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. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. 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. The grit and darkness don't just belong to Sadie, though. 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. Take a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without. "Come Hell or high water" vs "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. I will be at church on Sunday. 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. You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. Statements of the form "God/Lord willing and (some other condition being met)" are ancient extensions of simple acceptance of God's will in phrases like God willing and Lord willing. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 15. 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.. But despite its gentle execution, this story delivers some of the heaviest of punches and invites the reader to step outside of the book for a spell What in tarnation? Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. The resulting warfare and predictable civilian losses in the South reportedly gave rise (using the Southern frontier penchant for willin as opposed to the educated willing) to the phrase which was then likely mistakenly attributed to Hawkins due to his Native American connections. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. Have you ever seen a wet hen? 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). (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.). Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. purchase. "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." Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Unlike the United States Postal Service, whose motto proclaims "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" will keep them from their routes, sometimes a Southern visit is thwarted by a rising creek or other unexpected bump in the road. Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. The earliest example known is this mock rustic speech: Feller-citizens Im not customed to public speakin before sich highfalutin audiences. It's true, we do have a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners understand. When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. 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. 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'." 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.. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? Neither provides any documentation: http://pub122.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm2.showMessage?topicID=191.topic, http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#LordWillingAndTheCreek. Talk:Lord willing and the creek don't rise - Wiktionary If the Good Lord is Willing and the Creek don't rise Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. 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. 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.". I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. (LogOut/ 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? 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. The proper phrase is Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. Share. 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. Affixes dictionary. On his deathbed he married the Creek woman who had been his common-law wife. In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. The Lafayette gazette (Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. by Leah Weiss. In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE is character driven and one fine gritty and entertaining debut with one fine satisfying ending! 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. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. (I would not be surprised to discover that the last contributor on your first link is none other than our own samclem.). If the creek don't risewas a whimsical way of saying that the speaker would carry out some task provided that no figurative obstacle were put in his path. The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. A rising creek could spell trouble, as it can lead to flooding and other issues. The distinct English dialect of the American South, which has a close relationship with Black English (African American Vernacular English), is fascinatingand plenty lively. It's almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. 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. 50 of the Best Southern Sayings | Serving Up Southern You dont know whats underneath that water, Rose said. If the creek rises, travel will be impossible and Ill never get to Grannys. This Southern saying, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. 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. It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it. 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. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" A Quite certainly not. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. 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. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. 133 Copy quote. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out.

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