Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an Americ… Read Full Bio ↴Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James (June 9, 1902 – October 3, 1969) was an American Delta blues singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter.

His guitar playing is noted for its dark, minor-key sound, played in an open D-minor tuning with an intricate finger picking technique. James first recorded for Paramount Records in 1931, but these recordings sold poorly, having been released during the Great Depression, and he drifted into obscurity.

After a long absence from the public eye, James was "rediscovered" in 1964 by blues enthusiasts, helping further the blues and folk music revival of the 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, James appeared at folk and blues festivals, gave concerts around the country and recorded several albums for various record labels. His songs have influenced generations of musicians and have been adapted by numerous artists. He has been hailed as "one of the seminal figures of the blues.

James was described as aloof and moody. The musicologist Dick Spottswood commented, "Skip James, you never knew. Skip could be sunshine, or thunder and lightning depending on his whim of the moment".

James is sometimes associated with the Bentonia School, which is either a subgenre of blues music or a style of playing it. Calt, in his 1994 biography of James, I'd Rather Be the Devil: Skip James and the Blues, maintained that no style of blues originated in Bentonia and that the "Bentonia School" is simply a notion of later blues writers who overestimated the provinciality of Mississippi during the early 20th century, when railways linked small towns, and who failed to see that in the case of Jack Owens, "the 'tradition' he bore primarily consisted of musical scraps from James' table". Owens and other musicians who may have been contemporaries of James were not recorded until the revival of interest in blues music in the 1960s. Whether the work of these musicians constituted a "school" and whether James originated it or was a member of it remain open questions.

Jesus Is a Mighty Good Leader
Skip James Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let Jesus lead you, let Jesus lead you
Let Jesus lead you all the way
All the way from up to heaven
Let Jesus lead you all the way

He's a mighty good leader, he's a mighty good leader
He's a mighty good leader all the way
All the way from up to heaven

He's a mighty good leader all the way

He led my mother, he led my mother
He led my mother all the way

All the way from up to heaven
He led my mother all the way

Overall Meaning

In Skip James's classic gospel song, "Jesus Is a Mighty Good Leader," the chorus urges listeners to follow Jesus' leadership throughout their journey, from earth to Heaven. The first and second verses emphasize Jesus' leadership and his abilities as a great leader. This is reinforced by the repetition of "He's a mighty good leader", which emphasizes Jesus’s leadership qualities. Then, in the third verse, James personalizes the message, singing about how Jesus had led his own mother to Heaven. This creates an emotional connection with the listener, encouraging them to trust in Jesus’ leadership.

The song also highlights the idea of trust in leadership, particularly in spiritual or religious contexts. It emphasizes the need for individuals to trust in a higher power and follow their guidance. This idea of trust is particularly relevant to the African American community, who have often faced challenges and injustices in their lives. The song encourages them to use their faith to remain strong and follow the example of Jesus.

Line by Line Meaning

Let Jesus lead you, let Jesus lead you
Follow Jesus and let him show you the way.

Let Jesus lead you all the way
Trust in Jesus and let him guide you through life.

All the way from up to heaven
Jesus can lead you from Earth all the way to Heaven.

He's a mighty good leader, he's a mighty good leader
Jesus is an excellent leader who can guide you to good things.

He's a mighty good leader all the way
Jesus can lead you all the way through life and to Heaven.

He led my mother, he led my mother
Jesus guided and protected the person's mother.

He led my mother all the way
Jesus guided the person's mother through life to Heaven.

Contributed by Gianna N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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