Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. As was the case with Dr Mattox, the remark is routinely attributed to first being said by Benjamin Hawkins. (LogOut/ He would tell the audience that we would meet again, "If the good Lord's willin', and the creek don't rise". Theres nothing more Southern than a lively Hey, yall! And dont you dare think of spelling it yallSouthern Living has decreed this contraction of you all is spelled one way, and one way only. QFrom Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression God willing and the creek dont rise referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. All rights reserved.This page URL: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-god1.htmLast modified: 25 February 2012. Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. Dont worry, if youre helping a friend make groceries, youre not expected to create food from scratch. If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. That argues for a more mundane origin: the old-time difficulties of travelling on dirt roads that forded rivers and streams; a sudden storm could cause water levels to rise without warning and render the route impassable. A Quite certainly not. Then theres a long gap in the record before it began to appear again in the 1950s. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. If you refer to itno matter the brand or flavoras Coke, chances are you grew up in the South. Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. from The New York Times: And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 70 years old. Is this derivation correct? In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." On his deathbed he married the Creek woman who had been his common-law wife. [2] In the Reed song and Cash cover the verses vary the rhyme, so the opening line commences: If the good Lord's willing and the creek stays down I'll be in your arms time the moon come around. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. Doh! Mentioning Benjamin Hawkins is a masterstroke, since he was the General Superintendent for Indian Affairs between 1796 and 1818 and was principal Indian agent to the Creek nation; he became so close to its people that he learned their language, was adopted by them and married a Creek woman. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. There, we listened to amazing stories told by Dr. John Mattox. The grit and darkness don't just belong to Sadie, though. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. The saying has been attributed to Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson among others, on the usual principle that attaching a famous name to a story validates it. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? The underscore of that sentiment would be that he married his common-law wife on his deathbed and she was of the Creek Indians. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? However, this is clearly one of those evolving language cases. Look up Lord willing and the creek don't rise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. During the early days of the War of 1812, one party of Creek marched north and joined the Indians fighting in Ohio and Michigan, participating in the River Raisin Massacre. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. Another publication, Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Jurisdiction, Volumes 88-89, coins the phrase: if the Lord is willing and the creek dont fire, we will so do. If the Creek Dont Rise by Leah Weiss is a 2017 Sourcebooks Landmark publication. The second contributor on the AOL site is simply repeating things without any understanding. It's a vivid phrase, and it's an accurate one too. A true Southern tradition. Anecdotal evidence from people who have got in touch with me down the years suggests that it has been in regular use throughout the lifetimes of some elderly folk in parts of the US, either in the form you give or as the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). "Like all great southern. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? We are an American people, born under the flag of independence and if the Lord is willing and the creeks dont rise, the American people who made this country will come pretty near controlling it. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. A very young, newly married pregnant woman, she vows her no good moonshining husband has beaten her for the last time. If you've ever been caught in a summer storm, you know that you can feel, smell, and see a storm blowin' up across the wide Southern skies. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. from The New York Times: If there is a good state of the world in 2021 the Lord willing and the creek don't rise everyone and all Blue Dogs in office needs to recognize . All rights reserved. If the good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. The proper phrase is Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have that new barn finished in time for the harvest. I'm a sucker for the well turned phrase and I was highlighting sentences here, one after another. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. by Leah Weiss. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. Required fields are marked *. 1851. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. Step into the Deep South and experience the lives and hardships, hopes and dreams, of folk who have nothing except gritand sometimes loveas their currency. So, if during the time of Benjamin Hawkins life, the Creek Indians were experiencing the longest period of peace, why would he fear that they would rise. It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. This phrase isn't about physical appearance. Since we'd never dare hang up the phone while Mama's chatting away, this may be the only way to end your conversation in a timely manner. Select your currency from the list and click Donate. From the start there's been a film of dingy on my days.. Hawkins served under George Washington as General Superintendent for Indian Affairs (17961818) and had responsibility for the Native American tribes south of the Ohio River, and was principal Indian agent to the Creek Indians. Let me love you again, give me one more try. There's two or three creeks," he said. If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." According to http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins: Generally recognized as the Creek Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins also held the title of General Superintendent of all tribes south of the Ohio River. Older than Methuselah. This is a high compliment in the South, since Southern states are known for their peaches. "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. The nabbit, gonnit, gummit, blasted, and burnit match the rhythm of damn it, but they can easily be modified for use as an adjective or adverb: That dagnab idiot didnt look to the dadgum left and, dadburnit, he crossed over in my dadblasted lane and dadburn near hit me. When used as a stand-alone oath, hold out on the first syllable and accentuate the second: DaaadGUMMit! To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. False folk etymology. With a colorful cast of characters and a flair for the Southern Gothic, If the Creek Don't Rise is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. Share. Well, that might just push you over the edge, and as you lean back youre bound to say, Im as full as a tick. Itd be plumb crazy not to express yourself (and your full belly) with this fun, old Southern idiom. This one originates from the 19th century, when Carter Products marketed "Little Liver Pills" across the country. Theres two or three creeks, he said. I absolutely loved the southern voice of these characters throughout this book. [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. 