Information & Comments About The Saying "God Is Good" / "All The Time"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the African American originated call & response saying "God is good" / "All The Time". 

This post also presents selected comments from the Black discussion thread lipstick alley.com about the saying "God is good" / "All the time".

The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SAYING "GOD IS GOOD" / "ALL THE TIME"
"God is good" / "All the time" is a call and response saying that is most likely of African American origin although no one has been identified as its originator. A number of commentators on discussion threads for various YouTube videos and in some online articles specifically indicate that  "God is good" /"All the time" originally comes from African American Protestant churches in the United States South.

During church services, a pastor or some other leader says "God is good" and the congregation automatically responds "All the time". Traditionally, the pastor or leader then says "All the time" and the congregation automatically says "God is good".

The first part of this call and response saying is also sometimes used in non-religious settings, for instance as a response to hearing good news. For instance, a person tells her friend some good news. The friend may then say "God is good" and the first person responds "All the time".  

The earliest documentation that I have found for this call and response saying is a 1995 Gospel record by Pastor Alvin Darling entitled "God Is Good"/ All The Time". However, it's likely that that saying was in use before that song was composed, recorded, and released.

Here are hyperlinks for pancocojams posts that showcase African American Gospel records with the itle "God Is Good" / "All The Time" or with the title "God Is Good", but which also include those words and the response "All the time":

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/alvin-darling-celebration-god-is-good.html "God Is Good All The Time" recorded by Pastor Alvin Darling 1995)

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/chester-d-t-baldwin-god-is-good-2000.html
"God Is Good" (2000) recorded by Chester D. T. Baldwin. 

 https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/regina-belle-god-is-good-youtube-gospel.html "God Is Good" (2008) by Regina Belle.  

In addition, a Gospel song entitled "God Is Good All The Time" was recorded in 1998 by (White American) Don Moen. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q376chG2yDs for a YouTube video of that song.

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RECENT COMMENTS ABOUT THE SAYING "GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME"
On March 25, 2024 controversial Black Conservative commentator Candace Owens was interviewed on the popular radio show "The Breakfast Club". 

As is the custom of the hosts of that radio show, toward the end of that interview, Candace Owens was asked several questions about "Black culture". When she was asked for the response to the saying "God is good", Candace said "Amen" instead of saying "All the time". The hosts then gave the correct response and indicated that response is something that almost all Black people know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goIrzPIh8yA&t=804s time stamp:1:06:23 

The video clip of that interview has been widely circulated on African American podcasts. Some podcasters and/or commenters have facetiously or seriously indicated that knowing the correct answer to that  saying is part of a "test" that determines whether a person in the United States is Black or not.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREADS ABOUT THE SAYING "GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME"

This is one of many online discussion thread of online videos about the saying "God is Good All The Time" that were published because of the March 2024 The Breakfast Club segment with Candace Owens.

These selected comments are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

From https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/so-is-%E2%80%9Cgod-is-good%E2%80%9D-really-a-black-american-test-lol.5589303/ So is “God is Good” really a Black American test? lol, April 19, 2024

Pancocojams Editor's Note- Lipstick Alley.com was started in the United States as an online discussion thread for Black people. Almost all of the commenters are Black and it appears that most of those commenters are still from the United States. 

1.Sundaedinner, thread starter

So I’m sure y’all saw Candace Owens try and fail the “God is Good” test, right?

So why I was listening to the Joe Budden podcast and they were talking about this being a Black test.

 They had Melissa Ford, who’s a biracial Canadian, and Queenzflip, I’m not sure his background but he’s not ADOS, to try to finish the phrase and they couldn’t!!! Lmaooooo

They started saying the God is great, Good is good. Let us thank him for our food, prayer.

And they were really confused and I was dying because I did not know why I thought this saying was as universal as that prayer.

Don’t finish the phrase!!!!!

But tell me if you CAN you finish the phrase!!!

I want to know if you know the phrase lmaoooo"
-snip-
"ADOS" = "Americans Descendants of Slaves", a relatively recently formed movement/ideology/lineage; Foundational Black American (FBA) is a very similar movement, ideology, lineage. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/06/article-excerpts-about-population.html "Article Excerpts About The Population Referents "ADOS" (American Descendants Of Slaves) And "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans)".

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2. Sundaedinner, April 19, 2024
"awayzright said:

All sayings like this aren't completely universal in black culture. Black Catholics don't do this call response in Mass, lol

But even if you didn’t grow up saying this, you had to have heard this before.

It’s so common."

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3. Alleybux, April 19, 2024
"Sundaedinner said:

lol it’s not a prayer.

It’s a saying.

Like your grandma or auntie would say it. Or really anybody.

It is said in church but most times it’s just said if something good happens.

ohhh ya I associate it w prayer cuz only my religious fam say stuff like that fr

u gotta forgive me I’m in the South I love God but allat extra is exhausting

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4. alwayzright, Apr 19, 2024
"Sundaedinner said:

But even if you didn’t grow up saying this, you had to have heard this before.

It’s so common.

It depends on a lot of factors. It's very possible for black people to have not been exposed to this and a lot of other sayings assumed to be universal in black culture. Yes there are a lot of sayings and customs that are deeply embedded in black culture, but to say knowing or not knowing any one of them is proof that you are or aren't really black is ridiculous."

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5. Sundaedinner, Apr 19, 2024
"alwayzright said:

It depends on a lot of factors. It's very possible for black people to have not been exposed to this and a lot of other sayings assumed to be universal in black culture. Yes there are a lot of sayings and customs that are deeply embedded in black culture, but to say knowing or not knowing any one of them is proof that you are or aren't really black is ridiculous.

If you read my original post and the fact that the title was a question you can tell it was tongue in cheek.

However there are universal sayings that 90-95% of Black Americans know."

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6. Sundaedinner, Apr 19, 2024
New Miracles said:

I didn't learn of this until I was an adult. It had to originate in the deep south tho. Now that it's being promoted the Kardashian's will probably start saying it

 

Lmaoooooo yea I think it probably did originate in the south but so many people migrated to the North and West I know it’s said there too."

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7.  1soluvly. Apr 19, 2024
"Beverly417 said:

Preacher: God is good

Congregation: All the time

Preacher: And all the time

Congregation: God is good

 

And the preacher usually says it right before the sermon.

 

It's like a call to attention sometimes to end a fellowship period or to close out a spontaneous praise and worship outbreak.

But some people will also use it in day to day speech.

Like did you hear Sally is home from the hospital...God is good...

...all the time..."

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8. Buffalo Butt, Apr 19, 2024
"Today I posted about how a lot of people today are godless. They don’t know anything about interactions and greetings in church.

Someone gives you good news “I got a promotion” the response depending on their generation will be “God is good” and you respond “all the time” somebody who only heard that part the interaction might chime in “I know that’s right” and you all end up praising the lord for a minute.

I want to go back down south! These heathens don’t know anything!"

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9. Applesauce1978, Apr 19, 2024
"Imo or the way I was raised to use it was: it isn’t a test but a TESTIMONY. You stated it after something positive happened or with faith that something positive would happen."

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10.alwayzright, Apr 19, 2024
"Sundaedinner said:

If you read my original post and the fact that the title was a question you can tell it was tongue in cheek.

However there are universal sayings that 90-95% of Black Americans know.

Lol, I get it. Of course it's not a serious test, but some people will act like it is. And culturisms have changed and evolved drastically in the internet/social media age. There was a time when different cultures were segregated from each other and we bonded through our use of language and colloquialisms. Now everyone is exposed to everything, so sayings that meant something to everyone in our community 50 years ago don't even register with people who were born after the internet and smart phones were commonplace. Their great-grandmother may have said "God is good, all the time", but they mama and them is talking about how many likes they got."

