Topic: "Strange Things" and "Storm Thru Mississippi"-Henry Green

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I was listening yesterday to the JSP set, "Rev. Gary Davis and the Guitar Evangelists, Volume 2", a set I've had for a couple of years but never listened to that much.  I always thought the most notable thing about it was that it had all of Rev. Davis's pre-War recordings, as well as those of Blind Joe Taggart.  I noticed that one of the discs had two cuts by Henry Green, an unfamiliar name to me.  I listened to them and the second cut, "Strange Things" is really special.  Henry Green accompanies himself out of Vestapol at C# on a solo electric guitar, matching his every vocal inflection on his guitar in a way that is really uncanny sounding.  The playing sounds like it may be influenced a bit by Josh White's playing of religious numbers in Vestapol, but Henry Green doesn't have the spiffiness or slickness of Josh White's playing; Green's sound is much more austere.  He sings with a very spooky focus and intensity, and the over-all impression I received from his music is one of darkness.  His two tracks are supposed to date from March of 1952, possibly from Chicago, and the liner notes to the set have absolutely zip to say about Henry Green and his music.  I'll attach the song to this post, since I think folks should hear it, and it's more than likely that they would not hear it otherwise.  I'd appreciate some help with the bent-bracketed place in the lyrics.  Here is "Strange Things":



Say, there's strange things are happenin' every day
I say, strange things are happenin' every day
There is one thing I do know, the things are happenin' never happened before
Strange things are happenin' every day

Well, ships are sinkin' in the ocean, planes are havin' collusion{sic} in the air
Well people, you may not believe it, there is something wrong somewhere
Well, no matter where you go, you hear about things you never heard before
Strange things are happenin' every day

Some folk, they go to church, and they say they are livin' right
We have some so-called Christian, always ready to fuss and fight
And they say they with the Lord, you better trust in my God
Strange things are happenin' every day

Some fool wish that they were dead, some are glad to be alive
We have some who are killing each other, some are committin' suicide
Well, there is a better way, if you just fall on your knees and pray
Strange things are happenin' every day

My God is ridin' on the water, and he ridin' through the storm and land
Well, Church, you better get ready, do as my God command, he said,
"As you see Me go today, I'll be back the same old way."
Strange things are happenin' every day

All best,
Johnm



[attachment deleted by admin]

[dj]

"And they say they with the Lord, you better trust in my God"

I think you've got that right, John.  He kind of swallows the L, but the rest of the sounds of the phrase are there.

What a great song.  Thanks for bringing it up.

[Johnm]

Thanks for listening to it, dj, and your thoughts.  It's quite a rendition, isn't it?  I wonder if there are any more Henry Green recordings out there.
All best,
Johnm

[Gumbo]

thanks for the upload, that's well worth a listen

[Bill Roggensack]

John - I hear it exactly as you have transcribed it. I really like the song - Green only slips off the parallel singing and playing lines once or twice, which keeps it real. Thanks for sharing.

[uncle bud]

There's some cool stuff that sort of gets lost on that collection by being overshadowed by Rev. Gary Davis and Joe Taggart (not sure if I can get used to Joel). Eddie Head and Family and Blind Willie Davis are faves of mine. They've maybe only got one sound but I love it.

Henry Green's other track, Storm Thru Mississippi, may not be dark musically, but boy is it ever dark lyrically. "Well some was torn to pieces, and some we had to drown/well some was burnin' to ashes and some could not be found"

[Prof Scratchy]

Here's the other Henry Green track,"Storm Through Mississippi", for interest. Fairly rocks along.

[Prof Scratchy]

Another two Henry Green tracks were apparently recorded by Chance Records but not issued. This info via Stefan Wirz (of course)!

*U-1951   Henry Green   Storm thru Mississippi June 5, 1951
*U-1952   Henry Green   Strange Things June 5, 1951
*U1953   Henry Green   Jesus Is Going to Make Up   unissued   June 5, 1951   
*U1954   Henry Green   No Need to Run   unissued   June 5, 1951   

[Johnm]

Hi all,
As uncle bud mentioned a couple of posts back, Henry Green's other released song, "Storm Thru Mississippi" is an exceedingly dark vision, despite it's infectiously grooving accompaniment in G position, standard tuning.  Prof. Scratchy posted a video of it two posts back so you can hear it there.  Based solely on his two recorded releases, it sounds as though Henry Green's faith was based on fear of retribution.  It reminds me of a sermon by the famous Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards, "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God", a hair-raising diatribe if ever there has been one.  Green pronounced "cyclone", "cycloon".  I believe John Lee Hooker recorded a song about this same incident that was considerably more charitable and empathetic to the townsfolk than Henry Green's song.  Henry Green makes a pretty strong case for his interpretation of the events, though.

In Tupelo, Mississippi was a mighty mighty sinful town
Well, the people all was wicked as anywhere ev' be found
They would drink, cheat and rob and the folks just wouldn't hear God
So He sent out, out a warning through the land.

It was late one Sunday evening, just about nine o'clock
When the cyclone struck in Tupelo and the town begin to rock
It was wind, hail and fire, for God surely was passing by
He just set out, out a warning through the land

Well, some was floatin' on water, and some was sailin' in the air
Well people, you may not believe it, but there is a God somewhere
He can wound, he can heal, he can do just as he feel
So He sent out, out a warning through the land

Well, some was torn to pieces, and some we had to drown
Well, some was burned into ashes and some could not be found
Well now, wasn't that an awful sight, how my God did-a work that night?
He just sent out, out a warning through the land

Well, God just sent out, child, a warning through the land
Well, He just sent out a warning through the land
Well-a, white or black, rich or poor, all alike, child, had to go
For he sent out, out a warning through the land

Edited 12/9 to pick up correction from jpeter609

All best,
Johnm

[jpeters609]

John,
First line, third verse, I hear it slightly differently:

"Well, some was floatin' on water, and some was sailin' in the air"

Which just adds to the overall image of terror! I remember when I first heard these two tracks on the long ago Heritage (UK) release, "God's Mighty Hand," still the best postwar guitar evangelist CD I've come across.

[Johnm]

Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the catch, you are certainly right, and I will make the change.  Thanks!
All best,
Johnm