Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. Therefore if the Lord is willing and the Creek don't rise up and start up another uprising or battle, we will be able complete what ever it is we intend to do. by Leah Weiss. Since we'd never dare hang up the phone while Mama's chatting away, this may be the only way to end your conversation in a timely manner. 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). The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. If you refer to itno matter the brand or flavoras Coke, chances are you grew up in the South. This one may be self-explanatory, but we can imagine it originating back in the days of stagecoaches, when horse-and-buggy pairs filled the streets. He was a politician and Indian agent. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. For instance, I might promise to show up for Christmas at Grandmas if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise. Threats not only from abroad, but internally as well, forced the fledgling nation to negotiate treaties with the tribes on the western frontier. The second contributor on the AOL site is simply repeating things without any understanding. The nabbit, gonnit, gummit, blasted, and burnit match the rhythm of damn it, but they can easily be modified for use as an adjective or adverb: That dagnab idiot didnt look to the dadgum left and, dadburnit, he crossed over in my dadblasted lane and dadburn near hit me. When used as a stand-alone oath, hold out on the first syllable and accentuate the second: DaaadGUMMit! Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. The saying "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Came from those traveling west in the OLD DAYS. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. 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. from The New York Times: And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 70 years old. 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. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. Disney lost control of its Florida kingdom for opposing the "Don't Say The General replied to Stonewall Jackson that he would send troops "the Good Lord is willing and the Creeks don't rise (in rebellion). Ain't got no dog in that race. If you're trying to be nice, but you just can't quite let it go, "bless your heart" is a go-to. Creek don't rise - phrase meaning and origin - Phrasefinder 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. "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. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? Not one shred of evidence is a clear invitation to fault the writer. 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. Older than Methuselah. 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. 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. Accents vary by regionand sometimes even city to city. A friend of mine told me to shoot first and ask questions later. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. 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. Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. I'm a sucker for the well turned phrase and I was highlighting sentences here, one after another. 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. 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. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? 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!. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. 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. I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. 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. 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. The approximately 20,000 Creek Indians that still exist reside in Oklahoma. And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. What in tarnation? "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.". Whatscatawampus? It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it. A handful of rivers and streams will be out of their banks by Friday evening and Saturday morning. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. This Southern saying, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. She's not looking for sweets; she wants a hug and a kiss. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. 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. in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. By extension, maybe the Southern US expression was the way for an affronted or shocked listener to say none of that crazy untoward talk or behavior shall have power over me.. A strikingly sincere portrait of a town and its buried secrets from an outstanding new voice in southern fiction. In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-up-and-go.". 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. Do You Know These Sizzlin' Southern Sayings? - Dictionary.com Andrew Jackson sent a request for reinforcements before the Battle Of New Orleans. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. Can't Never Could. DeSantis ends Disney's free reign over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. 1851. purchase. Youd be in a real fix then. I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. 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. 'Creek don't rise' is a phrase with possibly more than one meaning [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. "Come Hell or high water" vs "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. Learn how your comment data is processed. Let me love you again, give me one more try. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. He told us about a young man who had been in the museum some weeks previous. Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. 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. You dont know whats underneath that water, Rose said. Synonyms [ edit] (barring unforeseen circumstances): God willing, Lord willing Translations [ edit] show phrase References [ edit] [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. It can be summarised as if all goes well. 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. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Wow! is a common way to use this next Southern cussemism. It traces to the 1700s and is based on darnation, the mild form of damnation. The distinct English dialect of the American South, which has a close relationship with Black English (African American Vernacular English), is fascinatingand plenty lively. Most of the ones on paved roads had bridges or culverts by that time, but not all of them and everyone still clearly knew what that saying meant even if the threat wasnt very real anymore. (KAIT) - Its been a busy 24 hours for first responders in Sharp County. If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes by Leah Weiss - Goodreads You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise". It's raining cats and dogs. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. (LogOut/ A sister who is afraid of losing her brother and Sadie's grandmother and aunt, all tell their stories adding to Sadie's own. It can be summarised as "if all goes well". It's almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. The underscore of that sentiment would be that he married his common-law wife on his deathbed and she was of the Creek Indians. And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? (LogOut/ 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.. Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise | Native Heritage Project All the ones I know from growin up : r/ShitSouthernersSay Affixes dictionary. 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. 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. If The Creek Don't Rise. I always took it as a reference to the level of water in a creek. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins, Follow Thoughts and Ponderances on WordPress.com. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. 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 hear this one, it's best to slow down. A true Southern tradition. The proper phrase is Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. He was a politician and Indian agent. However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. 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. Its not a recent change. Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have that new barn finished in time for the harvest. They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. Its typically used to describe a situation thats gone askew, awry, or out of alignment. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss | Goodreads Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. Another publication, Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Jurisdiction, Volumes 88-89, coins the phrase: if the Lord is willing and the creek dont fire, we will so do. Southerners tell it like it isno matter what it isso think of this as a learning moment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. At the same time there is some evidence that the creation of Fort Deposit (Fort Deposite) in Georgia was a cause of concern in that munitions and arms were stockpiled. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Some newspaper clippings are harder to determine which meaning they meant. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. 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. Sentences With "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" | Random We've had a lot of delays, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. 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. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. Oh, how I loved this story - I simply didnt want it to end! You gonna do nothing?". 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. 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? Depending on where you are, youre likely to hear words combined together (gonna for going to) and different vowel sounds than youre used to, including mah for my and git for get.Git has been in use since the 16th century all over the country, but is particularly common in the South, where it appears in everything from classic literature (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird) to personal correspondence (I want you to write me as soon as you git this letter, from a letter dating back to the Civil War). Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". 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. In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." This one originates from the 19th century, when Carter Products marketed "Little Liver Pills" across the country. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Pond, A Rooster One Day and A Feather Duster the Next, If You Know These Sayings, You Definitely Grew Up in the South, Only Real Southerners Know the Meaning of "Putting On the Dog", Things Only Southern Moms Say To Their Daughters, Things Only Southerners Say When It Snows. If you've ever been caught in a summer storm, you know that you can feel, smell, and see a storm blowin' up across the wide Southern skies. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. You will have spotted that neither of these capitalises creek, which suggests they didnt have the Creek people in mind. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. Other words sites Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. Where did this contraction, popular in both African American English and Southern American English, come from? Copyright 2023 KAIT. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. Over yonder down the road. From the start there's been a film of dingy on my days.. Johnny Cash had a hit with the song If The Good Lords Willing, and Hank Williams Jr. titled his song If the Good Lords Willin (And The Creeks Dont Rise).. 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . 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. Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. 133 Copy quote. Wheres my blasted phone?. the creek don't rise. Doh! To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." The resulting warfare and predictable civilian losses in the South reportedly gave rise (using the Southern frontier penchant for willin as opposed to the educated willing) to the phrase which was then likely mistakenly attributed to Hawkins due to his Native American connections. Take a load off the ole dogs, sit on your front porch, and let your know neighbors know about that sugar honey iced teayou had to deal with today. 1851. 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. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). An odd few (6% of Americans) do use soft drink, according to the Pop vs. Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. 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 the Creek Don't Rise|Paperback - Barnes & Noble My officers and fire department, we went along the river houses and notified everybody and recommended evacuation, said Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? Weiss has a unique voice. Because that is supposedly how the original author first wrote it. 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. Over yonder toward the water tower. As was the case with Dr Mattox, the remark is routinely attributed to first being said by Benjamin Hawkins. DeSantis's year-long quest to strip Disney of its self-rule came after the entertainment giant, and Florida's . There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. The Problem with Saying, "Lord Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" "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." "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. No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. Turn around, and please dont drive through it. TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN WAYNE (of 133) | A-Z Quotes This 19th-century phrase was once used to refer to some fierce, imaginary beast, until we went off course and adopted the current meaning of "awry.". We didnt. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. Any of you word experts have solid information? on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. Actually this is not proven. Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. Sign up for writing inspiration in your email, , Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!, The distinct English dialect of the American South, which has a close relationship with Black English (African American Vernacular English), is fascinatingand plenty lively. History: God Willing And The Creek Dont Rise (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise - TheFreeDictionary.com Here are a couple of examples of this claim. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. Theres two or three creeks, he said. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Positive thinking, Southern style. While there, we happened upon a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. Given that many small farm streams were crossed without bridges, which worked find most of the time, a swollen stream would cause problems. If the good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. (LogOut/ Lyndon Johnsons wife Lady Bird was fond of the phrase, and she wasnt one to cast aspersions on native Americans. 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. This book reminds me of that. 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. There is no typical Southern accent. https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=70955250. It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. God willing and the creek don't rise - TheFreeDictionary.com Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. [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. After eating a big, delicious Southern dinner Granny just made, you have to finish up with a slice of sweet potato pie, right? The Cree and the Creek lived over a thousand miles apart, (the Cree are from Canada), so we now have people contributing folk etymologies that are nonsense on their face. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. 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. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" was later covered by Johnny Cash during his tenure at Sun, and a few of the other tracks here ", If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise, "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "World Wide Words: God willing and the creek don't rise", "William Clark Green: 'Ringling Road' Album Review", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_the_Good_Lord%27s_Willing_and_the_Creek_Don%27t_Rise&oldid=1067282742, "If The Lord's Willing And The Creeks Don't Rise", song by, "If The Good Lord's Willing And The Creek Don't Rise", Lattie Moore, Jerry Reed 1961, "If The Good Lord's Willing", Ray Godfrey, arranged Jerry Reed, Tollie Records 1964, "(Be The Good Lord Willing) The Creek Don't Rise", Jivin' Gene, arranged Smith, Hall-Way Records 1964, "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise", with the lyric "God willin' an the creek don't rise, I'll be home again before this time next year."