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From https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/so-is-%E2%80%9Cgod-is-good%E2%80%9D-really-a-black-american-test-lol.5589303/page-2

11.  chiwe, Apr 19, 2024
"Buffalo Butt said:

ALL THE TIME!!!! My migraine is worsening just reading this thread.

Who raised these people?!

My husband is catholic, deep in Catholicism and still responded correctly to God is good.

I was raised Catholic too, and I know it! I'm surprised by the black people who don't, lol."

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12. Stormy_Weather, Apr 19, 2024
"It’s a generational/cultural thing. If you’re at least older Gen Z, and you grew up with a real grandmother—old school, God fearing, gospel listening, went to church every Sunday regardless of denomination—or you were raised in the church, you’d be more familiar with that saying. These youngins got grandmothers who are 46 and who haven’t been inside a church since Easter Sunday 1998. Furthermore, when they are around the old folks, they’re not eavesdropping and acting like they’re not like how we did back in the day, which is how we picked up the sayings of our elders. They’re too busy in their phones, with their headphones on, that they’re not paying attention to what’s going on around them"

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13. nevershoutnever, Apr 19, 2024
"My parents aren't even from America but my grandmother had us all in church from a young age so I'd heard it since I was young. The other day an older BM said it to me and it stopped me in my tracks lol. Reminded me of my granny. I really only hear it from older black people unfortunately."

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14. dailylife, Apr 19, 2024
"I feel like if you’ve been in this country a long time, you ought to know it. I’m not ADOS and I knew it."

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15. TSquared, Apr 19, 2024
"Of course I know the phrase.

 If you didn't come up in Black American Protestant churches I can see why you wouldn't though.

 It's very IYKYK"
-snip-
IYKYK=”If you know, you know”

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16. Hi5Perry, April 19, 2024
"A lot of non-Black people would pass that test and a lot of Black people would not. It's a Southern Protestant thing. Of course, Southern Protestantism (and Southern culture in general) is heavily influenced by Southern Black Americans. I wouldn't expect all Black Americans to know something that's a part of such a specific group"

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17. Sundaedinner, April 19, 2024
"I never heard white people say this and this is said all over the US. It’s probably said more in the South. But I think it’s said other areas too."

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18. nocturnalis, April 19, 2024
"If you are ADOS, and don’t know this, I’m going to give you a side eye, idc."

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19. TSquared, April 19, 2024
"Idk.

I didn't grow up with the phrase in church. I'm 45. I don't think I started hearing it in church til I was in my 20s. But maybe this varies by location?"

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20. BlaqAmethyst, Apr 19, 2024
"Well I guess I failed too! When I saw the Candace video I was confused as to why everyone was clowning her. Like I was watching it thinking what was she supposed to say because I didn't immediately get it either."

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21. Earthenware Kitt, April 19, 2024
"Sundaedinner said:

Yall really disappointing me.

 I’m bout to start pulling Black cards!!!!

 

At least it's being revealed who's a Foundational Black American and who's not.

And yes, I've even heard African people say "God is good, all the time."

If someone Black hasn't heard it at least once?

That's at least...Odd."

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22. Lurkin2020, Apr 20, 2024
"I think it’s universally FBA. It’s so commonly said that even I know what it is and I wasn’t raised in The Black Church. If you grew up in FBA culture, you know it’s so ubiquitous, that it’s part of the everyday lexicon of idioms within the various regional AAVE dialects across the country.

ETA: As far as it being a test —no. It’s not like it’s something we test each other on to see if they’re FBA or anything.

Do Caribbeans say this to test FBAs, Afro-Latinos, or Africans and their direct diaspora?

And yes, of course I know the proper response. "

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23. Haitian1, Apr 20, 2024
"im Not African American and knew this cause i visited many African American churchs when i was a kid lol"

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24. Hi5Perry, April 20, 2024
 Accurate! And throw in "May not come when you want Him" if you want to catch a Black Christian

Sundaedinner said:

I never heard white people say this and this is said all over the US. It’s probably said more in the South. But I think it’s said other areas too.

I've always attended "white"/mixed churches. I've heard Black/white/Latino people say it all my life.

It's said more in the South because it comes from Southern Protestant culture. It's said in other places because of the Great Migration
-snip-
The correct response to the African American call “He may not come when you want Him” is “But He’s always right on time”.

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25. Elowen, Apr 20, 2024
"Damn. I would have failed this.

I don't know it at all.

I'm 100% FBA both sides of my family.

Oh well. Lol!"

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26. alwayzright, Apr 20, 2024
"Elowen said:

Damn. I would have failed this.

I don't know it at all.

I'm 100% FBA both sides of my family.

Oh well. Lol!

Lol you good. They always saying the BC is not a monolith but claim “you ain’t black” if you ever fall out of step with what they consider the norm. Lol"
-snip-
"BC"= "the Black community"

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27. SAFE184, Apr 20, 2024
"I’m Canadian.. this is standard in the West Indian and multicultural SDA churches I’ve been to, and I can imagine beyond.

Some people didn’t grow up in church like that, a church that says that, or may even just have a brain fart when put on the spot. I don’t think the results of this test prove or disprove what the tester is intending."

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28. Sundaedinner, Apr 20, 2024
TSquared said:

Idk.

I didn't grow up with the phrase in church. I'm 45. I don't think I started hearing it in church til I was in my 20s. But maybe this varies by location?

 

Probably.

Maybe it is a south thing but I know I’ve heard it up north and in the Midwest. So idk."

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29. Sundaedinner, Apr 20, 2024
"The test part was tongue in cheek because I honestly did think this was a universal saying and was shocked with the amount of people who didn’t know it."

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30. ugfrogishere, Apr 20, 2024
"I know the phrase, but I was bought up in the church by a pious West African father and they'd say this at KICC."
-snip-
Here's information about KICC:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsway_International_Christian_Centre
"Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) is based in London, England and was established in 1992 with 200 adults and 100 children. It currently has up to 12,000 people in attendance at the main church every Sunday.[1] The church is pastored by Matthew Ashimolowo.

The church, whose majority membership is under 50 years of age, is predominantly of West African origin but claims that worshippers come from 46 nations.[2] It was located for nine years on a 9.5-acre (38,000 m2) site in Hackney, London, close to the site of the 2012 Olympics Village.”…

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Chester D. T. Baldwin - "God Is Good" (2000 Gospel video with lyrics)

JDIRecordsInc, May 21, 2009

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of the song "God Is Good" that was composed by Chester D. T. Baldwin.

Information about Chester. D. T. Baldwin is included in this post along with the lyrics for this African American Gospel song.  

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Chester D. T. Baldwin for his music ministry. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube. 

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INFORMATION ABOUT CHESTER D. T. BALDWIN
From https://www.last.fm/music/Chester+D.T.+Baldwin/+wiki
"Chester D. T. Baldwin is a native of Liberty, Texas a small rural community 45 miles east of Houston. He is the 5th of five children and grew up in home where there was plenty of singing and praising God....

Making Austin his home, Chester became the office administrator for a group of primary doctors. He managed their offices for 12 years then heeded God’s call to full time music ministry. Chester is now a highly sought gospel music singer recording artist and church choir workshop clinician, performing over 35 such clinics and concerts a year throughout the United States and abroad including England, Denmark, and Korea.

