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. I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. If we relied on written sources it would be hard to believe in such continued use. Over yonder down the road. Nor is grammar an argument in favor the the subject being plural. And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. A true Southern tradition. Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. In the Deep South? Threats not only from abroad, but internally as well, forced the fledgling nation to negotiate treaties with the tribes on the western frontier. 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 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. Select your currency from the list and click Donate. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise, If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Good Lord's Willin and The Creek Don't Rise, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=1136534691, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 20:39. If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. "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." Your email address will not be published. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. Signed in November, 1785, A Treaty With the Cherokee (the technical name of the Treaty of Hopewell) created the first rift between theCherokee Nationand the Chickamauga Cherokee that would not end until the Chickamauga went West following the Revolt of the Young Chiefs. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. Youll thank us later! Historians and etymologists may cringe, but the modern usage of Lord willin and the creek (or crick) dont rise is about the stream, not the Creek tribe. All rights reserved.This page URL: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-god1.htmLast modified: 25 February 2012. It's true, we do have a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners understand. Doh! Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. This was an extremely enjoyable read! You gonna do nothing?". Or, depending on where you live, it could be Sewanee, the small college town in Tennessee. The proper phrase is Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. All of my life there have been local mountain sayings that I've heard and of course repeated, complete with a North Carolina southern drawl as literal fact. Does a bear shit in the woods? 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.. "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. 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . 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. Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. 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. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Speaking ofI declare, this now old-fashioned phrase acts as flustered response to an insult or an unbelievable story about someone who sadly made it into the rumor mill. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. "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." Weiss has a unique voice. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. 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. This one originates from the 19th century, when Carter Products marketed "Little Liver Pills" across the country. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. Look up Lord willing and the creek don't rise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. purchase. Often said as "Lord willing and the creek don't rise," this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. 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. She's not looking for sweets; she wants a hug and a kiss. They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. This means that if everything continues to plan, things will be okay. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? Then theres a long gap in the record before it began to appear again in the 1950s. God willing and the creek don't rise If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. Actually this is not proven. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. Translated, this means: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. 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. This phrase enjoyed national exposure in 1988 after Texas Governor Ann Richards remarked: When we pay billions for planes that wont fly, billions for tanks that wont fire, and billions for systems that wont workthat old dog wont hunt.. On his deathbed he married the Creek woman who had been his common-law wife. 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 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. There's two or three creeks," he said. 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. For instance, I might promise to show up for Christmas at Grandmas if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise. 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. 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. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. 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. A friend of mine told me to shoot first and ask questions later. 132 Copy quote. [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. PS A belated congratulations on your appointment as moderator, Tom. 15. Werefixin to tell you more Southernisms, and now were doing just that. What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running. And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 225 years old. 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). We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Although he admits when the rain starts to fall, it makes him a little nervous. If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." This book reminds me of that. 24 of 30. A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. Thats a mouthful, but we lumped these all together because they are allsubstitutes for (God) d*mn it. Someone reminded me not to be reminded of you. 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. Funny Phrases ben stanczyk 10/25/01 Change). In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. and the word HOPE. John Wayne. 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. 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). by Leah Weiss. When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant directionany direction. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. Quick, what do you call a soft drink? Synonyms [ edit] (barring unforeseen circumstances): God willing, Lord willing Translations [ edit] show phrase References [ edit] I will be at church on Sunday. "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 I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. It mentions Benjamin Hawkins of the late 18th century, who was asked by the US president to go back to Washington. The Lafayette gazette (Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. "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]. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". Other words sites What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? 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. A different style for the story telling in this as we hear from many of the people in this town and Sadie Blues own story is woven through the fabric of theirs. (Yes, it is terrible grammar, but that is how it is said. 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. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. Here is an article that casts rather a lot of doubt on your assertion: 'God willing and the creek don't rise' M Quinion_World Wide Words: Q From Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression 'God willing and the creek don't rise' referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. 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. Have you ever seen a wet hen? Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. In a letter to the Commander in Chief, Hawkins stated that he would return to the nations capital, God willing and the Creek dont rise., Hawkins, college-educated and a well-written man would never have made a grammatical error, so the capitalization of Creek is the only way the phrase could make sense and the reference is not to a creek, but The Creek Indian Nation. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. 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. 1851. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. 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. in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. Any of you word experts have solid information? There is a lot of controversy about this fairly common folk saying. 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. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" B: "God willing and the creek don't rise." A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. 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. But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. But today Ive stumbled across the claim that it refers to an uprising by the Creek (or Cree) Indians. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. 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. Charles Wilson said the flood waters are something he has to live with to enjoy residing on the river. The most interesting often hail from our older generations, such as the WWII era and those raised by them. I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. 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. 4.5 stars! 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. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. All rights reserved. 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. If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. 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 If the good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. If the Creek Dont Rise by Leah Weiss is a 2017 Sourcebooks Landmark publication. 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. This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. Whatscatawampus? Theres two or three creeks, he said. 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!. (LogOut/ Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. 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. Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=70955250. This article about the English language is a stub. 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. We've had a lot of delays, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. Learn how your comment data is processed. Here are a couple of examples of this claim. Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. Soda web site devoted to this age-old debate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Copyright 2023 KAIT. Positive thinking, Southern style. 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. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. I was reading a post on one of the West Virginia pages that I follow in which a person referenced God willing and the creeks dont rise. in reference to rain and floods. Cookies and privacy Required fields are marked *. the creek don't rise. Take a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. 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. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. Is this derivation correct? I'm a sucker for the well turned phrase and I was highlighting sentences here, one after another. Well, whether its Creek or creek, it would still have much of the same effectyou wont be going where you thought you would or could. I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes Showing 1-14 of 14 "Times like these I wonder if I ever been happy. 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. Eli is the backbone of the community; all he wants is a better life for the people of Baines Creek evidenced by the succession of teachers he has procured.and been scared off, and his scheming troublemaking spinster of a sister Prudence who "don't like nobody" doesn't help matters any, but when the giant 6' 2" Kate Shaw arrives, wellthat's another story. The thing isI read one that I have never stopped thinking about. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? What in tarnation? Positive thinking, Southern style. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). And that is the highest praise from me. It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. Donate via PayPal. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. 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. "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. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! 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. To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." If you hear this one, it's best to slow down. Which means if nothing crazy happens or anything out my control such as a natural disaster. 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. Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. 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. 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. Share. 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. What is the origin of the phrase the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise? Because this is a progressive verb (youll make progress with it for sure), remember You were fixin to patch the hole in the wall. Never say you fixed to do it! To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise". While there, we happened upon a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. 133 Copy quote. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. Get help and learn more about the design. The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. If you're trying to be nice, but you just can't quite let it go, "bless your heart" is a go-to. Youre still going to the grocery store. The doin hasnt been done yet. If the Creek Don't Rise is a collection of hard-used characters, tangled relationships, family angst, and fortitude. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". The grit and darkness don't just belong to Sadie, though. The exact tranlation might be, 'If God is willing, and there isn't a flood that would prevent us from meeting again next week'. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. If you refer to itno matter the brand or flavoras Coke, chances are you grew up in the South. Older than Methuselah. If the creek dont rise was a whimsical way of saying that the speaker would carry out some task provided that no figurative obstacle were put in his path. He told us about a young man who had been in the museum some weeks previous. Maybe not all dogs were made for hunting some prefer the warmth of a fireplace and the comfort of your lap. Andrew Jackson sent a request for reinforcements before the Battle Of New Orleans. If the Creek Don't Rise. The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. 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. And even if it did, the initial capital letter would mean nothing, as at the time it was still common practice to capitalise all nouns. I have even heard the accents and many of the stories from various artists who escaped the confines of this culture and were successful in attaining fame and fortune for themselves. Cant never could is a reminder that if you dont even try, you wont ever accomplish your goal. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South. 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. 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. A strikingly sincere portrait of a town and its buried secrets from an outstanding new voice in southern fiction. Not one shred of evidence is a clear invitation to fault the writer. 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!.