Video Examples Of Flat-Footed Singing (with comments about this complimentary African American Vernacular English term)

The Meeting Place Church of Greater Columbia,   Sep 18, 2014

This blessed my soul. A young sister just 'flat footed' singing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Let's continue to pray for Sis. Tierinii Jackson of Memphis, TN as the Lord elevates her and her gift.

 ~Bishop Eric Freeman

****Edited by Azizi Powell Latest revision - September 26, 2024

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about the African American Vernacular English (AAVE) complimentary phrase "flat footed" as it refers to a certain type of singer. This post showcases three YouTube videos of Gospel singers who are complimentarily referred to as "singing flat footed" or "flat footed singers". Selected comments from those videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/09/what-singing-flat-footed-means-in.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post presents a definition, information, comments, and an article excerpt about the complimentary African American Vernacular English term "flat footed" as it relates to Gospel singers and singers from other music genres.
The content of this post is presented for linguistic and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. -snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/linguistic-alert-another-verncular.html for a closely related 2014 pancocojams post entitled "What "Sang", "Sanging", & "Sanger" REALLY Mean In African American Vernacular English".**** A DEFINITION FOR "SINGING FLAT FOOTED" OR ''FLAT FOOTED SINGERS" The African American Vernacular English present tense, exhortation, and other tenses for the English word "sang" means "to sing very well, and especially to sing soulfully very well".*
*This is the definition for the African American Vernacular English (AAVE) term "sang" that I wrote in 2014. That meaning for "sang" and "sangin' can be found online (particularly in YouTube discussion threads for African American Gospel music) from at least 2010 or so.
Vocalists may "sang" in different ways. Flat footing is just one way to "sang". Flat footed singers stand relatively still and belt out their songs with their whole heart and soul. Other vocalists who would be described as "sangers" (in the African American meaning of that word) but wouldn't be described as "flat footed" singers, are more performative in the way they "sang". This doesn't necessarily mean that they are being fake or theatrical in their vocalizations since vocalists-like other people- express the Spirit and/or express their real selves in different ways. It should be noted that although almost all of the references to "singing flat footed" that I've come across online apply to Black Gospel singers, singing flat footed can also apply to other genres of music and to other races and ethnicities. The present tense AAVE meaning of "sang" is ,in part, an updated forms of how African Americans have used the word "sing" (i.e. "Sing it!" ; "You better sing that song, chile".) While "sing" is still used those ways, the AAVE meaning of "sang" and its other forms seem to have largely taken the place of the word "sing" with its added meaning of "singing very well...". Read more about this subject in Part II of this pancocojams post. ****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM SHOWCASE VIDEO #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BfXVjsdZV4
Numbers added for referencing purposes only

1. @lewisedwards4058, 2016
"Praise Jesus! Such a powerful and controlled voice!"

** 2. @billionairenow81, 2016
"Wow!! That voice is powerful...all soul...she sung from her heart...praise Jesus"

**
3. @ScholarBrown1417, 2016
"Honey you better sang and let the lord use you"

**
4. @porschebeonit, 2016
"You know somebody can sing when you find yourself doing the stank face! SANG CHILDE!"
**
Reply
5. @AlieciaT, 2017
"LovelyLadii Brown I was seriously doing the stank face when she started, she sounds so good, I scrolled to your comment and had to laugh, so true"
**
Reply
6. @GMarioCharleston_, 2017
"LovelyLadii Brown I just caught myself doing it lololol! She sang  that one from the soul"
**
7. @cathythomas9128, 2017
"yesuhhhh sang little sista!"
**
8. @karllee2680, 2017
"very good expression  your not just riffin all over the place"
**
9. @cherylgreene1014, 2017
"OMG!!!! CONTROL# TEAR A CHURCH UP!!!"