Chester is an accomplished musician, director, composer, and psalmist and has been an active and integral part of the Gospel music scene for the past 28 years. He has been featured on numerous GMWA Mass Choir and Men’s Choir recordings. His recordings, a lifelong dream, was made possible through the endorsement of the Holy Spirit and supported by the church community of Central Texas."...

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE

The call & response saying "God Is Good" / "All The Time" is particularly well known among African Americans. That saying most likely originated in the mid 20th century among African American Protestant congregations in the Southern region of the United States.

This pancocojams blog showcases three African American Gospel recordings with that title or with the title "God Is Good". The earliest African American recording that I have come across is "God Is Good All The Time" (1995) by Pastor Alvin Darling. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/alvin-darling-celebration-god-is-good.html for a pancocojams post that showcases that song.

The second African American example of a Gospel song with those titles that I have come across is "God Is Good" (2000) by Chester D. T. Baldwin. 

The third African American example of a Gospel song with those titles is "God Is Good" (2008) by Regina Belle. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/regina-belle-god-is-good-youtube-gospel.html for the pancocojams post that showcases that song.

A Gospel song entitled "God Is Good All The Time" was recorded in 1998 by (White American) Don Moen. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q376chG2yDs for a YouTube video of that song.

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LYRICS - GOD IS GOOD
(Composer - Chester D. T. Baldwin

Even though sometimes
It seems like you can't take it
(God is still good)
He'll give you a way to escape it
(All of the time)
He may not come when you want Him to
But I guarantee He'll step in right on time

God is good
God is good
God is good
All the time

God is good
God is good
My God is good all the time

When I woke up early this morning
I thanked the Lord for a brand new day
I know that my God is still in control
My God is good all the time

God is good all of the time
All of the time
My God's good all the time
All of the time (repeat)
My God is good all the time.


Online source: https://genius.com/Chester-dt-baldwin-god-is-good-lyrics

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Regina Belle - "God Is Good" (2008 YouTube Gospel song & lyrics)

ReginaBelleVEVO, Oct 7, 2009

Music video by Regina Belle performing God Is Good. (C) 2008 Pendulum Records, LLC and Walker David Entertainment, Ltd.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of the 2008 song "God Is Good" that was composed by Bernard Belle (RIP) and performed by his sister award winning Gospel singer Regina Bell.

Information about Regina Belle is included in this post along with the lyrics for this African American Gospel song.  

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Bernard Belle, the composer of this song and thanks to Regina Belle for her music ministry. 

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INFORMATION ABOUT REGINA BELLE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina_Belle
"Regina Belle (born July 17, 1963)[1][3] is an American singer-songwriter who started her career in the mid-1980s. Known for her singles "Baby Come to Me" (1989) and "Make It Like It Was" (1990), Belle is most notable for two hit duets, both with Peabo Bryson: "Without You", the love theme from the comedy film Leonard Part 6, recorded in 1987; and "A Whole New World", the main theme of the Disney's animated feature film Aladdin, recorded in 1992, with which Belle and Bryson won a Grammy Award. The theme song "Far Longer than Forever" from the animated movie The Swan Princess, performed with Jeffrey Osborne, was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1995 for Best Original Song.[6]

Belle was born in Englewood, New Jersey."...

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
The call & response saying "God Is Good" / "All The Time" is particularly well known among African Americans. That saying most likely originated in the mid 20th century among African American Protestant congregations in the Southern region of the United States.

This pancocojams blog showcases three African American Gospel recordings with that title or with the title "God Is Good". The earliest African American recording that I have come across is "God Is Good All The Time" (1995) by Pastor Alvin Darling. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/alvin-darling-celebration-god-is-good.html for a pancocojams post that showcases that song.

The second African American example of a Gospel song with those titles that I have come across is "God Is Good" (2000) by Chester D. T. Baldwin. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/chester-d-t-baldwin-god-is-good-2000.html for that pancocojams post.

The third African American example of a Gospel song with those titles is "God Is Good" (2008) by Regina Belle. 

A Gospel song entitled "God Is Good All The Time" was recorded in 1998 by (White American) Don Moen. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q376chG2yDs for a YouTube video of that song.

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LYRICS - GOD IS GOOD
(Composer - Bernard Belle)

I know that God-- my God
God Is Good----
Oh--- God--- my God
God Is Good----
You know he brought me out of darkness
God Is Good-----

You know that he saved--- my soul
God Is Good---
Said that he saved--- my soul
God Is Good----
I said that he saved--- my soul, and then he brought me out of darkness
God Is Good----

You know that he guides my every foot step
God Is Good----
I said he guides my every foot step
God Is Good----
You know that he guides my every foot step, then he saved--- my soul, and then he brought me out of darkness
God Is Good----

And then he put food on my table
God Is Good----
Said he put food on my table
God Is Good----
Said he put food on my table, then he put shoes on my feet, so he could guide my every foot step, Jesus saved---- my soul, and then he brought me out of darkness
God Is Good----

And then he made---- a way--
God Is Good----
Said he made--- a way
God Is Good----
I said that he made--- a way, then he put food--- on my table, then he put shoes--- on my feet, so he could guide my every foot step, Jesus saved--- my soul, and then he brought me out of darkness
God Is Good----

You know that he healed my every sickness
God is Good----
Said that he healed my every sickness
God Is Good----
I said that he healed my every sickness, with no money in my pocket, Jesus made a way out of no way, and then he brought me out of darkness
God Is Good----
God Is Good-----

Online Source:  https://genius.com/Regina-belle-god-is-good-lyrics

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Alvin Darling & Celebration - "God Is Good All The Time" (1995 African American Gospel sound file & lyrics)

Alvin Darling & Celebration - Topic, Jul 9, 2018

Provided to YouTube by Malaco Records

God Is Good All The Time · Alvin Darling & Celebration

℗ 1995 Savoy Records, Inc.

Released on: 1995-01-13

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube sound file of the 1995 record "God Is Good All The Time" by Alvin Darling & Celebration.

Information about Alvin Darling is also included in this post along with lyrics for this African American Gospel song.  

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Alvin Darling & Celebration for composing and recording this Gospel song. Thanks to Malaco Records for providing this record to YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT ALVIN DARLING
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Darling
"Pastor Alvin A. Darling (born December 23, 1948) is an American gospel musician. He started his music career, in 1990, with the release of two albums by Savoy Records, I've Learned to Put My Trust in God and Expect a Miracle. His next album was released by I Am Records in 1992, Medley of Praise, and an album was released with GGI Records in 1994, Hold On...To The Promise. His next two albums, 1995's There's an Answer in Prayer and 1998's Blessing Coming Through for You, was released by Savoy Records. The next four albums, 2005's You Deserve My Worship, 2007's My Blessing Is on the Way, 2009's You Can Make It, and Waiting Right Here, was released by Emtro Gospel Records. He would get five of these album to chart upon the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, and two of them got placements on the Heatseekers Albums chart. His is a GMA Dove Awards and Stellar Awards nominated artist."...

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
The call & response saying "God Is Good" / "All The Time" is particularly well known among African Americans. That saying most likely originated in the mid 20th century among African American Protestant congregations in the Southern region of the United States.

This pancocojams blog showcases three African American Gospel recordings with that title or with the title "God Is Good". The earliest African American recording that I have come across is "God Is Good All The Time" (1995) by Pastor Alvin Darling.

The second African American example of a Gospel song with those titles that I have come across is "God Is Good" (2000) by Chester D. T. Baldwin. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/chester-d-t-baldwin-god-is-good-2000.html for that pancocojams post.

