Kirk Franklin & God's Property, featuring Salt - Stomp (Gospel video, information, lyrics, & comments)

OlsKool Jamz, April 12, 2020

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Revision- Dec. 5, 2021 [video copy changed to increase the audio & video quality.  

This pancocojams post showcases a video of Kirk Franklin & God's Property (featuring Salt)'s 1996, 1997 urban, contemporary (Hip Hop) Gospel hit song "Stomp". 

Information about Kirk Franklin is included in this post along with information about the Gospel choir God's Property. information about Chery "Salt" James, and information about the Christian Hip Hop song "Stomp"

The lyrics to that song are also included in this post along with selected comments from two different YouTube video's discussion threads are also included in this post. Particular attention is given to the use of African American Vernacular English words in some of these comments.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Kirk Franklin. "God's Property" and Cheryl "Salt" James for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.

-snip- 

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/04/shekinah-glory-ministry-stomp.html for a pancocojams post on Shekinah Glory Ministry's "Stomp".

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INFORMATION ABOUT KIRK FRANKLIN
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk_Franklin
"Kirk Dewayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American choir director, gospel singer, dancer, songwriter, and author. He is best known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC) among many others. He has won numerous awards, including 16 Grammy Awards. Variety dubbed Franklin as a "Reigning King of Urban Gospel",[2] and is one of the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.

 [...]

Choirs (1992–2000)

In 1992, Franklin organized "The Family", which was a 17-voice choir, formed from neighborhood friends and associates.[7] In 1992, Vicki Mack-Lataillade, the co-founder of fledgling GospoCentric Records label, heard one of their demo tapes and was so impressed she immediately signed up Kirk & The Family to a recording contract.[9]

In 1993, the group, now known as "Kirk Franklin & The Family," released their debut album, Kirk Franklin & The Family.[10] It spent almost two years on the gospel music charts and charted on the R&B charts, eventually earning platinum sales status. It remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks. It was the first gospel music album to sell over a million units.[citation needed]

Two years later, after releasing a 1995 Christmas album entitled Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas, the group released Whatcha Lookin' 4 in 1996. The album was certified 2x platinum and earned Franklin his first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. 1997 brought another album, a collaboration with the vocal ensemble God's Property, aptly named God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation. The lead single, "Stomp", featuring Cheryl "Salt" James (of Salt-N-Pepa), was a big hit, enjoying heavy rotation on MTV and other music channels and charting at No. 1 on the R&B Singles Airplay chart for two weeks, even making it into the Top 40. God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation was No. 1 on the R&B Albums chart for five weeks, No. 3 on the Pop charts, and would go on to be certified 3x platinum. It also brought Franklin another Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, as well as three Grammy nominations.

[…]

In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[33]

On May 21, 2021, Franklin and American rapper Lil Baby released the song "We Win" for the soundtrack to the 2021 film Space Jam: A New Legacy.[34]

[…]

Awards

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Kirk Franklin

Franklin has received many awards, including Grammy Awards, GMA Dove Awards, BET Awards, Soul Train Music Awards and Stellar Awards.

He received 16 Grammys [38] and 22 Dove Awards.[39]:...

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INFORMATION ABOUT GOD'S PROPERTY [Gospel choir]
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God%27s_Property
"God's Property was a gospel choir known for its collaborations with Kirk Franklin and other recording artists.

Musical career

God's Property Choir was organized and founded by a public school music teacher by the name of Linda Ray Hall-Searight in 1992 in Dallas, Texas. She and her son, Grammy Award Winner Robert Sput Searight, and daughters, Robin and Rachella Searight, were totally responsible for recruiting all of the original singers and musicians of this choir. Linda Searight groomed the choir into an exceptional performing organization that was often featured on national television shows in the mid and late 1990s. The choir began to collaborate with Kirk Franklin in 1994 and sang backup on his 1995 album, Whatcha Looking' 4. Franklin, in turn, produced and co-wrote most of the songs on the group's 1997 album (also produced by Scott "Shavoni" Parker and Buster & Kevin Bond).[1] Kirk Franklin often works out new material with the choir in the studio and has appeared with the choir on the Late Show with David Letterman. The choir itself has performed with Celine Dion at the encore of the "Call The Man/Power of the Dream" concert in Dallas, Texas and on The 10th Annual Essence Awards in 1997 with Stevie Wonder.[2] In 1998, a few of God's Property singers performed a few songs for Kirk Franklin's The Nu Nation Project.."...

