In the rock (and roll) community, Bill Monroe may be best known via one of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings at Sun Records, that of Monroe's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'. Patsy Cline also made a highly regarded version of this song.
I'm Working On A Building
Bill Monroe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tell you what I'd do
I'd quit my gambling
And I'd work on the building too
I'm a working on building
I'm a working on building
Hallelujah
For my Lord, for my Lord
It's a Holy Ghost building
It's a Holy Ghost building
Hallelujah
It's a Holy Ghost building
For my Lord, for my Lord
If I was a drunkard
I tell you what I would do
I'd quit my drinking
And I'd work on the building too
I'm a working on building
I'm a working on building
Hallelujah
I'm a working on building
For my Lord, for my Lord
It's a Holy Ghost building
It's a Holy Ghost building
Hallelujah
It's a Holy Ghost building
For my Lord, for my Lord
If I was a preacher
I tell you what I would do
I would keep on preaching
And I'd work on the building too
I'm a working on building
I'm a working on building
Hallelujah
I'm a working on building
For my Lord, for my Lord
It's a Holy Ghost building
It's a Holy Ghost building
Hallelujah
It's a Holy Ghost building
For my Lord, for my Lord
The lyrics to āI'm Working on a Buildingā by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys is a gospel song that centers around the importance of working on oneself, specifically through dedication to a āHoly Ghost building.ā The repeated refrain of āI'm a working on building / Hallelujah / For my Lord, for my Lordā is a call to action for listeners to focus on building up their faith and spirituality.
The lyrics also use examples of vices such as gambling and drinking to emphasize the idea that one can overcome their struggles and weaknesses by dedicating themselves to something greater than themselves. The emphasis on working on oneself and building towards a greater purpose is a common theme in gospel and religious music, and the song's upbeat, uptempo melody coupled with the powerful lyrics makes it a popular choice for both religious and secular audiences.
The use of repetition throughout the song highlights its importance and provides a rhythmic quality that allows the listener to become fully engaged with the message. The āHoly Ghost buildingā is a metaphor for the spiritual journey that each person must take, and the song stresses the importance of this journey in attaining a closer relationship with God.
Overall, āI'm Working on a Buildingā is a powerful and uplifting song that encourages listeners to focus on their spiritual growth and dedicate themselves to a life of faith and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
If I was a gambler
If I were someone who bets money on games of chance
I tell you what I'd do
I would like to share my course of action
I'd quit my gambling
I would stop placing bets on games of chance
And I'd work on the building too
And I would focus on constructing a building
I'm a working on building
I am actively and diligently creating a structure
Hallelujah
A word of praise to express joy or gratitude
For my Lord, for my Lord
As an act of devotion and service to my God
It's a Holy Ghost building
The building is imbued with spiritual significance
If I was a drunkard
If I were someone who gets drunk frequently
I'd quit my drinking
I would stop consuming alcoholic beverages
If I was a preacher
If I were a person who delivers sermons or speeches about religious topics
I would keep on preaching
I would continue to give religious discourses
Lyrics Ā© Peermusic Publishing
Written by: A.P. CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mohsenhosseini9520
[Chorus]
I'm a working on building[x3]
For my lord for my lord
It's a holy ghost building[x3]
For my lord for my lord
[Verse 1]
If I was a liar I tell you what I would do
I would quit my lying and work on a building too
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
If I was drunkard I tell you what I would do
I would quit my drinking and work on a building too
I'm a working on building
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
If I was a preacher I tell you what I would do
I would keep on preaching and work on a building too
I'm a working on building
[Chorus]
@kkiilljjooy
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https://amzn.to/2m7v4CQ "Off The Record, Vol. 1: Live Recordings" (27 tracks album, 1956-1969 Live) Bill Monroe audio CD
https://amzn.to/2kRFpTb "Off The Record, Vol. 1: Live Recordings" (27 tracks album, 1956-1969 Live) Bill Monroe MP3 download
@tulmkr3
My uncle, Bill Box is playing guitar in this video. Very good song and some great fiddling!!
@tippimail1
Looks like he's playing a D-18.He had a great band called the Dixie Drifters.
@joshuapriestley5307
Ol Kenny sure could play and your uncle too!
@djshumate2782
Bill box used to come down to Ava Missouri where a mutual friend of ours lived named Benny pool. Had many jam sessions with him when he would come down for a week or 2 at a time. I actually got to talk with him on the phone a couple months ago. Bill is a very good fella in my opinion
@mandybellep230
How cool !
@mandybellep230
@tippimail1 that's cool. My daddy's name was dixie !
@pro3tlb
My favorite Bill Monroe moment happened on the night Reba McIntire came to the Opry for the first time (as a major label recording artist) in the mid 80's. Everyone was watching Reba on stage and Bill was inside the rail fence waiting to go on playing his mandolin. He looked over and noticed me standing there listening to him so he walked over and played for an audience of one; me. We chated while Reba and the act that followed her finished. Bill went on stage and did his number. Great moment.
@journeyer58
Nothing can beat that High Lonesome sound. Bill Monroe's voice was superb, no one can recreate that voice.
@tb40ford
The finest fiddler that ever pulled a bow. Smooth and powerful. Travis