered childhood. This 2021-1/2 and I am watching this for the

very first time. My Momma didn't  allow us to watch nothing growing up. I did not know all these people was in this group. Well now I'm making up for lost time. Thanks YouTube.😁🤣"

** 127. Gabrielle Johnson "Thank you TikTok for reminding me of this performance. Also…

Joe and D’Angelo needed their mics turned up lol Tevin running Laps on these boys 😆" ** 128. Jefe Huncho "Joe and that melody he always hitting maaan"

** 129. KINGVIBES "Shoutout to the GOAT D’Angelo for writing this jawn 💯

( I peep him on keys) and Joe was wildinggg 🔥" ** 130. Yvette Walker "This is a song that many men needs to listen to,..."act like a man!" ✊🏾👊🏾Especially these deadbeats and trifling men!!👈🏾☝🏾"

**

131. Pierre Johnson "They was hating on tevin hard 😂😂😂" ** 132, chad mcgraw "From Cleveland and knew J. Little,  he can sing his ass off... but when Lil Usher

grabbed that mic, the look on his face was "Price less "

** 133. Crystal Perry
"Look how fine the men were 💕💕💕" ** 134. Mani Lotus "Y'all remember when Ryan Toby played Westley on sister act 2 & he hit that high note singing oh happy day & everybody looked at him like damn come on somebody that's the same look they gave tevin🤣🥰" ** 135. GritsN Wavy "We need to start putting some respect on D'Angelo's name."
** 136. Lay Paris "I had that same Tommy Hilfiger jacket Joe was wearing back in the day lol. As a kid in 1994 I didn’t fully appreciate or understand the reason for this song. 🔥💙" ** 137. Dexter Allen

"LORD HAVE MERCY,,,THIS AIN'T NOTHING BUT TRUE LOVE AND THE POWER OF GOD

WHEN WE COME TOGETHER,,,,,,HE MADE US FOR A REASON,,,,, NOT THE SEASON" ** 138, MsBeastinthesheets "Timeout is that Brian McKnight being the choir director you betta direct sir"

** 139. King Yosef "And just Michael archer "d'angelo....and his brother Luther wrote and composed this....

be4 Brown sugar baby lol....Richmond VA stand up..."

** 140. mark Alleven "Every single artist on that stage was Hot at the time of that performance. What happened? You have like 2 or 3 Notable R&B artist here in 2022." ** 141. asferguson2010 "We need.. another united song..particularly  for black men ..but all men can unite... why  not..! Empower a real DNA ..men .. ..the song can b with..... with  tyrese..usher.. neyo.. brian mcknight... jagged edge...  kc joj..jodeci..  even ppl like lionel richie , boys 2 men..  ole school singers too man... n these young catz.. unite every1"

** 142. James Mwali "Man Tevin Campbell didn’t come to play." ** 143, mrmajic6969 "This song belongs to Tevin Campbell and Gerald Levert R.I.P.

Everybody else was background like Gerald said. Now this song running hard on tic toc. Good music last forever." ** 144. ᴍᴀʀᴀ "Tevin Campbell was ice cold 🥶"

** 145. Dee Blackmon "DeAngelo did the damn thang when he wrote this one!!!!

** 146. highly favored "They had everybody but my guys Jodeci.  Kci would’ve taken it church with his signature “Oooh Yeah” "

**** This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series. Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.

Patti LaBelle's & Fantasia's Custom Of Kicking Off Their Shoes or Taking Off Their Shoes During Their Performances (with two videos)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision: December 5, 2019

This pancocojams post presents comments about award winning vocalists Patti LaBelle's and Fantasia Barrino's custom of kicking off their shoes or taking off their shoes during their performances some aspects of church services, and particularly during some aspects of Pentecostal church services.

One video of Patti LaBelle and one video of Fantasia are also included in this post.

Excerpts from three articles about Patti LaBelle and her custom of going shoeless for portions of her performances are included in the Addendum to this post that is found after these selected comments.

****
The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks to Patti Labelle and Fantasia for their musical legacy nd thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT
Some commenters in these two videos' discussion threads suggest that taking off her shoes has become an expected feature of Patti LaBelle's "over the top" performances which also used to include rolling on the stage while continuing to sing.

A number of commenters write that Fantasia takes off her shoes because she is modeling her performance style after Patti LaBelle.

A few commenters wrote that the reason why these singers take off their shoes is to get comfortable.

At least one commenter wrote that Fantasia takes off her shoes because she's a country gal (from High Point, North Carolina). But, the "country gal" theory doesn't fit Patti LaBelle who is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

However, many commenters in these two featured discussion threads believe that Patti LaBelle and Fantasia remove their shoes because it is a Pentecostal church custom to do so. If I correctly understand what was written, those commenters indicated that people who take off their shoes are either feeling the Holy Spirit or they are getting ready to feel the Spirit, i.e. getting ready to "shout", "getting happy”, “going in”.

One interpretation of those comments* could be that when women feel like they are getting ready to "go in" i.e. "get happy", they take off their high heel shoes** so that they can do the Holy dance better (without less restraints). An explanation for this precaution is that when people are feeling the Spirit, in the "heat of that moment", they might hurt themselves or hurt someone else if their shoes go flying because they have "danced out of their shoes" (because they are dancing so energetically). To prevent this from occurring, a person who feels the Spirit coming on might prevent these mishaps by taking off their shoes.
-snip-
*As a Baptist from the Northern region of the United States, I have a few recollections of (mostly) women being supported by church nurses because they felt the Spirit. However, I've seen very few people (in my home church or any other Baptist of Methodist churches that I've attended) doing a holy dance, with or without their shoes on.

**The comments in those discussion threads about taking off your shoes when you are about to feel the Spirit appear to refer only to women (who presumably are wearing high heels, since that is almost always the shoe fashion for church or other formal occasions.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS AND SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THEIR DISCUSSION THREADS
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
Fantasia's video is presented first because the comments in that discussion thread include more information about the tradition in African American Pentecostal churches of women kicking off or taking off their shoes when they are feeling the Holy Spirit.

Definitions for most of the religious based African American Vernacular English words and phrases that are used in these comments can be found by clicking http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/09/what-took-me-to-church-sang-went-in-and.html .This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series entitled "What "Took Me To Church", "Sang", "Went In" And Other Black (African American) Church Words & Phrases Mean" (A-L). The link for Part II (M-Z) of that series is found in that post.

Video #1: Fantasia Performs Musical Tribute (Aretha Franklin Memorial)



MrTreknation, Published on Aug 31, 2018
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:

All of these comments are from September 1, 2018 and are given in relative chronological order based on their posting time (except for replies).

This is only a portion of the comments that mention Fantasia singing with no shoes on. Notice that some commenters disagree that Fantasia's custom of taking off her shoes has anything to do with feeling the Holy Spirit or her church background.

1. xxx562
"Wow wow wow👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Just curious, why was she barefoot?"

**
REPLY
2. SleepyNever 561
"xxx562 better to jump up & down them shoes hurt"

**
REPLY
3. J W.
"She didn't come to play"

**
REPLY
4. Lady K
"It's a Fantasia thang!! She's done that from the time she was on American Idol. Her shoes off she's about to sing us to heaven!!!"

**
REPLY
5. Andrea Mccray
"💯country gal like me!!! Sing sis ❤❤❤❤❤❤We don't need 👠 just Jesus!!!!"

**
REPLY
6. Hope Jones
"We do that in church. Shoes and wigs will come off when the Lord Himself touches your mind, heart and spirit."

**
REPLY
7. Family First
"It’s equivalent to someone taking their earrings off to fight. She knew she’d snatch everyone’s edges with that anointed voice of hers. Even Jessie’s!"

**
8. Annie Lou
"She was t wearing her shoes. Any church going person knows what that means."

**
REPLY
9. Lady K
"Exactly!!"

**
REPLY
10. Hope Jones
"Yes we know all the mess we went through about to get a praise beat down."

**
REPLY
11. kjdnyhmghfvb
"Annie Lou she's now a vessel!

**
REPLY
12. Neicy Branner
"That's right! Means you bout to get some serious Spiritual Healing fpr whatever going in in ur life! Means we bout to Shout till We pass out and wake up and SHOUT SOM MO!! 👐👐👐👍👍👠👠👠"

**
REPLY
13. Briar Rose
"Right lol"

I saw shedidn't have them on and I literally started to brace myself.
She was the only one there who truly sung under the anointing."

**
REPLY
14. Cree K
"😂😂I'm tellin ya..that's when it gets real n tears rolling down my face the whole time.."

**
REPLY
15. RENEILWE MOHONOE
"Time for worship...🤗"

**
REPLY
16. YT street Chaplin
"Annie Lou nothing to do with church Fantasia takes her shoes off all the time"

**
17. P Smalls
"Mann she started with her 👠 off. This is what you call a home going service😘😍"

**
18. Audrey Reeves
"Baby when she comes out those shoes! Oh it's going all the way down!"

**
REPLY
19. Hope Jones
"I was at work didn't see the service, but I told everyone Tasia coming out them shoes. She did exactly what I said. Tasia doesn't play when she singing for the Lord."

**
REPLY
20. sharon curry
"This was not the setting to take your shoes off. Any other time I could care less, but here it is not a good look."

**
REPLY
21. shannon wilson
"It's not a black church service if someone does not come out of their shoes."

**
REPLY
22. Bobby Ruffin
"Sharon Curry she was in the spirit, so sorry that you didn’t like her taking off her shoes but she got her point across, she got a friend in jesus"

**
REPLY
23. J'NEEN J
"She should have kept them on....it was not the time to perform but to minister."

**
REPLY
24. D Lee
"+sharon curry Tasia, is not that type of singer. I am sure Aretha took them shoe off at one point in time. We either gone do it or we not. We can be fool in a many of ways, but this child brought to the alter, laid down and had a conversation."

**
REPLY
25. D Lee
"+J'NEEN J That what she was doing. Black folks have that effect on each other in regards to how we think it should be. She took if and ran with it, full of spirit and all. I love how she is filled with the spirit. This child can't do a song without you not knowing JESUS IS UP IN THERE AND HE IS NOT COMING OUT."

**
REPLY
26. J'NEEN J
"D Lee It's not always that a singer is full of the spirit....some folk can just rock your emotions....James Brown was one of the best at it. Some folk are just talented.....don't confuse the Spirit with mere showmanship."

**
REPLY
27. Crystal McDaniel
"+sharon curry when the spirit moves you any place is the right setting..she did what she was asked to do..I'm sure Aretha is proud.

**
REPLY
28. Crystal McDaniel
"+J'NEEN J you can minster barefoot.. She ministered just fine...The Heavens and Aretha are pleased"

**
REPLY
29. Crystal McDaniel
"+J'NEEN J you could see she was filled with the spirit.. Don't try to take away from the spirit moving in her and compare to James Brown."

**
REPLY
30. DJINN SQUAD
"sharon curry you must've never been to any old school church programs back in the day? When the spirit comes up on you and moves you; there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. And to be perfectly honest the pull pit is supposed to be sacred and/or anointed; therefore the removal of one's shoes should absolutely be permitted. (Let the congregation say "Amen.")👠👠🙌🏾✌🏾😉💯"
-snip-
"pull pit" = pulpit ["a raised platform or lectern in a church or chapel from which the preacher delivers a sermon"].

**
REPLY
31. J'NEEN J
"Crystal McDaniel Look, I don't care who I'm pissing off....you included. Fantasia performs....it's nothing new.....she sings church songs in her concerts ...lip quivering and fake speaking in tongues...and then 10 minutes later is twerking and booty rockin' in the next song in a leotard. Everyone that squalls and screams "Lawd, Lawd" is not of the Spirit. There's just a lot of talented folk that are capable of rocking people's emotions...getting folks hyped and rattled with their showmanship.

Fantasia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NrLX2tSePU (taking off shoes and doing what she always does even when singing nongospel music.....has nothing to do with the Spirit).

James Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQdMZ1qrn6k

God is not impressed with talent...He knows the heart of men and has given some of His children the Spirit of discernment. I discern the difference between showmanship and true worship. Everyone doesn't have the spirit of discernment...so maybe that explains some of you all's frustration. I stand by my comment. Fantasia didn't take off her shoes because of "holy ground"....it's part of her act just like the cape was a part of James Brown act......just like Patty is known for taking off her shoes to "sho nuf" sang. Like I said, a funeral is not the time to sell yourself and give a good show.....and out sing the other singers. That's why I appreciated Shirley Caesar, Ronald Isley, and Smokey Robinson....there was a sense of sincerity in their tributes....it wasn't all bout "self".......Ronald and Smokey were secular artists...but seemed to be more sincere to the occasion than a lot of gospel artists or folk who claimed to have grown up in the Church....mostly everyone else was in "spotlight" performance mode."

**
32. Demeara Virgil
"When she come up out those shoes-she ain’t playing lol"

**
REPLY
33. AbSolutely AhMazeen
"At ALL!!!"

**
34. Wassup G
"We went to chuch ...that’s right not church ⛪ CHUCH bcuz that gul sang not sing SANG that song ...🙏🏾 anointed outta her 👠 and 👄 twitchn that GUL SANG that SONG periodt! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾"

**
35. Valerie Encinas
"My wig is snatched!!!! I’m SHook to the core yassss miss Tasia and Hudson owned it! 👏🏻👏🏻"

**
36. Aiyana Walker
"And walked off like "And THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT!".... YAAASSS, FANTASIA!!!"

**
37. Evelynwashere 1
"Tasia, Tasia, Tasia!!!!!! That girl took us to CHUUCH! Not church...CHUUCH!!!!!"

**
38. Sheila Hall
" "Can we take it up a notch?" I knew she was going in HARD!!! Jennifer was good but Fantasia was even better!!! She's anointed for gospel music n u can tell she been the choir leader as a child."

**
39. Kayy A
"Sis caught the Holy Spirit towards the end too!! CHILLS🙌🏾🙌🏾"

**
40. Miranda Brokenberry
"All I have to say is, what’s in a person will ALWAYS COME TO SURFACE! I love me some Fantasia, & even when she’s singing her very own songs she sings herself into a sanctified frenzy lol! She gets “happy” regardless of what genre of music she’s singing & it’s simply due to the fact that she’s ROOTED IN GOD ALMIGHTY! I’m claiming that one day she’ll bless us with a gospel album 🙌🏾. The thing that I admire most is that she’s never forgotten WHO SHE BELONGS TO... can anyone say “we belong to God”. Amen"

**
41. Vernon Moses
"Fantasia has be raised in a Church. Fantasia better sang.

When Fantasia came with no shoe on, let the Church say AMEN."

**
42. That Girl
"Down home black church experience... ain't nothing like it..."

**
REPLY
43. Daron Peoples
"That Girl Nothing! These experiences brought us a mighty long way...."

**
REPLY
44. Veronica Delarosa
"Sorry Jennifer Hudson..Fantasia had the Fire, the Power, and the Holy spirit! She brought Church! To its feet!"
-snip-
Jennifer Hudson sung "Amazing Grace" during this same homegoing services for Aretha Franklin. These two singers were mentioned in both of their videos' discussion threads as the two most powerful singers in that 8 hour memorial service. (Note that in my experience African American homegoing [funeral] services are usually about 1 1/2 hours.]

**
45. Raquel Angelique
"Real church."

**
46. divaquana
"now when Fantasia got her shoes off you know she bout to snatch a wig or 2 or THREE"

**
47. valerie johnson
"Fantasia and Jennifer took me to church. Man them ladies can sing."

**
48. Ruben Gutierrez
"North Carolina came to Detriot with the bare feet of a Tarheel, and turned it out for the Queen! RIP, Aretha Franklin!"

