KATHY PHELPS, Nov 11, 2010
Mt Ramah Primitive Baptist Association 2010 Beauty Grove
P.B. Church, Thomaston, GA
-snip-
The word "primitive" in that Christian denomination's name means "first" or earliest formed".
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/09/down-home-old-school-black-african.html for the pancocojams post "Down Home, Old School, Black (African American) Primitive Baptist Church Singing (video, information, & comments)."
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of the African American composed Gospel song "This May Be My Last Time". This old school Southern African American Gospel song is also known as "This May Be The Last Time".
This post also includes the song lyrics of this rendition of "This May Be My Last Time" and a few selected comments from that video's discussion thread.
The content of this post is presented for religious, historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
I'm interested in documenting not just what is sung but how the call & response way the song is sung and how the pastor and the congregation moved while singing this song.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown composer/s of this song. Thanks to all those who are shown in this video and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
This video has been added to this 2012 pancocojams post: African American Ring Shouts (Origins & Video Examples) https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/african-american-ring-shouts-origins.html
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LYRICS - THIS MAY BE MY LAST TIME
(unknown composer/s
This transcriptions is as the sung was sung by Mt Ramah Primitive Baptist Association in the video that is shown above)
Refrain: (sung by the Leader and the Congregation)
This may be my last time
This may be my last time
This may be my last time
Well, This may be the last time
I don't know.
(Repeat entire refrain several times)
VERSES*
These lyrics aren't sung in any particular order.
Leader:
"This may be the last time. It may be the last."
"This may be the last time you treat me wrong."
"I just don't know I just don't know."
"This may be the last time you me hear me crying."
"This may be the last time you shake my hand."
Congregation:
"This may be my last time. I don't know."
*Example:
Leader: This may be the last time. It may be the last
Congregation- It may be the last time. I don't know.
Leader: This may be the last time. It may be the last
Congregation- It may be the last time. I don't know.
Leader: (Well) This may be the last time. It may be the last
Congregation- It may be the last time. I don't know.
OR
The Leader may sing more than one of these lines in a verse before the Leader and the Congregation return to the refrain. The rendition can last for an unspecified time and verses can be introduced by the Leader or by a new Leader. However, the song always ends with the refrain.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMuEWqraMTw
"Oh how wonderful to hear this song. Got me through many a
bad times!"
**
2. @LillieFuseWilliams, 2015
"Isn't it great that they don't just stand and watch as
entertainment. Everybody men, women,
young, old, participate and enjoy!!"
**
Reply
3. @PatsBooks, 2015
"It's called the ring shout.
Research it. See how James Brown
took this sacred song a nd
secularize it. He on
YouTube singing it."
**
Reply
4. @lydiaboyd7629, 2022
"The point is that the ring shout is a very important and
historical way are ancestors would praise God. Deep spiritual roots,
originating in Africa."
**
5. @Aunty_Yo, 2015
"Anyone know why they circle in the front?"
**
Reply
6. @cottonmaxwell8, 2015
"they go around in a circle rocking"
**
Reply
7. @PatsBooks, 2015
"It's the ring shout."
**
Reply
8. @mssmmns, 2019
"This form of praise in a circle is prevalent in many West
African, Caribbean, and South Carolina Gullah religious ceremonies. This our
roots, sis!"
**
9. @LillieFuseWilliams, 2015
"Sometime it's good to back home. Cause it may be the last time. The circle and rock could be a way of being in the number and become a part of the praise. As today's waving . A church back then could ROCK!"
Reply
10. @carimerriweather1190, 2018
"Love it!!!"
**
Reply
11. @Tboyd-4, 2021
"Yes, the macon rock as my mom calls it. She's from macon. Ga"
**
12. @maryoyewole4993, 2016
"unfortunately some of the youngsters are changing this old
time Primitive Baptist to what they call "Progressive" with their
drums, guitars, pianos, the noise that clouds, this real authentic sound. All
these folks had a hardwood floor, the clapping hands"
**
13. @resah18
"Ashé!!! May the
ancestors be praised! May God be
glorified!"
**
Reply
14. @edloniaconner4069, 2022
"This is the singing I grew up with oh my goodness that's
singing"
**
15.@CatchTheFishy93, 2018
"I know this song in creek. Didnt realize it was a song in
English too!"
-snip-
"Creek"= a Native American (Indian) language. Several commenters wrote in this discussion thread that their relatives were Native American and/or they also were part of the infamous "Trail Of Tears" when Native Americans from the South were forced to relocate to Oklahoma.
**
16.@v.dargain1678, 2019
"A Cappella . The best way to sing a hymn ."
