From 1914 to his death, Gates was the pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Rock Dale Park, Atlanta, Georgia. He had a very prolific recording career, recording over 200 sides between 1926 and 1941, including frequent rerecordings. Experts estimate that at least a quarter of all sermons commercially released on record before 1943 were recorded by Gates.
His first best-seller, 1926's "Death's Black Train Is Coming", sold 35,000 copies by the end of its release year. Many of his recordings were strong warnings of the hellish punishments that awaited sinners.
Gates is credited with introducing the gospel music of former blues artist Thomas A. Dorsey into the black gospel market via his crusades. His funeral drew the largest crowd of any memorial service in the city before Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition to a Columbia Records collection and a "complete works" set from Document Records, Gates' work has been frequently featured in gospel and roots music anthologies, including Harry Smith's influential Anthology of American Folk Music.
A modified version of his song "Death's Black Train Is Coming" was performed by the band Gob Iron on their debut album, Death Songs For The Living. An uncredited cover can also be heard on the DVD release of the television series Day Break starring Taye Diggs near the end of the thirteenth and final episode.
His final recording, the 1941 sermon "Getting Ready for Christmas Day", is sampled in and inspired the lyrics to Paul Simon's song of the same name, which is featured on Simon's album, So Beautiful or So What, released in April 2011.
Santa Claus
Rev. J. M. Gates Lyrics
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Underneath the mistletoe last night
Which directly contravenes all social distancing guidelines
I can't bring myself to let her know
To see her arrested out in the snow
She's putting everyone at risk
For a sly little peck and a drunken frisk
But maybe that's the point of this
To steal back something for your health
While the world collapses around itself
I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
Which directly contravenes all social distancing guidelines
And I know that it should not be fine
I know that it should not be fine
But it's fine
In Rev. J. M. Gates's song "Santa Claus," the lyrics appear to be a satirical take on the traditional Christmas song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." The song acknowledges the irony and absurdity of witnessing someone breaking the social distancing guidelines by kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe. The singer struggles with whether or not to inform their mother about the potential consequences of her actions, such as getting arrested in the snow. Despite the clear violation of safety measures, the singer concludes that the act of stealing a moment of joy and intimacy in the midst of chaos might be important for one's mental and emotional well-being.
The lyrics explore the conflicting emotions and moral dilemmas that arise during times of crisis, emphasizing the human desire for connection and the lengths we are willing to go to find moments of happiness, even if they seem irresponsible or risky. The repetition of the lines "Which directly contravenes all social distancing guidelines" and "And I know that it should not be fine, but it's fine" underscores the singer's awareness of the situation's inherent wrongness, yet their acceptance or resignation to it.
Overall, the song presents a thought-provoking commentary on the complex dynamics of human behavior during difficult times, questioning our priorities and highlighting the tension between following regulations and seeking personal satisfaction.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus
I witnessed my mother engaging in a romantic encounter with Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
Beneath the customary holiday decoration late in the evening
Which directly contravenes all social distancing guidelines
In clear violation of the recommended guidelines for maintaining physical distance
I can't bring myself to let her know
I am unable to inform her of my awareness
To see her arrested out in the snow
To witness her being apprehended in the cold, snowy weather
She's putting everyone at risk
She is endangering the well-being of all individuals involved
For a sly little peck and a drunken frisk
In exchange for a discreet kiss and an intoxicated interaction
But maybe that's the point of this
Yet, perhaps that is the intention behind this act
To own a moment in the dark abyss
To claim a significant instant in the uncertain and gloomy void
To steal back something for your health
To reclaim something valuable for the sake of one's emotional well-being
While the world collapses around itself
Even as society crumbles and falls apart
And I know that it should not be fine
I am aware that this situation is not acceptable
But it's fine
Yet, I begrudgingly accept it
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Michael McGowan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The American Storyteller
Rev. Gates was perhaps the most popular black preacher of his time. Rev. C.L.Franklin (Aretha's Dad) has cited him as a major influence in a book of his sermons. Its not hard to see why.
Cat Daddy
The American Storyteller wasn’t he from Clarksdale, Mississippi? That’s where Reverend Franklin was from. I knew a preacher, Timothy Gates there who was a piano tuner.
Blank Trigger
@Cat Daddy I don't know if he was from there but he preached in Hogansville GA. He popularized recorded sermons.
The American Storyteller
@Blank Trigger Rev. Gates was born in Hogansville Ga and was later based in Atlanta. But he recorded and preached around the country.
Ian Davidson
It's also the title of a short film from 1969, coincidentally the year when Mott the Hopple started out. Available on YouTube.
Kris Scanlon
Brain Capers
John Jung-Simard
He’s right! Praise God!
thelegallybronze
AAAAAMEN!
Cat Daddy
Wasn’t he from Clarksdale, Mississippi?
Tom McCool
Mott the Hoople stole the title for one of their songs, which has nothing to do with Death or Santa Claus.