Bessie Jones - "You Better Mind" (old time African American Spiritual or Early African American Gospel song)

Alan Lomax Archive, Sep 24, 2017

Bessie Jones sings "You Better Mind," recorded by Alan Lomax at his Greenwich Village apartment in NYC, October 1961. For more information about Bessie Jones and the Georgia Sea Island Singers, and Alan Lomax and his collections, visit http://culturalequity.org

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Edited by Azizi Powell 

This pancocojams post showcases a 1961 sound file of Bessie Jones singing "You Better Mind".

This post includes information about that African American religious song and includes Bessie Jones' lyrics for that song.

Selected comments from that sound file's discussion thread are also included in this post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Bessie Jones for her music and thanks to Alan Lomax for collecting this song and other old time African American songs. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to Alan Lomax Archive for sharing this music on YouTube. 
-snip-

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/bessie-jones-you-better-mind-with-lyrics.html for a 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Bessie Jones - You Better Mind (with lyrics)".

That post showcased a sound file of "You Better Mind" that is no longer available. The lyrics to that version of "You Better Mind" are slightly different from the lyrics that are included in this 2024 post. That 2013 post also includes some comments within that post and comments from blog readers. In addition, that 2013 pancocojams post includes my comments about whether this song is a Spiritual or an early Gospel song. (I now think that it's both.)

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LYRICS- YOU BETTER MIND

(unknown African American composer/s)

You better mind

You better mind
You got to give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

You better mind what you talkin about
You got to give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

You better mind what you singin about
You got to give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

You better mind
You better mind
You got to give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

You talkin 'bout the things that you really don't know.
But you gonna give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

You better mind
You better mind
You got to give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

Take it to yourself and God alone
You got to give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

The way you livin is a really disgrace.
You gonna give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

You promised God you would do
You gonna give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

You join the church but you won't live right
But your gonna give an account at the judgment
You better mind

8.I'm a Baptist bred and a Baptist born
And when I'm dead, I'll be a Baptist gone
You gonna give an account at the judgment
You better mind.

Online source- https://www.last.fm/music/Bessie+Jones/_/You+Better+Mind/+lyrics
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Pancocojams Editor's Note: This website gives the writers of this song as Alan Lomax and Bessie Jones. Actually, the writer of this song is unknown. (African American) Bessie Jones sung this song and (White American) Alan Lomax collected it from her singing. 

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INFORMATION ABOUT ALAN LOMAX'S 1961 RECORDING OF BESSIE JONES SINGING "YOU BETTER MIND"
from https://archive.culturalequity.org/field-work/bessie-jones-1961-1962/new-york-city-1061/you-better-mind

"Title: You Better Mind

Date recorded: October 6, 1961
Contributor(s): Performer: Jones, Bessie; Recordist: Lomax, Alan

Subject(s):

Genre: sacred song, shout, spiritual

Culture: African American, Southern U.S.

Setting: Alan Lomax's apartment, 3rd Street

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Physical form: Reel to Reel

Tape number: T985

Track Number: 29

Archive ID: T985R29

Note: You better mind how you walk, / You better mind what you walking about, / 'Cause you got to give an account at the judgment, / You'd better mind. // You better mind what you sing … (etc.)
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Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Jones_(American_singer) for information about Bessie Jones (February 8, 1902 – July 17, 1984).

And click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Lomax for information about Alan Lomax (January 31, 1915 – July 19, 2002).

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS YOUTUBE SOUND FILE'S DISCUSSION THREAD 

Numbers added for referencing purposes only

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s5PW26R5jc

1. @missbritt288, 2020
"Love my ancestors ! ..... So much strength and soul . May she rest in peace ...may her songs continue to live on and teach the younger generation .."

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2. @gwenmontgomery3641, 2020
"Raw, unadulterated emotion borne out of hardship."

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3. @praisehim83, 2020
"Yes, my people. Language is so clear, concise and pure." ** 4. @eddiesmall406, 2020
"This song is about the world to day" ** 5. @user-qi8zf7cm6i, 2021
"YES WE BETTER"

** 6. @fdrobe1, 2022
"Heard the mother in the movie “Anna Lucasta”. Singing this And i had to find the entire song.!! I love it"

** 7. @brunsonelizabeth8244, 2023
"Amen,I remember my mother singing this song... It's truth!"

** 8. @adnilbraganza2211, 2023
"Heard this lady for the first time on BBC radio 2. Listening to Moby. It brought me here"

** 9. @karenseabrooks7806, 2024
" My mother use to sang this song"

** 10. @AbsoluteMdot, 2024
"AMEN!!!!!!!"

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