Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. But I know of just four instances from that century. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. He was a politician and Indian agent. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. (LogOut/ 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. 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). Runnin around like a chicken with it's head . 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 yes, I have heard the music of this culture and watched the dancing. 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. As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. purchase. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. Doh! Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. And Lord have mercy, wait till you meet Birdie with her gamy birds-nest hairdo and top notch fine feathered companion Samuel.and all his buddies. 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. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. 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. 1851. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. 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!. Translated, this means: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." Synonyms [ edit] (barring unforeseen circumstances): God willing, Lord willing Translations [ edit] show phrase References [ edit] If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees you cutting up in church on Sunday morning. Youd be in a real fix then. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. Let me love you again, give me one more try. Its not a recent change. This is a high compliment in the South, since Southern states are known for their peaches. If the Creek Dont Rise by Leah Weiss is a 2017 Sourcebooks Landmark publication. However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. From the start there's been a film of dingy on my days.. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. Weiss has a unique voice. What in tarnation? 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. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. 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.. It's a vivid phrase, and it's an accurate one too. 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. 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. But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. 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. Quick, what do you call a soft drink? On his deathbed he married the Creek woman who had been his common-law wife. 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. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. 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 . The dialect is obscure and living conditions primitive with a feel more like the 1870's than the 1970's..so backward..so uncivilized..the men so brutal and lawless, and for Sadie Blue, life seems grave. Have you ever seen a wet hen? I was surprised as all get out. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." 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. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." All rights reserved. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. 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. Where did this contraction, popular in both African American English and Southern American English, come from? The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. 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. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? Whatscatawampus? Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. 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. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. Some newspaper clippings are harder to determine which meaning they meant. A multipurpose Southernism. Werefixin to tell you more Southernisms, and now were doing just that. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. 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. Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. If the Creek Don't Rise. A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. Back when I was in the fourth grade we had an English teacher who dumped a box of books out one day and told us to read them and do book reports. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. A sister who is afraid of losing her brother and Sadie's grandmother and aunt, all tell their stories adding to Sadie's own. (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. "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. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. [2] In the Reed song and Cash cover the verses vary the rhyme, so the opening line commences: If the good Lord's willing and the creek stays down I'll be in your arms time the moon come around. Cant never could is a reminder that if you dont even try, you wont ever accomplish your goal. 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? This article about the English language is a stub. When the road looks rough ahead, remember the 'Man upstairs'. 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. It is sometimes thought that the word "Creek" instead refers to the Creek Indians, but this is unlikely. Select your currency from the list and click Donate. The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. Copyright 2023 KAIT. "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." Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. "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 Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. Dont worry, if youre helping a friend make groceries, youre not expected to create food from scratch. It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. Is this derivation correct? New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. 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. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. 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. 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. 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. This book reminds me of that. You will have spotted that neither of these capitalises creek, which suggests they didnt have the Creek people in mind. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. 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. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. 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. I will be at church on Sunday. The expression ". Positive thinking, Southern style. In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. 133 Copy quote. The English language is forever changing. Wow! I will continue to look for references to this phrase origin and would welcome discussion to prove (one way or the other) what the original author intended to mean. The doin hasnt been done yet. Learn how your comment data is processed. And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. World Wide Words is copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. In the Deep South? 24 of 30. Variants substitute "God" or "Good Lord" (with or without "the") for "Lord", and substitute "crick" or "river" for "creek", or capitalize it as "Creek" or "Creeks" based on confusion with the Creek Indian tribe. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. Positive thinking, Southern style. Jan 29, 2014 at 19:34 . Threats not only from abroad, but internally as well, forced the fledgling nation to negotiate treaties with the tribes on the western frontier. Turn around, and please dont drive through it. Any of you word experts have solid information? Required fields are marked *. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. 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. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. Can't Never Could. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. 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!. What is the origin of the phrase the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise? It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. 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. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. 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. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. However, the first President to move to Washington was John Adams on 1 November 1800. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. While there, we happened upon a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. 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. Over yonder past the cotton field. If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. It is 1970, and we follow the story of a young Appalachian girl, Sadie Blue age 17, pregnant and newly married to an evil young man who is abusive. Historically, Southerners in the Appalachian mountains pronounced eternal as tarnal. That pronunciation suggests a clever word-smoosh between tarnal and damnation, so the savvy Appalachians could euphemistically express their anger without wasting an extra breath. Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other.
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