The third African American example of a Gospel song with those titles is "God Is Good" (2008) by Regina Belle. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/07/regina-belle-god-is-good-youtube-gospel.html  for a pancocojams post that showcases that song.

A Gospel song entitled "God Is Good All The Time" was recorded in 1998 by (White American) Don Moen. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q376chG2yDs for a YouTube video of that song. 

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LYRICS - GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME
(Composer- Alvin Darling)

God is good
(All the time)
God is good
(Yes, all the time)

Well, the Lord is good
(Yes, all the time)
Wwell, God is good
(All the time)

I said the Lord is good to me
(All the time)
If you trust Him, He'll be good to you
(Yes, all the time)

I said the Lord is good
(Yes, all the time)
Well, God is good
(All the time)

 
Well, I know I don't deserve all of His good
And I know I don't serve him just like i should
So many things are not like they should be
But I'm grateful that He keep being good to me

I said the Lord is good
(Yes, all the time)
Trust Him. He'll be good to you
(Yes, all the time)

My Father, He's good
(Yes, all the time)
My Lord God is good
(All the time)

 
Well, I went in the valley one day to pray
And my soul got happy and I stayed all day
Well, my hands got stuck to the gospel plow
And I wont take nothing for my journey right now.
Hey, if you don't believe I been redeem
Come on and follow me down to the Jordan stream
Well, I stepped in the water and the water was cold
It chilled my natural body but didn't harm my soul

The Lord is good to me
(All the time)
The Lord is good to me
(Yes, He is, yes all the time)

I said the Lord is good to me
(All the time)
i said the Lord is good to me
(All the time)
Thank you, Lord
(God is good all the time.)

He keeps making a way for me
(All the time)
He turns my midnight into day
(Yes, all the time)
He'll pick you up when your down , Yes He will)
(All the time)
God is good
(All the time)

-snip-
This is my transcription from that YouTube sound file, with the assistance of https://www.invubu.com/music/show/song/Alvin-Darling%7CCelebration/God-Is-Good-All-the-Time.html . Additions and corrections are welcome.

With regards to Pastor Alvin Darling's song, the verse in that song that begins with the line "Well, I went in the valley one day to pray" and ends with the line "It chilled my natural body but didn't harm my soul" is made up of several "floating verses" that are found in a number of African American Spirituals and other Gospel songs. 

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Visitor comments are welcome

What "Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself" Means And Hakeem Jeffries' Statement About Byron Donalds' "Jim Crow & The Black Family" Remarks

C-SPAN, Jun 5, 2024  #cspan

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL): "It has come to my attention that a so-called leader has made the factually inaccurate statement that Black folks were better off during Jim Crow. That's an outlandish, outrageous, and out-of-pocket observation...How dare you make such an an ignorant observation. You better check yourself before you wreck yourself."

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a video of United States House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries providing a statement in Congress about Representative Byron Donalds' June 4, 2024 Trump campaign remarks to a group of Black men in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that included comments about Jim Crow and Black families. Hakeem Jeffries' statement includes the saying "Check yourself before you wreck yourself".

This post also presents an excerpt of a newspaper article about Byron Donalds' comments about Jim Crow and Black families and provides information about the meaning and early published use of that "check yourself before you wreck yourself" saying.

The content of this post is presented for political, socio-cultural, and linguistic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to C-Span for publishing this video and thanks to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his statement. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/06/byron-donalds-gets-disrespectful-with_11.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Byron Donalds Gets Disrespectful With Rev. Al Sharpton While Trying To Defend His "Jim Crow And Black Families" Comments"

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TRANSCRIPT\OF THIS CLIP
This is the complete auto-generated transcript of United States House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democratic- New York)'s congressional statement about this statement from Representative Byron Donalds (Republican-Florida).

I added punctuation, capitalization, corrected spelling errors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHquX0OFf5k&t=1s
"Mr. Speaker, [it] has come to my attention that a so-called leader has made the

factually inaccurate statement that Black folks were better off during Jim Crow.

That's an outlandish outrageous and out of pocket observation. We would not better off when a young boy named Emmitt Till could be brutally murdered without consequence because of Jim Crow.

We were not better off when Black women could be sexually assaulted with without consequence.  because of Jim Crow.

We were not better off when people could be systematically lynched without consequence because of Jim Crow.

We were not better off when children could be denied a high quality education without consequence because of Jim Crow.

We were not better off when people could be denied the right to vote without consequence because of Jim Crow.

How dare you make such an ignorant observation.

You better check yourself before you wreck yourself.

I yield back [my time]."
-snip-
What is ironical-although I'm sure that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was aware of this, is that the saying "Check yourself before you wreck yourself" was popularized by the Ice Cube's hit 1992 Hip Hop record "Check Yo Self". And Ice Cube is now a public supporter of Donald Trump. 

****
EXCERPT ABOUT BYRON DONALDS' JIM CROW AND BLACK FAMILIES REMARKS
From https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/byron-donalds-defends-comments-jim-crow-fiery-exchange-joy-reid-rcna155969 


June 6, 2024, By Zoë Richards

"Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida on Thursday defended comments he made this week that invoked Jim Crow — a period of racial violence and segregation — as an era when “the Black family was together.”

"I never said that it was better for Black people in Jim Crow," Donalds, a Florida Republican, told MSNBC's Joy Reid during an interview with "The ReidOut" on Thursday night.

The comments came after Donalds, who is sometimes mentioned as a potential running mate for Donald Trump, drew outrage after saying at a campaign event in Philadelphia for the former president on Tuesday that fewer Black families were fractured during Jim Crow.

“Don’t try to impose the fact that the marriage rates were better in the — higher, higher, I want to be clear — higher in the Jim Crow era to mean that I think Jim Crow is great," Donalds said. "That is a lie. That is gaslighting. I would never say such a thing."

At Tuesday's event aimed at outreach to Black voters in battleground Pennsylvania, Donalds, a Trump campaign surrogate, suggested that by embracing Democrats, circumstances have worsened for Black people. He pointed to programs enacted by President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s that included expanding federal food stamps, housing, welfare and Medicaid for low-income Americans.

“You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative — Black people have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively,” Donalds told the audience Tuesday."..

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WHAT "CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF" MEANS
 (with information about early published examples of that saying) 

Pancocojams Editor's Note: These statements about which use of this saying came first aren't necessarily correct.

These sources and quotes are numbered for referencing purposes only.

Source  #1
From https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/check_yourself_before_you_wreck_yourself
"check yourself before you wreck yourself"
(colloquial) Consider the consequences of your actions before you end up in trouble."
-snip-
"Check yourself before you wreck yourself" is from African American Vernacular English.

****
Source #2
From https://www.quora.com/What-does-check-yourself-before-you-wreck-yourself-mean-What-are-the-origins-of-this-phrase
1.Jon Pennington, 2015
"The original version of this phrase from the 1970s was “check it before you wreck it” which was used as a slogan by Nationwide Saft-Breaks Centers in order to encourage people [to] get their brakes on their cars checked by mechanics before causing an auto wreck."

**
2. Dennis Mulgannon, 2017
"Originally Answered: What does the phrase "check yourself before you wreck yourself" mean?

It is a variation of the old saying: Look before you leap. As in, don't dive into the water unless you know you won't hit your head on a rock."

**
3. Dennis Mulgannon, 2017
"The oldest example I’ve seen is in Dion and the Wanderer’s Two Ton Feather which was released in 1966.

