<… Read Full Bio ↴The definitive Afroamerican gospel group in the jubilee quartet style.
Founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet in Norfolk, Virginia in 1934 by A. C. “Eddie” Griffin, Robert “Peg” Ford, Henry Owens, and Bill Johnson, they began as a traditional jubilee quartet, combining the clever arrangements associated with barbershop quartets with rhythms borrowed from the blues and jazz.
The makeup of the group changed over the years, as some members were drafted during the war and new members were brought in to replace those who had retired or left to join other groups. William Langford joined the group when Griffin left in 1935 and Orlandus Wilson replaced Ford the same year. Clyde Riddick replaced Langford in 1938, Johnson left in 1948 to join “The Jubalaires” and Owens left the group later to become a preacher and solo artist. Riddick remained with the group until his retirement in 1995 and Wilson until his death in 1998.
The Gates had a broad repertoire of styles—from Owens’ mournful, understated approach in songs such as Anyhow or Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name, to the group’s highly syncopated arrangements in Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo. Like The Mills Brothers of popular music, they would often include vocal special effects in their songs, imitating train sounds in songs such as Golden Gate Gospel Train. Langford often sang lead, using his ability to range from baritone to falsetto, while Johnson narrated in a hip syncopated style that became the hallmark for the group.
Basin Street Blues
The Golden Gate Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the Mississippi
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
The band's there to meet us
Old friends there to greet us
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
Basin Street is the street
Where the best folks always meet
In New Orleans, land of dreams
You'll never know how nice it seems,
Or just how much it really means
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
Where welcome's free and dear to me
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
Is the street, mama
New Orleans, land of dreams
The lyrics to The Golden Gate Quartet's "Basin Street Blues" speak to the allure of the fabled street in New Orleans where the "best folks always meet." The opening lines invite the listener to join the singer on a boat journey down the Mississippi River to the promised land of dreams that is New Orleans. Once there, the band will be waiting to meet and old friends will be there to greet. The street itself is described as a place where "all the proud and elite folks meet" and is spoken of as "heaven on earth." The chorus repeats the importance of Basin Street, emphasizing that it is the street where the best folks always meet in the land of dreams that is New Orleans.
The song is a love letter to the historic street that runs through the heart of New Orleans' famous French Quarter. Although the lyrics mention the street's elite reputation, the song itself is accessible to all and speaks to the idea that everyone is welcome on Basin Street. The song conjures up images of a place where music, friendship, and good times are at the forefront, and where one can go to forget their worries and let the music wash away their blues. It's a song that celebrates the magic of New Orleans and the role that Basin Street has played in the city's rich musical history.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you come along with me
I am inviting you to join me on a journey
To the Mississippi
We will travel to the Mississippi River
We'll take a boat to the land of dreams
We will travel by boat to a place where dreams come true
Steam down the river, down to New Orleans
We will travel by boat down the river to the city of New Orleans
The band's there to meet us
A band will be there to greet us
Old friends there to greet us
We will be greeted by old friends
Where all the proud and elite folks meet
This is a place where important and wealthy people gather
Heaven on earth, they call it Basin Street
This place is so special that it is called 'heaven on earth'
Basin Street is the street
Basin Street is the name of this street
Where the best folks always meet
Only the most respectable people gather here
In New Orleans, land of dreams
This street is located in the city of New Orleans which is a place where dreams come true
You'll never know how nice it seems,
Until you experience it for yourself, you will never understand its true beauty
Or just how much it really means
This place is very important to me and I cannot put it into words
Glad to be, oh yes-sirree
I am very happy to be here
Where welcome's free and dear to me
I feel very welcomed and appreciated in this place
Where I can lose, lose my Basin Street Blues
In this place, I can forget about my problems and just enjoy my time here
Basin Street, oh Basin Street
I cannot stop thinking about how special Basin Street is
Is the street, mama
This is the name of the street I am referring to
New Orleans, land of dreams
This street is located in the city of New Orleans which is a place where dreams come true
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROBERT MATTHEW STERLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind