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Better Get Ready/Just As Well Get Ready/You Got To Die/Sinner You'd Better Get Ready!
Tradtional Old-Time, Spiritual;
ARTIST: from Elder Roma Wilson 1948
Blind Willie McTell's version "Just as Well Get Ready, You Got to Die" can be heard on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvjXtKyai_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tZHpS1nBsM&feature=related
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Bluegrass Gospel;
DATE: 1800s; Published 1902; Collected 1936
RECORDING INFO: Better Get Ready
At - Just As Well Get Ready
Hurt, Mississippi John. Mississippi John Hurt, Last Sessions, Vanguard VSD 79327, LP (1972), trk# 16 [1966/07] (You Got To Die)
Hurt, Mississippi John. D.C. Blues, Vol 2. Library of Congress Rec...,, Fuel 302 061 495 2, CD (2003), trk# 2.19 [1963/07] (You Got to Get Ready)
Wilson, Elder Roma; and Family. Folk Music in America, Vol.15, Religious Music, Solo & Perform.., Library of Congress LBC-15, LP (1978), trk# B.01 [1948]
Blind Willie McTell – Just as Well Get Ready, You Got to Die.
OTHER NAMES: “Just As Well Get Ready,” "You Got to Get Ready" "You Got To Die" "Just Well Get Ready, You Got To Die" "Sinner You'd Better Get Ready!"
SOURCES: W. Mallory's "Old Plantation Days" 1902
NOTES: "Better Get Ready" is from harmonica player Elder Roma Wilson who recorded his version of the traditional spiritual usually titled "Just As Well Get Ready" in 1948 with his two sons.
Elder Roma Wilson, was born December 22, 1910, in Tupelo, Mississippi. "Better Get Ready" by Elder Wilson & Family featuring gospel songs accompanied only by three harmonicas. Some years ago 4 unissued titles from the sessions turned up and then a few years ago Elder Wilson himself was found living in Mississippi and all became clear. The three harmonicas were Elder Wilson himself and his two sons aged 11 and 13. Not only is Elder Wilson still alive but he is singing and playing as well as ever at the age of 84! This wonderful album features all six cuts from 1948 along with 14 new recordings.
In Maud Cuney Hare's "Negro Musicians and Their Music" (1936) the author collected in Texas the song under the title "Just Well Get Ready, You Got To Die."
In W. Mallory's "Old Plantation Days" published Hamilton, Ontario in 1902 is one of the source songs, "Sinner You'd Better Get Ready!" Col. W. Mallory, a former slave, was born 1826, here's his lyrics:
2. Sinner You'd Better Get Ready!
CHORUS: Oh! sinner you'd better get ready,
Ready, my Lord, ready.
Oh! sinner you'd better get ready,
For the time is a coming when a sinner must die.
Mississippi John Hurt's unissued title "You Got to Get Ready" is the same song released on the Last Sessions album as "You Got to Die" which has the refrain "Just as well to get ready, you got to die."
Blind Willie McTell's version "Just as Well Get Ready, You Got to Die" can be heard on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvjXtKyai_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tZHpS1nBsM&feature=related
The spirit was collected and appears in the Tartt Collection:
http://books.google.com/books?id=kGatbyIx-CUC&pg=PA109&dq=%22You+Got+to+Die%22+spiritual&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&cd=4
A related song is: Hezekiah - You Got to Die!
God Told Hezekiah you got to die
God Told Hezekiah you got to die
God Told Hezekiah you got to die
You better set your house in order,
You got to die
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwJX0H2n0I0&feature=related
Better Get Ready- Elder Roma Wilson 1948
You just as well get ready,
To meet you God on high
While you plan to live here,
You better prepare to die
Don't let the setting of the sun,
Catch you with your work undone
You just as well get ready,
you got to die.
You may be a rich man,
With your silver and gold,
But this whole world of money
Won't save your dying soul
You've got be be free from sin,
To have the Holy ghost within
You just as well get ready,
you got to die.
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