**
49. Ker Ker
"This girl is truly anointed!! Her praise is so sincere. I always get chills listening to her sing.
You know she means business when she kicks off her shoes."

**
50. Nadine Hall
"Tasia did that!!! But the back up singer took it over the edge! Praise Jesus for anointing these precious souls!"

**
51. Jessicunt
"Yes!!! When the shoes come off it means there’s going to anointing coming through that holy ground! She makes a sinner like me realize the goodness and blessings of the lord!!!! Sing Fantasia!! Amen!!!"

**
52. MAMA WRIGHT
"Now that's how you do a tribute!! And when she came out those shoes I knew she was going to bring it! Awesome job Fantasia!
R.I.P. Aretha Franklin."

**
53. RichFine Print
"Fantasia that was that country revival cause the air don’t work and we still donating for the building fund but yet ain’t got a door knob on the wooden door SANGING!!! Yeeeeesssss💖💖💖💖"

**
54. LEX GRAHAM
"SOOOOOO....FANTASIA SANG LIKE A LEGEND AND IT WAS A SHUT DOWN MOMENT. WIPEOUT. I FELT IT AT HOME LIKE THEY FELT IT IN THE BUILDING.🤦🏾‍♂️🙋🏾‍♂️😱"

**
55. Ms Chrys
"Started out with the shoes OFF...knew Tasia was going to turn it out!"

****
56. Tharp PhD
"I HAVE WATCHED THIS VIDEO AT LEAST 10 TIMES BACK-TO-BACK. Fantasia, Fantasia ---- the anointing was all over you! Thank you Jesus! My, my, my, my, my. This is the Fantasia I remember from American Idol. You look gorgeous too! Proud of you!"

**
57. Queen Ndinda
"LAWWWD! Bless you Fantasia! You brought the Spirit down here. Aretha must have smiled down at you.

**
58. 020ctmarie"
Fantasia and Jennifer SANG from their SOULS at this funeral. I haven’t heard singing like this in a while but my God this was amazing"

**
59. Penjani Nyirenda
"That choir knew what to DO! Even after Fantasia walked off staged like Jesus done raptured her out, they still knew how to close the show. And can we talk about 3:15???? 🙌🙌🙌"

**
60. phylicia J
"Wooooow! Hallelujah 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 she came out of them shoes and she sung that!! Ooooh myyyy LORD🙏🏽 and the choir OMG all was Superb! It ended to soon..Aretha,I hope she saw and heard Fantasia and Jennifer from heaven🙏🏽 she's resting in the arms of Jesus now🌺🌺🌺 Rest Queen "

**
61. Barbara Walker
"Girl after my heart❤ Kick off those shoes and put your everything into it✨❤✨ Fantasia!!😁"

**
62. Laurence Adams
"we got to STOP trying to mold folk into what the hell WE WANT THEM TO BE!...the tweets on how rude she was being, with regard to NOT keeping her shoes on?...JUST STOP!!...STOPPPP!...this woman is as authentic as they come, and she brought HERSELF to the table. She wasnt trying to be anything other than what she is any other time she performs. So, if paying tribute to one of her mentors, means taking her pumps off...SO BE IT!"

**
63. Jbug329
"Lord if there were rugs she cut em,if there were t’s she crossed them, if there were i’s she dotted them.....whew have mercy!!!!"

**
64. brenda watt
"Spirit flowing all through her, that wasn't a performance, that was a testimony! Glory hallelujah!"

**
65. Scorpion Queen
"It’s hard to say if Fantasia is a Mini Patti LaBelle or a Mini Aretha Franklin...I know Jennifer Hudson will star as Aretha in her life story & maybe they are reserving Patti for Tasia which would make sense but i dont know Fantasia could do both if you ask me!!! She got the shoes off like Mrs. Patti down to a T. I’m torn between the two can somebody please help me get a better perspective because the Baton was passed by Aretha to Fantasia so tell me why Jennifer Hudson has the role? I mean she is a better actor but with training I think she could perfect the role. Does she look more like a younger Aretha hmm maybe but Hollywood is the creator of illusions. I’m confused."

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Video #2: Patti Labelle - Isn't it a shame



golden0eye, Published on Mar 10, 2007

Patti Labelle - Isn't it a shame [Live Rainbow tour 1985]. Unotouchable! Wwooww
-snip-
Selected comments, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:

[Notice that many of these comments refer to Patti LaBelle's [former custom] during her concerts of rolling on the floor and singing.]

1. Margaux Gold, 2007
"OK, rolling on the floor and singing and being Pentacostal....this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen since Jimmy Hendrix burning his guitar on stage for the first time. She is performance artist all the way. SIng sister!!"

**
2. Yes, 2007
"When you can get on the floor and SANG that good, you are BADD to the Bone! Luv Ms. Patti"
-snip-
This is the earliest dated use that I've found of the word "sang" with its African American Vernacular meaning of "singing very well, especially singing soulfully very well."

**
3. timmy841212, 2008
"That's the classic "rolling around, kicking out her shoes" performance right there!!!"

**
4. Naturally70's, 2008
"The Empress of soul was not a shamed to kick off her shoes and roll on the floor. Love this live performance. She is the best, no one in the R&B world can touch her, not then and not now."

**
5. JayKG01, 2008
"DAMN! lol, she was feelin that song all the way to the core. jeez. she got some CHURCH goin though them bones. DAMN!"

**
6. Risse H, 2008
"In the words of the late gerald levert: Patti I love u cuz u taught me how to spread my wings n fly and u were never afraid to kick off ur shoes n drop down 2 ur knees and roll around n roll around etc. I love u patti."

**
7. sljjrphd, 2008
"Chile, chile, chile. Is all I have to say. Those were the days. Believe you me, if they sanged, "Chameleon, " I would lose my last marbles. GO IN PATTI"

**
8. Mocasso, 2008
"you better work it miss patti! shes sangin.."

**
9. unavailheart, 2009
"That's a good ole-fashioned 'catchin the holy ghost' in church display.

"Preach on Rev"!"

**
10. Tanya Lake, 2009
"I don't remember if I already posted a comment before, but I'm going to post another one anyway because that damn Patti deserves another comment. The second she dropped on that floor, started rolling around sanging *woo woo woo woo, woo woo woo woo* @ 4:36, you new she was really feeling it. And don't forget those background sangers. PATTI KNOWS HOW TO PICK HER SANGERS!!!!!!!!!"
-snip-
This comment is quoted as it was given in that discussion thread (including asterisks)

**
11. KcirP EloHssA, 2009
"Show these young girls how to do it patt.... rolling on the floor in a white dress without missing a note. go head with your bad self. work it work it work it honey"

**
12. Jody Pate, 2009
"classic Patti, gotta love her"

**
13. wy424, 2009
"Tear up the stage Patti! Tear it up! Patti doesn't play! lol"

**
14. trentnjones, 2009
"She was rolling on the stage! Sweet mercy that woman can perform!"

**
15. spardicka, 2009
"Thats some "vintage" LaBelle now isn't? With a Capital V!"

**
16. So Sad, 2009
"PATTI WENT OFF!! LMAO, there is not another singer alive who can even attempt to deliver a better Live Performance than Patti Labelle, she is consistant with what she, and only she can deliver. If you buy a ticket to her show you definitely wont regret it nor forget it. GO PATTI!!"

**
17. vanessa4u4evr, 2010
"This woman has the power to create universes by sheer will alone. Patti's connection to the creator's passion is almost too much for her body to contain at times - literally. No wonder she HAS to kick off her shoes and roll all over the floor from time to time. She has to distract the body and the blood pressure from exploding. What an inspiring entity inside that body of her's. We love you Patti. Thanks for all the chills you have given us."

**
18. skinnynicci, 2010
"She sang her heart out. She was tired, but she pushed it out. An amazing performer. I have never seen anyone kick off their shoes faster than her!!!!!"

**
19. vanessa4u4evr, 2010
"This woman has the power to create universes by sheer will alone. Patti's connection to the creator's passion is almost too much for her body to contain at times - literally. No wonder she HAS to kick off her shoes and roll all over the floor from time to time. She has to distract the body and the blood pressure from exploding. What an inspiring entity inside that body of her's. We love you Patti. Thanks for all the chills you have given us."

**
21. positiveposition, 2011
"High Drama with plenty of talent to back it up!
Wow how I enjoyed this performance...it made me jump up in my office and stomp and throw my hands up...how is that for a peformance that moves it's audience. Nobody can bring it like Patti Patti...nobody...case closed."

**
22. abenjam2, 2011
"The infamous "roll on the floor" thing she does... I love it!"

**
23. B More, 2011
"this where fantasia get it from patti started kickin her shoes off 1st"

**
24. victoramosjr, 2012
"You had better kick those shoes off and SANG that muthafu&kin song, Patti! YASSSSSSSS GAWD HUNTEE!! :::takes off running in the spirit:::"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

**
25. tkay825, 2012
"thank you so much for posting this...the first time I saw this I realized so many things, it touched me in so many ways, first of all, i realized that i can't sing, second, i realized what an amazing performer patti labelle truly is. it changed the way i viewed her, and it changed the way i viewed music, period. she poured her heart and SOUL into this performance, not only did she sing her a#$ off, but she kicked off her shoes, dropped down to the floor and rolled around, never missing a note."
-snip-
This comment is quoted as it was given in that discussion thread (including computer key symbols.)

**
26. hprm33t, 2013
"Patti during her "rollin across the stage years" was a force to be reckoned with. Thank God this was captured on video. ."

**
27. Fabian Zamora, 2013
"She had me thinking I was in revival!!!! Oh shananananana a!!!!"

**
28. Johnathan Clark, 2013
"Pattie took them to church during a funeral and sang the spirit home with that ROFS (ROLLING ON THE FLOOR SINGING)."

**
29. Zevil Gehannivani, 2014
"omg she was feeling the holy ghost ahahhahaa sang and role on that floor lol"

**
30. Bee Doe, 2014
"WHEN PATTI CAUGHT THE HOLY GHOST AT 3:18 & 3:40! I WAS ROLLLLIINNNNNNN!! LMAOOOOOOO OMG HAHAHAHAHAHA"

**
31. traboe, 2015
"I dont think we will ever see any body roll around on the ground and still SANG smh...."

**
REPLY
32. Donovan Phillips, 2018
"traboe Perhaps Fantasia some day? She already kicks off her shoes."

**
33. dante parker, 2016
"ms Patti went to church on yoll if u don't no what that is u need to change churches r start going"

**
34. Isaac Ortiz, 2017
"This was so good.She kicked off those shoes,rolled on the floor and was still on key.And those high notes haha.There will never be another grand singer and vocalist like Patti."

****
ADDENDUM- EXCERPTS FROM TWO ARTICLES ABOUT PATTI LABELLE PERFORMING WITHOUT SHOES DURING PARTS OF HER CONCERTS
Excerpt #1:
From https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/20/arts/music/barefootin.html
ARCHIVES | 2005; Barefootin' by JOE BRESCIA
..."PATTI LaBELLE Why: She's just more comfortable barefoot, a representative said. Footnote: Style is still important: she often takes the stage in fashionable shoes and removes them during the show."
-snip-
This is the complete portion of this short article about American vocalist who perform shoeless. The other singers mentioned in this article are Joss Stone, Linda Ronstadt, and Deanna Carter.

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Excerpt #2
From https://madamenoire.com/400447/many-patti-labelle-talks-favorite-singers-queen-latifah-show/ Patti Labelle On Which Singers Inspire Her: “Not Many”; February 13, 2014; By Veronica Wells
"Last month we told you about how Patti Labelle came for “all the little heifers” out here referring to themselves as divas. When in reality, they can’t sing all that well. Yikes. She didn’t name names though, so were left guessing about who she was referencing.

But today, on “The Queen Latifah” show she spoke about the singers she actually admires today. See who she named and who she called a mini version of herself.

Queen Latifah: What performers inspire you today?

Patti: “Who’s awesome? I think Fantasia is awesome. She’s a mini me. You know, she kicks her shoes off before she starts the show. I said ‘Baby girl, wait until at least the seventh song.’ She says, ‘Mama, I like to kick em off when I get out there like you do.’ She is one of the people that you should watch. Of course, Christina Aguilera. Of course…umm not many. There are a lot of people that call themselves whatever. But we know best. You know, Dana.”

The shade.

And then she went back to Fantasia again:

“I love Fantasia. Fantasia is a baby Patti LaBelle. When I see her, I see me when I was younger. But even though I’m not as young as she is, we can still stand strong together. She’s phenomenal. She does what she does. She takes her shoes off. She doesn’t think about what she’s doing on stage, and that’s what I love about her. When I’m on stage I never think about anything. I just sing.” ”...

****
Excerpt #3
From https://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/2013/11/prince-patti-shoe-black-awesomeness.html Prince and Patti’s Shoe: This Moment in Black Awesomeness; Awesomely Luvvie — November 5, 2013
"My girl VEG is a Prince fan and most importantly, a foolery enthusiast. And I’m tryna convince her to be writing for me once a week, in a column called “This Moment in Black Awesomeness.” Anywho, she wrote me the post below on request because she had me cackling in Facebook. Enjoy.

—–
There are some moments that are so awesome – and so awesomely BLACK – that every time we mention it, any black person within earshot will chime in with a “Mmmhm, yep. I remember that.”

The time Prince caught Patti LaBelle’s shoe is one of THOSE moments.

Luvvie: “Yup. I surely remember that. It was a glorious moment.”

It was the 2010 BET Awards show and, as they do every year, BET honored a music legend. In this case, Prince. And, as is usually the case during these types of tributes, the network asked a very diverse group of performers to honor Prince by singing his songs to him. A very pregnant Alicia Keys writhed around on a piano (not hitting every key), Janelle Monáe did her quirky cool Monáe thing…and then Patti came out.

Patti LaBelle…in all her down home, wing flapping, note shattering glory. She SANG and Prince paid attention. When Patti was in the middle of ‘Purple Rain’ and started kicking off her shoes – because that is what she does – Prince got up and CAUGHT ONE…..
It’s not often that we get to see two music legends – legends who just happen to be black – play off of each other in this way. Because of that, and because Prince and Patti are both so fabulously flashy, this moment is definitely an Awesome Moment in Blackness.”…
-snip-
This blog post includes photograph of the award winning vocalist Prince holding up the shoe that Patti LaBelle threw into the audience and he happened to catch.

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Explanations Of Some African American Church Words & Phrases Part I

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision- March 22, 2023

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about "took me to church", "sang", "went in" and other words, phrases, and sayings that are used by African American church goers, and, particularly among African Americans who are members of Apostolic, Church of God In Christ (COGIC), and other Pentecostal Christian churches.

These terms may also be used by Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) and other Christian congregations in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Some of these terms come from non-religious cultural sources and are also used in non-religious contexts.

Part I provides terms which begin with the letter A-L.

This post also showcases a 2008 video entitled "Foot Work- Praise break, Watch close!!!!" and uses selected comments from that video's discussion thread as examples for the words/phrases that are being defined.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/09/what-took-me-to-church-sang-went-in-and_1.html for Part II provides terms which begin with the letter M-Z. Selected comments from the showcase video's discussion thread are included for most of these terms.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in the video which is embedded in this post and thanks to the publisher of that video on YouTube.
-snip-
Most of the content of this post was originally published in the 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Cut A Step" And Other Black Pentecostal Words, Phrases, & Sayings, Part I" http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/cut-step-and-other-black-pentecostal.html [The link for Part II is given in that post.]

