DO YOU SEE THE LIGHT?!!!!
June 27, 2010 12:50 PM Subscribe
Given it is Sunday, feel free to get your Jesus on with The Mighty Clouds of Joy. Somebody say Amen.
When did Protestants start pronouncing it "Ay-men" instead of the older "Ah-meen" that Orthodox (and Muslims also, btw) use?
After carefully examining the teachings of Jesus-ah.
posted by clarknova at 1:40 PM on June 27, 2010 [4 favorites]
After carefully examining the teachings of Jesus-ah.
posted by clarknova at 1:40 PM on June 27, 2010 [4 favorites]
It's not uncommon to pronounce it "ah-men" as well (childhood in Baptist churches, here).
OED traces its use back to Old English, so it's not out of the question that it could have gone through the great vowel shift. It's also possible that at various times influential churchmen might have decided that either ay-men or ah-men is more "correct" or "authentic" from their point of view.
posted by gimonca at 1:41 PM on June 27, 2010
OED traces its use back to Old English, so it's not out of the question that it could have gone through the great vowel shift. It's also possible that at various times influential churchmen might have decided that either ay-men or ah-men is more "correct" or "authentic" from their point of view.
posted by gimonca at 1:41 PM on June 27, 2010
Well, it looks like Wikipedia was one step ahead on that as well: The ah-men pronunciation is usual in British English, the one that is used in performances of classical music, in churches with more formalized rituals and liturgy and liberal Evangelical Protestant denominations. The ay-men pronunciation, a product of the Great Vowel Shift dating to the 15th century, is associated with Irish Protestantism and conservative Evangelical Protestant denominations generally, and the pronunciation that is typically sung in gospel music.
posted by gimonca at 1:44 PM on June 27, 2010
posted by gimonca at 1:44 PM on June 27, 2010
Speaking of dirty little secrets (see FPP above), African-American gospel music was crudely looted by the performers now revered as the "creators" of rhythm and blues in the 1950s and 60s. It was a wholesale robbery only slightly less egregious than the subsequent rip off of R & B by white artists. I mean, everyone from Ray Charles to Little Walter was appropriating gospel songs note for note, sometimes just exchanging the word "Jesus" for "my baby". It was a pretty crass spectacle.
posted by Faze at 1:54 PM on June 27, 2010
posted by Faze at 1:54 PM on June 27, 2010
Aside from them being generally awesome, I think that "Mighty Clouds of Joy" is pretty much the greatest name gospel name ever. After experiencing a song entitled "Christmas Calypso" as a youngun, I have always been firmly in the camp that believes that if you want to praise the Lord, you had better PRAISE the LORD!!!!!!!!!
A-MEN!
posted by Madamina at 2:50 PM on June 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
A-MEN!
posted by Madamina at 2:50 PM on June 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
African-American gospel music was crudely looted by the performers now revered as the "creators" of rhythm and blues in the 1950s and 60s
I agree.
posted by timsteil at 3:51 PM on June 27, 2010
I agree.
posted by timsteil at 3:51 PM on June 27, 2010
African-American gospel music was crudely looted by the performers now revered as the "creators" of rhythm and blues in the 1950s and 60s. It was a wholesale robbery only slightly less egregious than the subsequent rip off of R & B by white artists.
Very well put. The history of R & B (and R & R) cannot be written without some reference to the devil's music - AKA the blues - as well, though. And some, those musicologists unafraid to suggest that white people may have had a bit of influence in the glory of R & B, point to country music as somewhat of an influence in R & B's evolution.
posted by kozad at 4:46 PM on June 27, 2010
Very well put. The history of R & B (and R & R) cannot be written without some reference to the devil's music - AKA the blues - as well, though. And some, those musicologists unafraid to suggest that white people may have had a bit of influence in the glory of R & B, point to country music as somewhat of an influence in R & B's evolution.
posted by kozad at 4:46 PM on June 27, 2010
Oh yeah.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:12 PM on June 27, 2010
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:12 PM on June 27, 2010
Wow... I could learn a lot hangin' out with you guys...
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:43 PM on June 27, 2010
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:43 PM on June 27, 2010
I mean, everyone from Ray Charles to Little Walter was appropriating gospel songs note for note, sometimes just exchanging the word "Jesus" for "my baby". It was a pretty crass spectacle.
Dude, even Cartman beat you to that one.
posted by joe lisboa at 7:03 PM on June 27, 2010
Dude, even Cartman beat you to that one.
posted by joe lisboa at 7:03 PM on June 27, 2010
First, a little love for the Five Blind Boys of Alabama.
And then to the crass spectacle. It seems to me that these folks weren't appropriating gospel, they were gospel. Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, David Ruffin -- they didn't steal anything, it was already theirs.
(Not mad at anybody, just saying.)
posted by Trochanter at 8:42 PM on June 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
And then to the crass spectacle. It seems to me that these folks weren't appropriating gospel, they were gospel. Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, David Ruffin -- they didn't steal anything, it was already theirs.
(Not mad at anybody, just saying.)
posted by Trochanter at 8:42 PM on June 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
and at the end, the devil wins.
posted by timsteil at 1:40 AM on June 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by timsteil at 1:40 AM on June 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
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