As was the case with Dr Mattox, the remark is routinely attributed to first being said by Benjamin Hawkins. A very young, newly married pregnant woman, she vows her no good moonshining husband has beaten her for the last time. 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. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. Runnin around like a chicken with it's head . As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. Thats a mouthful, but we lumped these all together because they are allsubstitutes for (God) d*mn it. 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. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. You might say cocola. 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. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. The states involved sent Hawkins,Andrew Pickens(South Carolina), Joseph Martin (Georgia) andLachlan McIntosh(Continental representative, Georgia) to negotiate a treaty to end the fighting. 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. Funny Phrases ben stanczyk 10/25/01 The word you use for a fizzy, carbonated drink reveals a lot more about you than you know. Weiss has a unique voice. Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. Youll thank us later! When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. 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). What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? 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. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. If the Creek Don't Rise is a collection of hard-used characters, tangled relationships, family angst, and fortitude. 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. Youre still going to the grocery store. "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. Firsts, Mines, Asks. It's almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" B: "God willing and the creek don't rise." Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. 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. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. 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. It is a paraphrase of a popular biblical saying from James 4:15, and while there are scores of citations to the phrase in the sense of the waters rising, in the US and Europe, there is not one shred of evidence of a reference to the Creek nation. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. By date order (spelling and titling may vary): Not to be confused with the Ray LaMontagne album, If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine All Music Guide to Country 0879307609 2003 Page 629 Jerry Reed "Here I Am collects his complete recordings for Capitol (30 songs), most of which were originals. Its typically used to describe a situation thats gone askew, awry, or out of alignment. This article about the English language is a stub. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. Catawampus(or, cattywampus) may have been popularized by Brits who delighted in parodying Southern vernacular. 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. "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. A multipurpose Southernism. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. 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. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. 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.. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. A different style for the story telling in this as we hear from many of the people in this town and Sadie Blues own story is woven through the fabric of theirs. 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. During the early days of the War of 1812, one party of Creek marched north and joined the Indians fighting in Ohio and Michigan, participating in the River Raisin Massacre. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. Something needed to fill in the gap: Yall is one solution associated with the South, with all generally serving to clarify more than one you is being addressed. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. 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. I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. When you arrive on the banks of the fishing pond on Saturday mornings, you're hoping for a good catchenough big catfish and bream to fry up for the family on Saturday night. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. 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. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. Donate via PayPal. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. You dont know whats underneath that water, Rose said. Im told it was a sign-off tag line of the 1930s US radio broadcaster Bradley Kincaid. Or, depending on where you live, it could be Sewanee, the small college town in Tennessee. It completely nailed the "mountain living" that I remembered my grandmother talking about. I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Over yonder down the road. Required fields are marked *. Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. (Or maybe the Piggly Wiggly, a Southern market chain that originated in Memphis, Tennessee). Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? 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. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. Speaking ofI declare, this now old-fashioned phrase acts as flustered response to an insult or an unbelievable story about someone who sadly made it into the rumor mill. According to http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins: Generally recognized as the Creek Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins also held the title of General Superintendent of all tribes south of the Ohio River. 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!. A Quite certainly not. Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. 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. The General replied to Stonewall Jackson that he would send troops "the Good Lord is willing and the Creeks don't rise (in rebellion). If the Creek Dont Rise by Leah Weiss is a 2017 Sourcebooks Landmark publication. [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. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. Is this derivation correct? 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 . 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. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. Southerners tell it like it isno matter what it isso think of this as a learning moment. You will have spotted that neither of these capitalises creek, which suggests they didnt have the Creek people in mind. It can be summarised as if all goes well. Wow! The proper phrase is Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. 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! This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Eli is the backbone of the community; all he wants is a better life for the people of Baines Creek evidenced by the succession of teachers he has procured.and been scared off, and his scheming troublemaking spinster of a sister Prudence who "don't like nobody" doesn't help matters any, but when the giant 6' 2" Kate Shaw arrives, wellthat's another story. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. "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. No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. 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. It was bad as all get out. If The Creek Don't Rise is a unique novel whose structure feels light and breezy and veers drastically from the standard formula found in fiction. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). You may still hear it if you stop into a country store. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? Any of you word experts have solid information? Because this is a progressive verb (youll make progress with it for sure), remember You were fixin to patch the hole in the wall. Never say you fixed to do it! The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. It's raining cats and dogs. Positive thinking, Southern style. If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes Showing 1-14 of 14 "Times like these I wonder if I ever been happy. 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. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. Andrew Jackson sent a request for reinforcements before the Battle Of New Orleans. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. It can be summarised as "if all goes well". And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 225 years old. It presumably evokes occasional and unpredictably extreme rainfall in Appalachia, that has historically isolated one rural neighborhood or another temporarily inaccessible on several or many occasions. Get help and learn more about the design. There is no typical Southern accent. But despite its gentle execution, this story delivers some of the heaviest of punches and invites the reader to step outside of the book for a spell 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. The underscore of that sentiment would be that he married his common-law wife on his deathbed and she was of the Creek Indians. 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. I was surprised as all get out. 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. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees you cutting up in church on Sunday morning. 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 good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. You gonna let him break your spirit, too? And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. He would tell the audience that we would meet again, "If the good Lord's willin', and the creek don't rise". 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. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. 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. Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". Maya Rodale is a best-selling romance author. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. 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. During the early days of the War of 1812, one party of Creek marched north and joined the Indians fighting in Ohio and Michigan, participating in the River Raisin Massacre. This phrase enjoyed national exposure in 1988 after Texas Governor Ann Richards remarked: When we pay billions for planes that wont fly, billions for tanks that wont fire, and billions for systems that wont workthat old dog wont hunt.. 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. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. and the word HOPE. If you've read the book summary, you already know Sadie Blue lives with a devil of a man, but she's not the only one who has lived with a wife beater of a husband. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. Learn how your comment data is processed. The English language is forever changing. (LogOut/ Soda web site devoted to this age-old debate. Often said as Lord willing and the creek dont rise, this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. There, we listened to amazing stories told by Dr. John Mattox. A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" And yes, they roll their eyes, too. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. It happens often during a Southern summer, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100. If we relied on written sources it would be hard to believe in such continued use. But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. 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.. "Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my way" The phrase is celebrated in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'l Abner, in which the title character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." Over yonder past the cotton field. When the U.S. demanded that the murderers be handed over for punishment, the Creek executed them themselves (for the Ohio murders, not for the River Raisin battle and aftermath). According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. 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. 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. 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. by Leah Weiss. Translated, this means: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." 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. You gonna do nothing?". The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. The Lafayette gazette(Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. 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. The saying "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Came from those traveling west in the OLD DAYS. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. It has been noted that the phrase should be correctly written as God willing and the Creek dont rise. If you're trying to be nice, but you just can't quite let it go, "bless your heart" is a go-to. (Yes, it is terrible grammar, but that is how it is said. 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. 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. In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. And I mean took me there! Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. And even if it did, the initial capital letter would mean nothing, as at the time it was still common practice to capitalise all nouns. Throughout the years, through these floods, weve had several roads that have washed completely out, so you just dont know whats down there.. "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. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE is character driven and one fine gritty and entertaining debut with one fine satisfying ending! Wheres my blasted phone?. the creek don't rise " is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. Its not a recent change. And that is the highest praise from me. What is the origin of the phrase the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise? This was an extremely enjoyable read! John Wayne. Charles Wilson said the flood waters are something he has to live with to enjoy residing on the river. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). Given that many small farm streams were crossed without bridges, which worked find most of the time, a swollen stream would cause problems. So, if during the time of Benjamin Hawkins life, the Creek Indians were experiencing the longest period of peace, why would he fear that they would rise. 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. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. Older than Methuselah. For instance if someone invites you to church on Sunday, you would respond "I'll be there with bells on God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise.". There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. Learn how your comment data is processed. She's not looking for sweets; she wants a hug and a kiss. Change). Although he admits when the rain starts to fall, it makes him a little nervous. "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" is a sort of backwoods phrase that has the same meaning, but is more folksy and less devoted. We didnt. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. "If The Good Lord's Willing and The Creek Don't Rise" is a 1955 American country song by Jerry Reed which was particularly popularized by the 1958 recording of Johnny Cash and has been covered by multiple artists.[1]. Accents vary by regionand sometimes even city to city. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. Stop right there! 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. It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". Other words sites Well, hells bells. If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.". Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. "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." If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. Have you ever seen a wet hen? "Like all great southern. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read.