There are multiple artists named Josh White.

1) Josh White (born Jo… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists named Josh White.

1) Josh White (born Joshua Daniel White in Greenville, South Carolina, 11 February 1914 or 1915; died Manhasset, New York, 5 September 1969) was an American folk, blues, and gospel singer and guitarist.

White was amongst the first blues performers to attract a large white and middle-class African American following, transcending the typical barriers at the time associating blues with a rural and working-class African American audience, and performed in prestigious night clubs and theatres during the 1930s and 1940s. His best known song at the time was probably "Jelly, Jelly", He recorded in a wide variety of contexts, from recordings in which he was accompanied only by his own guitar playing to others in which he was backed by jazz groups and gospel vocal groups. He was prominently associated with the civil rights movement in the 1940s.

Some of his involvement in political causes in the 1940s resulted in him being blacklisted.Controversially, to escape the blacklist, he testified to the House Un-American Activities Committee regarding Communist influence in the entertainment industry and African-American community. He defended his testimony as a friendly witness to HUAC by claiming that the scope of his testimony was limited, that he did not state anything that was not already known, and that he was sincerely opposed to Communism. However, his testimony affected his posthumous reputation, which has only begun to recover in recent years.

From the mid-1950s until his death, he primarily performed at folk music venues and festivals. He was seen as an influence by Ray Charles, who similarly broke considerable barriers that had hampered blues musicians in the past.

On 26 June 1998, the United States Postal Service issued a 32-cent postage stamp honoring Josh White.

Josh White performed the version of "House of the Rising Sun" that influenced the famous version by The Animals. He also played a version of "In My Time of Dying" (also known as "Jesus Gunna Make Up My Dyin' Bed", which was covered by Led Zeppelin as In My Time of Dying.

Josh White's son, Josh White Jr., is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, educator, and social activist.

2) Josh White (born May 25, 1973) is a Christian musician who has been writing and releasing worship music for the Church for nearly a decade, under various different identities - Telecast, The Followers, & Pilgrim. His solo releases are stripped-down, raw-sounding folk worship music.

Jim Crow
Josh White Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Can't you hear that train whistle blow?
Can't you hear that train whistle blow?
Can't you hear that train whistle blow?
Lord, I wish that train wasn't Jim Crow.

Stop the train so I can ride this train.
Stop Jim Crow so I can ride this train.
Stop Jim Crow so I can ride this train.

Black and White folks ridin side by side.

Now hear that train whistle blow.
Can't you hear that train whistle blow.
Can't you hear that train whistle blow
Oh-o Lord this train is Jim crow.

Damn that Jim Crow.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Jim Crow" by Josh White uses the metaphor of a train to express the injustice and segregation experienced by African Americans during the era of Jim Crow laws in the United States. The singer in the lyrics wishes that the train, which represents segregation itself, wasn't named "Jim Crow". The repetition of the train whistle emphasizes the separation and division between Black and White people.

The second verse expresses the desire for equality and integration. The singer asks to "stop Jim Crow" so that Black and White people can ride the train together, side by side. This emphasizes the idea that segregation is unnecessary and unfair, and that different races should be able to coexist peacefully.

In the final verse, the singer expresses frustration and anger towards Jim Crow. The repetition of the phrase "Damn that Jim Crow" emphasizes the negative impact of segregation and highlights the need for change.

Overall, the song "Jim Crow" by Josh White is a powerful statement against segregation and racism. The train symbolism effectively conveys the separation and division between different races, while the repeated phrase "Damn that Jim Crow" expresses the anger and frustration towards the oppressive laws.

Line by Line Meaning

Can't you hear that train whistle blow?
Do you hear the sound of the approaching train?

Lord, I wish that train wasn't Jim Crow.
I wish that segregated rules did not exist on this train.

Stop the train so I can ride this train.
Stop the train so I can board it.

Stop Jim Crow so I can ride this train.
End segregation on this train so I can ride it.

Black and White folks ridin side by side.
People of all races should be able to ride together.

Now hear that train whistle blow.
Listen to the sound of the approaching train.

Oh-o Lord this train is Jim crow.
This train operates under segregated rules.

Damn that Jim Crow.
I despise segregation and its effects.

Writer(s): Huddie Ledbetter

Contributed by Tristan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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