** 10. @mariefranklin4022, 2018
"Child you had better sang for our lord. Sing sing sing child sing."

**
11. @lillieafeni4771, 2018
"GUH u Betta sangggg!!"
**
12. @candancefoster4082, 2018
"she can sang yes lord."
**
13. @feleciacraddock1711, 2018
"WOW!!! JUST HEARD HER SANG!!! THIS SONG TOOK ME BACK TO WITH MY MOTHER PLAYING THE PIANO AND SINGING THIS SONG IN CHURCH!!!! SHE WOULD SING AND THE WHOLE CHURCH WOULD BE SHOUTING!!! I'M SHOUTING IN MY LIVING ROOM RIGHT NOW AS I THINK OF ALL THE MEMORIES OF HER....JUST WAS CRYING BECAUSE IT'S 2 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND I WAS MISSING HER. I CAME ACROSS THIS SONG THAT SHE SUNG IN CHURCH AND MY SORROW TURN INTO A SHOUT!!! IT'S LIKE MY MOTHER WAS LEADING TO THIS SONG & SAYING..." DON'T CRY FOR ME ...BUT REJOICE IN THEE." (REJOICE IN THE LORD!!!) THANK YOU FOR BLESSING ME WITH THIS SONG!!! U DON'T HEAR THESE OLD SONGS ANYMORE..I CALL THEM OLD 500 SONGS. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS U KEEP BLESSING OTHERS WITH YOUR GIFT!!!"
**
14. @loganmorrison8921, 2020
"Anointed! Love the transitions you made. You sang it so beautifully. God Bless you"
**
15. @NewsYouCanUse3, 2020
"Sang Sang Sang,Lord have mercy Sang"
**
16. @michellesweightlossjourney6599, 2023
"WOOOOOOO SANG SIS!!" 

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Detroit Mass Choir - Lord Help Me To Hold Out

Marcel West, Dec 11, 2011
Turner Hughes leads "Lord Help Me To Hold Out" with the Detroit Mass Choir
-snip-
Here are a few comments from this video's discussion thread. 

Numbers added for referencing purposes only

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWazCDZI5co

1. @Teebee407, 2019
"He's singing "FLAT FOOTED"!!!"
**
Reply
2. @stopiwantoff7965, 2020
"Sho you RIGHT Tee Bee!"

**
Reply
3.  @judawar6318, 2019
"It's a powerful praise"
**
4. @deancooper9938, 2020
"Another brother who kills the song, and DO NOT MOVE."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - My baby singing now this the full video

 
God's children of Memphis, TN, September 17, 2024
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread with numbers added for
referencing purposes only.

1. @nenalisilyfeismusik3891, 2024
"She messed that whole church up omg, powerhouse, anointed, what a gift!!! Stay blessed young queen"
**
2.  @charliedickerson4810, 2024
"Baby, Suga Momma sung from the depths of her soul and without the mic she still bringing God's anointing in the church. Flat footed and all."

**
3. @shakiramcgee2023, 2024
"I felt this in my soul If you ever had to call on him when you had nobody else Jeeessssuuuussss"

**
4. @radiantrobin2178
"Give God All of the glory, baby girl! You betta sang Chile!!!! (In my southern voice ) She actually needs to create music as a ministry! She is ministering for real!!!! Lord, I pray that You will continually bless her abundantly and grant her divine favor in every aspect of her life!!! Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this powerful ministry. Bless all who are in this church and reading this message." ** 5. @teliciabooker1178, 2024
"OMG, She tore the song up , the church and us from the comments. Have your way, Lord Cover her Lord... God bless her for being obedient. She is anointed sing, wow"
-snip- Here are a few comments from the shorter video of this singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcZZawDuyGs "my baby singing", published by God's children of Memphis, TN, September 17, 2024

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

@chrisgarner7107, 2024
"Yes yes yes, sang Sugar Mama, sang baby. Lord have mercy. Now, that's singing right there, from the heart, with feeling and anointing, gracious"

**
@Benet1nOnly, 2024
"️️️️YesSir! Babygirl singing with that fire of the holy Ghost!!!"

**
@yvonneclark3897, 2024
"Sang Damariana" Let God continue to shine through you wherever you may go in life. You are truly a blessing I Love hearing you lift up our Savior....You have such a heartfelt anointing. May God continue to use youStay covered he definitely got his hands on you

**
@tarvisbrown6165, 2024
"Wait....!! That's not Ree Ree??"

**
Reply
@Godschildrenofmemphistn, 2024
"No that's my daughter suga"
** Reply @tarvisbrown6165,2024
"Wow I literally thought this was an old clip of you when you were younger lol omg! That's you twin and she sang from her whole soul awesome!"

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