[...]

Origin:    Dallas, Texas
Genres:  Gospel
Years active:  1993–2003

Associated acts:  Kirk Franklin"

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INFORMATION ABOUT SALT 'N' PEPA [Hip Hop group]
From 
"Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1985.[3][4][5][6] Group members included Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). They were signed to Next Plateau Records and released their single "Push It" in 1987, which hit number one in three countries and became a top 10 or top 20 hit in various countries....

Salt-N-Pepa have sold over 15 million records worldwide,[9] making them one of the bestselling rap acts of all time. The group has been nominated for a Grammy Award several times. The trio won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for their song "None of Your Business", making them one of the first female rap acts to win a Grammy Award, along with Queen Latifah, who won during the same year.[10] Their success in rap and hip hop culture has earned them the honorific title "The First Ladies of Rap and Hip Hop".[11]"

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOSPEL SONG "STOMP"
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stomp_(God%27s_Property_song)
"Stomp" is a 1996 song by gospel group God's Property featuring Salt-N-Pepa rapper Cheryl James and Christian urban singer Kirk Franklin. It was one of the most successful gospel songs of the 1990s, charting on Billboard's mainstream R&B airplay list in 1997.[1] The song samples "One Nation Under a Groove" by Funkadelic."

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Excerpt #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God%27s_Property_from_Kirk_Franklin%27s_Nu_Nation
" "God's Property" is a collaboration studio album by Kirk Franklin and God's Property. It was released on May 27, 1997. At the time of its release, urban contemporary gospel had gained massive ground in the music industry, thus sending the album to its third position peak on the Billboard 200 album chart and making it the first gospel album to top the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it reached number one on five nonconsecutive weeks.

["Stomp" was] Written by Kirk Franklin (features interpolation of "One Nation Under A Groove" written by George Clinton, Jr., Garry Shider, and Walter Morrison, who are also credited with writing "Stomp")

Guest performance by Cheryl "Salt" James."...
--snip-
Kirk Franklin & God's Property Gospel record began being played on the radio in 1996, and the album was released in 1997.

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LYRICS: STOMP
(written by Kirk Franklin, George Clinton, Jr., Garry Shider, and Walter Morrison)

[Kirk]: For those of you that think gospel music has gone to far.
You think we got too radical with our message.
Well I got news for you , you ain't heard nothin yet,
and if you don't know now you know. Glory, Glory!!

[Part1:] Lately I've been going through some things that really got me down.
I need someone somebody to help me come and turn my life around.
I can't explain, I can't obtain it. Jesus your love is so, it's so amazing.
It gets me high up to the sky, and when I think about your goodness it makes me wanna stomp.
Makes me clap my hands. Makes me wanna dance and stomp.
My brother can't you see I got the victory. STOMP!!!

[repeat part 1 ]

[Salt [rap]]: When I think about the goodness and fullness of God,
makes me thankful pity the hateful I'm grateful.
The Lord brought me through this far,
trying to be cute when I praise him raise him high.
I keep the live beat bumping. Keep it jumping make the Lord feel something.
Ain't no shame in my game God's Property. Kickin' it wit Kirk ain't no stoppin' me.
UH stomp

[Kirk:] GP are you wit me?
[GP:] oh yeah we having church we ain't going nowhere.
[repeat 3 times ]

[pt2:] stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp

I promise the stomp, the whole stomp, nothin but the stomp

[Kirk:] It ain't over. It ain't over

[repeat part 2 until fades.]

