"The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. Here is an article that casts rather a lot of doubt on your assertion: 'God willing and the creek don't rise' M Quinion_World Wide Words: Q From Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression 'God willing and the creek don't rise' referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. Maya Rodale is a best-selling romance author. 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. This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. Well, I found it. Which means if nothing crazy happens or anything out my control such as a natural disaster. So the saying came about like we'll be there.God willing and the Creek (indians) don't rise..to stop us. Your email address will not be published. But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. This phrase enjoyed national exposure in 1988 after Texas Governor Ann Richards remarked: When we pay billions for planes that wont fly, billions for tanks that wont fire, and billions for systems that wont workthat old dog wont hunt.. However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. The most interesting often hail from our older generations, such as the WWII era and those raised by them. The Cree and the Creek lived over a thousand miles apart, (the Cree are from Canada), so we now have people contributing folk etymologies that are nonsense on their face. Because that is supposedly how the original author first wrote it. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" Unarguable Southern criticism. https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=70955250. (LogOut/ According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. purchase. In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-up-and-go.". If the creek rises, travel will be impossible and Ill never get to Grannys. But today Ive stumbled across the claim that it refers to an uprising by the Creek (or Cree) Indians. Let me love you again, give me one more try. He wrote it in response to a request from the President to return to our Nations Capital and the reference is not to a creek, but The Creek Indian Nation. 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). "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that." 04 Mar 2023 03:30:05 The thing isI read one that I have never stopped thinking about. No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. Translated, this means: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." 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. Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. (Yes, it is terrible grammar, but that is how it is said. 24 of 30. The exact tranlation might be, 'If God is willing, and there isn't a flood that would prevent us from meeting again next week'. Quick, what do you call a soft drink? 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. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. Have you ever seen a wet hen? And yes, they roll their eyes, too. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. My favorite variant is the phrase Hank Williams Sr. sometimes used to end his shows: "Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you before long." - MT_Head. It completely nailed the "mountain living" that I remembered my grandmother talking about. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". (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.). If the creek dont rise was a whimsical way of saying that the speaker would carry out some task provided that no figurative obstacle were put in his path. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). Someone reminded me not to be reminded of you. It is sometimes thought that the word "Creek" instead refers to the Creek Indians, but this is unlikely. Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. 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. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 225 years old. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. Did you know the saying God willing and the Creek dont rise was in reference to the Creek Indians and not a body of water? We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.". 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. 1851. They had a conversation in which the phrase was discussed and noted as being about the Creek Indians. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. The Creek so-called civil war of 1812 involving the Red Stick faction, and their combat North and South, appears to have been an impetus for that forts creation. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. 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. 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. I will be at church on Sunday. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. 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. Feller-citizens Im not customed to public speakin before sich highfalutin audiences. When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant directionany direction. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. 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. He was a politician and Indian agent. Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. "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." For instance, I might promise to show up for Christmas at Grandmas if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. "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. Werefixin to tell you more Southernisms, and now were doing just that. Neither provides any documentation: http://pub122.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm2.showMessage?topicID=191.topic, http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#LordWillingAndTheCreek. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? 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. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. 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. 1851. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. DeSantis's year-long quest to strip Disney of its self-rule came after the entertainment giant, and Florida's . 133 Copy quote. This was an extremely enjoyable read! They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. The proper phrase is Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. 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. However, this is clearly one of those evolving language cases. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . Weiss has a unique voice. 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. But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. An odd few (6% of Americans) do use soft drink, according to the Pop vs. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Kate Forbes (Narrator). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Its typically used to describe a situation thats gone askew, awry, or out of alignment. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. Baines Creek is a small remote mountain settlement in North Carolina where many can't read, education is unheard of and catastrophic poverty is the norm. "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" is a sort of backwoods phrase that has the same meaning, but is more folksy and less devoted. 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. It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. 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. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. Some newspaper clippings are harder to determine which meaning they meant. Poor little doggy. Firsts, Mines, Asks. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? "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]. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. God willing and the creek don't rise If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Change). Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of. Positive thinking, Southern style. If the Creek Don't Rise. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. Anything to the degree of "all get out" is something to talk about. 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. in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? Wheres my blasted phone?. And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. 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. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. And this is one appearance in a newspaper: 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. 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.". The word you use for a fizzy, carbonated drink reveals a lot more about you than you know. What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. All rights reserved. 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). As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. Can't Never Could. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. Get help and learn more about the design. Another publication, Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Jurisdiction, Volumes 88-89, coins the phrase: if the Lord is willing and the creek dont fire, we will so do. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. You will have spotted that neither of these capitalises creek, which suggests they didnt have the Creek people in mind. Or, depending on where you live, it could be Sewanee, the small college town in Tennessee. This one may be self-explanatory, but we can imagine it originating back in the days of stagecoaches, when horse-and-buggy pairs filled the streets. Historians and etymologists may cringe, but the modern usage of Lord willin and the creek (or crick) dont rise is about the stream, not the Creek tribe. 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. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". Faire can mean both do and make. This phrase entered the Southern vernacular via Louisiana and is in regular use in the New Orleans area. Whatscatawampus? In the Deep South? "If God so wills, and as long as intense rain does not wash away bridges or parts of dirt roads, or cover roads too deeply for safely following them." And yes, I have heard the music of this culture and watched the dancing. The only requirement is that you declare it loud and proud. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. All rights reserved.This page URL: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-god1.htmLast modified: 25 February 2012. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? the creek don't rise. 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.". Its not a recent change. Since we'd never dare hang up the phone while Mama's chatting away, this may be the only way to end your conversation in a timely manner. A Quite certainly not. It happens often during a Southern summer, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. I always took it as a reference to the level of water in a creek. And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? This means that if everything continues to plan, things will be okay. If you've read the book summary, you already know Sadie Blue lives with a devil of a man, but she's not the only one who has lived with a wife beater of a husband. (LogOut/ Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. It mentions Benjamin Hawkins of the late 18th century, who was asked by the US president to go back to Washington. Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have that new barn finished in time for the harvest. We didnt. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't 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." Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. 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. 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . All rights reserved. I am feeling culture shock from reading this book. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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. (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. After eating a big, delicious Southern dinner Granny just made, you have to finish up with a slice of sweet potato pie, right? No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. There's two or three creeks," he said. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. The General replied to Stonewall Jackson that he would send troops "the Good Lord is willing and the Creeks don't rise (in rebellion). Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. A very young, newly married pregnant woman, she vows her no good moonshining husband has beaten her for the last time. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. It is 1970, and we follow the story of a young Appalachian girl, Sadie Blue age 17, pregnant and newly married to an evil young man who is abusive.
Oxford Nutrition Menu, Bill Gates Grandparents, David Faber Son Baseball, Articles I