A multipurpose Southernism. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. I doubt it will ever be possible to prove the source of some of these old sayings,but they sure are alot of funThis post set me a thinkin bout some things we grew up saying that we took from our eldersfor example when one is astonished you say Oh my Stars! Or when you havent seen someone in awhile you say I aint seen Hide nor Hair of em since..and there was plenty of times I was toldquit rootin around an causin such a ruckass!usually refering to me being in Granmas gardenand one can never forget the simpleSkeedaddle! Now the devil may knowWhere those sayings come from. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. Select your currency from the list and click Donate. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. The states involved sent Hawkins,Andrew Pickens(South Carolina), Joseph Martin (Georgia) andLachlan McIntosh(Continental representative, Georgia) to negotiate a treaty to end the fighting. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" B: "God willing and the creek don't rise." Given that many small farm streams were crossed without bridges, which worked find most of the time, a swollen stream would cause problems. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Although he admits when the rain starts to fall, it makes him a little nervous. Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have that new barn finished in time for the harvest. If someone tells you that you've got gumption, you should thank them, and then walk a little taller, because you've received a lovely Southern compliment. If we relied on written sources it would be hard to believe in such continued use. But if the supposed letter was ever written, it doesnt now exist in any archive that any researcher has so far found (his letters have been published, if anybody would like to check). Maya Rodale is a best-selling romance author. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. In alternating first person narratives from a cast of characters that will be hard to forget, Leah Weiss took me to the mountain community called Baines Creek in the Appalachian Mountains in NC. He was a politician and Indian agent. The saying has been attributed to Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson among others, on the usual principle that attaching a famous name to a story validates it. I absolutely loved the southern voice of these characters throughout this book. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". If The Creek Don't Rise is a unique novel whose structure feels light and breezy and veers drastically from the standard formula found in fiction. Then theres a long gap in the record before it began to appear again in the 1950s. It presumably evokes occasional and unpredictably extreme rainfall in Appalachia, that has historically isolated one rural neighborhood or another temporarily inaccessible on several or many occasions. Well, whether its Creek or creek, it would still have much of the same effectyou wont be going where you thought you would or could. Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? Fans of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek will love this intimate insight into a fiercely proud, tenacious community and relish the voices of the forgotten folks of Baines Creek. (LogOut/ Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. (I would not be surprised to discover that the last contributor on your first link is none other than our own samclem.). Affixes dictionary. Often said as "Lord willing and the creek don't rise," this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. I was reading a post on one of the West Virginia pages that I follow in which a person referenced God willing and the creeks dont rise. in reference to rain and floods. What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. It's a vivid phrase, and it's an accurate one too. An odd few (6% of Americans) do use soft drink, according to the Pop vs. By extension, maybe the Southern US expression was the way for an affronted or shocked listener to say none of that crazy untoward talk or behavior shall have power over me.. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. The word you use for a fizzy, carbonated drink reveals a lot more about you than you know. And even if it did, the initial capital letter would mean nothing, as at the time it was still common practice to capitalise all nouns. However, this is clearly one of those evolving language cases. My officers and fire department, we went along the river houses and notified everybody and recommended evacuation, said Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose. Back when I was in the fourth grade we had an English teacher who dumped a box of books out one day and told us to read them and do book reports. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. The distinct English dialect of the American South, which has a close relationship with Black English (African American Vernacular English), is fascinatingand plenty lively. And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 225 years old. At the time Hawkins was Congressman, he joined other well known Southeastern American leaders in negotiating a major treaty with the Creek and Cherokee at the South Carolina city of Hopewell. All of my life there have been local mountain sayings that I've heard and of course repeated, complete with a North Carolina southern drawl as literal fact. Cookies and privacy Nor is grammar an argument in favor the the subject being plural. If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Kate Forbes (Narrator). God willing and the creek don't rise If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. What is the origin of the phrase the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise? In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. Devil's beating his wife (when it would be sunny and raining). Anecdotal evidence from people who have got in touch with me down the years suggests that it has been in regular use throughout the lifetimes of some elderly folk in parts of the US, either in the form you give or as the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise. I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. (Recall, also, that the Creek who did go to war against the whites were a smaller group within the Creek nation and that the larger group remained neutral or actively assisted the whites in the warat which point they were betrayed by having the U.S. sieze all their land.). The expression ". At the same time there is some evidence that the creation of Fort Deposit (Fort Deposite) in Georgia was a cause of concern in that munitions and arms were stockpiled. From the beginning, the first narrative of Sadie Blue, which broke my heart from the first page, it feels like it will be her story. Learn how your comment data is processed. False folk etymology. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. HARDY, Ark. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. It must surely be the creation of a fertile modern mind desiring to put the flesh of evidence on the dry bones of outright invention. Cant never could is a reminder that if you dont even try, you wont ever accomplish your goal. All rights reserved. Your email address will not be published. Lyndon Johnsons wife Lady Bird was fond of the phrase, and she wasnt one to cast aspersions on native Americans. Feller-citizens Im not customed to public speakin before sich highfalutin audiences. This was an extremely enjoyable read! Its typically used to describe a situation thats gone askew, awry, or out of alignment. Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. After eating a big, delicious Southern dinner Granny just made, you have to finish up with a slice of sweet potato pie, right? This means that if everything continues to plan, things will be okay. Most of the ones on paved roads had bridges or culverts by that time, but not all of them and everyone still clearly knew what that saying meant even if the threat wasnt very real anymore. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! Positive thinking, Southern style. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. It can also be the opening to striking a bargain, sharing a strongly held opinion, or offering a piece of advice you may or may not want to hear. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. Johnny Cash had a hit with the song If The Good Lords Willing, and Hank Williams Jr. titled his song If the Good Lords Willin (And The Creeks Dont Rise).. from The New York Times: If there is a good state of the world in 2021 the Lord willing and the creek don't rise everyone and all Blue Dogs in office needs to recognize . Hawkins, college-educated and a well-written man would never have made a grammatical error, so the capitalization of Creek is the only way the phrase could make sense. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. Often said as Lord willing and the creek dont rise, this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. Used in a sentence - If the creek don't rise and God's willing, you should be able to see this video. The expression is incorrectly attributed on modern social media[citation needed] to an Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins, in the late 18th century in a rumored letter not found in any archive to the U.S. President. I always took it as a reference to the level of water in a creek. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. The exact tranlation might be, 'If God is willing, and there isn't a flood that would prevent us from meeting again next week'. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. It can be summarised as "if all goes well". Step into the Deep South and experience the lives and hardships, hopes and dreams, of folk who have nothing except gritand sometimes loveas their currency. This book reminds me of that. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The dialect is obscure and living conditions primitive with a feel more like the 1870's than the 1970's..so backward..so uncivilized..the men so brutal and lawless, and for Sadie Blue, life seems grave. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? World Wide Words tries to record at least a part of this shifting wordscape by featuring new words, word histories, words in the news, and the curiosities of native English speech. Take a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without. Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees you cutting up in church on Sunday morning. He would tell the audience that we would meet again, "If the good Lord's willin', and the creek don't rise". It happens often during a Southern summer, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. By date order (spelling and titling may vary): Not to be confused with the Ray LaMontagne album, If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine All Music Guide to Country 0879307609 2003 Page 629 Jerry Reed "Here I Am collects his complete recordings for Capitol (30 songs), most of which were originals. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. It mentions . However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. In his response, he was said to write, God willing and the Creek dont rise. Because he capitalized the word Creek it is deduced that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. All rights reserved.This page URL: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-god1.htmLast modified: 25 February 2012. [2] In the Reed song and Cash cover the verses vary the rhyme, so the opening line commences: If the good Lord's willing and the creek stays down I'll be in your arms time the moon come around. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! The History And Traditions That Make Hanukkah Light Up, Examples Of Ableist Language You May Not Realize Youre Using, Winter 2023 New Words: Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Fall In Love With 14 Captivating Valentines Day Words, Rizz And 7 Other Slang Trends That Explain The Internet In 2023, Win With Qi And This List Of Our Best Scrabble Words, We Had ChatGPT Coin Nonsense PhrasesAnd Then We Defined Them, Surprise! For instance if someone invites you to church on Sunday, you would respond "I'll be there with bells on God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise.". It's almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. However, the first President to move to Washington was John Adams on 1 November 1800. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. As was the case with Dr Mattox, the remark is routinely attributed to first being said by Benjamin Hawkins. When the road looks rough ahead, remember the 'Man upstairs'. The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. Youve heard that old saying, Ill be there if the creek dont rise? Well, theyve all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that.. Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. 132 Copy quote. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. Mentioning Benjamin Hawkins is a masterstroke, since he was the General Superintendent for Indian Affairs between 1796 and 1818 and was principal Indian agent to the Creek nation; he became so close to its people that he learned their language, was adopted by them and married a Creek woman. What in tarnation? She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. It has been noted that the phrase should be correctly written as God willing and the Creek dont rise. Over yonder toward the water tower. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Hawkins served under George Washington as General Superintendent for Indian Affairs (17961818) and had responsibility for the Native American tribes south of the Ohio River, and was principal Indian agent to the Creek Indians. Does a bear shit in the woods? Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. During the early days of the War of 1812, one party of Creek marched north and joined the Indians fighting in Ohio and Michigan, participating in the River Raisin Massacre. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. If the Creek Dont Rise by Leah Weiss is a 2017 Sourcebooks Landmark publication. 1851. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. Have you ever seen a wet hen? A different style for the story telling in this as we hear from many of the people in this town and Sadie Blues own story is woven through the fabric of theirs. Eli is the backbone of the community; all he wants is a better life for the people of Baines Creek evidenced by the succession of teachers he has procured.and been scared off, and his scheming troublemaking spinster of a sister Prudence who "don't like nobody" doesn't help matters any, but when the giant 6' 2" Kate Shaw arrives, wellthat's another story. And Lord have mercy, wait till you meet Birdie with her gamy birds-nest hairdo and top notch fine feathered companion Samuel.and all his buddies. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. Throughout the years, through these floods, weve had several roads that have washed completely out, so you just dont know whats down there.. On his deathbed he married the Creek woman who had been his common-law wife. You might say cocola. The General replied to Stonewall Jackson that he would send troops "the Good Lord is willing and the Creeks don't rise (in rebellion). It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. Do You Know These Sizzlin Southern Sayings. "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" was later covered by Johnny Cash during his tenure at Sun, and a few of the other tracks here ", If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise, "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "World Wide Words: God willing and the creek don't rise", "William Clark Green: 'Ringling Road' Album Review", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_the_Good_Lord%27s_Willing_and_the_Creek_Don%27t_Rise&oldid=1067282742, "If The Lord's Willing And The Creeks Don't Rise", song by, "If The Good Lord's Willing And The Creek Don't Rise", Lattie Moore, Jerry Reed 1961, "If The Good Lord's Willing", Ray Godfrey, arranged Jerry Reed, Tollie Records 1964, "(Be The Good Lord Willing) The Creek Don't Rise", Jivin' Gene, arranged Smith, Hall-Way Records 1964, "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise", with the lyric "God willin' an the creek don't rise, I'll be home again before this time next year." John Wayne. Something needed to fill in the gap: Yall is one solution associated with the South, with all generally serving to clarify more than one you is being addressed. Change). This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. From the present day of the story in 1970 to flashbacks of the past and dreams, these various points of view give us a vivid picture of this place and the people who live there. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. Those who live on Valley Drive along the Spring River in Hardy awoke around 3 Friday morning to first responders urging them to leave their homes due to rising water. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. During the course of his 21 years in these positions he would oversee the longest period of peace with theCreek, only to watch his lifetime of work destroyed by a faction of this Indian Nation known as the Red Sticks during the War of 1812. Over yonder past the cotton field. Thats a mouthful, but we lumped these all together because they are allsubstitutes for (God) d*mn it. Can't Never Could. The story of Benjamin Hawkins relationship with the Creek,Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians goes back to 1786, when America was working on solidifying its hold on the new nation. It is a breathtaking and gritty portrayal of hillbilly life from the year 1970 which is set in the Appalachian Mountains. "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. It's raining cats and dogs. No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. Paperback, 305 pages. With a colorful cast of characters and a flair for the Southern Gothic, If the Creek Don't Rise is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. The English language is forever changing. It is a paraphrase of a popular biblical saying from James 4:15, and while there are scores of citations to the phrase in the sense of the waters rising, in the US and Europe, there is not one shred of evidence of a reference to the Creek nation. I will continue to look for references to this phrase origin and would welcome discussion to prove (one way or the other) what the original author intended to mean. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. A true Southern tradition. A handful of rivers and streams will be out of their banks by Friday evening and Saturday morning. That book was a 1908 publication and leans toward the thought of Creek Indian, even if not capitalized, because of the word fire (as in shooting guns). Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. 24 of 30. Wow! If the Creek Don't Rise is a collection of hard-used characters, tangled relationships, family angst, and fortitude. Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. And that is the highest praise from me. Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. 133 Copy quote. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." Your email address will not be published. Depending on where you are, youre likely to hear words combined together (gonna for going to) and different vowel sounds than youre used to, including mah for my and git for get.Git has been in use since the 16th century all over the country, but is particularly common in the South, where it appears in everything from classic literature (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird) to personal correspondence (I want you to write me as soon as you git this letter, from a letter dating back to the Civil War). They had a conversation in which the phrase was discussed and noted as being about the Creek Indians. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? 4.5 stars! Share. (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. Yet here I stand before you a speckled hermit, wrapt in the risen-sun counterpane of my popilarity, an intendin, Providence permittin, and the creek dont rise, to go it blind!. There is no typical Southern accent. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as hold your horses and pretty as a peach nationwide, youll likely only hear the following from a true Southerner. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. It's true, we do have a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners understand. Signed in November, 1785, A Treaty With the Cherokee (the technical name of the Treaty of Hopewell) created the first rift between theCherokee Nationand the Chickamauga Cherokee that would not end until the Chickamauga went West following the Revolt of the Young Chiefs. "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.". I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. Which means if nothing crazy happens or anything out my control such as a natural disaster. Be it Gods will, or, we go to war, my plans will go according to one of those two choices. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South. Over yonder down the road. They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. Copyright 2023 KAIT. From another source Some historians attribute Benjamin Hawkins as having been the first person to ever say these words and he did so in a letter to the President of the United States. We didnt. Your first citation is much stronger than your second. It mentions Benjamin Hawkins of the late 18th century, who was asked by the US president to go back to Washington.

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