Hold My Mule
Shirley Caesar Lyrics

I just want to take time
I want to take a moment to share something important

To tell you
To share with you

A story
A narrative

About a man called Shout'n' John
About a man named Shout'n' John

John joined a dead church
John became a member of a lifeless church

They didn't believe in shout'n'
They didn't believe in expressing their joy loudly

They did't believe in dancin' and speakin' in tongues
They didn't believe in dancing and speaking in unknown languages

But when they opened the doors of the church
But when they allowed new members to join the church

John joined that church
John became a part of that church

And when John joined that church
And when John became a member of that church

He came in dancin'
He entered the church dancing

Everybody, everybody got disturbed
Everyone, everyone became disturbed

Because John was dancin' all around the church
Because John was dancing throughout the church

The deacons ran and sat him down
The deacons hurriedly made him sit

He jumped back up
He quickly got back up

They tried to hold his legs
They attempted to restrain his legs

His hands would go
His hands would move

When they turn the hands aloose
When they released his hands

The feet were goin'
His feet were moving

It's just like fire!
It's as intense as fire!

Shut up in the bone
Contained within the bones

They did everything they could to stop ol' John from shout'n'
They did everything possible to prevent John from expressing his joy

And when they couldn't finally stop him
And when they ultimately couldn't stop him

They made up their mind
They decided

"We got to go out to John's house y'all
"We must visit John's house, everybody

For something is wrong with him
Because something is amiss with him

Doesn't he know
Isn't he aware

We don't act like that in our church
We don't behave similarly in our church

Doesn't John know
Doesn't John realize

We've got dignitaries in our church
There are respected individuals in our church

We're goin'
We're going

We're goin' to John's house"
We're going to John's house"

Well!
Well!

When they got out there
When they arrived there

They found this ol' 86 year ol' man
They discovered this elderly man of 86 years

Him and a ol' beat up mule
Him and an old, worn-out mule

Plowin'
Plowing

Plowin'
Plowing

In the fiel'
In the field

They drove up, all of the deacons
All the deacons arrived in their cars

They got out of their fine cars
They stepped out of their luxurious cars

They walked over to John
They approached John

John looked around and said
John surveyed the area and said

"Whoa, mule!"
"Hold on, mule!"

Walked over to 'em and said
Approached them and said

"Brother, I know why you've come out here
"Brother, I understand why you've come here

You've come out here to tell me that I praise the Lord too much
You've come here to inform me that I worship the Lord excessively

You've come out here to tell me that I dance too much"
You've come here to convey that I dance excessively"

One of the deacons tol' him
One of the deacons told him

"If you don't stop shoutin'
"If you don't cease your joyful exclamation

If you don't stop dancin'
If you don't stop dancing

We gon' put you outta our church
We will remove you from our church

Somebody say yeah
Someone say yes

Say yeah
Say yes

We are gonna entertain for it, yeah yeah
We are surely going to insist, yes yes

John said to them
John said to them

"Well, put me out!
"Go ahead, remove me!

I can't hold my peace
I can't remain silent

Did you see all of that land you just drove up on?"
Did you see all of the land you just arrived on?

He said
He stated

"God gave me all that land
"God granted me all that land

But you don't want me to dance in your church"
But you don't want me to dance in your church"

Said
He continued

"Look at my sons and my daughters!"
"Consider my sons and daughters!"

Said
He added

"God gave me all of my children
"God blessed me with all of my children

Not one time
Not even once

Have I been to the court house
Have I visited the courthouse

Not one time
Not even once

Have I been to the cemetery
Have I gone to the cemetery

But you don't want me to dance in your church?"
But you don't want me to dance in your church?"

Then he said
Then he declared

"Look at me
"Look at me

I'm 86 years old
I'm 86 years old

I'm still able
I'm still capable

To walk behind that ol' mule
To walk behind that old mule

I'm still able
I'm still capable

To harvest my own crop
To gather my own harvest

But you don't want me to dance in your church?
But you don't want me to dance in your church?

Listen Brother Deacons
Listen, Brother Deacons

If I can't shout in your church
If I can't rejoice in your church

Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins

I'm gon' shout right here"
I'm going to rejoice right here"

Say yes
Say yes

Say yes
Say yes

Say yes
Say yes

Oh yeah yeah yeah
Oh yes yes yes

Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins

Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins

Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins

That's the way I feel right now
That's exactly how I feel at the moment

I feel like goin' shout'n' with John
I feel like rejoicing alongside John

I'm know we got some dignified folk in here
I know we have some sophisticated individuals in here

But I come to tell you
But I want to tell you

I feel like praising, praising Him
I feel like worshipping and exalting Him

Ooh I feel like praising, praising Him
Oh, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him

Praise Him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Worship Him in the morning (worship Him in the morning)

Praise Him all day long (raise Him all day long)
Worship Him throughout the day (worship Him throughout the day)

I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him (I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him)

Wait a minute
Wait a moment

Somebody got a chance they like to give their hearts to the Lord
Somebody has an opportunity they'd like to dedicate their hearts to the Lord

Come on and praise the Lord while you have a chance
Come on and worship the Lord while you still can

Come on and praise the Lord while you have a chance
Come on and worship the Lord while you still can

Praise him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Worship Him in the morning (worship Him in the morning)

Praise him all day long (praise Him all day long)
Worship Him throughout the day (worship Him throughout the day)

I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him (I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him)

Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Well all right, well all right
Well all right, well all right

Now
Now

I know some of you all are dignified
I know some of you are refined

But you know y'all are just gonna clap your hands like I'm some mother
But I know you're just going to lightly clap your hands as if I'm just anyone

I feel like, I feel like, I feel like praising Him
I feel like, I feel like, I feel like worshipping Him

Like praising, praising Him
Like worshipping, worshipping Him

I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him
I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him

Praise Him, in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Worship Him, in the morning (worship Him in the morning)

Praise Him all day long (praise Him all day long)
Worship Him throughout the day (worship Him throughout the day)

Ooh I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
Oh, I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him (I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him)

Hallelujah
Hallelujah