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Wednesday, April 29, 2026

The Jubalaires -"God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down" (1947 Black American Gospel recording)




 
upgrayeeed, May 21, 2010

1947(?)

Left to right: Orville Brooks, Ted Brooks, Caleb Ginyard and George McFadden.

[picture from vocalgroupharmony.com]

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Edited by Azizi Powell
 
This pancocojams post showcases The Jubalaires' recording of the Black American Gospel song "-"God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down". This Gospel song is also known as "Run On For A Long Time".

This post presents information about The Jubalaires as well as the lyrics for that song and an explanation about what the title of that song means.

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

All copyrights remain with the owners.

Thanks to the Jubalaires and thanks to the composer/s of this Gospel song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
-snip-

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/the-jubailaires-noah-1940s-gospel-rap.html for the pancocojams entitled "The Jubailaire's Noah - 1940s Gospel Rap (video, information, and lyrics)" and was published on pancocojams in 2012..

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/03/early-rap-recordings-and-lyrics-for.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Rap Sounding Recordings Before The Rap Genre Started For "The Preacher And The Bear" By The Golden Gate Quartet & The Jubaliares"

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE JUBALAIRES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jubalaires
"The Jubalaires were an American gospel group active between 1935 and 1962. Originally known as the Royal Harmony Singers,[1] the band was known for song verses delivered in a rhythmic, rhyming style that has been described as an early version of rapping.[3][4]

History

The band's name was derived from Jubal, a biblical figure in Genesis who is sometimes regarded as "the father of all harpists and organists."[5]

The band reached no. 10 on the R&B charts on November 14, 1942, with "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" a song adapted from the speech of a naval chaplain in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor the previous year.[6] Other releases included "Before This Time Another Year" / "Ezekiel (Saw the Wheel A Rollin')" (released under the Decca Records label), "God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down" / "Go Down Moses" (King Records), and "My God Called Me This Morning" / "Ring That Golden Bell" (King Records).[7]

[…]

In 1946, the Jubalaires secured a spot on Arthur Godfrey's CBS radio show.[9] Willie Johnson left the Golden Gate Quartet to take the lead of the group in 1948, and in 1950 the band appeared in the musical comedy film Duchess of Idaho.[2][10]

[…]

Most of the music by the Jubalaires was released by Queen Records, a King Records subsidiary specializing in African-American music. However, later reissues of their music appeared under King Records.[13]

[…]

Background information

Origin  Florida, United States

Genres American folk, gospel, spirituals, proto-rap

Years active     1935–1962

Labels  Capitol, Decca, King”…
“Proto-rap” means "... black individuals engaging in some type of spoken word activity before rap became a recognizable genre in the 70s."
-https://www.reddit.com/r/LetsTalkMusic/comments/15ky841/what_counts_as_protorap/

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INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SONG
From AI Overview
"The earliest recorded version of the traditional folk song "Run On For A Long Time" (often known as "God's Gonna Cut You Down" or "God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down") is generally credited to the Golden Gate Quartet, who recorded it on June 5, 1946.

Here are the key early recordings of this traditional song:

1946: The Golden Gate Quartet.

1947: The Jubalaires (first issued/released version).

1949: Bill Landford & The Landfordaires (released "Run On For A Long Time").

Key Details:

Nature of the Song: It is a traditional American folk/gospel hymn that has been recorded in various genres.

Other Early/Notable Versions: Odetta recorded a version in 1956. Elvis Presley recorded a version titled "Run On" in 1967.

Moby's Sample: The 1999 song "Run On" by Moby, which popularized the song for many, is a remix that heavily samples the 1949 recording by Bill Landford & The Landfordaires.

Johnny Cash: His well-known version was recorded in 2003 and released posthumously on American V: A Hundred Highways (2006

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LYRICS - GOD ALMIGHTY'S GONNA CUT  YOU DOWN'*
(as recorded by The Golden Gate Quartet

You may run home for a long time

Run home for a long time

Run home for a long time

Let me tell you, God Almighty gonna cut you down

You may run home for a long time

You may run home for a long time

Run home for a long time

Let me tell you, God Almighty′s gonna cut you down

Go tell that long tongued liar (well, well)

Go tell that midnight rider (well, well)

Tell the gambler, the rambler, backbiter

Tell 'em God Almighty′s gonna cut 'em down

 

Stop, God Almighty, let me tell you the news

My head been wet with the midnight dews

Now I been down on my bended knees

Talkin' to the Man from Galilee

My God spoken, he spokes so sweet

I thought I heard the shuffle of angels′ feet

He put one hand upon my head

Great God Almighty, let me tell you what He said

Go tell that long tongued liar (well, well)

Go tell that midnight rider (well, well)

Tell the gambler, the rambler, backbiter

Tell ′em God Almighty gonna cut 'em down

You may run home for a long time

You may run home for a long time

Run home for a long time

Let me tell you, God Almighty′s gonna cut you down


You may throw your rocks and hide your hand

Working in the dark against your fellow man

But you sure as God made the day and the night

What you do in the dark will be brought to the light

You can run and hide, slip and slide

You talk about the mote in your neighbor's eyes

But you sure as God made rich and the poor

You going to reap just what you sow

You can run home for a long time

Run home for a long time

Run home for a long time

Let me tell you, God Almighty′s gonna cut you down

Go tell that long tongued liar

Go tell that midnight rider

Tell the gambler, the rambler, backbiter

Tell 'em God Almighty gonna cut ′em down


Some brother go to church just to signify

You try to make a date with the neighbor's wife

But brother let me tell you just as sure as you're born

You better leave that woman alone

Because one of these days you mark my word

You′ll think brother has gone to work

You′re going to creep up and knock on his door

That's all brother, you′ll knock no more


You can run home for a long time

You may run home for a long time

Run home for a long time

Let me tell you, God Almighty's gonna cut you down


Go tell that long tongued liar (well, well)

Go tell that midnight rider

Tell the gambler, the rambler, backbiter

Tell ′em God Almighty's gonna cut ′em down"
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Statement on that page: "Writer(s): Clyde Riddick, Orlandus Wilson, Willie B Johnson, Henry Lee" Owens members of the Golden Gate Quartet]

https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/The-Golden-Gate-Quartet/God-Almighty-s-Gonna-Cut-You-Down
-snip-
The words "Run on for a long time/God Almighty gonna cut you down" means "people may do evil for a long time, but they will eventually have to face God's punishment."

The lyrics "Run home for a long time" in that musixmatch transcription are always given as "Run on for a long time" in other transcription of this Gospel song . 

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