From the mid-1950s until 1975, Estil Cortez Ball performed with his wife Orna and their Friendly Gospel Singers in churches and on the radio, especially on WKSK (AM) in West Jefferson, North Carolina and WBOB (AM) in Galax, Virginia. Ball's first recordings were made by John A. Lomax on behalf of the Library of Congress at the 1937 Galax Fiddler's Convention in Galax, Virginia, where E.C. performed with his Rugby Gully Jumpers string band (named after Paul Warmack's Gully Jumpers). Lomax recorded the string band and several duets by E.C. and Orna. John's son Alan Lomax recorded Ball three years later, in 1941, at E.C.'s home in Rugby, Virginia, and there again in 1959.
County Records released Ball's first LP in 1967, as E.C. Ball and the Friendly Gospel Singers. Two more LPs followed in the 1970s on Rounder Records: E.C. Ball and Fathers Have A Home Sweet Home. Ball was also recorded by John Cohen for his 1975 compilation album High Atmosphere: Ballads and Banjo Tunes from Virginia and North Carolina.
E.C. Ball's most famous composition was a piece he called "Tribulations," based, as he told Alan Lomax in 1959, "on the last book in the Bible: Revelations." It has been frequently covered by other musicians as "Trials, Troubles, Tribulations."
Ball died in 1978 in Grassy Creek, North Carolina, and is buried at Corinth Baptist Church in Rugby, Grayson County, Virginia.
In December 2009, a tribute album was released entitled Face A Frowning World: An E.C. Ball Memorial Album, on the Tompkins Square label, produced by Nathan Salsburg. Singers interpreting songs from E.C.'s repertoire include Jolie Holland, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Jon Langford, the Handsome Family, Rayna Gellert, and Catherine Irwin, among others.
Tribulations
E.C. Ball Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nigga
Trials and tribulations you can't even get out, you don't believe it
Lotta' shit they do be really out of spite if you look deeper
Lotta' brothers I ain't blood with but I'm still my brother's keeper
Lotta' shorties did me wrong, they took my heart, ripped it to pieces
Now I'm on my P's and Q's, I can't believe in you
Don't be surprised when I show up, this ain't no peekaboo
I feel like my soul been hurt inside, I feel it leaking through
You ain't really for me dawg, gone head and let me know
Told a nigga no, they get to dropping like its dominos
Hoes getting exposed, they only want you for designer clothes
Got the wrong one baby, I ain't one to brag and boast
I'm the one to run a check up and then I flip it
It's cool to dream but in it, can you stay committed
Been in the stu', feel like Picasso paint a picture vivid
Niggas root against me cause I'm winning like Jordan and Pippen
Feel like a wrestler the way my back against the ropes
Shit get real but I prevail baby, this is not a joke
Stone Cold, bitch I'm a stunner, you won't never call me broke
Strangers be first to support, hater be your own folk got damn
Trials and tribulations you can't even get out, you don't believe it
Lotta' shit they do be really out of spite if you look deeper
Lotta' brothers I ain't blood with but I'm still my brother's keeper
Lotta' shorties did me wrong, they took my heart, ripped it to pieces
Now I'm on my P's and Q's, I can't believe in you
Don't be surprised when I show up, this ain't no peekaboo
Yellow bone beside causing static just like Pikachu
I feel like my soul been hurt inside, I feel it leaking through
Feel like I'm crying on the track so you can feel my pain
Gotta stay solid, can't go back just charge it to the game
A lot of people gone look past you till you got a name
Then they gonna love you and say damn look how far he done came
Tough luck, baby don't get starstruck
Same nigga from the east side of Charlotte, we throw the E's up
I done got my foot in the door, so I can't ease up
She wanna tie the knot with the boy cause Imma please her, baby I don't need ya
I done got this far, now you believe em'
Turn my heart cold, it ain't changing like the season
Now my name spreading around the region
What you tell em Dub
Trials and tribulations you can't even get out, you don't believe it
Lotta' shit they do be really out of spite if you look deeper
Lotta' brothers I ain't blood with but I'm still my brother's keeper
Lotta' shorties did me wrong, they took my heart, ripped it to pieces
Now I'm on my P's and Q's, I can't believe in you
Don't be surprised when I show up, this ain't no peekaboo
Yellow bone beside causing static just like Pikachu
I feel like my soul been hurt inside, I feel it leaking through
The lyrics to this song portray the emotional turmoil the artist faces from trials, troubles, and tribulations. He starts by expressing his disbelief in being unable to escape from the difficult situations he finds himself in. As he goes deeper into the lyrics, he speaks about the spiteful actions of others, including those close to him, and how they have hurt him. The artist highlights the importance of brotherhood and loyalty, even to those who are not related by blood, and how he has been hurt by people he thought he could trust. He expresses his disappointment at being let down by those he believed in and indicates that he can no longer place his trust in them.
The next few lines indicate his determination to move on, and despite being hurt, he remains focused on achieving his goals. He describes his ambition and how he won't let anyone bring him down. The line "yellow bone beside causing static just like Pikachu" is a reference to the popular Pokemon character Pikachu and highlights how someone close to him is causing trouble. The artist then speaks about his pain and the way it leaks through, even as he cries on the track.
The later part of the song refers to how people often ignore you until you make it, and then they come back, pretending they always supported you. The artist speaks about his hard work, persistence, and the foot he has finally gotten into the door. He ends by stating that he cannot believe in people as he once did; his experiences have made him wary of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Trials and tribulations, you can't even get out, you don't believe it
Life's struggles can be overwhelming, leaving you feeling trapped and hopeless.
Lotta' shit they do be really out of spite if you look deeper
People often act out of malice or envy, even if it's hidden beneath surface niceties.
Lotta' brothers I ain't blood with but I'm still my brother's keeper
Friendship and loyalty transcend blood ties.
Lotta' shorties did me wrong, they took my heart, ripped it to pieces
Romantic partners can betray you and cause immense emotional pain.
Now I'm on my P's and Q's, I can't believe in you
After experiencing deceit or disappointment, it's hard to trust again.
Don't be surprised when I show up, this ain't no peekaboo
Don't underestimate me or assume I won't overcome challenges.
Yellow bone beside causing static just like Pikachu
A light-skinned woman is causing conflict, just like the famous Pokémon's electric attacks.
I feel like my soul been hurt inside, I feel it leaking through
Emotional distress can be physically felt and even expressed through art.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Elijah Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@melvinwren
alan lomax needs to be represented in rock and roll hall of fame somehow
@ahistoryofthefoodofparis9910
Arguably. If only he hadn't copyright traditional songs as his own.
@sherrard5492
When I learned this song from a Peter Rowan record, I loved the way its unflinching imagery is married to such a serene melody. I had no idea who EC Ball might be—now I can’t wait to go search out more of his music!
@stevenvelez1717
You described it perfectly
@WailinHeino
Thanks ever so much! I hadn't heard this wonderful song since ages.
@fuzzy6813
and this is what gospel music is made of.... thank you.....
@PEROUKIS
Sugar for my ears honey for my eyes every time I see new video posted.
Thank you so much!!
@toddgaines9446
I'm lucky enough to have this one on vinyl. Recorded in the field by Alan Lonex, Southern Folk Heritage Series WHITE SPIRITUALS. ATLANTIC records 1349
@seamus2112ophelan
Wow! Lucky you, I'm gonna hafta be on the lookout for it now.
@WoodwoseTransmissions
Very haunting. They look like the models from American Gothic. Fantastic as always.