The makeup of the group changed over the years, as some members were drafted during the war and new members were brought in to replace those who had retired or left to join other groups. William Langford joined the group when Griffin left in 1935 and Orlandus Wilson replaced Ford the same year. Clyde Riddick replaced Langford in 1938, Johnson left in 1948 to join "The Jubalaires" and Owens left the group later to become a preacher and solo artist. Riddick remained with the group until his retirement in 1995 and Wilson until his death in 1998.
The Gates had a broad repertoire of styles--from Owens' mournful, understated approach in songs such as Anyhow or Hush, Somebody's Calling My Name, to the group's highly syncopated arrangements in Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo. Like The Mills Brothers of popular music, they would often include vocal special effects in their songs, imitating train sounds in songs such as Golden Gate Gospel Train. Langford often sang lead, using his ability to range from baritone to falsetto, while Johnson narrated in a hip syncopated style that became the hallmark for the group. Wilson's bass served as the anchor for the group and Owens harmonized with Langford and Johnson.
They achieved regional fame through their radio program in Columbia, South Carolina in the 1930s. They became nationally popular after John Hammond presented them as part of the 1938 extravaganza From Spirituals to Swing in Carnegie Hall, which led to a nationwide radio program, appearances at Cafe Society in 1940 and the opportunity to sing at Franklin Delano Roosevelt's inauguration in 1941, becoming the first black musical group to sing at Constitution Hall. They continued to be popular during World War Two, making several appearances in Hollywood films and singing secular music, including some unique popular front songs such as Stalin Wasn't Stalling that mixed humor with political commentary.
The quartet lost their preeminent position in gospel music after the war, when they faced competition from the newer hard gospel quartets. They continued in their old style, offering sharper political commentary in songs such as God's Gonna Cut 'Em Down, but losing much of their audience to quartets such as the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Soul Stirrers. The Golden Gates revived their career in 1955, however, when they toured Europe for the first time, where they became widely popular. The group moved to Paris in 1959 and has continued touring, primarily in Europe, since then. During his stint in the US Army, in Germany, Elvis Presley, who a huge admirer of their work since his early childhood, visited them backstage at "Le Lido", in Paris, and stayed to watch their entire show, staying also with them at the hotel "Prince de Galles".
The Golden Gate Quartet has been inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998
Pick A Bale Of Cotton
Golden Gate Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Great God Almighty gonna pick a bale a day
Great God Almighty gonna pick a bale of cotton
Great God Almighty gonna pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down, turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale a day
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Me and my wife can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my wife gonna pick a bale a day
Me and my wife can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my wife can pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Oh me and my gal gonna pick a bale of cotton
Well me and my gal gonna pick a bale a day
Well me and my gal gonna pick a bale of cotton
Me and my gal gonna pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Oh me and my buddy can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my buddy can pick a bale a day
Me and my buddy can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my buddy can pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Me and my partner can pick a bale of cotton
Well me and my partner can pick a bale a day
Well me and my partner can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my partner can pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale a day
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Great God Almighty, I can pick a bale of cotton
Great God Almighty, I can pick a bale a day
I can pick a pick a pick a pick a bale of cotton
I can pick a pick a pick a pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
The lyrics to the Golden Gate Quartet's "Pick A Bale Of Cotton" describe the grueling work of picking cotton in the fields. The repetition of the chorus, "Great God Almighty gonna pick a bale of cotton, Great God Almighty gonna pick a bale a day" highlights the immense pressure put on the workers to reach their daily quota of picking a bale of cotton, which weighed around 500 pounds.
The call-and-response structure of the verses, with the singer singing "You got to jump down, turn around and pick a bale of cotton" and the group responding "Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day," creates a sense of community and unity among the workers. The song emphasizes the need for teamwork and communal effort to accomplish the task at hand.
Overall, the lyrics to "Pick A Bale Of Cotton" reflect the harsh realities of the exploitative labor system that dominated the South during the era of slavery and sharecropping.
Line by Line Meaning
Great God Almighty gonna pick a bale of cotton
An expression of determination to work hard and pick a lot of cotton
Great God Almighty gonna pick a bale a day
An expression of commitment to a daily work goal of picking cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
A call to action to pick cotton
Well oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
A reminder of the daily work goal of picking cotton
You got to jump down, turn around and pick a bale of cotton
Instructions on how to pick cotton by jumping, turning, and picking
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale a day
Instructions on how to reach the daily work goal of picking cotton
Me and my wife can pick a bale of cotton
A statement of ability to pick cotton together with one's wife
Me and my wife gonna pick a bale a day
A declaration of intent to meet the daily work goal of picking cotton with one's wife
Oh me and my gal gonna pick a bale of cotton
A declaration of intent to pick cotton with one's girlfriend
Me and my gal gonna pick a bale a day
A declaration of intent to meet the daily work goal of picking cotton with one's girlfriend
Oh me and my buddy can pick a bale of cotton
A statement of ability to pick cotton together with one's friend
Me and my buddy can pick a bale a day
A declaration of intent to meet the daily work goal of picking cotton with one's friend
Me and my partner can pick a bale of cotton
A statement of ability to pick cotton together with one's partner
Me and my partner can pick a bale a day
A declaration of intent to meet the daily work goal of picking cotton with one's partner
Great God Almighty, I can pick a bale of cotton
An expression of self-confidence and ability to pick a lot of cotton
I can pick a pick a pick a pick a bale of cotton
An expression of eagerness to pick cotton
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J BAIRD, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind