A bit of history

A friend of mine mentioned that the Cowboy Junkies did a cover of an old gospel blues song that is relevant today. It’s done in an old style that is very similar to the original – I believe they included, in this version, a sampling of the original as performed in the late 1920’s by the singer-songwriter Blind Willie Johnson. The style and message may not appeal to modern tastes, but it was quite compelling, I thought.

It’s part of a tribute album of Blind Willie Johnson’s songs called, “God Don’t Never Change”, which was released in 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Don’t_Never_Change%3A_The_Songs_of_Blind_Willie_Johnson

It seems that Blind Willie Johnson was a very talented man who had an interesting, and difficult, life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Willie_Johnson

Here’s the lyrics to Jesus is Coming Soon:

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

In the year 19 and 18
God sent a mighty disease
It killed many a-thousand
On land and on the seas

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

Spread disease to everybody
And the people were sick everywhere
It was influenza epidemic
And it floated through the air

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

The doctors, they got troubled
And they didn’t know what to do
They gathered themselves together
And they called it the Spanish flu

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

Soldiers died in the battlefields
Died in the camps, too
Well, the captain said, “Lieutenants
Oh, I don’t know what to do.”

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

Well, it’s God that’s warnin’ the nation
He’s a warnin’ them in every way
To turn away from the evil eye and seek the Lord and pray

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

Well, the news was presented to the people
“You’d better close your public schools.
“And to prevent the death piles buildin’
Ya better close your churches, too.”

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

Read the Book of Zechariah, Bible plainly say,
“Thousands of people in the cities dyin’,
Account of their wicked ways.”

We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon
We done told ya, God’s done warn ya
Jesus comin’ soon

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