CHORUS:

And I say jump back, baby, jump back, baby
Check yourself, don't you wreck yourself
You know it may look like I'm crazy, baby, but I know better
Don't try to hand me no 2-ton feather

What he means with “check yourself, don’t wreck yourself” is take a step back and reconsider your actions before you get yourself in trouble."
-snip-
Dion was a popular White American Pop singer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A lot of his song material was from the African American culture.

**
4.  Bot, May 2024
"Check yourself before you wreck yourself" is a popular saying that is often used to advise someone to think carefully about their actions or behavior before they end up in trouble or make a serious mistake. It essentially means to pause and consider the consequences of one's actions before proceeding.

While the single version of the song (also titled Radio Remix "The Message") has been censored, the longer, uncensored version of The Message remix is featured on Ice Cube's Bootlegs & B-Sides album and was later released on his Greatest Hits album. The clean version of "Check Yo Self (The Message Remix)" appeared in the soundtrack of the movie Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

The phrase originated from a song called "Check Yo Self" by the American rapper Ice Cube, released in 1993. The song's lyrics contain the line "You better check yourself before you wreck yourself," which became a well-known catchphrase. The message behind the phrase is to encourage self-awareness and caution to avoid negative outcomes or consequences.

Over time, the phrase has become a common expression used in various contexts to warn someone to be mindful of their actions and behavior to prevent undesirable outcomes. It is often used in a lighthearted or humorous way to remind someone to reconsider their choices before proceeding.

****
Source #3
From - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Check_Yo_Self
" "Check Yo Self" is the third and final single from American rapper Ice Cube's third solo album, The Predator (1992). It was released on July 13, 1993 by Priority Records, and features New York City rappers Das EFX. It topped both the US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap charts while also reaching number 20 on the Hot 100 chart.[1] The song retains two main versions, the original and a remix which utilizes the same beat as Grandmaster Flash's "The Message", titled "Check Yo Self (The Message Remix)". The original mix includes a sample from the intro of the Beastie Boys' track "The New Style", which uses the phrase "check it" throughout the chorus.

While the single version of the song (also titled Radio Remix "The Message") has been censored, the longer, uncensored version of The Message remix is featured on Ice Cube's Bootlegs & B-Sides album and was later released on his Greatest Hits album. The clean version of "Check Yo Self (The Message Remix)" appeared in the soundtrack of the movie Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay."
-snip-
A lot of online sources erroneously credit the saying "Check yourself before you wreck yourself" to Ice Cube. It is correct that Ice Cube's 1992 record "Check Yo Self" popularized the African American vernacular saying "Check yourself before you wreck yourself."

Warning- Ice Cube's "Check Yo Self" record contains a lot of profanity, sexually explicit lyrics, references to violence, and the "n word".

****
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Rev.James Cleveland--"Give Me My Flowers" (With Comments From The United States & From Several African Nations)

Brian Samms, Mar 6, 2011

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about the Gospel song "Give Me My Flowers" and the African American originated saying "Give them their flowers (while they are living). This saying is also given as "Give her (or him) her (or his) flowers (while she [or he] is living".   

This post showcases a song file of James Cleveland's rendition of the Gospel song "Give Me My Flowers" and presents a small number of comments about that saying from various internet sources. This post documents that the African American originated saying "Give me my flowers" or "Give them their flowers" is known and used in other nations besides the United States.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-gospel-song-give-me-my-flowers-and.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post includes a sound file of that song by The Consolers, information about that Gospel duo, information about that song, and lyrics for that song.

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

Thanks to James Cleveland for his musical legacy and thanks to Sullivan Pugh from The Consolers for composing this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREADS ABOUT THE SAYING "GIVE ME  MY FLOWERS" OR "GIVE THEM THEIR FLOWERS" 

These internet sources are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

ONLINE SOURCE #1
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p91x-W3zsQo Rev. James Cleveland-Give Me My Flowers, posted by Brian Samms, Mar 6, 2011

 1. linsdleydunning1568, 2013
"What an AMAZING song! This song says it ALL. We should cherish our loved ones and NEVER take em for granted. Here on minute and gone in a twinkle of an eye. Give em their flowers yet while in the land of the living!!!!!!!!!"

**
2. @jjohnson1121,2020
"I think this song is SUPER Sad.. However, my Grandma would always....say Give Me my flowers while I'm still ALIVE! I would always hear her say say give them to ke Now So I can Enjoy Them! It's Her Birthday today as well as tomorrow. During My GMA TIMES she was not sure if it was the 14th or 15th so we always celebrated Everyday! She was a Praying, God FEARING, Very Stearn & Hard Working Woman. I Love Her SOO Much & She Will always Be my Best Friend. WE Prayed together, laughed together & I wish I could call & laugh with hernia but I'm Not Going to be Selfish with all this Chaos Going On She's Definitely Rejoicing in Heaven. That's why Every time I saw her I would make sure to find a Beautiful Bouquet or something to give My GMA..."

**
3. @lucillemayweather2223,2023
"yes give me my flowers  as I live and my family all way give me flowers  I am sending this flowers  to everyone who reads this message I no Rev James got his flowers  to God be the glory thanks you" ️

****
ONLINE SOURCE #2
from https://www.boundless.org/relationships/give-me-my-flowers-while-im-living/ "Give Me My Flowers While I’m Living", Thabiti Anyabwile, May 17, 2007
"Tell your loved ones how you feel. Now.

That’s what my mother often says when she attends a funeral and hears all the nice things people say, or witnesses the deep grief of persons who perhaps have loved deeply but not expressed it in various ways. With a resolution born of knowing, she announces in a calm tone, almost to herself and to no one in particular, “Give me my flowers while I’m living.”

Over the years, it’s become for me a lesson in expressing gratitude. I can see the rows of flowers and arrangements adorning the pulpit area and casket at funerals — wonderful colors, arrangements of various sizes, sometimes with ribbons bearing various sentiments. Then my mother’s voice, “Give me my flowers while I’m living.” “….

****
ONLINE SOURCE #3
From https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Emmys2022cKenzieJean-Philippe
"@McKenzie_JP

10:27 PM Sept . 12, 2022

So many beautiful, deserving Black women getting their flowers tonight. I could cry #Emmys #Emmys2022
-snip-
The Black women that this commenter referred to are Zendaya, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lizzo, and Quinta Brunson.

****
ONLINE SOURCE #4
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut3lDyGoqVU "Sho Madjozi - Chale (Official Music Video)", Sho Madjozi, Feb 3, 2023

@yibanathi.n03, 2023
"Somebody give Tboy deflame his flowers. This is a HIT! 💛💛💛"
-snip-
Tboy is a DJ from the nation of South Africa. Here's some information from https://ra.co/dj/t-boy
" With a career that spans over 10 years and both hemispheres, T-Boy has DJed at some of the most famous and well respected club nights in the World."...

****
ONLINE SOURCE #5
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=421w1j87fEM "Burna Boy-Last Last [Official Music Video]", Burna Boy, May 12, 2022

Shelton Hickmon, 2022
"This goooo Burna giving our flowers 💐 to Ms. Toni Braxton 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾"

****
ONLINE SOURCE #6
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_hKXk2qSuw "Toni Braxton - He Wasn't Man Enough (Official Video)", Toni Braxton, October 25, 2009

Ms. Philadelphia, 2023
"I always bumped this back in the day. I love the sample of Burna Boy last last of this song. I play it everyday…. Toni Braxton getting her flowers while she’s still here to take it all in…..They’re both great artist ❤️❤️🔥🔥🇺🇸"

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ONLINE SOURCE #7
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LCoksSQMzs "Fuse ODG - Antenna Ft. Wyclef Jean (Official Video)", OffDaGroundTV,  Dec 16, 2012  #TINA

@emmanuelquaye5001, 2023
"Give this man his flowers for me!"
-snip-
Fuse ODG is a Ghanaian/ United Kingdom singer, songwriter, and rapper who is credited with being the first or among the first African performing artists to introduce the Afrobeats music genre and Azonto dance throughout the world.   

