Gospel Song – Denomination Blues
Gospel Song – Denomination Blues.
Washington Phillips wrote this fascinating gospel song, and he recorded it in 1928. He was born and raised in central Texas, and became a renowned gospel blues singer in the South. He recorded 18 songs, between 1927-1929, but only 16 have survived. Besides “Denomination Blues,” he wrote another big hit at the time that has stood the test of time, “What Are They Doing In Heaven Today,” a beautiful and poignant song that has been largely forgotten until some contemporary musicians picked up on it. (See link below). Washington Phillips was a street preacher and performer, but he didn’t tie himself down with one particular denomination, unusually enough. Some of his songs were basically recorded sermons, and all of his clever gospel numbers revealed a sincere and uncomplicated Christian faith. He always accompanied himself on a homemade, one-of-a-kind instrument that was something similar to a zither. He constructed this fretless string instrument by attaching together pieces of discarded instruments, including old violin strings. As it turned out, Washington was the only person who could play this instrument. Literally, no one else knew how to duplicate his sound, because only he knew how to play it.
“Denomination Blues” is Washington Phillips at his best. He gently pokes fun at a whole string of denominations, at even the idea of denominations. He clearly makes his point that sectarianism in organized Christianity is way off base. He wrote about 17 verses to this song, some of them humorous, some very insightful, some where he holds up various churches and preachers to ridicule. He could go from light-hearted poking fun to rather sharp criticism. Some of the original verses gently mocked such denominations as Primitive Baptists, Missionary Baptists, India Methodists, African Methodists and Holiness Churches for their various views of baptism, and have more or less fallen off the radar. But there still are many verses of this song that will make you laugh and make you acknowledge the truth of what he is saying. After each verse, he returns to his simple main point… Everything starts and ends with Jesus, that’s all. This song has been covered by numerous musicians, and most of the following lyrics have remained intact from Washington’s original wording. Read carefully and enjoy.
LYRICS
Refrain: That’s all, I tell you that’s all. You gotta have Jesus, I tell you that’s all. (Repeat refrain after every verse).
- I want to tell you an actual fact, every man don’t understand the Bible alike…
- Well denominations have no right to fight, they oughta just treat each other right…
- You’re fightin’ each other, and think you’re doing well, and the sinners on the outside are going to hell…
- It’s right to stand together, it’s wrong to stand apart, ’cause no one’s going to heaven but the pure in heart…
- Now the African Methodists, they believe the same, ’cause they know their denomination ain’t a thing but a name…
- Now the Holiness people, when they came in, they said, “Boys, we can make it by livin’ above sin.”…
- Now the Church of God has it in their mind, that they can get to heaven without the sacramental wine…
- There’s another class of preachers is high in speech, they had to go to college to learn how to preach…
- But you can go to your college, you can go to your school, but if you ain’t got Jesus you’re just an educated fool…
- When people jump from church to church, you know their conversion don’t amount to much…
- Some people preaching, they do very well, they take all your money and you can go to hell…
- When Jesus comes in at Dividing Day, gonna call the sheeps to Him and turn the goats away…
Final Refrain.
Amidst the humor and insight, Washington Phillips is making a serious point. The church is not where it should be. We are divided and this is frustrating the will of God. In Jesus’ intimate prayer with the Father, the unity of His followers was so important that He underlined it twice… “Watch over them so that they will be united as one, even as we are one.” (John 17:11); “I pray for them all to be joined together as one, even as you and I, Father, are joined together as one.” (John 17:21). The Christian Church is undeniably splintered, which is against God’s will according to Jesus’ prayer. Will we eventually be “joined together as one“? Maybe we are united through our belief in the Trinity and the statements of faith in the Apostle’s Creed, but we don’t act like it. The invisible church somehow needs to be more visibly united. We haven’t yet approached the unity of the Father and the Son, as Jesus prayed. Maybe we can start with the classic refrain of Washington Phillips, “You gotta have Jesus, that’s all..”