Source: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kirkfranklin/stomp.html

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WHAT "STOMP" MEANS IN BLACK GOSPEL SONGS
The title "Stomp" and references to "stomp" in Kirk Franklin & God's Property Gospel song (and in other Gospel songs including Shekinah Glory Ministry's "Stomp") refer to the Pentecostal phrase "stomp on the devil's head" and the phrase "stomp the devil down". When people feel the Holy Spirit and did the holy dance during church worship services or elsewhere, they are said to be stomping on the devil's head, and stomping the devil down. Read several comments below that refer to this.

A number of Gospel songs include the phrases "stomping on the devil's head", and/or "stomping the devil down".

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM TWO DISCUSSION THREADS OF THE OFFICIAL YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR KIRK FRANKLIN'S "STOMP"

These comments are given in chronological order, with the oldest comment by year given first. However, they may not be in consecutive order. Numbers are assigned for each video's discussion thread for referencing purposes only.

Explanations of some African American vernacular English terms are also included after some of these comments.

Selected comments from discussion thread #1
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AdYnFY_bZ0

2013
1. mitchyboo66
"My type of worship, Thanks Kirk for keeping it real."

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2. roxboronc27573
"Kirk Franklin help bring a lot of people to church with this song. I know as I am one of them. Thanks Kirk for allowing God to use you to reach people like me. Amen!"

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2014
Pancocojams Editor: The following nine comments are examples of a number of responses that were written in response to a commenter who said that this song and the singers weren't Godly.

3. Joshua Hammomd
"The man shouldn't be judged on how he express his music through god I don't care if it's through pop, r&b, hip hop or jazz"

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Reply
4. StillAReal1
"these old timers will never understand why kirk did this type of music. your old ways of doing things was not interesting to the younger generation thats why a lot of them never actually listened to you or wanted to go to church. i got into kirks music because it had a fun sound that someone my age could relate to. then i actually took in the message in his music and it got me interested in the god. some people are so caught up in the old way of doing things that they think anything new and different in wrong or it's the devils work. it's just a another way of getting a message across to the younger people."

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Reply
5. Clinton Phelps
"The Bible tells us how King David was also ridiculed for dancing, singing and praising God. Let each judge for themselves the rights and wrongs of this world. We will all bow down and confess, every single one of us, so do not judge unless you be judged." 

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Reply
6. 0817kings
"David danced out of his clothes, praising the name of The Lord"

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Reply
7. CheckMate657879
"Wow!!! Just about 20 years and people are still declaring Kirk Franklin NOT of God. That's what I call determination. Stomp on! Forget about the myriads of young people who started going to church, getting out of gangs, you name some, because of being inspired by Kirk Franklin, then and now. This song was definitely the start of something BIG."

**
8. Reply
Chisomo Ngulube
"That song was revolutionary!"

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9. Reply
Lotus Lane
"He changed the game with this one "

**
Reply
10. Daniel Bone
"As a kid every Sunday i hoped the pastor and choir would break out into song and choreographed dance like this. sadly that never happened {:("

**
Reply
11. David Craighead
"Real message and real talk, enjoy the sound, groove and move!"

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14. UncleReeceTube
"YOU CAN FEEL THE ENERGY!!!!"

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15. Sherry A. D
"Devil!! You can't steal my joy!"

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Prescilla Patterson
"2014 still stomping on the devil!!"

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2015
17. K Webb1
"SONG IS STILL THE JAM! I LOVE #GP AND #KIRKFRNAKLIN"

18. barbara lee10 months ago
i dont think uve gone too far,david danced before the lord!.first time iheard it made me wanna shout,never shouted before!
-snip-
"Shout" here means "do the holy dance", "get happy" (because you feel the Holy Spirit", and other phrases with the same meaning.