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ONLINE SOURCE #8
from https://www.invubu.com/music/show/song/The-Consolers/Give-Me-My-Flowers.html, September 2022
"My Aunt Estela would sing this at church with so much feelings waving a bouquet of flowers to someone special."

****
ONLINE SOURCE #9
From https://twitter.com/search?q=%22keke+palmer%22

@WrittenByTerry

1:28 PM Jul 16, 2022

"Keke Palmer is one of the most talented people in the world. She can do drama, comedy, horror, you name it. Her résumé is unparalleled. I’m so happy to see her getting her flowers 💐"

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ONLINE SOURCE #10 
From https://womenwhohope.com/2017/06/27/give-them-their-flowers-while-they-can-still-smell-the-scent/ "Give Them Their Flowers While They Can Still Smell the Scent", Posted June 27, 2017 by Dawn Onley
"Three years ago, my family hosted a 100th birthday celebration for my grandmother at one of the fancier restaurants in my small town.

[…]

Afterwards, an older cousin raved at the great time she had and also commented that she wished that she could know now what everyone would say about her at her funeral. She said we gave our Nana that opportunity because we gave her “her flowers while she is still here to enjoy them.”

At the time, I shared this comment with my Facebook friends as a status update. Yesterday, I was reminded about the comment when it came up as a Facebook memory. I’m thankful that it did because it reinforced for me that I need to make sure I’m putting forth my greatest effort in giving my loved ones their flowers while they are still here. This means letting them know that they have added so much value to my life just by being in it; that they are irreplaceable; that I have learned from the lessons they have taught; that I admire them; that I feel so immensely blessed to call them family or friend.”…

****
ONLINE SOURCE #11
From https://mugibson.medium.com/the-power-there-is-in-expression-and-why-you-should-give-your-people-their-flowers-while-they-can-40a7bab823bb The power there is in expression and why you should give your people their flowers while they can still smell them

Mugibson, Oct 21, 2020

[…]

Unlike the literal meaning of buying physical flowers and handing them to loved ones, but rather the kind words that people had to say about her and to her, giving people their flowers while they can still smell simply means giving them those “flowers” when it still matters. Flowers here is a metaphor for words, actions or basically making them see and/or feel. If you have something to say to someone, that’s making you feel unsettled, say it. But say it to them in time.

Give roses to the living, while they can still collect them.”

****
ONLINE SOURCE #12
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okfR_VIbXEQ "Muni Long - Hrs & Hrs", Muni Long, Nov 22, 2021 

1. jake, 2022
"I’ve been following Muni for years (when she went by Priscilla Renea) & I’m so glad she’s getting the recognition she deserves. The way this song is blowing up!!! It makes me so happy. Go sis!!!"

**
Reply
2. Jasta, 2022
"She's co-written a ton of hits including VSOP by K Michelle, California King Bed by Rihanna, Timber by Pitbull, Who Says by Selena Gomez, Dont Wake Me Up by Chris Brown, Somethin' Bad by Miranda Lambert, Worth It by Fifth Harmony, Popular Song by Mika and Ariana Grande, Love So Soft by Kelly Clarkson, and Imagine by Ariana Grande. She's written pop hits, r&b hits, country hits... Her range is insane and she deserves her flowers"

**
Reply
3. Taylor D, 2022
"Literally your whole comment is on google. People better start doing research & give this Queen her flowers that’s been overdue! 🗣💯"

****
ONLINE SOURCE #13
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vOwxTqeRkY&ab_channel=ReeceMadlisa%26Zuma "Reece Madlisa & Zuma - Iy'ntsimbi Zase Envy (Official Music Video),Reece Madlisa & Zuma | Ama Roto, December 3, 2021

[Pancocojams Editor's Note:  The men who are mentioned in these comments are associated with South Africa's Amapiano music genre.]

1. Minenhle Masuku, 2022
"Let’s give amaroto their flowers while they are alive😭🔥These boys are the future 😩😭❤️"

**
2, Letlhogonolo Ramaswiela, 2022
"They deserve those flowers indeed🔥🔥🔥they r going far as artists"

**
3. Letlhogonolo Ramaswiela, 2022
"Can someone give Zuma his flowers plz💐💐this guy is a blessing to the amapiano industry,he has changed the game completely🔥🔥🔥🔥i can't imagine this industry without Zuma✊✊🔥🔥🔥🔥uMr ahaaa beno nxamalala"

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ONLINE SOURCE #14
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wS1-RViqeQ "Kizz Daniel - Buga (Official Dance Video)", June 2, 2022

[Pancocojams Editor's Note- This is a video from Nigeria.]

1. Deborah Akello, 2022
"Nigerians!!! okay Africans!!! where y'all?? Come give this our brothers and sisters their flowers 🌹🌹🌹they have earned them so very well💃💃."

**
2. Uncle London, 2023
"Cameroon is in the building 🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲 give Kizz Daniel his flowers 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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ONLINE SOURCE #15
from https://living267.com/2018/09/05/give-me-my-flowers-while-im-living/ Give Me My Flowers While I’m Living,  Jessica M, September 5, 2018
…."All the time I would hear my grandmother and others say “Give me my flowers while I’m living” or “Give me my flowers while I can still smell them.” I think it’s funny now that I took that saying literal a few years ago. I went so far that I began buying my mom and grandmother flowers for most holidays to make sure I gave them their “flowers” while they are still living. What I truly missed was they weren’t talking about actual flowers at all.

To truly give your loved ones “flowers” while they are still living looks like telling them how much you love them every day, spending time with them, making sure they know that they are loved, telling them the good things about themselves”….

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

The Gospel Song "Give Me My Flowers" And The Meaning Of The Saying "Give Them Their Flowers" (While They Are Living" Or "While They Can Smell Them)

Consolers (DE) - Topic, Jan 9, 2019

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.

Released on: 1998-01-01

Composer  Lyricist: Sullivan Pugh

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about the Gospel song "Give Me My Flowers" and the African American originated saying "Give them their flowers (while they are living).

This pancocojams post showcases the Gospel song "Give Me My Flowers" by The Consolers.

This post includes a sound file of that song, information about that Gospel duo, information about that song, and lyrics for that song. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/05/revjames-cleveland-give-me-my-flowers.html__ for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a song file of James Cleveland's rendition of the Gospel song "Give Me My Flowers". That post also includes a small compilation of online comments that include the saying "Give them their flowers" from people in the United States and from people in several African nations.    

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

Thanks to The Consolers for their musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSOLERS
From https://www.malaco.com/artists/gospel/the-consolers "The Consolers"
-written by Robert M. Marovich (no publishing date cited. Retrieved on May 8, 2024)
" The most popular husband-and-wife singing duo during gospel’s golden age was Sullivan and Iola Pugh, better known as the Consolers. Their folkloric style, cultural historian Anthony Heilbut noted, combined elementary tunes with sentimental messages that expanded the thematic content of gospel lyrics.

Born October 1, 1925, in Moore Haven, Florida, Sullivan lost his mother at age three when she was among the estimated 2,500 killed by the Great Okeechobee Hurricane of September 26, 1928, one of the biggest natural disasters in United States history. Motherless, he and his siblings were adopted by James and Virginia Pugh. When he was grown, Sullivan moved to Miami.

