Wynona Merceris Carr was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where she started out as a gospel singer, forming her own five-piece group The Carr Singers around 1945 and touring the Cleveland/Detroit area. Being tipped by The Pilgrim Travelers, who shared a bill with Carr in the late 1940s, Art Rupe signed her to his Specialty label, giving Carr her new stage name "Sister" Wynona Carr (modelled after pioneering gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe) and cutting some twenty sides with her from 1949 to 1954, including a couple of duets with Specialty's biggest gospel star at the time, Brother Joe May.
Not having too much success on the charts (except for "The Ball Game" (1952), which became one of Specialty's best selling gospel records), Carr grew increasingly unhappy with the straight gospel direction of her career and pleaded with Rupe to let her record "pops, jumps, ballads, and semi-blues". Rupe relented and from 1955 to 1959 Carr recorded two dozen rock & roll and R&B sides for Specialty, which, like her gospel songs, she mostly wrote herself. Despite scoring an R&B hit with "Should I Ever Love Again?" in 1957, overall the change from spiritual to secular music didn't help Carr much in terms of sales or recognition. Unfortunately she also contracted tuberculosis around this time, which kept her from doing the necessary promotional work and touring for two years, effectively ending her tenure with Specialty in the summer of 1959.
In 1961 Carr signed with Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records and released an unsuccessful pop album. She moved back to Cleveland, sinking into obscurity and suffering from declining health and depression; she died there in 1976.
Carr's contralto vocals have a sensual, husky quality quite unusual (or even inappropriate) for gospel singers in her day, which made her eventual switch to R&B and rock & roll seem a logical choice in retrospect. The same goes for her idiosyncratic use of metaphors and themes in her gospel songs: Baseball ("The Ball Game"), boxing ("15 Rounds For Jesus") and a popular TV show ("Dragnet For Jesus"). This penchant for novelty-like songs also shows in Carr's later R&B repertoire, for instance "Ding Dong Daddy", "Nursery Rhyme Rock" and "Boppity Bop (Boogity Boog)".
Carr's gospel recordings are very much influenced by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, incorporating blues and jazz stylings and already touching on R&B with her take on Roy Brown's / Wynonie Harris' "Good Rockin' Tonight", entitled "I Heard The News (Jesus Is Coming Again)". Her early R&B material (for which she is probably best remembered now) was often uptempo, rock & roll-styled and similar in sound to fellow R&B / rock & roll artists on the Specialty roster like Little Richard, Lloyd Price and Larry Williams, with a strong New Orleans-style backbeat and a rich, warm production. Her final Specialty sessions, conducted by Sonny Bono in 1959, cut down on the rock & roll influences.
Both Carr's gospel and R&B recordings went largely unappreciated during the time they were released, but found a new audience when Specialty Records released two CDs, covering Carr's entire output on the label and adding previously unreleased material, such as a recording with Rev. C.L. Franklin (father of Aretha Franklin) and his New Bethel Baptist Church Choir in Detroit.
Sister Wynona Carr
Dragnet For Jesus (Specialty SPCD-7016-2, 1992)
Wynona Carr
Jump Jack Jump! (Specialty SPCD-7048-2, 1993)
The Ball Game
Sister Wynona Carr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bein' played each day
Life is a ball game
Everybody can play
Yes you know, Jesus standing at the home plate
He's a-waiting for you there
You know, the life is a ball game
The first base is temptation
You know the second base is sin
The third base tribulation
If you pass, you can make it in
Old man Solomon is the umpire
And Satan pitchin' a game
He'll do his best to strike you out
But keep playin' just the same
You know, Daniel's up to bat first
You know, he pray three times a day
Yes Satan pitched him a fast ball
But he hit it anyway
Yes you know, Job is up to bat next
Satan's struck him in every way
But Job hit a home run
And he came on in that day
Yes you know, prayer is a strong bat
To hit at Satan's ball
And when you start to swing it
You got to give it your all and all
Yes you know, the priest gonna be your catcher
And on him you can depend
Oh Jesus, standing at the home plate
And He is waiting for you to come in
Yes you know, Moses is on the sidelines
Waiting to be called
You know, the day he parted the Red Sea
He knew Christ, all and all
Then John came in the ninth inning
And the game was almost done
Then God gave John a vision
And he knew we'd already won
Yes you know life is a ball game
Being played each day
You know life is a ball game
Each and everybody can play
Yes you know, Jesus is standing at the home plate
He is waiting for you there
Well you know, life is a ball game
But you've got to play it fair
The lyrics of Sister Wynona Carr's song "The Ball Game" present life as a ball game, where every individual is a player that has to play fair to win. The song portrays the challenges and temptations one faces in life as the different bases in a ball game. The first base is temptation, the second base is sin, and the third base is tribulation. The singer talks about how Satan pitches the game but encourages listeners to keep on playing no matter how tough it gets. The umpire, Old Man Solomon, is responsible for ensuring that the game is played by the rules.
The lyrics use biblical references to illustrate how some of the most significant players in history faced life's challenges. Daniel prayed three times a day, and he hit a fast ball after Satan pitched it. Job went through various challenges, but he hit a home run on his last day. The priest is the catcher, and Jesus is standing at the home plate, waiting for us to come in. Moses is on the sidelines, waiting to be called, and John came in the ninth inning, and he already knew he had won because he had a vision from God.
In summary, Sister Wynona Carr's "The Ball Game" inspires listeners to view life as a ball game, to keep playing fair despite Satan pitching tough balls, and to remember that with prayer, we can hit Satan's pitch and win the game of life in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Life is a ball game
Life is a challenging game.
Bein' played each day
Being played every single day.
