Following Solomon Burke and The Blind Boys of Alabama, let's take it way back to the great blues and gospel singer and bottleneck guitarist who was raised in Marlin, Texas. We've previously profiled on Song of the Day his classic Dark Was The Night, a track which was sent into space, but now turn to two other highly important numbers, having a huge on other greats including Robert Johnson and Howlin' Wolf. Willie Johnson (1897-1945) didn't begin life blind, but it is believed he was made so in a violent incident involving his stepmother with caustic lye water solution when he was seven. Another theory is that he stared at a partial eclipse in the Texas sky in 1905. Either way his life was a struggle, but being a member of the Evangelist church and developing his musical skill, and channelling his experiences into it are what make his music so powerful, the guitar with a voice of its own, haunting, emotional, as well has his singing, transcends religion. His recording extensively between 1927 and 1930, often with his wife on backing vocals as on the first of these songs. The second, featuring his deep, throaty voice, and using more of a picking style, is particularly poignant and visceral for a boy who lost his real mother and his sight.
[Chorus]
Well, I want somebody tell me, answer if you can!
'Want somebody tell me, just what is the soul of a man?
I'm going to ask the question, answer if you can
If anybody surely can tell me, what is the soul of a man?
I've traveled in different countries, I've traveled in foreign lands
I've found nobody could tell me, just what about the soul of a man
[Chorus]
Well, I want somebody tell me, answer if you can!
I Want somebody tell me, just what is the soul of a man?
I saw a crowd stand talking, I came up in time
Were teaching the lawyers, the doctors, that a man ain't nothing but his mind
[Chorus]
Well, I want somebody tell me, answer if you can!
I Want somebody tell me, just what is the soul of a man?
I reads the bible often, I tries to read it right
As far as I could understand, a man is more than his mind
[Chorus]
God, I want somebody tell me, answer if you can!
I Want somebody tell me, just what is the soul of a man?
When Christ stood in the temple, the people all stood amazed
Was teaching the lawyers and the doctors, how to raise a body from the grave
[Chorus]
Well, I want somebody tell me, answer if you can!
'Want somebody tell me, just what is the soul of a man?
Well, well, well, ah
A motherless children have a hard time
Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead
They'll not have anywhere to go, wanderin' around from door to door
Have a hard time
Nobody on earth can take a mother's place when, when mother is dead, Lord
Nobody on earth takes mother's place when, mother's dead
Nobody on earth takes mother's place
When you were startin', paved the way
Nobody treats you like mother will when
Your wife or husband may be good to you, when mother is dead, Lord
They'll be good to you, mother's dead
A wife or a husband may be good to you
But, better than nothing has proved untrue
Nobody treats you like mother will when, when mother is dead, Lord
Lord, Lord, Lord
Yeah, well, ah
Well, some people say that sister will do, when mother is dead
That sister will do when mother's dead
Some people say that sister will do
But, as soon as she's married, she turn her back on you
Nobody treats you like mother will
And father will do the best he can, when mother is dead, Lord
Well, the best he can when mother is dead
Father will do the best he can
So many things a father can't understand
Nobody treats you like mother will
A motherless children have a hard time, when mother is dead, Lord
Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead
They'll not have anywhere to go
Wanderin' around from door to door
Have a hard time.
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