"The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. 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.. DeSantis ends Disney's free reign over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. 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.. "If The Good Lord's Willing and The Creek Don't Rise" is a 1955 American country song by Jerry Reed which was particularly popularized by the 1958 recording of Johnny Cash and has been covered by multiple artists.[1]. [1][2], Classic versions of its use tend to be along the lines of "The good Lord willing, and the creek doesn't rise"i.e. We are an American people, born under the flag of independence and if the Lord is willing and the creeks dont rise, the American people who made this country will come pretty near controlling it. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. 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. Take a load off the ole dogs, sit on your front porch, and let your know neighbors know about that sugar honey iced teayou had to deal with today. Any of you word experts have solid information? It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. This means that if everything continues to plan, things will be okay. What is the origin of the phrase the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise? If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A true Southern tradition. Copyright 2023 KAIT. The second contributor on the AOL site is simply repeating things without any understanding. Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. 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. This was an extremely enjoyable read! QFrom Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression God willing and the creek dont rise referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. The researchers went on to cite two different publications in the 1800s in which the authors did not capitalize the word creek, leading one to believe they did not mean the people proper. Siever, known as Nolichucky Jack to his friends, was as brutal to the Cherokee and Creek as they were to him, but Siever knew to frame his attacks as responses to incursion or wrongs. In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. This Southern saying, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. 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. Used in a sentence - If the creek don't rise and God's willing, you should be able to see this video. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" B: "God willing and the creek don't rise." If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes Showing 1-14 of 14 "Times like these I wonder if I ever been happy. 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!. 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. 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. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. It happens often during a Southern summer, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100. Share. From the start there's been a film of dingy on my days.. Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. If the good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. Does a bear shit in the woods? I will be at church on Sunday. "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? This is a high compliment in the South, since Southern states are known for their peaches. The doin hasnt been done yet. "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." Thats a mouthful, but we lumped these all together because they are allsubstitutes for (God) d*mn it. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. This 19th-century phrase was once used to refer to some fierce, imaginary beast, until we went off course and adopted the current meaning of "awry.". However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. Cookies and privacy Weiss has a unique voice. by Leah Weiss. Accents vary by regionand sometimes even city to city. 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. 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. Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. January 2021: Hat tip to Maria whonotes that the collection of Benjamin Hawkinss letters has now been digitized and can be read at this link. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Pond, A Rooster One Day and A Feather Duster the Next, If You Know These Sayings, You Definitely Grew Up in the South, Only Real Southerners Know the Meaning of "Putting On the Dog", Things Only Southern Moms Say To Their Daughters, Things Only Southerners Say When It Snows. Here are a couple of examples of this claim. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! Is this derivation correct? Because that is supposedly how the original author first wrote it. The expression "the creek don't rise" is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. Speaking ofI declare, this now old-fashioned phrase acts as flustered response to an insult or an unbelievable story about someone who sadly made it into the rumor mill. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. the creek don't rise. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? My officers and fire department, we went along the river houses and notified everybody and recommended evacuation, said Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose. This article about the English language is a stub. He was a politician and Indian agent. Variants substitute "God" or "Good Lord" (with or without "the") for "Lord", and substitute "crick" or "river" for "creek", or capitalize it as "Creek" or "Creeks" based on confusion with the Creek Indian tribe. You will have spotted that neither of these capitalises creek, which suggests they didnt have the Creek people in mind. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. Weiss has spun me upside down in this backward county in the Appalachian mountains and made a southerner out of me. [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. (I would not be surprised to discover that the last contributor on your first link is none other than our own samclem.). What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. "Like all great southern. Hardy citizens awoken by first responders urging evacuation, Lawsuit filed against Summit Utilities over price gouging, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: EPC boys fall to Marshall in Quarterfinals, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Bay boys fall to Bigelow in Quarterfinals, Arkansas State womens basketball falls to Southern Miss in SBC Quarterfinals, Arkansas women's basketball falls to #1 South Carolina in SEC Tournament, Fast Break Friday Night (3/3/23): Jonesboro boys advance to 6A state semifinals. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. Youll thank us later! 133 Copy quote. I first heard of the notion of creek meaning Creek on a camping trip a couple of years ago at Barkcamp State Park in the area of Wheeling, WV. False folk etymology. Donate via PayPal. Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. Well, hells bells. Im told it was a sign-off tag line of the 1930s US radio broadcaster Bradley Kincaid. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. But I know of just four instances from that century. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. If you're trying to be nice, but you just can't quite let it go, "bless your heart" is a go-to. The approximately 20,000 Creek Indians that still exist reside in Oklahoma. It can be summarised as "if all goes well". Actually this is not proven. A rising creek could spell trouble, as it can lead to flooding and other issues. 132 Copy quote. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. It can be summarised as if all goes well. 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. This book reminds me of that. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. Over yonder toward the water tower. These skies can darken at a moment's notice, and summer afternoons often see winds churning and heavy rain clouds blowing in to cool that Southern summer heat. Someone reminded me not to be reminded of you. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. Wow! The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . Feller-citizens Im not customed to public speakin before sich highfalutin audiences. I was surprised as all get out. The New Madrid earthquake (reputedly the largest in recorded history in North America) created the division between traditionalist Creek (Red Sticks) and those more willing to seek accommodation with the majority of the tribe. 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. 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. I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. All rights reserved. "We plan to be there," we might say, and then add on a quick, "Lord willing and the creek don't rise." It's another way of saying, "I am dead serious about keeping my word on this, short of a hurricane or earthquake." In other words, I'm doggedly committed to this unless the devil stops me. Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. The thing isI read one that I have never stopped thinking about. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. They had a conversation in which the phrase was discussed and noted as being about the Creek Indians. Because this is a progressive verb (youll make progress with it for sure), remember You were fixin to patch the hole in the wall. Never say you fixed to do it! This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." Doh! 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. Translated, this means: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." 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. 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. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. If you've ever been caught in a summer storm, you know that you can feel, smell, and see a storm blowin' up across the wide Southern skies. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Neither provides any documentation: http://pub122.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm2.showMessage?topicID=191.topic, http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#LordWillingAndTheCreek. If you hear this one, it's best to slow down. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Get help and learn more about the design. In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. Learn how your comment data is processed. Southerners adopted this phrase wholeheartedly from its early usages in 1700s England and Scotland (where it meant "common sense"). The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. You dont know whats underneath that water, Rose said. The nabbit, gonnit, gummit, blasted, and burnit match the rhythm of damn it, but they can easily be modified for use as an adjective or adverb: That dagnab idiot didnt look to the dadgum left and, dadburnit, he crossed over in my dadblasted lane and dadburn near hit me. When used as a stand-alone oath, hold out on the first syllable and accentuate the second: DaaadGUMMit! This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. Although he admits when the rain starts to fall, it makes him a little nervous. It was bad as all get out. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. Theres probably a connection between eternal damnation and tarnation. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. The saying "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Came from those traveling west in the OLD DAYS. I am feeling culture shock from reading this book. Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have that new barn finished in time for the harvest. So, if during the time of Benjamin Hawkins life, the Creek Indians were experiencing the longest period of peace, why would he fear that they would rise. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. 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. "If the creek don't rise" is a slang phrase predominantly used in the Southeastern United States and can translate to "if all goes well." It's a more conditional action statement than the famous phrase "come hell or high water." Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. 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. And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 225 years old. Eventually, you became a singular pronoun, and we lost the plural pronouns. 15. Threats not only from abroad, but internally as well, forced the fledgling nation to negotiate treaties with the tribes on the western frontier. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. Some newspaper clippings are harder to determine which meaning they meant. Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. A true Southern tradition. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? The Lafayette gazette(Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. 25 Southern Grandparents' Sayings That Deserve a Comeback, Forgotten Etiquette Every Child Should Learn, Kimberly Schlapman and Her Family's Tea Cakes, Lauren Alaina Talks 'American Idol', Southern Manners, and Her Grandmother's Famous Recipe, 30 Quotes That Remind Us Why Southern Manners Are So Important. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. 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. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. Over yonder past the cotton field. 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. 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). 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. And I mean took me there! They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. !, Reckon has ancestry tracing all the way back to the 1000s (and maybe older still), and originally means to count, calculate.. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Dont worry, if youre helping a friend make groceries, youre not expected to create food from scratch. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. 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 . Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. The exact tranlation might be, 'If God is willing, and there isn't a flood that would prevent us from meeting again next week'. 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.
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