HARDY, Ark. Because he capitalized Creek its asserted that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. Lord Willing and the creek don't rise - English for Students Learn how your comment data is processed. But today Ive stumbled across the claim that it refers to an uprising by the Creek (or Cree) Indians. By extension, maybe the Southern US expression was the way for an affronted or shocked listener to say none of that crazy untoward talk or behavior shall have power over me.. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. 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. This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. 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. Do You Know These Sizzlin' Southern Sayings? - Dictionary.com Theres two or three creeks, he said. Older than Methuselah. Talk:Lord willing and the creek don't rise - Wiktionary While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. Its not a recent change. Over yonder past the cotton field. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. However, this is clearly one of those evolving language cases. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other. 15 Odd Southern Sayings Their Origins - Bourbon and Boots This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. But if the supposed letter was ever written, it doesnt now exist in any archive that any researcher has so far found (his letters have been published, if anybody would like to check). This book reminds me of that. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. Cookies and privacy Or, depending on where you live, it could be Sewanee, the small college town in Tennessee. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. "Like all great southern. Sentences With "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" | Random The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. Have you ever seen a wet hen? The second contributor on the AOL site is simply repeating things without any understanding. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. Youre still going to the grocery store. 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. Lord willing and the creek don't rise - Wiktionary Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. 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. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. I will be at church on Sunday. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. I was going to ask him why, but I had to shoot him. Your email address will not be published. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". Lyndon Johnsons wife Lady Bird was fond of the phrase, and she wasnt one to cast aspersions on native Americans. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. 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. Translated, this means: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. 15 Kentucky Sayings Other People Wouldn't Understand - OnlyInYourState Werefixin to tell you more Southernisms, and now were doing just that. There, we listened to amazing stories told by Dr. John Mattox. If we relied on written sources it would be hard to believe in such continued use. I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. The states involved sent Hawkins,Andrew Pickens(South Carolina), Joseph Martin (Georgia) andLachlan McIntosh(Continental representative, Georgia) to negotiate a treaty to end the fighting. God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise | Native Heritage Project "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. 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? The phrase "God willing." - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange Now, she admits to saying this to her children. "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" was later covered by Johnny Cash during his tenure at Sun, and a few of the other tracks here ", If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise, "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "World Wide Words: God willing and the creek don't rise", "William Clark Green: 'Ringling Road' Album Review", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_the_Good_Lord%27s_Willing_and_the_Creek_Don%27t_Rise&oldid=1067282742, "If The Lord's Willing And The Creeks Don't Rise", song by, "If The Good Lord's Willing And The Creek Don't Rise", Lattie Moore, Jerry Reed 1961, "If The Good Lord's Willing", Ray Godfrey, arranged Jerry Reed, Tollie Records 1964, "(Be The Good Lord Willing) The Creek Don't Rise", Jivin' Gene, arranged Smith, Hall-Way Records 1964, "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise", with the lyric "God willin' an the creek don't rise, I'll be home again before this time next year." Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. The Lafayette gazette(Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. Throughout the years, through these floods, weve had several roads that have washed completely out, so you just dont know whats down there.. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. The expression is incorrectly attributed on modern social media[citation needed] to an Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins, in the late 18th century in a rumored letter not found in any archive to the U.S. President. If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Kate Forbes (Narrator). "Come Hell or high water" vs "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" And I mean took me there! Used in a sentence - If the creek don't rise and God's willing, you should be able to see this video. If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes by Leah Weiss - Goodreads The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. The saying "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Came from those traveling west in the OLD DAYS. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. Accents vary by regionand sometimes even city to city. 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. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. Firsts, Mines, Asks. 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. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins, Follow Thoughts and Ponderances on WordPress.com. If you refer to itno matter the brand or flavoras Coke, chances are you grew up in the South. The exact tranlation might be, 'If God is willing, and there isn't a flood that would prevent us from meeting again next week'. If the Creek Don't Rise: Tales From the South Kindle Edition We've had a lot of delays, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. I first heard of the notion of creek meaning Creek on a camping trip a couple of years ago at Barkcamp State Park in the area of Wheeling, WV. The first big battles in the Creek War were, indeed, attacks on white settlements, but it was not a matter of an uprising that threatened settlers, rather it was an outbreak of war between two armed groups in which whites and Indians sought each other out. Most of the ones on paved roads had bridges or culverts by that time, but not all of them and everyone still clearly knew what that saying meant even if the threat wasnt very real anymore. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss | Goodreads When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. While there, we happened upon a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN WAYNE (of 133) | A-Z Quotes "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 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. I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. Whatscatawampus? [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. 'If The Creek Don't Rise' Traces Webs Of Hurt And Help : NPR Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. 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. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . God willing and the creek don't rise - TheFreeDictionary.com A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. Statements of the form "God/Lord willing and (some other condition being met)" are ancient extensions of simple acceptance of God's will in phrases like God willing and Lord willing. When you arrive on the banks of the fishing pond on Saturday mornings, you're hoping for a good catchenough big catfish and bream to fry up for the family on Saturday night. The story of Benjamin Hawkins relationship with the Creek,Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians goes back to 1786, when America was working on solidifying its hold on the new nation. 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. Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. Yet here I stand before you a speckled hermit, wrapt in the risen-sun counterpane of my popilarity, an intendin, Providence permittin, and the creek dont rise, to go it blind!. Let me love you again, give me one more try. "If God so wills, and as long as intense rain does not wash away bridges or parts of dirt roads, or cover roads too deeply for safely following them." A true Southern tradition. DeSantis ends Disney's free reign over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. Over yonder toward the water tower. !, Reckon has ancestry tracing all the way back to the 1000s (and maybe older still), and originally means to count, calculate.. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. On his deathbed he married the Creek woman who had been his common-law wife. is a common way to use this next Southern cussemism. It traces to the 1700s and is based on darnation, the mild form of damnation. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE - Leah Weiss When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. From the present day of the story in 1970 to flashbacks of the past and dreams, these various points of view give us a vivid picture of this place and the people who live there. Maybe not all dogs were made for hunting some prefer the warmth of a fireplace and the comfort of your lap. Look up Lord willing and the creek don't rise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Which means if nothing crazy happens or anything out my control such as a natural disaster. 30 Phrases Only Southerners Use It's almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. 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. The Lafayette gazette (Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. Southern Slang: If The Creek Don't Rise | What does it mean? | Ask A Weiss has a unique voice. I absolutely loved the southern voice of these characters throughout this book. As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? The General replied to Stonewall Jackson that he would send troops "the Good Lord is willing and the Creeks don't rise (in rebellion). Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. Doh! If The Creek Don't Rise. Creek don't rise - phrase meaning and origin - Phrasefinder in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. (Yes, it is terrible grammar, but that is how it is said. He was a politician and Indian agent. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. It mentions . Soda web site devoted to this age-old debate. This means that if everything continues to plan, things will be okay. This is our creative way of saying that you shouldn't crow like a rooster about your wealth and belonging today, because it could all disappear tomorrow. If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. After eating a big, delicious Southern dinner Granny just made, you have to finish up with a slice of sweet potato pie, right? It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. Hardy citizens awoken by first responders urging evacuation (LogOut/ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. For instance, I might promise to show up for Christmas at Grandmas if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise. Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. Johnny Cash had a hit with the song If The Good Lords Willing, and Hank Williams Jr. titled his song If the Good Lords Willin (And The Creeks Dont Rise).. Something needed to fill in the gap: Yall is one solution associated with the South, with all generally serving to clarify more than one you is being addressed. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. Well, I found it. (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.). According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. If you hear this one, it's best to slow down. It is a modern error to presume that "the creek don't rise" is a grammatical error, so the fact that a speaker in the past was college educated would not be an argument against his having used the phrase. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. False folk etymology. But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. 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. Your email address will not be published. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! If the creek rises, travel will be impossible and Ill never get to Grannys. Im told it was a sign-off tag line of the 1930s US radio broadcaster Bradley Kincaid. The "creek don't rise" phrase is now sometimes credited to this time of unrest and displacement. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! A multipurpose Southernism. 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. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? By date order (spelling and titling may vary): Not to be confused with the Ray LaMontagne album, If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine All Music Guide to Country 0879307609 2003 Page 629 Jerry Reed "Here I Am collects his complete recordings for Capitol (30 songs), most of which were originals. 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. Get help and learn more about the design. The Problem with Saying, "Lord Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. If the Creek Dont Rise by Leah Weiss is a 2017 Sourcebooks Landmark publication. There is a lot of controversy about this fairly common folk saying. She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. There's two or three creeks," he said. All rights reserved. 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. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. Anything to the degree of "all get out" is something to talk about. This Southern saying, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. But I know of just four instances from that century. Nor is grammar an argument in favor the the subject being plural. I'm a sucker for the well turned phrase and I was highlighting sentences here, one after another. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise - phrase meaning and origin Is this derivation correct? Region 8 News on Twitter: ""You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. This article about the English language is a stub. The only requirement is that you declare it loud and proud. January 2021: Hat tip to Maria whonotes that the collection of Benjamin Hawkinss letters has now been digitized and can be read at this link. It has been noted that the phrase should be correctly written as God willing and the Creek dont rise. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. 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 Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. 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 . If you answered soda, you probably hail from either coast or some patches around St. Louis or Milwaukee.Pop lovers congregate mostly in the Midwest and western states. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise."

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