Like Sullivan, Iola Lewis, born July 22, 1926, in Cottonton, Alabama, also lost her mother at age three. Raised by her maternal grandmother, Iola eventually moved to Columbus, Georgia, to complete high school and attended Claflin College (now Claflin University), an HBCU located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, before settling in Miami in 1949.

Iola and Sullivan met at a Miami tent revival service and married on March 11, 1950. Around 1951 or 1952, they and Pearl Nance-Rayford formed a vocal trio called the Miami Soul Stirrers. When Pearl left the group, the Pughs continued as a duo, first billed as the Consolators, but when a minister suggested “Consolers” was the more proper term, they changed to the Consolers. Sullivan played a percussive guitar and sang; Iola, whose inspirations included Marion Williams and Mahalia Jackson, accompanied on vocals.

[…]

In 1955, the Consolers signed with Nashboro Records. Their initial release, Give Me My Flowers, was a huge and lasting gospel hit that inaugurated a more than 25-year span of successful singles and albums for the company. From Sullivan’s pen came such classics as Waiting for My Child, May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me, Around God’s Throne and Thank God Things Are as Well as They Are. Religious audiences connected with these mini homilies and morality plays set to music.

As members of the Church of the Living God, a Holiness denomination, the Consolers adhered to the “in the world, not of the world” credo. It informed their no-frills traditional sound, the cautionary messages in their lyrics, their modest attire, their commitment to faith and family and their conventional public persona.

[…]

The Pughs traveled the country on the strength of their record sales, propelled in large part by extensive exposure on WLAC, Nashville’s 50,000-watt radio station. At one time, the Consolers’ record sales were surpassed only by the Reverend James Cleveland in gospel music. Indeed, in the early 1960s, the Consolers regularly joined Cleveland and the Angelic Choir, the Caravans and the Staple Singers at the top of the Billboard gospel charts. The duo’s visibility expanded after Heilbut secured for them an appearance at the 1972 Newport Jazz Festival.

If gospel music had changed in the 1980s, the Consolers’ sound had not. The Pughs continued to record their country revival–style songs and melodies for Savoy (Jesus Brought Joy and Give God Thanks) and for Atlanta International Records (Jesus, I Love You). It was through their association with these two labels that they became connected with Malaco Records.

Iola’s death on October 11, 1994, marked the end of the Consolers, but the group’s impact on music endured. Sullivan (and Iola, posthumously) received a Florida Folk Heritage Award in 2002. The following year, they were inducted into the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The Consolers Progressive Charity Club continued to provide support to the Miami area’s needy.

In 2004, Sullivan sang Speak for Me on Malaco’s Gospel Legends DVD, joining fellow veterans of the gospel highway, such as Ira Tucker, Dorothy Norwood, Margaret Wells Allison and Shirley Caesar in this celebration of traditional gospel music. Sullivan Pugh died at age 85 on December 30, 2010.

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LYRICS - GIVE ME MY FLOWERS
(composer - Sullivan Pugh)

Album: Lord, Bring Me Down

"Give me my flowers
while I yet live
so that I, I, I can see the beauty
that they bring

Friends and loved ones
may give me flowers
when I'm sick…
or on my sick bed
But i'd rather have
just one tulip right now
than a truck load of roses
when I'm dead

Speak kind words to me
while I can hear them
so that i, i, i can hear the beauty
that they bring

Online source: https://www.invubu.com/music/show/song/The-Consolers/Give-Me-My-Flowers.html 
-snip-
I added capitalization to these lyrics where it is appropriate. 

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WHAT DOES THE SAYING "GIVE THEM THEIR FLOWERS" (WHILE THEY ARE LIVING) OR "GIVE THEM THEIR FLOWERS (WHILE THEY ARE ABLE TO SMELL THEM)  MEAN?

Note: The entire saying may be used or the first part of the saying may be used with either one of the second parts of the saying not used but implied.

Excerpt #1
From https://www.luvi.sh/give-your-friends-their-flowers-while-they-can-still-smell-them/ "Why Expressing Gratitude is Important in Friendship: Give Your Friends Their Flowers While They Can Still Smell Them" written by Samantha Genkins, Aug 30, 2023

...."Why is it important to show appreciation to friends?

Have you ever thought about how you celebrate your friends? If you're like most of us, you probably wait for birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions to show them just how much they mean to you. But here's a thought, why wait? Why not give them their flowers while they can still smell them? It's about time we start appreciating our friends for who they are, while they are still here with us.

So, what does it mean to 'give someone their flowers'? No, we're not just talking about a bouquet of roses here (though that's always a nice touch). The phrase is metaphorical, suggesting we should express our love, gratitude, and appreciation to those we care about while they're still alive. It's about acknowledging their value, their worth, and their impact on our lives."

****

Excerpt #2
From https://raisingsupaman.com/2018/04/give-me-my-flowers “Give Me My Flowers”
“Give Me My Flowers” is an encouraging reminder for all of us to stop taking life and the existence of those whom we profess to care about and love for granted."

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Excerpt #3
From https://www.boundless.org/relationships/give-me-my-flowers-while-im-living/ "Give Me My Flowers While I’m Living" by Thabiti Anyabwile, May 17, 2007
"Tell your loved ones how you feel. Now.

That’s what my mother often says when she attends a funeral and hears all the nice things people say, or witnesses the deep grief of persons who perhaps have loved deeply but not expressed it in various ways. With a resolution born of knowing, she announces in a calm tone, almost to herself and to no one in particular, “Give me my flowers while I’m living.”

Over the years, it’s become for me a lesson in expressing gratitude. I can see the rows of flowers and arrangements adorning the pulpit area and casket at funerals — wonderful colors, arrangements of various sizes, sometimes with ribbons bearing various sentiments. Then my mother’s voice, “Give me my flowers while I’m living.” “….
-snip-
This saying is also given as "Give me my flowers when I can still smell them". An example of this form of that saying can be found at  
https://www.reddit.com/r/quotes/comments/cyriff/if_you_admire_someone_you_should_go_ahead_andr/quotes

AyoWoods, 2018
"If you admire someone, you should go ahead and tell them. People never get the flowers while they can still smell them" - Kanye West (Big Brother) [record released 2007]
-snip-
By at least the early 2000s the saying "Give them their flowers".. was extended beyond family members and other loved ones to mean "Don't wait until a particular musical artist or other performer dies to eulogizes them, but give them the public recognition, praise, and awards they deserve while they are living. 

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WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND OF THIS SAYING? 
"Give me my flowers while I'm still alive" (also given as "Give me my flowers while I can still smell them") has its source in the 1955 Gospel song "Give Me My Flowers" that was composed by (African American) Sullivan Pugh. Sullivan Pugh was part of the Gospel duo "The Consolers" with his wife Iola Pugh.

The background for that Gospel song and that saying is  the custom of giving flowers to loved ones while they are living, giving flowers to demonstrate your appreciation for someone's achievement, and  decorating the location of a funeral service with flowers to commemorate someone's death.  

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

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

"Ain't Nobody Comin' To See You, Otis" Saying (Examples From Various Online Sources) , Part II

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams post about the line "Ain't nobody come to hear you, Otis" from the 1998 The Temptations television mini-series. That mini-series is commonly referred to as "The Temptation movie".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/04/aint-nobody-comin-to-see-you-otis.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about The Temptations and information about The 1998 The Temptation television mini-series. That post also showcases a YouTube video clip of a scene from that mini-series which includes the now iconic saying "Ain't Nobody Comin' To See You. Otis. A  transcription of that portion of that scene is also included in that post along with a  few comments from that embedded video's discussion thread.