19. Jersey Devil10 months ago
You can't help but get yo praise on with this one.....STILL LOVEIT!!
-snip-
In this comment "yo" means "your"

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20. Kimberly Smith
"I remember when this first came out, Kirk caught so much flack for hip hip gospel vs traditional. But he definitely ushered in a new generation of praise. It reached a lot of people who would never pray or even praise. So hats off to him. God Bless."

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21. Darrell Miller
"this was my fav gospel song when I was growing up my mom used to play this I. the car when I was going to school to get me pumped and when I went to church our church was filled with a whole lot of youth and every youth Sunday bishop played this and the whole church would turnup good times man I wish I was young"
-snip-
fav = favorite
"the whole church would turnup" = the whole church would be energized (the energy in the church would be turned up; the church would feel the [Holy] Spirit)

**
22. Erica Gaines
"Wow this is jamming. Sounds like something from a club lol. Love it"
-snip-
"club"= nightclub

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23. phantom2k10
"9 years ago and this song still bangs,Glory to GOD"
-snip-
"bangs" = [something] is explosive, (in the context of this comment, the song is [still] very good)

**
Reply
24. Ayo Ibitayo
"It still bangs bruvaaa"
-snip-
"bruvaaa" probably means "brother"

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25. Anthony Adolfo
"All Glory & Praise to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, STOMP The Devil.

Amen!"

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26. drjohnettemson drofPrayer
"I dance till Heaven comes down"

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2016
27. MrMaxismybaby
"Getting my "Praise On"!
-snip-
"Getting my Praise on" = "praising God", "feeling the Spirit", "getting happy", "going in" etc

**
28. Raven Manuel
"Stomp that devil outta here"

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29. Cliff Foss
"Some songs are NEVER out of style!"

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30. terpgirl06
"When this song first came out it was so controversial; but listening to it in 2016 it sounds...traditional."

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Selected comments from discussion thread #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taeHa1qFo5s
selected comments from this video's discussion thread

2015
1. Shawnette Milton
"Almost 20 years later and this is still da JAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gospel music at it's BEST !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love me some Kirk Franklin and Salt's RAP was and is TIGHT !!!!"
-snip-
"tight" = "very good", "awesome", "sick" etc. Something that is tight is "on point", meaning everything is together, with no loose ends or extraneous parts

Here's an excerpt of an online discussion about a slang meaning of the word "tight"
From http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=1100
Cervus, 10 January 2007
Location: Florida
"The R&B usage of playing "tight" meant that all musicians were performing together in a sleek, neat arrangement (think James Brown's rhythm section) rather than improvised or "sloppy"....
-snip-
This meaning of "tight" can be applied to a person who is very cool, stylish, "a beast" (a master at what he or she does).

**
2. JorDance
"I remember all the old heads in my church hated Kirk for this song. We couldn't stop bumping it though. It's still dope!"
-snip-
"old heads" = old people

"bumping it" = playing the record, or playing instrumental versions of it, singing it, and otherwise enjoying it

"dope" = "very good", "awesome", "sick", "tight". "off the hook", "off the chain" etc.

**
3. Ronnie Burks
"this was one of the most controversial videos because no one thinks that GOD's music can get us crunk... don't get me wrong I love gospel oldies but the bible says suffer the children unto him... so we young folks need the hype... the crunk... the joy of believing that GOD understands us"
-snip-
In the context of this comment "crunk" means "full of energy, excited (hyped).

**
FireMadeFlesh II
"I can't believe there's not a higher quality upload of this--even in a 4:3 aspect ratio (at least). The song & video were HUGE in 1997." 

**
Reply
5.Joseph Archibong
"I heared this on Sunday can't stop singing it "

**
6. Reply
Crystal Covington [2016]
"+Joseph Archibong Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy man what's up man this song use to be the song back in the day, it still is. Man I listen to this song 10 times back to back. " Makes me clap my hands, makes want to dance stop". I heard this song at church too but a long time ago. "STOMP"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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7. blackgirl86
"This song always reminds me of 5th grade back in 1996-1997. Everyone was singing this (well all the black people)."

