Two Gospel Renditions Of "99 And 1/2 Won't Do" By Dorothy Love Coates and the Original Gospel Harmonettes And By The Electrifying Crown Seekers

Phil Pebcak, Sep 22, 2012

[Dorothy Love] "Coates rose to stardom in the 1950s as a member of The Original Gospel Harmonettes. With her "raggedy" voice and preacher's fire she could outsing the most powerful hard gospel male singers of the era. She was also a notable composer, writing songs such as "You Can't Hurry God (He's Right On Time)", "99 and a Half Won't Do" and "That's Enough".

The Gospel Harmonettes— later renamed the Original Gospel Harmonettes— had achieved some fame in an early appearance when the National Baptist Convention came to Birmingham in 1940. Led by Evelyn Starks, an amazing pianist whose style of playing was much imitated,and featuring Mildred Madison Miller, a mezzo soprano who had a down-home sound that came to be a symbol of the group, singing as its lead singer. The group also included, Odessa Edwards, the clear voiced alto whose sermonettes could create a great deal of fervor at performances, Vera Conner Kolb, the piercing soprano of the group whose high notes came with such ease that Marion Williams and other sopranos of the time period imitated her style, and Willie Mae Thomss Newberry Garth, the group's deep-throated alto...

[...]

During the years of her retirement, from 1959 to 1961, Dorothy Love—now Dorothy Love Coates—became active in the civil rights movement, working with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As she was fond of telling church audiences, "The Lord has blessed our going out and our coming in. He's blessed our sitting in, too." While many other gospel artists were slow to address political issues head-on, Coates spoke out against the war in Vietnam, racism and other evils...

While Coates vigorously rejected all offers to cross over to pop or soul music, a number of artists, including Little Richard, imitated her sanctified singing style. Other secular songwriters drew on her songs for inspiration, sometimes simply taking the title, as in the case of Wilson Pickett's wholly different soul tune "99 and a Half Won't Do", and sometimes adapting both lyrics and title, as in the case of the Supremes's hit "You Can't Hurry Love"." "

Source: Wikipedia

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dimmerswitch productions, May 28, 2012

The Electrifying Crown Seekers take "Ninety-Nine And A Half" for a drive -- and we mean DRIVE. Blistering guitar, growling lead vocals, and a quartet background that doesn't stop. And there's more -- the documentary "By and By" is in post-production. NOLA's remaining gospel quartets will finally have their chance to shine -- we hope!

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases two examples of the Gospel song "99 And A Half Won't Do".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Dorothy Love Coates, the composer of this song and thanks to he Electrifying Crown Seekers . Thanks also to the producers of these videos, and the publishers of these videos on YouTube and thanks to the transcriber of this song.

-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/09/three-example-of-gospel-song-99-12-wont.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Three Example Of The Gospel Song "99 1/2 Won't Do" (with lyrics)"

That post showcases a rendition of this Gospel song by "Dorothy Love Coates and the Original Gospel Harmonettes, a rendition by The Williams Brothers, and a rendition by Hezekiah Walker

Thanks to visitor Ross from Sydney, Australia whose June 27, 2021 comment in that post's comment section prompted me to showcase this Gospel song again.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/09/mavis-staples-99-12-wont-do-civil.html for a pancocojams post of Mavis Staples' civil rights version of "99 1/2 Won't Do".

And click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/09/wilson-pickett-ninety-nine-and-half.html for a pancocojams post of Wilson Pickett's R&B song "Ninety Nine And A Half Won't Do"

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LYRICS: 99 1/2 WON'T DO
composer: Dorothy Love Coates)
(Lyrics below as sung by Hezekiah Walker)

Intro:
Lord, I'm runnin', tryin' to make a hundred because,
ninety-nine and a half won't do.
(Repeat)

Chorus:
Lord I'm runnin', tryin to make one hundred because,
Ninety-nine and a half won't do.

Verse:
On my knees everyday,
Lord please hear me when I pray.
Please forgive me when I stumble,
Lord, I wanna be in that number.

Chorus
Lord I'm runnin', tryin to make one hundred because,
Ninety-nine and a half won't do.

Bridge:
Satan tries to turn me around,
tries to make me lose my ground.
But I don't worry, and I don't fret;
I've come to far and I'm not tired yet.

Vamp:
Lord, I'm runnin'.

Chorus
Lord I'm runnin', tryin to make one hundred because,
Ninety-nine and a half won't do.

Submitted by Guest

Source: http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/hezekiah_walker/99_12-lyrics-1051902.html

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