Part II of this pancocojams series presents some examples of the quote "Ain't nobody come to hear you, Otis." that were used apart from that 1998 The Temptation television mini-series.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to David Ruffin who ad libbed "Ain't nobody comin' to see you, Otis" for that scene in The 1998 Temptations television min-series. Thanks also to The Temptations for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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VARIOUS ONLINE EXAMPLES OF THE SAYING "AIN'T NOBODY COMIN' TO SEE YOU, OTIS"
These sources are quoted in chronological order from the oldest date to the most recent date.
 
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

Source #1
From https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7073992/ Monologue Monday (2016– )
"Ain't Nobody Coming to See You Otis

Talk-Show | Episode aired 14 November 2016

Latrisha gives tips for handling the "hurry up and wait" set life and performs a monologue from the film The Temptations. In the monologue, David Ruffin responds to his group members' ultimatum for him to straighten up or leave the group.

Director: Thomas Staples

Star: Latrisha Talley
-snip-
This is Season 1 | Episode 16 of that (television?) talk show.

****
Source #2
From https://www.hip-hopvibe.com/news/aint-nobody-coming-to-see-you-otis-twitter-suddenly-brings-up-this-david-ruffin-quote-from-the-temptations-movie-making-otis-trend/

[Pancocojams Editor's Warning: This article includes the four letter spelling of what is commonly called “the n word”.]

HIP HOP NEWS

Ain’t Nobody Coming To See You Otis! Twitter suddenly brings up this David Ruffin quote from “The Temptations” movie, making Otis trend

By Bossyy, May 9, 2019

Hip-HopVibe.com Staff Writer
"Social media is a very strange place and “The Temptations” movie is currently dominating it. Fans are tweeting one of the infamous quotes from the movie. It’s not clear where people got this quote from, as the movie isn’t playing, right now.

One theory is that Ayesha Curry*, with her comments, has people resharing the quote. Last night, there were memes of people replacing “Otis” with “Ayesha.” The quote was “ain’t nobody coming to see you Ayesha,” where her name replaced Otis.

 As the morning is coming to a close, Otis is one of Twitter’s leading trending topics. The quote is “Ain’t nobody coming to see you Otis,” from the movie. Everybody has jokes about this one, as they always do.

Read the Otis tweets below:

Pancocojams Editor: Here are two examples from that article:

Oxtail Chronicles!!
@St0nedSt00p_kid

Ain’t nobody come to see you Otis

****
Nats @nats_nats1968

Yet everybody watches it for their favorites, and Otis is laughing all the way to the bank [three emoji of smiling faces]"....
-snip-
*Ayesha Curry is the wife of National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar Stephen Curry.

That bold font is used in that article.

The word "it" in this excerpt probably refers to The Temptations television mini-series. That min-series is almost always referred to as The Temptations movie.

****
Source #3
From https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/fizzle-pop-drops-new-music-video-disses-omarion.3343695/ 

Pancocojams Editor's WARNING:
Some comments on that forum include profanity. One comment is quoted here with amended spelling.

That forum also includes sexually explicit comments. None of those comments are quoted in this pancocojams post.

"Fizzle Pop Drops new Music Video; Disses Omarion

Thread starter: ILove2SipTea, Mar 22, 2020

1. DivaLasVegas82, March 22, 2020
"Ain't nobody wanna hear music from Little Tiny Fizzle Pop (shout out to itsrox...LoL.)"

**
2. BeautyNUniq, March 22, 2020
"I made it halfway thru and David Ruffin’s line keeping running in my head. Ain’t nobody coming to see you Fizzle Pop. This sh-t* is trash can juice."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

"I made it halfway thru" refers to listening to a music video clip on that page of Hip Hop artist Fizzle Pop’s song dissing Hip Hop artist Omarion.

**
3. ILove2SipTea, March 22, 2020
"Ferrari said:

Theres no o diss
-end of quote-

YES THERE IS. HE SAID "YOU CAN HAVE HER BACK I KNOW SHE'S YOUR EVERYTHING"

****
Source #4
From https://twitter.com/skeetondatweet/status/1035197887691583488?lang=en

1. 

Vince Valholla

@VinceValholla

Apr 5

“Ain't Nobody Coming to See You Otis”

**
2. 

Naima Cochrane’s Burner Acct

@stillnaima

 Apr 5

Steve still thinks last night was about him 🤣
-snip-
This tweet attached this tweet from celebrity talk show and game show host Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey
@I am Steve Harvey

D Nice @dnice thank you from the bottom of my heart….those brothers and songs are all dear to my heart….my daughter reminded me that I was celebrating the SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE….God’s Grace!!!!

8:02 PM · Apr 5, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

-snip-
That tweet from Steve Harvey was published after the Verzuz battle that he hosted when he should have been aware that many people had twitted that he had talked too much about himself during that live streaming concert. In doing so, he took time time away from The
Isley Brothers and Earth Wind & Fire singing. D-Nice was the DJ during that concert's intermission. Unlike Steve Harvey, all the tweets that I read about D-Nice were highly positive. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/04/verzuz-battle-between-isley-brothers.html for a pancocojams post that includes a video of that Verzuz "battle" as well as information and comments about it. 

**
3. 

Vamp Girl X

@VampNyckeiEsq

Apr 5

Replying to

@stillnaima

Whew. The self-centeredness with a side of complete lack of awareness just JUMPS out endlessly.

**
4. 

Naima Cochrane’s Burner Acct

@stillnaima

Apr 5

Replying to

@stillnaima

Nobody created a Triller account to celebrate the soundtrack of Steve Harvey's life.

**
5.

Naima Cochrane’s Burner Acct

@stillnaima

Apr 5

Plus his daughter ain't have to remind him - he treated the Verzuz like his personal track by track.

****
Source #5
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GavBWLv7p9o&t=191s&ab_channel=LaGuardiaCross
interview with a toddler goes horribly wrong, published by La Guardia Cross, Feb. 24, 2021

1. Kimberella Von Schwimminsburg, 2021
"Well, President Obama did warn you, as did all of us Aunties.  lol"

**
Reply
2. oc3, 2021
"And uncles😡. No one cares about Uncle Otis 😥"

**
Reply
3. Kimberella Von Schwimminsburg, 2021
"@oc3  Aww..I'm sorry.  We love you too!"

**
Reply
4. Raymond Gordon, 2021
" @oc3  uncle Otis, uncle Ray got your back bro. I know there more aunties than us but we uncle strong.
-snip-
La Guardia Cross, the African American father whose interactions with his young daughters are the focus of each episode of the "New Father Chronicles" YouTube vlog. In the episode whose link is provided above, La Guardia laments that his daughters have taken over his standard role as interviewer.

A Dec. 2020 vlog episode featured former President Obama being interviewed by those two young daughters. President Obama said that La Guardia Cross was "in trouble" (because he could tell that La Guardia and his wife were raising strong smart daughters and they would have their hands full when they get older.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgB_m2Xhtc4&ab_channel=LaGuardiaCross  OBAMA meets my daughters! He says I'm in TROUBLE! 😭 (Dec. 17, 2020)

La Guardia Cross routinely refers to the women watching that vlog as the "internet aunties".  
Oc3, one of the commenters quoted above, wrote that "No one cares about Uncle Otis". That comment serves as a reminder that "internet uncles" as well as "internet aunties" watch that vlog and are there to encourage, praise, and support the young daughters on that vlog.

"No one cares about Uncle Otis" is an adapted form of the “No one coming to see you, Otis” saying.

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.