The Old Landmark
James Brown with Rev. James Cleveland Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the Old (Old landmark)
Let us all to the Old (All go back Old Landmark)
Let us stay in the service of the Lord
Jesus, ohh! (He's my Lord, oh, my Lord)
Let us preach of the Old
At the... (Hey! Hey!)
Landmark
Let us preach, at the Old
Preach the Word, all the way
Yeah, preach
Preach the Word, all the way
Do it, know it, fell it (All people)
People, people, well (Preach the Word)
Let us preach, at the Old (Preach the Word, Old Landmark)
Preach the Word, at the Old (Preach the Word, Old Landmark)
Preach the Word, at the Old (Preach the Word, Old Landmark)
Preach the Word, at the Old (Preach the Word, Old Landmark)
Preach the Word, at the Old (Preach the Word, Old Landmark)
People, now
Brothers, sisters
Yeah, Lord, Yeah, Lord, Yeah, Lord, Yeah, Lord
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Oh, Lord
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Oh, child
Let us all, to the Old (All go back, Old Landmark)
Let us all, to the Old (All go back, Old Landmark)
Turnin', yearnin', learnin', burnin'
Gonna go back, Ahh (Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh)
Gonna go back, Ahh (Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh)
Gonna go back, Ahh (Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh)
Gonna go back, Ahh (Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh)
Let us stay in the service of the Lord
In "Old Landmark," James Brown is calling for a return to the old ways of preaching the Word and staying in the service of the Lord. He urges everyone to go back to the old landmark and to preach the Word all the way. The repetition of "preach the Word" and "Old Landmark" throughout the song serves as a reminder to the audience to stay true to their beliefs and to continue spreading the good news.
The call and response structure of the song, with James Brown singing the main verses and the Rev. James Cleveland Choir responding with energetic "yeahs" and "ohs," emphasizes the communal aspect of the religious experience. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy melody encourage active participation and engagement from the listeners.
"Old Landmark" has become a staple in gospel music and has been covered by various artists, including Aretha Franklin and Mahalia Jackson. The song was also featured prominently in the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers," where James Brown himself performed it in a scene at the Triple Rock Baptist Church.
Line by Line Meaning
Let us all (All go back)
Let's all retreat to our past ways.
To the Old (Old landmark)
Let's go back to our traditional beliefs.
Let us all to the Old (All go back Old Landmark)
Everyone should go back to our original practices and beliefs.
Let us stay in the service of the Lord
Let's keep serving the Lord and following his ways.
Jesus, ohh! (He's my Lord, oh, my Lord)
Jesus is our Lord and we worship him.
Let us preach of the Old
Let's spread the word about our old beliefs.
At the... (Hey! Hey!)
In this place.
Landmark
Our traditional beliefs and practices.
Praise the Lord, well!
Let's worship the Lord with all our hearts.
Preach the Word, all the way
Spread the word of God without hesitation.
Do it, know it, fell it (All people)
Act on your beliefs, have confidence in them and share them with others.
People, people, well (Preach the Word)
Let's all spread the word of God.
Preach the Word, at the Old (Preach the Word, Old Landmark)
Let's preach the word of God using our traditional beliefs and practices.
People, now
Everyone, pay attention.
Brothers, sisters
Fellow believers in Christ.
Yeah, Lord, Yeah, Lord, Yeah, Lord, Yeah, Lord
Expressing our devotion to the Lord.
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
Expressing our joy and excitement.
Oh, Lord
Praising the Lord.
Oh, child
A term of endearment for fellow believers in Christ.
Turnin', yearnin', learnin', burnin'
We are turning towards our faith, yearning to learn more about it and having a burning desire to follow it.
Gonna go back, Ahh (Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh)
We are going back to our old beliefs and practices with enthusiasm and excitement.
Let us all, to the Old (All go back, Old Landmark)
Let's all go back to our traditional beliefs and practices.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: W. Herbert Brewster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind