Although the Blind Boys of Alabama have been singing gospel music for more than five decades, it's only recently that the group has had the benefit of a major record company behind them. The founding members were Clarence Fountain, Johnny Fields, George Scott, Ollice Thomas, and Vel Trayler. The current group consists of Eric McKinney, Billy Bowers, Jimmy Carter, Joey Williams, and Donald Dillion.
From their inception in the 1930s, when all were boys, all members of the group except one were blind. They began singing when all were students, in the glee club, at the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Alabama, but didn't begin recording until 1948. As a youth, Fountain heard the legendary Golden Gate Quintet on the radio; the early Five Blind Boys of Alabama took their musical cues from that group. The group began singing professionally as the Happyland Jubilee Singers, and for years only toured the Bible Belt in the Southern U.S.
Since 1948, they've recorded for a variety of small record companies, and had gospel music hits in the 1950s with "Oh, Lord Stand By Me" and "I Can See Everybody's Mother But I Can't See Mine". In 1950, after the death of one of their members, the group renamed themselves simply the Blind Boys of Alabama.
The group recorded first for the Newark-based Coleman Records label. Between 1953 and 1957, the group recorded for Art Rupe's California-based Specialty label. In the 1960s, the group's hard-driving gospel sounds were imitated by people like Bobby "Blue" Bland and Marvin Gaye. The group recorded extensively for the Vee Jay label from 1963 to 1965. In 1969, Fountain left the group for a decade to try to make it on his own, and the group re-formed with all the original members in the late 1970s.
They gained widespread success in 1988, when they starred in an Obie Award-winning Broadway show. According to Fountain, the group's high point was being on Broadway for 15 weeks with the musical Gospel at Colonus. The musical opened up new avenues to bookings for the group, and they began touring theaters and larger churches in the early 1990s, embarking on their first European tours as well. The group was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship in 1994. In 1994 and 1995, the group played festivals including the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Beale Street Music Festival and the King Biscuit Blues Festival. The group also toured in Melbourne, Australia and the World's Fair, in Brisbane.
Mid-1990s television appearances included Black Entertainment Television's On Jazz, and even a cameo on Beverly Hills, 90210.
Since the turn of the century, founding members, George Scott (2005) and Johnny Fields (2009) passed away. Clarence Fountain remains the only living founding member. The group is still performing, under the vocal leadership of longtime member, Jimmy Carter. Releases by the group in recent years have been favorites at the Grammy Awards — they have won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album every year since 2002. The Blind Boys of Alabama were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2002. Their cover of the Tom Waits song "Way Down in The Hole" was featured as the opening theme for season one of HBO's The Wire. In 2008 they released Down in New Orleans, on which they were accompanied by such Crescent City legends as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Allen Toussaint.
Founding members
Jimmy Carter – vocals
Clarence Fountain – vocals (November 28, 1929 - June, 3, 2018)
Johnny Fields (deceased) – vocals
George Scott (d. 2005) – vocals
Olice Thomas (deceased) – vocals
Vel Bozman Traylor (deceased) – vocals
Past members
Bishop Billy Bowers (deceased, July 2, 2013) – vocals
Caleb Butler – rhythm guitar
Samuel Butler Jr – rhythm guitar, songwriter and arranger, manager, second lead singer
Roscoe Robinson – lead vocals
Charles Porter - vocals
Lamont Blount (deceased) – band manager
Atom Bomb
The Blind Boys Of Alabama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Well) No one seems worried about the day my Lord shall come
(You'd better) Set your house in order (fore he) he may be coming soon
(And then he'll) hit like an atom bomb, when he comes, when he comes
In nineteen hundred and forty-five
The atom bomb became alive
In nineteen hundred and forty-nine
They found that a country from across the line
Had an atom bomb of the very same kind
The people got worried all over the land
Just like the people did in Japan
God told Elias to send down fire
To send down fire from the sky
He showed old Noah how the rainow signs