Definitions which are included in this 2018 post which are given without examples from that embedded video's discussion thread doesn't necessarily mean that there are no examples of that word or phrase in that discussion. I simply didn't attempt to find any examples for those words/phrases in that discussion thread.

****
THE PURPOSE OF THIS SERIES
I'm interested in documenting the use of these terms as found in YouTube video viewer comment threads for the folkloric, historical, and cultural record. While many YouTube video viewer comment threads contain profanity, racist, sexually explicit, homophobic, and other problematic content, those same discussion threads and other discussion threads may contain insightful, informative, well worded, and witty comments that I believe should be archived as part of the folkloric record.

I believe that the content of YouTube video viewer comment threads can provide insight about the lifestyles, values, and opinions of persons who posted to this particular YouTube viewer comment thread. I also believe that the way those comments are written (the slang and colloquial expressions that are used, the variant spelling, the inclusion of internet/text writing elements (such as acronyms and the lack of punctuation/capitalization which lead to run-on sentences), and even the commenters' screen names are worthy of documentation and study as part of the folkloric record.

In this pancocojams post, as in other posts such as http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/11/examples-of-black-slang-in-youtube-juke.html, I include what I believe are the meanings of the vernacular examples that are listed.

Like other YouTube Praise Break videos's viewer comment thread, the comment thread for this featured video contains extensive doctrinal exchanges, including scriptural references pro and con "shouting". This post does not include any of those comments, unless that comment is used as an example of a vernacular word or phrase.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

DISCLAIMER:
I'm not now nor have I ever been a member of a Pentecostal church. I have attended such churches a few times, and I have pbserved people in those churches, and in my childhood Baptist church (in New Jersey) doing shout behaviors such as are described in this post.

I don't consider myself an etymologist. However, I'm interested in the origin, meaning, and uses of certain words & phrases.

Some of these vernacular words and phrases are used with the same meanings outside of religious services or religious events.

Additions & corrections are very welcome.

WARNING: In spite of the fact that it is a religious video, this YouTube video's viewer comment thread includes profanity, the use of the n word, and other content that I consider to be problematic. None of that content is included in the examples that are featured in this post.

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FEATURED VIDEO: Foot Work- Praise break, Watch close!!!!



DeMario Jives, Uploaded on May 19, 2008

Give God a sacrifice of praise inspite of, just go for what you know!

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FEATURED PENTECOSTAL WORDS, PHRASES, AND SAYINGS (A-L)
(These words are numbered for references purposes)

1. ANOINTED
refers to a person who has felt the Holy Spirit and therefore has been saved [has accepted Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior]

From https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/anointing/
"Anointing, ]
in Holy Scripture, is either, I. Material--with oil--or II. Spiritual--with the Holy Ghost

[...]

Spiritual anointing with the Holy Ghost is conferred also upon Christians by God. ( 2 Corinthians 1:21 ) " Anointing "expresses the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit upon Christians who are priests and kings unto God." "

[no examples are cited from this video's discussion thread.]

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2. BROTHER, BRUTHAS, BRU
“bruthas”, bru” are variant (Hip Hop vernacular) spellings of “brother”.

In the religious context “brothers” mean “males who are part of the family of Christ” (because of their belief in Jesus Christ).

KaraStarrAllen, 2010
“Brother Got His Praise In”
-snip-
In standard American English this means “He is doing the holy dance very well.”
Got his praise “ is usually given as “got his praise on”.

“His” here refers to the man dancing.
-snip-
"Brother" is also used as a prefacing "title" for adult males, similar to "Mr" - for instance, "Brother Davis", "Brother Johnson". I believe that this title can be used with last names and/or with first names.

Read the related title "sister" in Part II of this post.

****
3. BROUGHT THE CHURCH DOWN
used in reference to powerful soulful singing [sanging] and/or preaching, testifying: brought down the Holy Spirit to the church's congregation; as a result people felt the Holy Spirit (went in, did the Holy dance etc)

[no examples cited from this video's discussion thread]

****
4. CHILLIN
sitting back, relaxed, not involved, showing no intensity (with low energy).

“Chillin” is an extension of the word “chill”. “Chill” is the opposite of “hot” (caused by intense energy, being energized, heating up an environment, situation, or a person)

kragen05, 2010
“how are you gunna have the youth just chillin in their seats? youve gotta get in on that holy ghost movement! come on. i wish i had services like this”

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5. CHUUCH
a down home Black [Southern United States] way of pronouncing "church"

When the word "church" is purposely spelled and/or pronounced this way it may be a form of code switching from standard English to African American Vernacular English."Chuuch"  refers to an old school African American church (Pentecostal, Apostolic, Primitive Baptist, Church of God In Christ etc. denomination) which is filled with the Holy Spirit. People in those churches praise God in ways that are associated with Southern, country, old school Black church services (i.e. the way they sing, hand clap, foot stomp, rock, "get happy"  etc.)

****
6. (TO) CUT A STEP
Do the holy dance, shout, Praise [God] by doing the holy dance

“Cut a step” comes from the earlier phrase “cut a rug”. Read that entry below.

Also, read the entry below for the indirectly related phrase “tearing it up”

TheMysyfyer, 2010
“watching this makes me wanna CUT A STEP!”

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7. CUTTING UP (CUT N UP)
in the context of this topic, this means "dancing very well"*

Dynasty Mays, 2009
“Now he cut n up!!!”
-snip-
*cutting up can also mean “acting (behaving) like a fool”, but I don’t think that’s the meaning that was intended by that commenter.

****
8. (TO) CUT A RUG
to dance. I believe that this old, now little used secular term is the source of the contemporary term “cut a step”. I’m not sure if “cut a step” is used outside of its reference to doing the holy dance, but I don’t recall reading it or hearing it said anywhere else.

zareahbrown, 2009
“he cut a rug...... thats cogic footwork right there. i love to see men prasie god
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/what-cutting-monkey-shines-cut-shine.html for a pancocojams post on the saying “cut a rug” and similar colloquial expressions.

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9. EATING THAT CORNER UP
in the context of this example, this phrase means "to really dancing well in that corner". This phrase may not be used that often, but I’m including it as an example of how pictorial
some African American vernacular English is.

robblkva, 2009
“he is eating that corner up
-snip-
This comment means “He’s dancing quite intensely in that corner”

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10. FOOT WORK [FOOTWORK]
fast paced dancing that emphasizes the feet’s movement; the soles of the feet usually remain on the ground with footwork (There are little to no kicks with this type of dancing.)

joshuaofjericho, 2009
“That`s CHICAGO FOOTWORK!”
-snip-
“Chicago footwork” (also known as "juking") is a contemporary Hip Hop dance that is most closely associated with Chicago, Illinois. Read the comment below under “juking”. I wrote this comment in http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/05/black-church-praise-break-videos.html
"There's no way to verify which came first-the religious shout footwork or the secular dances that had the same or similar fast paced foot motions. This dance form almost certainly has its source in Black African traditional dances."
-snip-
Also, read this witty comment that compliments the holy dancers and also includes a reference to the contemporary American movie Happy Feet

Cynthia Webb, 2009
“now this is the best version of "Happy Feet" i've ever seen lol”

****
11. GETTING DOWN
"dancing very well"

The phrase "getting down" may have its source in the custom of dancers who are really ”in to” the dance” moving down to the floor, and then dancing back up. I also think that “getting down” is related to the phrase “I’m getting down to the real nitty gritty” (to the essence of something ). A person who “got down to the real nitty gritty” while dancing didn’t mind how he or she looked (or smelled) as nits are “funky).

Glamazon91, 2010
“dat man was gettin down... but watsz up with the music”
-snip-
In standard English, “That man was dancing really well, but I don’t understand what is going on with the music.”

I believe that the use of the word “dat” is purposeful, not accidental, and not an indication that the commenter doesn’t know or speak Standard English.

****
12. GETTING HAPPY
"feeling the Holy Spirit" and expressing that feeling through testimonies, shouts, speaking in tongues etc.

[No examples of this phrase are found in that viewer comment thread to date.]
-snip-
"Getting happy" is the phrase that I grew up which referred to people "feeling the [Holy] Spirit". I was surprised to find no examples of that usage in this particular Praise Break video's viewer comment thread and only a few examples of that phrase in other Praise Break videos. It appears that the phrases "getting your praise on", "getting your shout on" and other similar phrases have taken the place of "getting happy". Read the definitions for "shout" in Part II of this series.

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13. GIVE A TESTIMONY
Publicly tell (testify to) when and how God saved you or publicly tell what God has done in your life.

[Given without examples from that comment thread]

****
14. GET IT ; GETTING IT
a complimentary exclamation for doing something really well

majenkns1, 2009
“All i wanna know is did the brother in the cormer have to pay the pastor back for tearing up his carpet like that? He was getting it!!!”

**
dowlingus1, 2010
“he is getting it!”

**
BaptistBoi, 2008
“O boy in da corner was mos def gettin it in but I coulda done without them "horns" on the keyboard...the piano setting works just fine for me and the camera was a lil shaky so it was kinda hard to focus in some spots...but it was still an overall good clip!!!”
-snip-
“mos def” = most definitely (meaning “really”). This is the source of the Hip Hop artist’s name.
o boy =old boy. “Old” is commonly spelled “ole”. “Old” here isn’t an age referent.

**
mrfreez05, 2008
“Man bruh was gettin it in that corner! Good God”

**
GODISAWONDER, 2009
“AHHHHHH U BETTAH GET IT!!!!”

****
15. GIVE IT TO HIM
a complimentary exclamation to a holy dancer. In the context of this discussion, “Him” means “God” and I think this phrase is another way of saying “Give God the praise”

JehovahSham, 2013
“GIVE IT TO HIM!!!!!
-snip-
Btw, I don’t think that “sham” in this word means “fake”. It may be a word that may be uttered while speaking in tongues. Alternately, “give it to him” may mean to continue stomping on Satan’s head. Then “him” would mean “the devil”.

****
16. GLORY (also spelled “GLORAY” & similar other phonetic spellings)
an exclamation that is short for “Give God the glory”

[Commenter’s name and year wasn't transcribed]
“man i sho' like to watch people shout...glory!!!”

****
17. GO HEAD (GO AHEAD)
a complimentary exclamation

Judging from its use in numerous [Black] Praise Break viewer comment threads, “Go head” is the most commonly used exclamation to compliment someone who is doing the holy dance.

Note= Unlike when this phrase is used in “the world”,
meaning at non-religious events such as fraternity/sorority step shows, onlookers in churches or other religious services don’t shout out encouraging or complimentary remarks such as “Go head”

Devin Kelson, 2009
“yall praisin furreal but dat music is way to fast its so fast yall keep messin up lol but its unto the Lord so yall go head”

32pedalnotes, 2010
“WOW! Now dats CRAZY praise! Well... He is WORTHY! If I could dance that fast, I'd set the spirit of obesity on the run! LOL! Go 'head yall. Give it to HIM!”

**
B4RBI3gyrl, 2010
“Yall Betta Go Head And Praise The Lord!”

**
babygirl00432, 2010
“i watched this video like 7 times, loved it, so many comments about the music, the camera, those things arn't even the point. They r there giving God the praise n thas all tht matters...love tht shout on tht brutha GO HEAD!!:)”
-snip-
I think that the words “that shout on tht [that] brutha” means “ the way that brother shouted [danced].” However, the use of “on” here may [also?] refer to the belief that the praiser felt the Spirit on [in] him, and that is what caused him to do the holy dance [shout].

Also, read this related exclamation of support and praise for the shouter (the person doing the holy dance)
joshua whitaker, 2011
“Go boy Go!!!!!!!!”

****
18. GO IN
Read the entry in Part II for "Went in"

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19. GOING FOR IT
doing the holy dance well

I think that this saying comes from sayings such as “Get it!” where (I believe that ) “it” originally meant “winning the game" or "the points scored”.

AnointedGifts, 2012
“He is going for it!!!!Lol, Praise HIm!!!!”
-snip-
“Him” with a capital “h” means God. I think that “God” in most if not all of these comments is also a referent for Jesus.

****
20. GOT HIS (or HER) BLESSING
This means that God has blessed the the praiser for doing a holy dance (cutting a step).

superiorbandgeek, 2009
“that's that footwork right there. You know he got his blessing from that.”

****
21. GOT HIS PRAISE ON
same as "got his shout on", read that entry below, and read the entry for the word "Praise" in Part II of this post.

****
22. GOT HIS SHOUT ON
a phrase that means "doing a shout". Read the entry for "shout" in Part II of this post.

tallapril, 2010
“That was some Memphis COGIC Holy Convacation footwork going on in that corner. Brother really got his shout on.”
-snip-
COGIC=Church Of God In Christ; “convocation” a convention (assembly of members); Brother here means “a male who is a church member)

****
23. GIVING IT UP
"doing something very well"

ernest core, 2009
“Dude was over there in the corner givin it up!!! It looked like he was burning holes in the carpet. LOL He didnt miss a beat. Yall better praise him!!!”
-snip-
Using the informal referent for man “dude” isn’t a put down (insult), but just indicates the informality of the online discussion setting. This referent would not be used in public to refer to that dancer.

“burning holes in the carpet” refers back to “cutting a step”, “cutting a rug”

“Him” in the sentence “Yall better praise him” refers to God.

****
24. HIT THE FLOOR
"beat the floor with the soles of your feet (while doing the holy dance)", also given as “stomp the floor”

Orbot, 2010
“Love to see my brothas hit the floor!!”
-snip-
This comment may have been made because there are more females than men who attend church and it's therefore more common to see women do holy dances than men.

****
25. HOLD MY MULE
This saying is from the Gospel song "Shouting John" which was popularized by Shirley Caesar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHpSM0PXuAE

"Shouting John" is a fictitious character who was a member of a "dead church" (a church that didn't permit people to "shout" (get happy, cut a step, praise God when they felt the Holy Spirit). When church representatives came to John's farm to tell him that he couldn't belong to their church if he shouted, he didn't accept what was said, and instead told one of them to "hold his mule" while he danced for the Lord.

Therefore, telling people to "Hold my mule" means that you are getting ready to "go in" (shout). It's likely that "Hold my mule" is only used in written communication.

One source of this saying is a version of the Old Time African American non-religious song “Jim Along Josie”: “Hold my mule while I dance Josie.”. A version of "Jim Along Josie" is included in Dorothy Scarborough’s 1925 book On The Trail Of Negro Folksongs.

Terry Crews Jr, 2010
“I'll hold your mule!

****
26. [DOING THE] HOLY DANCE
a spontaneous, unrehearsed, dance that is done in praise of God
(shout, cut a step,praise)

[given without examples]
-snip-
evry1slilsista, 2009, a commenter in the embedded video wrote:
“jukin' fah jesus......lolol i love it.....
-snip-
"Jukin" is a referent for a fast secular African American footwork [dance] such as Chicago footwork.

I don’t think this comment was meant to be taken seriously as that "jukin" is a secular term only. I think that it was made to point out the close similarities between holy dancing and jukin.

****
27. HOLY GHOST FIRE
the spirit that emanates from the Holy Ghost is equated with fire’s energy

COMPASSION2611, 2010
“You better get it Mastro, love it! Even the coat got a dance!!!! Round two. FIRE, HOLY GHOST FIRE!!!

