Sweet Honey in the Rock was founded in 1973 by Bernice Johnson Reagon who formed the group out of the strongest singers from a vocal workshop she was teaching with the D.C. Black Repertory Company. The name of the group comes from a religious parable that tells of a land so rich that when rocks were cracked open, honey flowed from them.
The music of Sweet Honey in the Rock challenges its listeners with songs on topics including motherhood, spirituality, freedom, civil liberties, domestic violence, and racism.
Over the years, more than twenty individuals have lent their voices to Sweet Honey in the Rock. Beginning as a quartet, Sweet Honey in the Rock is now comprised of six African American women (including a professional American Sign Language interpreter who accompanies the group on concert tours). The ensemble tackles difficult five-part harmonies and composes much of their own music.
Sweet Honey in the Rock has received several Grammy Award nominations, including one for their children's album Still the Same Me which received the Silver Award from the National Association of Parenting Publications. They won a Grammy in 1989 in the category of Best Traditional Folk Recording for their version of Leadbelly's "Grey Goose" from the compilation album Folkways: A Vision Shared.
Gray Goose
Sweet Honey In The Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, las' Monday mornin', Lawd, Lawd, Lawd,
Well, las' Monday mornin', Lawd, Lawd, Lawd
My daddy went a-huntin'
Well, he carried along his zulu1
Well, along come a grey goose
an' he ram his hammer' way back
Well, he pulled on de trigger
Well, down he come a-windin'
He was six weeks a-fallin'
He was six weeks a-findin'
An' he put him on de wagon,
An'he taken him to de white house
He was six weeks a-pickin'
Lordy, your wife an'my wife,
Oh, they give a feather pickin'
An' they put him on to parboil2
He was six months a-parboil',
An' they put him on de table,
Now, de fork couldn' stick him,
An' de knife couldn't cut him
An' they throwed him in de hog-pen,
An' he broke de ol'sow's jawbone
An' they taken him to de sawmill,
An' he broke de saw's teeth out
An' de las' time I seed him,
Well, he's flyin' across de ocean,
Wid a long string o' goslin's,
An' they all goin': quank quink-quank
The song Gray Goose by Leadbelly is about a hunting adventure that the singer's father took. The song has a clear structure and follows the story arcs of the hunt, the cooking, and the aftermath of the meal. The chorus of the song, 'Well las' Monday mornin', Lawd, Lawd, Lawd,' is a refrain that reminds us of the passage of time and links the different stages of the story together.
In the first verse, the singer tells us that his father went hunting carrying his zulu, a type of gun. He then narrates the arrival of a gray goose and his father's attitude towards it. His father takes his time to get the gun ready, and when he finally pulls the trigger, the bird is hit, but it takes six weeks to fall to the ground. The singer then tells us of the trouble they had to catch the bird and put it on a wagon to take it home.
In the second verse, the singer focuses on the cooking and tells us that they left the bird to parboil for six months, adding a comical dimension to the song. When they finally put it on the table, they find out that the fork cannot stick it, and the knife cannot cut it. In the end, they throw it away in the hog-pen, where it breaks the sow's jawbone. The singer also tells us that they take the bird to the sawmill where it breaks the saw's teeth out.
In the last verse of the song, the singer reveals that the bird is not dead yet, but it is flying across the ocean, and its offspring is following it with a 'quank quink-quank' sound. The song ends on a humorous note, and it is an excellent example of Leadbelly's masterful storytelling and unique style.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, las' Monday mornin', Lawd, Lawd, Lawd,
It was just last Monday morning, oh my God, oh my God.
My daddy went a-huntin',
My father went hunting.
Well, he carried along his zulu,
He brought his hunting gun with him.
Well, along come a grey goose,
A grey goose appeared before him.
Well, he throwed it to his shoulder,
an' he ram his hammer' way back
He lifted the gun to his shoulder and pulled back the trigger.
Well, he pulled on de trigger,
He fired the gun.
Well, down he come a-windin',
The goose fell down to the ground.
He was six weeks a-fallin',
It took six weeks for the goose to hit the ground.
He was six weeks a-findin',
It took six weeks to find the goose after it fell.
An' he put him on de wagon,
An'he taken him to de white house
He put the goose on a wagon and took it to the White House.
He was six weeks a-pickin',
It took six weeks to pluck the feathers off the goose.
Lordy, your wife an'my wife,
Oh, they give a feather pickin',
Both your wife and mine helped pluck the feathers from the goose.
An' they put him on to parboil,
Then they partially boiled the goose.
He was six months a-parboil',
It took six months to finish cooking the goose.
An' they put him on de table,
Finally, they served the goose on a table.
Now, de fork couldn' stick him,
An' de knife couldn't cut him
The goose was so tough that neither a fork nor a knife could cut through it.
An' they throwed him in de hog-pen,
An' he broke de ol'sow's jawbone
So they threw the goose in the pigpen, and it broke the jawbone of an old sow.
An' they taken him to de sawmill,
An' he broke de saw's teeth out
Then they took the goose to a sawmill, and it broke the saw's teeth when they tried to cut it.
An' de las' time I seed him,
Well, he's flyin' across de ocean,
Wid a long string o' goslin's,
An' they all goin': quank quink-quank
The last time I saw the goose, it was flying across the ocean with a long string of goslings, all of them making a quank quink-quank sound.
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Barbara Barnett
on Young and Positive
what are the lyrics to im young and im positive
Amado Mc. G
on The little Shekere
The Little Shekere Lyrics: I Use to be a squash in Aminatta’s field Until the day she decided to collect her yield I was so afraid that she would come and choose me but since I couldn’t run away, I had to wait and see She went back and forth and up and down every row then without choosing me she decided to go I was so relieved I began to shout! Which made her turn around and see me so she picked me out! When she wrapped me in her sack and place me on her head and started walking toward her village, I was filled with dread Many of my friends and family had left the land but never knowing where they went I did not understand That a whole new life was just ahead of me as a calabash, moraccas, agbe, axatse. I never knew a squash could be so many things full of colors and designs and beaded down with strings When we reached the house they took me out of the sack I wanted to go home! (somebody take me back!) But as I look around I just could not believe my eyes I saw my friends and family, what a nice surprise! They were happy to see me and they were looking good and when they started to talk, that’s when I understood Even though each one was different in color and shape when they all played together the music was great. My life was just beginning in the musical world I’d be a shekere for these young boys and girls A Shekere! (A Shekere!) A Shekere! (A Shekere!) So listen everybody to my family and friends we’re gonna sing this song for you from begin to end A Shekere! (A Shekere!) A Shekere! (A Shekere!) *Shekeres Playing* Shekere!
Ahfor Taitu
on I Be Your Water
I BE YOUR WATER-LYRICS
i————
i be your shelter
i be your rain
i be your everything
i be your friend
i be your water
when your thirsty and dry…
i woke up mourning in a crowded sick place
surrounded by evil, protected by grace
there were these hands, hundreds reaching for me
they knew exactly who and what i should be
each way i turned, had me stronger than the last
which would i choose & how could i pass
then i heard whispers (be still -be still -be still)
from deep inside me (be still -be still -be still)
then i heard whispers (be still -be still -be still)
from deep inside me (be still -be still -be still)
as i gave power to the sound of my own voice
a way broke before me, i followed my choice
i walked along the way others lives had been
til’ i came to what seemed like an end
again these hands, reaching beckoning for me
they knew exactly who and what i should be
again the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
again the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
way before me was mine to make
there was no road, no path to take
as i had my life, through this muddy walk way
others toiled beside me for a justice new day
still i have felt lonely most of the time
walking this sweet freedom struggle of mine
still i have felt lonely most of the time
walking this sweet freedom struggle of mine
saved by the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
saved by the whispers (be still -be still -be still)
keeping me steady (be still -be still -be still)
yesterday i stumbled around the bend
i saw you standing, you reached me your hand
i seen you before, oh many of times
why your life had plowed the road, right next to mine
now you make the sun rise in my sky
you rock my cradle hunny, you make me fly
you keep me company
now you make the sun rise in my sky
you rock my cradle hunny, you make me fly
you keep me company
i————
I be your shelter
i be your rain
i be your everything
i be your friend
i be your water
when your thirsty and dry…
Brenda Nelson
on Long Journey Home
Does anyone have lyrics for this song...long journey home ....by sweet honey in the rock?