And there wouldn't be water for next time
(You know that) Everybody's worried (hey now) about that atom bomb
(Hey, hey) No one seems worried about the day my Lord shall come
(You'd better) Set your house in order (for he) he may be coming soon
(And he'll) hit like an atom bomb, when he comes, when he comes
Now don't you get worried just bare in mind
Trust in Jesus and ye shall find
Peace and happiness, joy, devine
Will King Jesus on the line
God told Elijah to send down fire
Send down fire from the sky
He said he would, and I believe he will
God'll fight your battles if you just keep still
(You know that) Everybody's worried (hey now) about that atom bomb
(Well) No one seems worried about the day my Lord shall come
(You'd better) Set your house in order (for he) he may be coming soon
(And he'll) hey, hey, hey, hey my Lord (you know he'll)
Hit like an atom bomb, when he comes, when he comes
(You know now) Everybody's worried (hey now) about that atom bomb
(Hey now) No one seems worried about the day my Lord shall come
(You'd better) Set your house in order (for he) he may be coming soon
(And he'll) hey, hey, hey, hey my Lord you know he'll
Hit like an atom bomb, when he comes, when he comes
The Blind Boys Of Alabama's "Atom Bomb" is a gospel song that inspires people to focus not only on their present worries and fears but also on the spiritual aspect of life. The lyrics suggest that people are worrying about the wrong things as they fixate on the atom bomb while ignoring the day their Lord shall come. The song emphasizes the importance of being prepared for the second coming of Christ, similar to the biblical story of Noah building an ark to prepare for the flood. The lyrics encourage listeners to set their houses in order and trust in Jesus to find peace, happiness, and divine joy.
The first two stanzas of the song explain the fear gripping the USA and Japan when the atom bomb was invented and dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The artists draw a parallel between the atom bomb and the second coming of Christ. They suggest that the power of the atom bomb was nothing compared to the power of God. The song calls on believers to trust in Jesus as God will fight their battles if they keep still.
Line by Line Meaning
(You know now) Everybody's worried (hey now) about that atom bomb
Everyone is anxious about the atom bomb.
(Well) No one seems worried about the day my Lord shall come
No one is concerned about the day when the Lord will come.
(You'd better) Set your house in order (fore he) he may be coming soon
Prepare yourself for the Lord's arrival as he may come soon.
(And then he'll) hit like an atom bomb, when he comes, when he comes
When the Lord comes, his arrival will be like an atomic bomb.
In nineteen hundred and forty-five
The year is 1945.
The atom bomb became alive
The atom bomb was developed and became operable.
In nineteen hundred and forty-nine
The year is 1949.
The USA got very wise
The USA gained knowledge and was more cautious and alert.
They found that a country from across the line
They discovered that a country beyond their border had the same type of atom bomb.
Had an atom bomb of the very same kind
That nation possessed a similar type of atom bomb.
The people got worried all over the land
The nation's individuals became concerned.
Just like the people did in Japan
Just like the folks of Japan reacted when the atom bomb was used on them.
God told Elias to send down fire
The biblical character Elias was instructed by God to cause fire to come down.
To send down fire from the sky
To create fire from the heavens.
He showed old Noah how the rainow signs
He demonstrated to the biblical character Noah the significance of the rainbow.
And there wouldn't be water for next time
So that there wouldn't be a repeat of the Great Flood.
Now don't you get worried just bare in mind
Do not become anxious; just remember.
Trust in Jesus and ye shall find
Trust in Jesus and you will discover.
Peace and happiness, joy, devine
Peace, joy, and divine happiness.
Will King Jesus on the line
King Jesus is in charge.
God told Elijah to send down fire
God instructed the prophet Elijah to cause fire to come down.
Send down fire from the sky
Create fire from the heavens.
He said he would, and I believe he will
He promised he would, and I have faith that he will.
God'll fight your battles if you just keep still
God will fight your battles if you stay calm and not intervene.
(And he'll) hey, hey, hey, hey my Lord (you know he'll)
The Lord will come and make an impact.
Contributed by Eva I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.