****
28. HOMEGOING [HOMEGOING SERVICE)
An African American term for a church funeral service, Homegoing services are largely celebrations of the life of the person who has "gone home", i.e. gone to heaven to be with God.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homegoing
... because African-American Christians believe death marks the return to the Lord and an end to the pain and suffering of mortal life, the homegoing service is an occasion marked by rejoicing because the deceased is going on to a better place.

A homegoing service usually contains some or all of these elements:

Musical prelude
Processional
Prayers
Songs (Hymns of Comfort)
Funeral Readings (Scripture, Poem, Prayer, Old Testament, and New Testament) Acknowledgements
Reading of Cards & Condolences
Reading of Funeral Resolutions
Obituary Reading
Eulogy or Tribute
Final Viewing
Benediction
Recessional, and Interment or Committal

A homegoing service is sometimes reminiscent of an African-American Christian church service. In addition to the eulogy, there is often a sermon and a choir that sings gospel hymns. The service often allows for friends and family to speak briefly about their remembrances of the deceased. Homegoing Service goers may experience both mourning and rejoicing."
-snip-
The person who has died is usually referred to as having "passed away"

African American homegoing services generally last around 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Note that the homegoing services for R&B Queen Aretha Franklin [August 31, 2018] lasted for almost 8 hours.

In some home going services, the pastor ends his sermon by "opening up the doors of the church", i.e. inviting any attendees who haven't done so already, to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

[given without examples from this viewer comment thread]

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29. I PLEAD THE BLOOD 
Added August 1, 2022; This saying is used in other online sources and not in the discussion thread that is showcased in this post.
 
From https://justdisciple.com/chrisitans-plead-blood-jesus/
"When you say you are “pleading the blood,” you are declaring the power that Jesus has over Satan and his schemes.

Many people use the phrase “pleading the blood” because of what the Israelites were told to do during the Passover.

The Israelites covered their doorposts with blood as the tenth plague came upon Egypt where the firstborn died. The blood around the doorposts then protected the Israelites from the final plague.

"The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt." Exodus 12:13

[...]

Many people ... “plead the blood” over the devil’s hold in their life. They are calling out for protection under the blood of Jesus amidst the spiritual warfare.

[...]

In scripture, we read of the power we have through Christ against spiritual warfare. When we come against the devil and the hold that he has in our lives we do not fight him with physical weapons, but the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6:11-20.

[..]

In scripture, we read of the power we have through Christ against spiritual warfare. When we come against the devil and the hold that he has in our lives we do not fight him with physical weapons, but the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6:11-20.

Jesus has already defeated Satan through his death and resurrection. Satan still tries to get those who follow Jesus to stumble, “pleading the blood” can be similar to claiming that you stand as a Christian and that Jesus has already thwarted the plans of the enemy.

“Pleading the blood” while in spiritual warfare can be a way of us surrendering to God and appealing to Him. It can be an act of surrendering to God and trusting He will lead us even in our darkest moments."...

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30. KILLIN IT

"doing something very well"

pmc53, 2011
“Ole boi KILLED that dance”
-snip-
Notice the variant [Hip Hop vernacular] spelling for “boy”. Calling a man “boy” or “ole [old] boy” online isn’t an insult. This comment is complimentary towards the man who is dancing

**
Myles Sewell, 2012
“lol ayyee pastor was killin it”

****
31. LAWD
a variant spelling for the word “Lord” (meaning God, Jesus); often used as "My Lawd"

I believe that it and other “down home” dialectic terms and grammatical constructs are used on purpose, and not because the commenter doesn't know how to spell that word the Standard English way.

zgirlizfine, 2012
“lawd the devil has to have a concussion from that brother's shoutin
-snip-
Read “hit the floor” for my comments about stomping on the devil’s head”

****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

What "Sang", "Sanging", & "Sanger" REALLY Mean In African American Vernacular English

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Revision- March 22, 2023

This pancocojams post presents information about the African American originated meaning of the word "sang".

Examples of this African American Vernacular English word and forms of that word are included in this post from various YouTube videos. Three examples of those videos are also found below.

The content of this post is presented for linguistic and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all the vocalists & musicians who are featured in this post and to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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AFRICAN AMERICAN VERNACULAR ENGLISH DEFINITION OF "SANG"
Here’s my definition for the African American Vernacular English meaning of the word “sang”:

“Sang” = African American Vernacular English (AAVE) verb; a present tense of "sing"- to sing very well, particularly to sing soulfully very well. Example: Patti LaBelle can sang any song she gets a hold of.

****
SOURCE FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VERNACULAR MEANING OF "SANG"
I believe that the extended meaning of “sang” as defined above comes from African American Vernacular English via Black Pentecostal, Church Of God In Christ (COGIC), Primitive Baptist, and other sanctified Black American churches.

I also believe that this vernacular use of “sang” is an updated form of the African American Vernacular English meaning for the word "sing" and the exhortation “Sing!”.

The word "sing" has the same meaning as "sang" i.e. to sing very well, particularly to sing soulfully very well.

Also, the exhortations "Sing!" (as in "Sing It!" and Sang! (as in "Sang it!") means to continue to sing very well, particularly to sing soulfully very well.

A person who is said to "sang" religious songs vocalizes in an anointed manner (i.e. is full of Holy Ghost fire). That person sings with intensity, but without showy theatrics, and also sings without concern for performing in a tightly controlled manner.

Although "sang" probably was first been used to describe religious vocalists, people can "sang" religious or non-religious songs.

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WHEN WAS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MEANING OF "SANG" FIRST USED?
I'm not sure when the verb "sang" and its noun form "sanger" were first used. However, here's one of the earliest examples, if not the earliest example of that verb that I've found [in the same discussion thread for this 1985 Patti LaBelle concert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVhUPpChcSI Patti Labelle - Isn't it a shame published by golden0eye, on Mar 10, 2007

Yes, 2007
"When you can get on the floor and SANG that good, you are BADD to the Bone! Luv Ms. Patti"
-snip-
Please share any information that you have about when the African American Vernacular English use of "sang" first began. Thanks!

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COMMENTS ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VERNACULAR MEANING OF THE WORD "SANG"
Here are some comments about the word sang (given in no particular order)
People who sang are vocal powerhouses who FEEL their songs and whose singing moves their audiences, giving people goosebumps, chills, or makes some people cry because it's so good

**
"Sang" refers to not just a singer's voice, but the singer's delivery of the song (the way the vocalist sings).

**
"Sang!" can be also be used as an exhortation for the soloist (or choir/group) to continue singing powerfully and soulfully.
Example: "You betta sang!" [This is the most commonly heard or read exhortation that includes the African American use of the word "sang".]

**
"Sangin'" is another AAVE form of "sang"
Example - They are sangin that song,
or
They are really sangin that song.

**
The word "sangs" is also sometimes used.
Example He sangs this song.

**
"Sanger" is a noun form of the African American meaning for "sang". A sanger is someone who sangs.

Tanya Lake, 2008
..."And don't forget those background sangers. PATTI KNOWS HOW TO PICK HER SANGERS!!!!!!!!!" from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVhUPpChcSI for a 1985 video of Patti LaBelle singing "Isn't It A Shame".

**
An African American saying that's a synonym for "sangin" is "singing [her, his, their] ass off".

**
People can sang religious songs (Gospel songs) as well as non-religious songs (particularly Rhythm & Blues and Jazz songs).

**
The word "sang" can be used as a statement of fact, i.e. "That girl can sang" i.e. That girl (woman) can really sing soulfully, with lots of power or it can be used as an exhortation.

**
A common form of that exhortation is "You betta sang!" i.e. "You better keep on singing soulfully, with lots of power."

**
People who are said to "sang" really impress their listeners and move them emotionally & spiritually. This is done not just with the quality of their singing voices, but also in the realness of the vocalists’ wholehearted, consecrated delivery of those religious or secular songs.

The following comments are often written on YouTube discussion threads to describe the effect that hearing a soloist or choir sang has upon them:
The song -and/or the singers' delivery of the song:
“touched them”,
“moved them”
"gave them goosebumps”
“gave them chills”
"made them cry" [tears of joy]
and/or caused them to feel the Holy Spirit.

