This pancocojams post features a 1930 sound file of "John The Revelator" that was recorded by Blind Willie Johnson and his first wife Willie B. Harris. This post also features a 1965 sound file of "John The Revelator" that was recorded by Son House. In addition, this post includes information about the meaning of that old time African American Gospel song.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, religious, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Blind Willie Johnson & Willie B. Harris, and Son House for recording this song. My thanks also to the producers and the publishers of these sound files on YouTube .
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EXPLANATION OF THE SONG "JOHN THE REVELATOR"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Revelator_(song)
" "John the Revelator" is a traditional Gospel blues call and response song.[1] In the chorus, John of Patmos, the traditional author of the Book of Revelation, is writing "the book of the seven seals." At the time of the song's composition (and in modern times), John of Patmos was generally considered the same person as John the Apostle and John the Evangelist.
The song was recorded on April 20, 1930 in Atlanta, Georgia by Blind Willie Johnson and is included in the Anthology of American Folk Music.[1][2][3] In this version Johnson's first wife Willie B. Harris performs the response parts of the song.[4] The Golden Gate Quartet performed and recorded the song a cappella in the 1930s.[5] Son House also recorded several a cappella versions in the 1960s."
-snip-
The beginning lyrics of this song as sung Blind Willie Johnson & his first wife and by Son House are given below the featured sound files.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEANING OF THE TERM "A BOOK OF THE SEVEN SEALS"
The song "John The Revelator" focuses on John writing the book of Revelations. In that song, that last book in the New Testament is referred to as "a book (or the book) of the seven seals". Here's ome information about the term "book of the seven seals":
"The Seven Seals is a phrase in the Book of Revelation that refers to seven symbolic seals that secure the book or scroll, that John of Patmos saw in his Revelation of Jesus Christ. The opening of the seals of the Apocalyptic document occurs in Revelation Chapters 5-8. In John's vision, the only one worthy to open the book is referred to as both the "Lion of Judah" and the "Lamb having seven horns and seven eyes"."
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FEATURED VIDEOS
Example #1: Blind Willie Johnson - John the Revelator
velotronic, Uploaded on Mar 2, 2011
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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Revelator_(folk/blues_song) [retrieved March 27, 2026]
The song's title refers to John of Patmos in his role as the author of the Book of Revelation. A portion of that book focuses on the opening of seven seals and the resulting apocalyptic events. In its various versions, the song quotes several passages from the Bible in the tradition of American spirituals.
Blind Willie Johnson version
Blind Willie Johnson recorded "John the Revelator"
during his fifth and final recording session for Columbia Records in Atlanta,
Georgia on April 20, 1930. Accompanying Johnson on vocal and guitar is Willie
B. Harris (sometimes identified as his first wife), who sings the response
parts of the song. Their vocals add a "sense of dread and foreboding"
to the song, along with the chorus line "Who's that a writin', John the
Revelator" "repeated like a mantra".[3]
Blind Willie Johnson recorded "John the Revelator"
during his fifth and final recording session for Columbia Records in Atlanta,
Georgia on April 20, 1930. Accompanying Johnson on vocal and guitar is Willie
B. Harris (sometimes identified as his first wife), who sings the response
parts of the song. Their vocals add a "sense of dread and foreboding"
to the song, along with the chorus line "Who's that a writin', John the
Revelator" "repeated like a mantra".[3]
Johnson's lyrics reference a number of passages from the Bible:
[call] Well who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator[4]
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals[5]
[call] Tell me what's John writin'? [response] Ask the
Revelator
What's John writin'? Ask the Revelator
What's John writin'? Ask the Revelator
A book of the seven seals
Well who art worthy, thousands cried holy[6]
Bound for some, Son of our God[7]
Daughter of Zion, Judah the Lion[8]
He redeemeth, and bought us with his blood[9]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
John the Revelator, great advocator[10]
Gets 'em on the battle of Zion
Lord, tellin' the story, risin' in glory
Cried, "Lord, don't you love some I"
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
Well Moses to Moses, watchin' the flock[11]
Saw the bush where they had to stop[12]
God told Moses, "Pull off your shoes"[13]
Out of the flock, well you I choose[14]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
The song was released as one of the last singles by Johnson
and is included on numerous compilations, including the 1952 Anthology of
American Folk Music.[2][15][16]
[...]
Son House rendition
Delta blues musician Son House recorded several a cappella
versions of "John the Revelator" in the 1960s. His lyrics for a 1965
recording explicitly reference three theologically important events: the Fall
of Man, the Passion of Christ, and the Resurrection.
[call] Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator[4]
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals[5]
[call] Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Well who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
You know God walked down in the cool of the day[17]
Called Adam by his name[18]
And he refused to answer
Because he's naked and ashamed[19]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
You know Christ had twelve apostles[20]
And three he led away[21]
He said, "Watch with me one hour,[22]
'till I go yonder and pray."
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
Christ came on Easter morning
Mary and Martha went down to see[23]
He said, "Go tell my disciples[24]
To meet me in Galilee."[25]
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Example #2: Son House - John The Revelator -Version Estudio
dhamago,Uploaded on Aug 7, 2008
Son House - John The Revelator -Version EstudiO
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RELATED LINKS
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/carolina-chocolate-drops-read-em-john.html for the related song "Read 'Em John"
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Click http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=5825 for a discussion about the song "John The Revelator" which includes several versions of this song's lyrics.
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