A true Southern tradition. If the creek don't risewas a whimsical way of saying that the speaker would carry out some task provided that no figurative obstacle were put in his path. "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. 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. The Creek so-called civil war of 1812 involving the Red Stick faction, and their combat North and South, appears to have been an impetus for that forts creation. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. "If the creek don't rise" is a slang phrase predominantly used in the Southeastern United States and can translate to "if all goes well." It's a more conditional action statement than the famous phrase "come hell or high water." 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!! 15. This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. 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. origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise" - Factual Questions Theres no better zinger than a bless your heart delivered in a condescending tone of voice that implies, as the Southern Decoder puts it, youre dumb, homely, or otherwise impaired, but you cant help it.Go ahead and practice it in the mirror a few times. Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees you cutting up in church on Sunday morning. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. HARDY, Ark. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. She's not looking for sweets; she wants a hug and a kiss. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. Wow! 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. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. Over yonder past the cotton field. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. Then theres a long gap in the record before it began to appear again in the 1950s. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The approximately 20,000 Creek Indians that still exist reside in Oklahoma. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. Because he capitalized Creek its asserted that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. He was a politician and Indian agent. Soda web site devoted to this age-old debate. In the Deep South? The Problem with Saying, "Lord Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. and the word HOPE. Eventually, you became a singular pronoun, and we lost the plural pronouns. The resulting warfare and predictable civilian losses in the South reportedly gave rise (using the Southern frontier penchant for willin as opposed to the educated willing) to the phrase which was then likely mistakenly attributed to Hawkins due to his Native American connections. Those who live on Valley Drive along the Spring River in Hardy awoke around 3 Friday morning to first responders urging them to leave their homes due to rising water. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. 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. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. 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. 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). 50 of the Best Southern Sayings | Serving Up Southern In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. 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. Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. 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. Quick, what do you call a soft drink? It's a vivid phrase, and it's an accurate one too. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. They had a conversation in which the phrase was discussed and noted as being about the Creek Indians. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. This was an extremely enjoyable read! 15 Odd Southern Sayings Their Origins - Bourbon and Boots We didnt. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? And yes, they roll their eyes, too. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN WAYNE (of 133) | A-Z Quotes It completely nailed the "mountain living" that I remembered my grandmother talking about. 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. It was bad as all get out. But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise". Cookies and privacy (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). 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. You will have spotted that neither of these capitalises creek, which suggests they didnt have the Creek people in mind. We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. Theres two or three creeks, he said. The only requirement is that you declare it loud and proud. Not one shred of evidence is a clear invitation to fault the writer. If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. Catawampus(or, cattywampus) may have been popularized by Brits who delighted in parodying Southern vernacular. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. A strikingly sincere portrait of a town and its buried secrets from an outstanding new voice in southern fiction. The English language is forever changing. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. Its typically used to describe a situation thats gone askew, awry, or out of alignment. It is sometimes thought that the word "Creek" instead refers to the Creek Indians, but this is unlikely. 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. Well, I found it. Thats a mouthful, but we lumped these all together because they are allsubstitutes for (God) d*mn it. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." If someone tells you that you've got gumption, you should thank them, and then walk a little taller, because you've received a lovely Southern compliment. Often said as Lord willing and the creek dont rise, this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. The earliest example known is this mock rustic speech: Feller-citizens Im not customed to public speakin before sich highfalutin audiences. Get help and learn more about the design. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. 40 OLD PHRASES AND SAYINGS - Grammy's Grid If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Kate Forbes (Narrator). Youve heard that old saying, Ill be there if the creek dont rise? Well, theyve all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that.. DeSantis's year-long quest to strip Disney of its self-rule came after the entertainment giant, and Florida's . What in tarnation? Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. 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). Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. Youd be in a real fix then. 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. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. A handful of rivers and streams will be out of their banks by Friday evening and Saturday morning. I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? Youll thank us later! Affixes dictionary. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. However, the first President to move to Washington was John Adams on 1 November 1800. 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 multipurpose Southernism. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. 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. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". "If The Good Lord's Willing and The Creek Don't Rise" is a 1955 American country song by Jerry Reed which was particularly popularized by the 1958 recording of Johnny Cash and has been covered by multiple artists.[1]. Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. The Lafayette gazette (Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. And I mean took me there! In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. Your first citation is much stronger than your second. World Wide Words tries to record at least a part of this shifting wordscape by featuring new words, word histories, words in the news, and the curiosities of native English speech. 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. You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. The creek don't rise - Wikipedia In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. 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. The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. 'If The Creek Don't Rise' Traces Webs Of Hurt And Help : NPR 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. 15 Kentucky Sayings Other People Wouldn't Understand - OnlyInYourState 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. John Wayne. There is a lot of controversy about this fairly common folk saying. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. 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. "Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my way" The phrase is celebrated in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'l Abner, in which the title character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." !, Reckon has ancestry tracing all the way back to the 1000s (and maybe older still), and originally means to count, calculate.. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. This is a high compliment in the South, since Southern states are known for their peaches. 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. (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. 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. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Any of you word experts have solid information? 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. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . Older than Methuselah. And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. Anytime it rains as hard as it did last night, it always brings back fears of having to face something like we did in 1984, he said. Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . Runnin around like a chicken with it's head . When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. If the creek rises, travel will be impossible and Ill never get to Grannys. Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. You gonna let him break your spirit, too? She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. "We plan to be there," we might say, and then add on a quick, "Lord willing and the creek don't rise." It's another way of saying, "I am dead serious about keeping my word on this, short of a hurricane or earthquake." In other words, I'm doggedly committed to this unless the devil stops me. Unarguable Southern criticism. 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. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. Doh! Lyndon Johnsons wife Lady Bird was fond of the phrase, and she wasnt one to cast aspersions on native Americans. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.". So the saying came about like we'll be there.God willing and the Creek (indians) don't rise..to stop us. 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. This Southern saying, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise | Native Heritage Project 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).. The researchers went on to cite two different publications in the 1800s in which the authors did not capitalize the word creek, leading one to believe they did not mean the people proper. I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. Take a load off the ole dogs, sit on your front porch, and let your know neighbors know about that sugar honey iced teayou had to deal with today. It took a further decade for it to become popular as a supposedly hayseed utterance, sometimes as and the crick dont rise to reflect a regional form. "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." (LogOut/ Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Pot callin the kettle black. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? I will be at church on Sunday. 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. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. Siever, known as Nolichucky Jack to his friends, was as brutal to the Cherokee and Creek as they were to him, but Siever knew to frame his attacks as responses to incursion or wrongs. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. 132 Copy quote. And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. From the start there's been a film of dingy on my days.. in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. Funny Phrases ben stanczyk 10/25/01 4.5 stars! The word you use for a fizzy, carbonated drink reveals a lot more about you than you know. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Change). It is a breathtaking and gritty portrayal of hillbilly life from the year 1970 which is set in the Appalachian Mountains. At the same time there is some evidence that the creation of Fort Deposit (Fort Deposite) in Georgia was a cause of concern in that munitions and arms were stockpiled. A friend of mine told me to shoot first and ask questions later. 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. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. The New Madrid earthquake (reputedly the largest in recorded history in North America) created the division between traditionalist Creek (Red Sticks) and those more willing to seek accommodation with the majority of the tribe. All rights reserved. And this is one appearance in a newspaper: 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. 1851. If The Creek Don't Rise Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. There, we listened to amazing stories told by Dr. John Mattox. the creek don't rise. In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-up-and-go.". It can also be the opening to striking a bargain, sharing a strongly held opinion, or offering a piece of advice you may or may not want to hear. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. The doin hasnt been done yet. Well, hells bells. Share. If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. 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. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. It presumably evokes occasional and unpredictably extreme rainfall in Appalachia, that has historically isolated one rural neighborhood or another temporarily inaccessible on several or many occasions. 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. Anything to the degree of "all get out" is something to talk about. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. All the ones I know from growin up : r/ShitSouthernersSay 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. False folk etymology. This book reminds me of that. "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."
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