**
17. @pawilliams6725, 2020
"This is called having church. The spirit of the
Lord is in the house. Today's worship service is not like this"
**
18. @missbritt288, 2020
"The song is a very old baptist hymn it is sung by both black
baptist and also White Appalachians , there a song with the same melody common
in Appalachian folklore called "Oh Death" It shows how far reaching
African spirituality is within the heart of American worship life ,and its a
true common denominator - This is American roots music as pure as you can get"
**
19. @cynthiahoward9615, 2020
"Yes Yes Yes indeed and I don't know!!! I remembered this ole
time religion singing and dancing 😂😂😂 my
grandma's,moma auntee's use to hymn sing have good church seem like it was all
day and then it was time to eat that good ole fashion home cooked 😋
food.i didn't understand back then but by God grace and mercy today wooow 😯
it's a pleasure to think back and a blessing to go far back in to time like
That 😂😊😊... County Times!!!
#Thatswussup??? My my my Lord"
**
20. @kimmimeekins9334, 2021
"Oh my…. This brings back so many good memories of my
childhood years, in my Baptist church…. All
A cappella singing. Such down
home soulful songs..good old fashioned Baptist churches didn’t need
music….glory to GOD! Hallelujah!🙏🏾"
**
21. @joandmims5538, 2021
"Love it. I remember the deacons singing this in church."
**
22. @flaboi9523, 2022
"This song popped in my head today and had to search...this
reminds me of my early days at church in Pensacola Florida...Mars hills Baptist
Church..the older people use to kill it!..no instruments, just good ol
clapping,feet stomping and "sanging"...miss this!!!!..."
**
23. @living2liveagain1, 2023
"I miss my youthful days at Shady Grove AME Zion, where my
Aunt Molly on the piano belting out hymnals like this. FOOT STOMPING, HAND
CLAPPING JOY"
**
24. @Martin-e1j, 2023
"That baptist stomp"
**
25. @JasperRuffin, 2023
"Back in the 80s, We sang like this at my dad's church when
the organist had other obligations and couldn't make it to service.
We may have sounded like we were on the plantation try'na get away from massa, but MAAN, you could sho nuff feel the spirit.
I miss those days!!
**
26. @ReginaRoss-rh5to,2023
"I REMEMBER THOSE DAYS IN CHURCH.... I MISS THAT..."
**
27. @jackieborden5041, 2023
"Oh yes I am seventy give years old and I remember this song
from down I Louisiana and Arkansas. It will never get old."
**
28. @MsJeanette46, 2023
"This is my type of church old school no musicians"
**
29. @Magnolia5, 2023
"Hallelujah💜For me this will never
be old. Reminds me of my early childhood
and young adult days. My beginnings was
in a Primitive Baptist Church. I reminisce
now a lot about those days, singing in A cappella , washing feet and prayer
meetings. So many traditions that are
now absent from church worship. Prayer
was constant!!!"
**
30. @christiansgrandma6812, 2023
"Where is this church located? I need to get there 🏃♀️
🏃♂️
🏃♀️
🏃♂️
We used to March around like that during testimonial midweek service. Miss
those days. I'm so so grateful for that time. We kids enjoyed going to service.
We were tucked in the back with the other kids with the olddest ursher
lady,coloring and getting in trouble. Yet when they began to sing and stump, we
were right there, singing, clapping and jumping.😊"
-snip-
Several commenters wrote that this church is located in Georgia (which is located in the southern region of the United States.)
**
31. @mystaco, 2024
"I can hear the ladies’ heels hitting the wood floor &
the pews bending from the rocking. I’m
45 years old but this is how Devotion and testimony service would start. Pastor would come out of the study and sit
beside the deacons just smiling."
**
32. @lillianwilliams5510, 2024
"We sang this as civil rights movement .
College students marching and knowing we could possibly beaten, but surely going to jail."
**
33. @earnestinereagan7490, 2024
"Don't let the young people change this song. I really like
it."
**
34. @moniquecooper1423, 2024
"Can someone post the
words to the sing please"
**
Reply
35. @lillianwilliams5510, 2024
"If you listen. It may
be my last time. It is FREEDOM Movement
song.
Students and older people marching for civil rights.
GOOGLE slave songs
and Black Heritage songs.
Mostly sung in the South but also in many city churches "
**
36. @seikojones1491, 2025
"This is the type of gospel I love listening too."
**
37. @BigSteve90473, 2025
"I’m 50 years old. This was a regular song during devotion. I
was baptized at age 4 under Rev. Dr. S.W. Williams, New Zion Missionary Baptist
Church. Buffalo, NY"
**
Reply
38. @deeerv4905, 2025
"I didnt know yall got down like that up there in NY. Praise God!!!"
**
39.@marqj2781, 2025
"That synchronized dip they all doing , good country church"
****
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