Everybody can play
Everyone is welcome to join the game of life.
Yes you know, Jesus standing at the home plate
Jesus is present and waiting at the home plate of life.
He's a-waiting for you there
Jesus is patiently waiting for you to approach him.
But you've got to play it fair
You need to play the game of life with honesty and fairness.
The first base is temptation
The first challenge of life is temptation.
You know the second base is sin
The second challenge is sin.
The third base tribulation
The third and final challenge is tribulation.
If you pass, you can make it in
If you overcome these challenges, you can reach your goal.
Old man Solomon is the umpire
Solomon is the authority who judges our life choices.
And Satan pitchin' a game
Satan is the one who challenges us.
He'll do his best to strike you out
Satan will try his best to defeat you.
But keep playin' just the same
Don't give up or lose hope, keep playing the game of life.
You know, Daniel's up to bat first
Daniel is the first player facing the challenges of life.
And he pray three times a day
He has a strong and consistent faith in God.
Yes Satan pitched him a fast ball
Satan tried to deceive him with a quick and tough challenge.
But he hit it anyway
Daniel overcame the challenge and was victorious.
Yes you know, Job is up to bat next
Job is the next player in the game.
Satan's struck him in every way
Satan has caused him much suffering and pain.
But Job hit a home run
Job succeeded in achieving his goal despite the challenges.
And he came on in that day
He was ultimately victorious and moved forward in life.
You know, prayer is a strong bat
Prayer is a powerful tool that helps overcome the challenges in life.
To hit at Satan's ball
To face the difficult challenges presented by Satan.
And when you start to swing it
When you begin to pray, you should put in full effort.
You got to give it your all and all
You must put in your full effort to succeed.
Yes you know, the priest gonna be your catcher
The priest listens and helps us in our time of need.
And on him you can depend
The priest is reliable and trustworthy.
Oh Jesus, standing at the home plate
Jesus is present and waiting to receive us at the end of life.
You know, Moses is on the sidelines
Moses is a symbol of guidance and support during life's challenges.
Waiting to be called
Moses is ready to assist us when we call on him for help.
Then John came in the ninth inning
John represents the final stage of life.
And the game was almost done
The end of life was approaching.
Then God gave John a vision
God revealed to John the victory and glory that awaits us.
And he knew we'd already won
The end result of the game of life is already determined, and we will be victorious.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Wynona Carr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@katriina817
@Jessie Bailey I'm am so glad that you are doing so much better after hearing the inspiring words of this song. Continue to allow God's words, promises and protections over your life to give you the greatest inspiration and motivation to live freely and joyfully.
Please be reminded that you are special and one of God's divine works:
"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." If God is our refuge and we are tucked safely in the arms of divine Love, then nothing can get through to us unless it goes through God first.
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Peace and love to you and your family. 🤗
@brightside51
Life is a ball game
Bein' played each day
Life is a ball game
Everybody can play
Yes you know, Jesus standing at the home plate
He is waiting for you there
You know, the life is a ball game
But you've got to play it fast
The first phase is temptation
You know the second phase is sin
The third phase tribulation
If you pass, you can make it in
Old man Solomon is the umpire
And Satan pitchin' a game
He'll do his best, strike you out
He playin' just the same
You know, Daniel's up to bat first
You know, he pray three times a day
Yes Satan pitched him a fast ball
But he hit it anyway
Yes you know, Job is up to bat next
Satan's struck him in every way
But Job hit a home run
And he came on in that day
Yes you know, prayer is a strong bat
To hit at Satan's ball
And when you start to swing it
You got to give it your all and all
Yes you know, the priest gonna be your catcher
And on him you can depend
Oh Jesus standing at the home plate
And He is waiting for you to come in
Yes you know, Moses is on the sidelines
Waiting to be called
You know, the day he parted the Red Sea
Little price all and all
Then John came in the ninth inning
And the game was almost done
Then God gave John a vision
And he knew we'd already won
Yes you know life is a ball game
Being played each day
You know life is a ball game
Each and everybody can play
Yes you know, Jesus is standing at the home plate
He is waiting for you there
Well you know, life is a ball game
But you've got to play it fair
@davidhill8565
The American Idol contestants I can imagine singing this song are:
• Fantasia Barrino
• Jennifer Hudson
• Melinda Doolittle
• Jacob Lusk
• Jessica Sanchez
• Joshua Ledet
• Candice Glover
• Curtis Finch Jr.
@katriina817
This is my cousin Wynona and that song was played on our piano. My dad told me about the day and experience she had that influenced her writing this song. The piano still sits in our family home today. ❣️🎊🎀🎉❣️🎊🎀🎉🎁🎉🎉🎀🎊🎊🎁🎊
@davidalex1347
Can you share what inspired w.carr to write the song. I've liked this song since I was a kid/ ofcourse the lyrics mean much more to me now.
@katriina817
I would have to to speak to my family first.
@elaineaskins8158
Katriina A AWWWW! What a lovely family memory you carry! Blessings to you!
@katriina817
@Elaine Askins thanks so much!
@myrnaaustin1081
I grew up listening to this song in the 60s
@Ministry6687
My grandma 👵🏽 played this song as I was coming up🙏🏽. Miss her dearly 🕊♥️🕊
@KedonWilson
God bless!!
@pecanpatti9625
My Mom use to sing this song all the time. Especially Sunday mornings, or even while doing house work. I could hear her singing it today. It felt life she was trying to talk to me because I miss her so much. Rest In Peace my sweet Mother. I love you.
@katriina817
Awwww, rest in peace to your mom. Maybe cousin Wynona and your mom sung it together in heaven 💜🙏🏽