1851. Depending on where you are, youre likely to hear words combined together (gonna for going to) and different vowel sounds than youre used to, including mah for my and git for get.Git has been in use since the 16th century all over the country, but is particularly common in the South, where it appears in everything from classic literature (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird) to personal correspondence (I want you to write me as soon as you git this letter, from a letter dating back to the Civil War). Threats not only from abroad, but internally as well, forced the fledgling nation to negotiate treaties with the tribes on the western frontier. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. If you've read the book summary, you already know Sadie Blue lives with a devil of a man, but she's not the only one who has lived with a wife beater of a husband. Lyndon Johnsons wife Lady Bird was fond of the phrase, and she wasnt one to cast aspersions on native Americans. "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of. Over yonder past the cotton field. the creek don't rise. I will be at church on Sunday. These skies can darken at a moment's notice, and summer afternoons often see winds churning and heavy rain clouds blowing in to cool that Southern summer heat. When the road looks rough ahead, remember the 'Man upstairs'. No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Pond, A Rooster One Day and A Feather Duster the Next, If You Know These Sayings, You Definitely Grew Up in the South, Only Real Southerners Know the Meaning of "Putting On the Dog", Things Only Southern Moms Say To Their Daughters, Things Only Southerners Say When It Snows. Your email address will not be published. Thats a mouthful, but we lumped these all together because they are allsubstitutes for (God) d*mn it. What in tarnation? What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! 25 Southern Grandparents' Sayings That Deserve a Comeback, Forgotten Etiquette Every Child Should Learn, Kimberly Schlapman and Her Family's Tea Cakes, Lauren Alaina Talks 'American Idol', Southern Manners, and Her Grandmother's Famous Recipe, 30 Quotes That Remind Us Why Southern Manners Are So Important. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. Catawampus(or, cattywampus) may have been popularized by Brits who delighted in parodying Southern vernacular. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". (Recall, also, that the Creek who did go to war against the whites were a smaller group within the Creek nation and that the larger group remained neutral or actively assisted the whites in the warat which point they were betrayed by having the U.S. sieze all their land.). We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. Paperback, 305 pages. In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. This 19th-century phrase was once used to refer to some fierce, imaginary beast, until we went off course and adopted the current meaning of "awry.". Now, she admits to saying this to her children. I always took it as a reference to the level of water in a creek. Faire can mean both do and make. This phrase entered the Southern vernacular via Louisiana and is in regular use in the New Orleans area. For instance if someone invites you to church on Sunday, you would respond "I'll be there with bells on God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise.". You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. From another source Some historians attribute Benjamin Hawkins as having been the first person to ever say these words and he did so in a letter to the President of the United States. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. (I would not be surprised to discover that the last contributor on your first link is none other than our own samclem.). (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. I am feeling culture shock from reading this book. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as hold your horses and pretty as a peach nationwide, youll likely only hear the following from a true Southerner. He was a politician and Indian agent. And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. In alternating first person narratives from a cast of characters that will be hard to forget, Leah Weiss took me to the mountain community called Baines Creek in the Appalachian Mountains in NC. I was surprised as all get out. Southerners adopted this phrase wholeheartedly from its early usages in 1700s England and Scotland (where it meant "common sense"). Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. Did you know the saying God willing and the Creek dont rise was in reference to the Creek Indians and not a body of water? With a colorful cast of characters and a flair for the Southern Gothic, If the Creek Don't Rise is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit. Maybe not all dogs were made for hunting some prefer the warmth of a fireplace and the comfort of your lap. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. It must surely be the creation of a fertile modern mind desiring to put the flesh of evidence on the dry bones of outright invention. You gonna do nothing?". If the creek rises, travel will be impossible and Ill never get to Grannys. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. He wrote it in response to a request from the President to return to our Nations Capital and the reference is not to a creek, but The Creek Indian Nation. We didnt. You gonna let him break your spirit, too? And I mean took me there! Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. Get help and learn more about the design. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. The "creek don't rise" phrase is now sometimes credited to this time of unrest and displacement. The swear-word equivalent would be something along the lines of No sh*t!I declare may have come from an English oath (the sworn proclamation kind) declaring that no foreign parties have power to subvert the Crown. Other words sites So the saying came about like we'll be there.God willing and the Creek (indians) don't rise..to stop us. "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" is a sort of backwoods phrase that has the same meaning, but is more folksy and less devoted. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. I see some folks walk easy and carry peace on their shoulders, but I been chained to a iron life." Leah Weiss, If the Creek Don't Rise 3 likes Like From the beginning, the first narrative of Sadie Blue, which broke my heart from the first page, it feels like it will be her story. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that." 04 Mar 2023 03:30:05 It is a paraphrase of a popular biblical saying from James 4:15, and while there are scores of citations to the phrase in the sense of the waters rising, in the US and Europe, there is not one shred of evidence of a reference to the Creek nation. But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise". It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". Weiss has a unique voice. It can be summarised as "if all goes well". That book was a 1908 publication and leans toward the thought of Creek Indian, even if not capitalized, because of the word fire (as in shooting guns). It happens often during a Southern summer, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100. If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Kate Forbes (Narrator). Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. Variants substitute "God" or "Good Lord" (with or without "the") for "Lord", and substitute "crick" or "river" for "creek", or capitalize it as "Creek" or "Creeks" based on confusion with the Creek Indian tribe. Theres probably a connection between eternal damnation and tarnation. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. DeSantis's year-long quest to strip Disney of its self-rule came after the entertainment giant, and Florida's . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. Where did this contraction, popular in both African American English and Southern American English, come from? This article about the English language is a stub. I will continue to look for references to this phrase origin and would welcome discussion to prove (one way or the other) what the original author intended to mean. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. Unlike the United States Postal Service, whose motto proclaims "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" will keep them from their routes, sometimes a Southern visit is thwarted by a rising creek or other unexpected bump in the road. Hardy citizens awoken by first responders urging evacuation, Lawsuit filed against Summit Utilities over price gouging, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: EPC boys fall to Marshall in Quarterfinals, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Bay boys fall to Bigelow in Quarterfinals, Arkansas State womens basketball falls to Southern Miss in SBC Quarterfinals, Arkansas women's basketball falls to #1 South Carolina in SEC Tournament, Fast Break Friday Night (3/3/23): Jonesboro boys advance to 6A state semifinals. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. Nor is grammar an argument in favor the the subject being plural. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. It's raining cats and dogs. A multipurpose Southernism. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. It is a breathtaking and gritty portrayal of hillbilly life from the year 1970 which is set in the Appalachian Mountains. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. But despite its gentle execution, this story delivers some of the heaviest of punches and invites the reader to step outside of the book for a spell Devil's beating his wife (when it would be sunny and raining). Therefore if the Lord is willing and the Creek don't rise up and start up another uprising or battle, we will be able complete what ever it is we intend to do. The expression "the creek don't rise" is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. This one may be self-explanatory, but we can imagine it originating back in the days of stagecoaches, when horse-and-buggy pairs filled the streets. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. Ain't got no dog in that race. Weiss has spun me upside down in this backward county in the Appalachian mountains and made a southerner out of me. Maya Rodale is a best-selling romance author. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. Historically, Southerners in the Appalachian mountains pronounced eternal as tarnal. That pronunciation suggests a clever word-smoosh between tarnal and damnation, so the savvy Appalachians could euphemistically express their anger without wasting an extra breath. It has been noted that the phrase should be correctly written as God willing and the Creek dont rise. I reckon she skipped town on account of her mama being madder than a wet hen. Alongside fixin to, this is a quintessential term to strike a match under your vocab and hear it holler Yeehaw!! And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. [1][2], Classic versions of its use tend to be along the lines of "The good Lord willing, and the creek doesn't rise"i.e. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. While there, we happened upon a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. Unarguable Southern criticism. At the time Hawkins was Congressman, he joined other well known Southeastern American leaders in negotiating a major treaty with the Creek and Cherokee at the South Carolina city of Hopewell. Baines Creek is a small remote mountain settlement in North Carolina where many can't read, education is unheard of and catastrophic poverty is the norm. The Lafayette gazette(Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. Used in a sentence - If the creek don't rise and God's willing, you should be able to see this video. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. During the course of his 21 years in these positions he would oversee the longest period of peace with theCreek, only to watch his lifetime of work destroyed by a faction of this Indian Nation known as the Red Sticks during the War of 1812. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? Southerners tell it like it isno matter what it isso think of this as a learning moment. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. My favorite variant is the phrase Hank Williams Sr. sometimes used to end his shows: "Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you before long." - MT_Head. "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it.
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