**
This vernacular use Of "sang" is purposeful and not a grammatical error.
People who are unaware of this particular vernacular meaning of “sang” (sangin, sangs) may think that the person using that word made a grammatical error – i.e. using a past tense of “sing” when they are referring to vocalization that is still being done. However, the commenters' use of "sang" is purposely done to convey an added meaning to the word "sing". If this isn't known, that added meaning is missed.

Of course, this use of "sang" (like the vernacular use of the word "bad") can cause confusion. For instance, did this commenter mean to write “sung” or did he mean the enhanced meaning of the word “sang”?
Example:
“For me, listening to this song is like haering it for the first time EVERYTIME! REV. JAMES CLEVEND (R.I.P) REALLY MUST HAVE AT LEAST SCRATCH THE PORTALS OF HEAVEN WHEN THEY WROTE, SANGED, AND FINISHED THIS SONG! IT'S HONESTLY THE "MOST BEATIFUL GOSPEL SONG" EVER WRITTEN! WELL THATS MY HONEST VIEW AND THOUGHT ON THIS , ITS JUST SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!”
- mrbethel100, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GauUHGDiTXk&list=PLfzFBN4M6YbHaHQtXRq_mWrCrKOMUH-d_"God Is" (1979)- Rev. James Cleveland”

My guess is that mrbethel100 really meant "sanged" as a past tense of the vernacular use of the word "sang". However, one of the problems with doing online research is that it's difficult to do follow-up that would hopefully clear up these kinds of "what did you mean" questions.

**
“Sang” can be an equivalent, updated form of the exhortation “Sing!”

When the word "sing" is meant to convey the same meaning as "sang", it may be written in capitol letters.

Read this comment from a commenter that differentiates between the standard meaning of “sing” and the vernacular enhanced meaning of that word:
“He doesn't just sing this song he SINGS this song, he has projected the sentiment of this song with so much emotion, every word he sings you can hear it Clearly and he gives it meaning, that is why Sam Cooke is one of my favourite singers.”
- Nadia Nomad, 2014; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbO2_077ixs "A Change Is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke, 1963"

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EXAMPLES OF THIS USE OF "SANG" FROM VARIOUS RELIGIOUS YOUTUBE COMMENT THREADS
1.“MY MY MY This girl is sanging!!! Got me in tears! I have been going thru! Now its time to break every chain!!! There is power!”
- Dawn Clarke, 2014, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vjlpg9i2Bg "Break Every Chain" Tasha Cobbs, First Baptist Church of Glenarden”

2.“I love this lady!!!! You can feel every word that she sangs! IM NOT TIRED YET”
- MrAchieveGreatThings, 2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFKAO5k7-V0 “Mississippi Mass Choir Live I’m Not Tired Yet”
[This video is found below]

3. “Who is that lady???? MY GOD she can Sang!!!”
- Mshow22, 2012; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2wCBAdT6FI “The Georgia Mass Choir – Joy”

4. I was listening to this play while in another room of the house and I swore it was at least 60 ppl in this choir. They sangin'.
-Tony Collins, 2011; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0k-iin5fsA “Best Gospel Choir in Atlanta”

**
5. "Sangin it Claimin it! Corona can't hold me/us down! +Amen.🎁🌷"
- Lia Bridgeforth, 2020; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6pg4KHAAjE "Keyla Richardson - “Corona Can’t Hold Me Down” "

**
6. "SANG THE SONG, GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
-Adon Martin; 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6pg4KHAAjE "Keyla Richardson - “Corona Can’t Hold Me Down” "

**
7. "Good God from Zion! I can't stop listening. POWERHOUSE VOICE! Saaaaaaaannnnnnng!"
- Cynthia Howell, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6pg4KHAAjE "Keyla Richardson - “Corona Can’t Hold Me Down” "

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EXAMPLES OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ORIGINATED STATEMENT MEANING OF "SANG" FROM NON-RELIGIOUS YOUTUBE COMMENT THREADS
1. “This song gives me goosebumps!!! She doesn't SING oh no she SANGS!!! Her voice is so pretty. All the haters need to step aside and let her do her thing.”
- Ronie Randolph, 2010; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWs3fs9nnzc “Fantasia - Free Yourself”

****
2. “They don't sang like this no mo'!!!!!!”
- mantlecatcher, 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on0FIPOTG2I “Patti LaBelle & Luther Vandross performance / The Aretha Franklin Years"

[This video is found below.]

3. “she put this down! off tha hook! she know she can sang!"
-TheDEES3, 2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6YCxXQ6Scw "Aretha Franklin - A Change Is Gonna Come"

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EXAMPLES OF THE EXHORTATION FORM OF SANG (FROM DISCUSSION THREADS OF RELIGIOUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS)
1. “ALL right yall got that old mass sound! yessah! SANG PAM!”
-Darnel Daniels, 2011 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qthktb-JbpQ “I Can Go To The Rock - Chicago Mass Choir featuring Pamela Crawford”

2. “Sang it! So beautiful.”
-Stephen Rodriguez, 2014; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaKf6P2nhKg "Harlem Gospel Choir - Amazing Grace (EXCLUSIVE)"

3. "You had better SANG little girl..."
-msmiche1000, 2013 ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEp1Lx31hx0 Hezekiah Walker sings "Souled Out"

4. "You better SANG Tremaine!!!!! My, my, my...I felt my help on this one!"
- Tonysings, 2012; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G78TpSwN5s “Tramaine Hawkins – Changed”
-snip-
[This video is found below.]

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EXAMPLES OF THE EXHORTATION FORM OF SANG (FROM DISCUSSION THREADS OF NON-RELIGIOUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS)
1. “I still love this song. Sang it Sam!!!!”
- Derrick Brown, 2013; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbO2_077ixsA Change Is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke, 1963

2. “Those low notes! Those notes are so rich. You've got to EARN those low notes, you hear me? You've got to earn the right to lean back and handle it like that! SAAAAANNGG ETTA!!!!!”
- DEFinitivelyHis, 2011; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwxM--iDH2c “Etta James At Last LIVE “

3 “Sang Mama Patti!”
-jus4kayka, 2012; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlXmKVe0wJU “Patti LaBelle - Somewhere Over The Rainbow LIVE London, 1986”

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AFRICAN AMERICAN SYNONYMS FOR "SANG"
1. “[She or he or they] “killed it”(also “murdered it”, "slayed"
Example: “WOW!! Your aunt KILLED this song!! Took me back to church something CRAZY!!!!”
-Brent Foster, 2007; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxtGRab3cxU "The Edwin Hawkins Singers-Father's House/1971"

2. “tore [it] up”; “tearin up” [that song]; tear a church up [with her or his or their singing]
“Thank ya Jesus... She sure knows how to tear a church up!!!! WALK!!!!”
-TheBobbyDLewis, 2010, “ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GCzJlhrRV4 Dottie Peoples "Testify"

3. “sung off the hook”, [she, he, or they] “put this [song] down etc [see comment above]

4. "sung her [or his] ass off

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in chronological order with the oldest dated videos given first.)

Example #1: Tramaine Hawkins - Changed



holyrollersoldier, Uploaded on Aug 9, 2007

Gospel Celebration 1988

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Example #2: MISSISSIPPI MASS CHOIR LIVE - I'M NOT TIRED YET



AIKAN74, Uploaded on Oct 27, 2008

DOING IT OL SCHOOL!
-snip-
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk_1ZE7Rwcg for the extended version of this song as sung by the Mississippi Mass Choir

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Example #3: Patti LaBelle & Luther Vandross performance / The Aretha Franklin Years


Ramsey Jackson. Uploaded on Feb 29, 2012

enjoy this duet performance from Patti & Luther and also enjoy a look back at The Queen of Soul on the show

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