She was born in Miami, to a religiously devout mother and musically inclined father. As was common in the area, Williams was exposed to African American blues and jazz, alongside Caribbean calypso. Poverty caused Williams to leave school at fourteen, working with her mother at a laundry. She was singing at church and on street corners, inspired by a wide range of musicians including Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Smith Jubilee Singers. She stuck with gospel, however, in spite of pressure to switch to popular blues tunes or the opera.
Williams was invited to join the Ward Singers when they heard her singing during a visit to her sister in Philadelphia in 1946. Williams did so in 1947, staying with them for eleven years. Her first recording with the group was "How Far Am I from Canaan" (1948), followed by the breakthrough "Surely God Is Able", which launched Williams and the rest of the group into superstardom. Their concerts were mobbed by frenzied fans.
Dissatisfied with the low pay she was receiving while starring for the group, Williams left the Ward Singers in 1958, followed by most of the rest of the group, to form the Stars of Faith. The Stars of Faith was unable, however, to reproduce the success the Ward Singers had enjoyed, as Williams retreated from the spotlight to give other members of the group more opportunity to star.
The group's career recovered, however, in 1961, when it appeared in Black Nativity, an off-Broadway production, and toured across North America and Europe. In 1965, Williams began a solo career but soon returned to Miami for her mother's funeral. While there, she felt reinspired to continue her career and began touring college campuses across the country. Her perhaps best-known hit is from this period -- "Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go". In 1991, she performed as a gospel singer in the film Fried Green Tomatoes, though her scene is available only in the director's cut. The movie was dedicated to her. She was honored as a MacArthur Fellow in 1993 and died in 1994.
[edit] External links
* http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4784252
Cool Down Yonder
Marion Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's cool down here along the banks of Jordan
Cool down there along the banks, banks of Jordan
Jesus gonna meet me there-
He's gonna meet me there.
It's so cool down there- the chilly Jordan
Cool down there- the chilly Jordan.
But Jesus gonna meet me there-
He's gonna meet me there.
Well I stepped in water up to my knees
I cried, "Lord have mercy, if you please,"
Stepped in water 'round my head,
Spirit make it but my, child is dead
And it's cool-----,
Yeah it's cool down there- the chilly Jordan
Chile it's cool down here- chilly Jordan.
Jesus gonna meet me there-
He's gonna meet me there.
I said,"Meet me, my Lord meet me,
Meet me in the middle of the air.
If these wings should fail me,
I'm gonna try me another pair.
Cause it's cool-----, the banks of Jordan
Cool down there the banks, banks of Jordan
Chile it's cool down there- the banks Jordan
Jesus gonna meet me there-
He's gonna meet me there.
Marion Williams's song "Cool Down Yonder" speaks about the significance of the Jordan River in the Christian faith. The song exalts the importance of the river Jordan as the path to freedom and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. The chorus "Cool down there along the banks, banks of Jordan, Jesus gonna meet me there - He's gonna meet me there" emphasizes the belief in the afterlife and the meeting with Jesus in Heaven.
The first stanza of the song highlights the peaceful and calming atmosphere of the banks of the Jordan River while juxtaposing the harsh conditions of the river itself, which is described as a chilly river. The second stanza puts the singer in the shoes of the Israelites' crossing of the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. This stanza narrates a desperate cry for help in the river (Jordan), where the singer asks the Lord to save their child's soul.
Overall, the song's lyrics portray the belief in the promised afterlife and salvation in Christ while acknowledging the hardships and challenges in the journey towards the river of Jordan.
Line by Line Meaning
Cool down there along the banks, banks of Jordan
It's calm and peaceful on the shores of the Jordan river
It's cool down here along the banks of Jordan
The waters of the Jordan river are refreshing and refreshing
Cool down there along the banks, banks of Jordan
The atmosphere by the shores of the Jordan river is soothing and relaxed
Jesus gonna meet me there-
I believe that Jesus will meet me at the Jordan river
He's gonna meet me there.
I have faith that I will meet Jesus when I get to the Jordan river
It's so cool down there- the chilly Jordan
The Jordan river is cold, but it feels refreshing
Cool down there- the chilly Jordan.
The Jordan river is cold and refreshing
It's cool down there- chilly Jordan
The chilly Jordan river is refreshing and calming
But Jesus gonna meet me there-
But I have faith that I will meet Jesus when I get to the Jordan river
He's gonna meet me there.
I believe that Jesus will be there waiting for me at the Jordan river
Well I stepped in water up to my knees
I entered the shallow water of the river and it reached my knees
I cried, "Lord have mercy, if you please,"
I pleaded with the Lord to have mercy on me
Stepped in water 'round my head,
I went further into the river and the water was up to my head
Spirit make it but my, child is dead
I believe that my spirit will survive, but my child has already passed away
And it's cool-----,
The environment around me is calm and peaceful
Yeah it's cool down there- the chilly Jordan
The Jordan river is cold but it feels refreshing
Chile it's cool down here- chilly Jordan.
The chilly Jordan river is cold and refreshing
Jesus gonna meet me there-
I have faith that Jesus will be there waiting for me at the Jordan river
He's gonna meet me there.
I believe that Jesus will meet me at the Jordan river
I said,"Meet me, my Lord meet me,
I asked the Lord to meet me
Meet me in the middle of the air.
I want to rendezvous with the Lord in the middle of the sky
If these wings should fail me,
If I am without wings
I'm gonna try me another pair.
I will try to find another pair of wings to fly with
Cause it's cool-----, the banks of Jordan
The shores of the Jordan river is peaceful and soothing
Cool down there the banks, banks of Jordan
It's calming and relaxing to be by the shores of the Jordan river
Chile it's cool down there- the banks Jordan
The shore of the Jordan river is cold and refreshing
Jesus gonna meet me there-
I have a strong conviction that Jesus will be there waiting for me at the Jordan river
He's gonna meet me there.
I'm confident that I will meet Jesus at the Jordan river
Writer(s): Ira Tucker
Contributed by Landon R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@edder84
Friend green tomatoes!
@mrandrewbigos
great movie