**
8. Linda R.
"I need this song right now, with all I've been going through. You can't take my Joy devil!"

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2016
9. Henrie Storm
"Okay...for those who say this isn't Gospel Music and all...fine that's YOUR opinion. Keep it..no need to change it...let every person who listens to it decide for themselves what they think it is...and enjoy it however they want....but no matter what people say...Imma still love this song!!! STOMP!!"

**
10. Jasmine M.
"I was only 8 when this song came out but... MAN! Being in church when this song came out was LIT! My church played it before service started, & as soon as it was over."
-snip-
"lit" = full of energy

**
11. lydia garwood
"there are different ways to worship God me this music reaches to all kinds of people thank u Kirk Franklin I love all ur music"

**
12. sylvia Washington
"when I first heard
this song, I was
dancing sending up
Praises, when I saw
the live performance I was
like, woa , is this church music? But
it was so powerful
and drew so many
young people to
God, and it was moving to me, I
knew Kirk was
taking gospel music to a new
level, and I could
feel the spirit. If
the Lord speaks
when you hear this
message, Kirk is
doing something
right.So To God Be
The Glory !!!"

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"Rain Fall And Wet Becca Lawton" - A 19th century African American Ring Shout & Rowing Song

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases the 19th century African American religious song & secular song "Rain Fall And Wet Becca Lawton" . This song is included in the 1867 book Slave Songs of the United States, edited by William Francis Allen, Charles Pickard Ware, and Lucy McKim Garrison. That song's lyrics and comments about that song from that book are featured in this post. An excerpt from Slave Songs of the United States about ring shouts is also included in this post.

In addition, this post includes my speculative comments about the meaning of some of the terms in the song "Rain Fall And Wet Becca Lawton".

The Addendum of this post features an excerpt from a Blues article that categorizes "Rain Fall And Wet Becca Lawton". as a "near Blues" song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer of this song. Thanks also to the collectors this song, thanks to the scanners and encoders of the electronic version of this book, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT "RAIN FALL AND WET BECCA LAWTON"
"Rain Fall And Wet Becca Lawton" is a religious song that was also used for non-religious purposes.

The following information about "Rain Fall And Wet Becca Lawton" are from the 1867 book Slave Songs Of The South. This information is given in that book after the musical score and the lyrics for that song.
From http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/allen/allen.html
"Slave Songs of the United States:
Electronic Edition.

Allen, William Francis, 1830-1889, Charles Pickard Ware, 1840-1921,
and Lucy McKim Garrison 1842-1877.

Funding from the Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition supported the electronic publication of this title.

Text scanned (OCR) by Robin Roenker
Images scanned by Robin Roenker
Text encoded by Andrew Leiter and Jill Kuhn
First edition, 2000
ca. 275K
Academic Affairs Library, UNC-CH
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
2000.

(title page) Slave Songs of the United States.
William Francis Allen, Charles Pickard Ware, and Lucy McKim Garrison
xliv, 115 p.
New York
A. Simpson & Co.
1867

© This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.

...p. 21
"[Who," says Col. Higginson, "Becky Martin was, and why she should or should not be wet, and whether the dryness was a reward or a penalty, none could say. I got the impression that, in either case, the event was posthumous, and that there was some tradition of grass not growing over the grave of a sinner; but even this was vague, and all else vaguer."

Lt. Col. Trowbridge heard a story that "Peggy Norton was an old prophetess, who said that it would not do to be baptized except when it rained; if the Lord

Page 22
was pleased with those who had been 'in the wilderness,' he would send rain." Mr. Tomlinson says that the song always ends with a laugh, and appears therefore to be regarded by the negroes as mere nonsense. He adds that when it is used as a rowing tune, at the words "Rack back holy!" one rower reaches over back and slaps the man behind him, who in turn does the same, and so on.]"

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LYRICS - "RAIN FALL AND WET BECCA LAWTON" [#29 in Slave Songs Of The South, p. 21]

Oh . . . . Rain fall and wet* Becca Lawton,
Oh! Brudder ^ cry holy!

1. Been§ back holy, I must come slowly;
Oh! Brudder cry holy!]


2 Do, Becca Lawton, come to me yonder.


3 Say, brudder Tony, what shall I do now?


4 Beat back holy, and rock salvation.

* Sun come and dry.

+ All de member, &c.

^ We all, Believer, &c.

§ Beat, Bent, Rack."
-snip-
The symbols and lyrics that are found at the bottom of verse #4 are substitutions for the word or phrases that precede those symbols in the song's verses.

&c = etc.

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EXCERPT ABOUT "SHOUTING" FROM THE BOOK SLAVE SONGS FROM THE SOUTH
Given its lyrics, I believe that "Rain Fall And Wet Becca Martin" was probably used as a ring shout (when it was sung as a religious song). Here's an excerpt from Slave Songs Of The South about "shouting": [pps xiii - xvi]
..."The most peculiar and interesting of their customs is the "shout," an excellent description of which we are permitted to copy from the N. Y. Nation of May 30, 1867:

"This is a ceremony which the white clergymen are inclined to discountenance, and even of the colored elders

Page xiii
some of the more discreet try sometimes to put on a face of discouragement; and although, if pressed for Biblical warrant for the shout, they generally seem to think 'he in de Book,' or 'he dere-da in Matchew,' still it is not considered blasphemous or improper if 'de chillen' and 'dem young gal' carry it on in the evening for amusement's sake, and with no well-defined intention of 'praise.' But the true 'shout' takes place on Sundays or on 'praise'-nights through the week, and either in the praise-house or in some cabin in which a regular religious meeting has been held. Very likely more than half the population of the plantation is gathered together. Let it be the evening, and a light-wood fire burns red before the door of the house and on the hearth. For some time one can hear, though at a good distance, the vociferous exhortation or prayer of the presiding elder or of the brother who has a gift that way, and who is not 'on the back seat,'--a phrase, the interpretation of which is, 'under the censure of the church authorities for bad behavior;'--and at regular intervals one bears the elder 'deaconing' a hymn-book hymn, which is sung two lines at a time, and whose wailing cadences, borne on the night air, are indescribably melancholy. But the benches are pushed back to the wall when the formal meeting is over, and old and young, men and women, sprucely-dressed young men, grotesquely half-clad field-hands --the women generally with gay handkerchiefs twisted about their heads and with short skirts--boys with tattered shirts and men's trousers, young girls barefooted,

Page xiv
all stand up in the middle of the floor, and when the 'sperichil' is struck up, begin first walking and by-and-by shuffling round, one after the other, in a ring. The foot is hardly taken from the floor, and the progression is mainly due to a jerking, hitching motion, which agitates the entire shouter, and soon brings out streams of perspiration. Sometimes they dance silently, sometimes as they shuffle they sing the chorus of the spiritual, and sometimes the song itself is also sung by the dancers. But more frequently a band, composed of some of the best singers and of tired shouters, stand at the side of the room to 'base' the others, singing the body of the song and clapping their hands together or on the knees. Song and dance are alike extremely energetic, and often, when the shout lasts into the middle of the night, the monotonous thud, thud of the feet prevents sleep within half a mile of the praise-house."

In the form here described, the "shout" is probably confined to South Carolina and the States south of it. It appears to be found in Florida, but not in North Carolina or Virginia. It is, however, an interesting fact that the term "shouting" is used in Virginia in reference to a peculiar motion of the body not wholly unlike the Carolina shouting. It is not unlikely that this remarkable religious ceremony is a relic of some native African dance, as the Romaika is of the classical Pyrrhic. Dancing in the usual way is regarded with great horror by the people of Port Royal, but they enter with infinite zest into the movements of the "shout." It has its

Page xv
connoisseurs, too. "Jimmy great shouter," I was told; and Jimmy himself remarked to me, as he looked patronizingly on a ring of young people, "Dese yere worry deyseff--we don't worry weseff." And indeed, although the perspiration streamed copiously down his shiny face, he shuffled round the circle with great ease and grace.

The shouting may be to any tune, and perhaps all the Port Royal hymns here given are occasionally used for this purpose; so that our cook's classification into "sperichils" and "runnin' sperichils" (shouts), or the designation of certain ones as sung "just sittin' round, you know," will hardly hold in strictness. In practice, however, a distinction is generally observed. The first seven, for instance, favorite hymns in the St. Helena church, would rarely, if ever, be used for shouting; while probably on each plantation there is a special set in common use. On my plantation I oftenest heard "Pray all de member" (No. 47), "Bell da ring" (No. 46), "Shall I die?" (No. 52), and "I can't stay behind, my Lord" (No. 8). The shouting step varied with the tune; one could hardly dance with the same spirit to "Turn, sinner," or "My body rock 'long fever," as to "Rock o' Jubilee," or "O Jerusalem, early in de morning." So far as I can learn, the shouting is confined to the Baptists; and it is, no doubt, to the overwhelming preponderance of this denomination on the Sea Islands that we owe the peculiar richness and originality of the music there[.]

Page xvi

The same songs are used for rowing as for shouting. I know only one pure boat-song, the fine lyric, "Michael row the boat ashore" (No. 31); and this I have no doubt is a real spiritual--it being the archangel Michael that is addressed."...
-snip-
In this excerpt, the term 'deaconing' is probably the same as "lining out" a song. In "lining out" - a leader singing one line of the song and the congregation exactly repeating that song.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/05/african-american-ring-shouts-origins.html for a pancocojams post that features video examples of reenactments of ring shouts.

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MY SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE MEANINGS OF SOME OF THE TERMS IN "RAIN FALLS AND WETS BECCA MARTIN
"Brudder Tony" (Brother Tony) = It's likely that this referent was personalized when this song was sung (for example: Sister Sally, Brother Ben).

"All de member" = all the members (of the church)

"Beat back holy" - may mean during the ring shout "turn around and move in the opposite direction" to the beat of the song while "shouting" (participating in the ring shout)

"rock salvation" - may mean "move back and forth (or side to side) while "shouting". If so, "rock salvation" has the same of similar meaning as "feeling the [Holy] Spirit", "getting happy" etc except instead of being the type of dance moves that a person does because he or she feels the Holy Spirit, "rock salvation" may be part of the effort that the people do to help bring down the Holy Spirit.

"beat, bent, rack" - "beat [move to the beat by], bending (bowing down) and "rocking" (moving from side to side or from front to back).

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ADDENDUM
From
http://www.basinstreet.com/articles/blues.htm
"Rain Fall and Wet Becca Lawton

The earliest example of a 'near' blues is found in "Slaves Song of the Untied States," published in 1867. We probably will never be able to identify when the first 12 bar blues was played. Some scholars have stated that they have found traces in tribal Africa. Many believe the blues, having various chordal progressions (the 12 bar being the most popular) evolved in the Delta area of the Mississippi River. In 'slave songs' we find the song 'Rain Fall & Wet Becca Lawton.

It is not know who Becca Lawton was and there is no concrete knowledge of the meaning of the song. It has been said that there was some tradition of grass not growing over the grave of a sinner. It has also been said that if the Lord were pleased with those who had been 'in the wilderness' he would send rain. It was also said that the song always ended with a laugh. The song was also used as a rowing song and when used as such, during the words 'rack back holy' one rower reached over back and slaps the man behind him. Who in turn does the same, and so on. In this small example, if one does not take the repeat we find the 12 bar blues form."

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