PP&M Song of the Day: Well, Well, Well
Well, Well, Well · Peter, Paul and Mary
from their album "Album" ℗ 1966 Warner Bros Records
PP&M could pull off a mean spiritual. They did a lot of them, as a matter of fact. This is one of my favorites.
Well, Well, Well was written by Bob Gibson and Bob (later changed to Hamilton) Camp in the style of (and possibly based on) a black spiritual song. They performed it at the 1960 Newport Folk Festival. Not long after that in 1961, Gibson and Camp recorded and released an album, Gibson and Camp at the Gate of Horn. According to author, Richie Unterberger:
Oddly, the album did not include "Well, Well, Well," which Camp cites as the song that "really knocked 'em out" at their Newport appearance.
Gibson and Camp's joint efforts on the folk scene in the early 1960's influenced several folk, folk rock and rock acts that were still to come. Peter, Paul & Mary recorded Well, Well, Well for their 1966 Warner Brothers album entitled Album. Bob Gibson's Wikipedia page states:
... the resulting legendary trio, Peter, Paul and Mary, was deeply influenced by Gibson's music. Yarrow later said of his friend, "When you listen to PPM, you are hearing Bob Gibson."
Even though I'm not overly religious, I love these old spirituals, even the "remade" ones. They have lessons to teach all of us, whether we are church-goers or not.
Brothers and sisters, don't you know? You're gonna reap just what you sow.
Yes, indeed.
Peter, Paul and Mary - Album - WS 1648 - ℗ 1966 Warner Bros Records
WELL, WELL, WELL
Camp/Gibson- Melody Trails. Inc. BMI
Refrain:
Well, Well, Well, Who's that callin'? Well, Well, Well, Hold my hand. Well, Well, Well, Night is a-fallin', Spirit is a-movin' all over this land.
Lord told Noah, Build him an ark, Build it out of hickory bark. Old ark a-movin', and the water start to climb, God send a fire, not a flood next time.
(Refrain)
God said fire comin' judgement day, He said all mankind gonna pass away. Brothers and sisters don't you know? You're gonna reap just what you sow.
(Refrain)
World's not waitin' for the Lord's command, Buildin' a fire that'll sweep the land. Thunder out of heaven, comin' Gabriel's call; And the sea's gonna boil and the sky's gonna fall.
(Refrain)
Sources:
Yarrow, P., Stookey, N. P., & Travers, M. (1966). Well, Well, Well. Retrieved April 9, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS2MzoQwsiY&feature=youtu.be
Unterberger, R. (2010). Bob Gibson & Bob Camp’s “At the Gate of Horn” Liner Notes. Retrieved April 9, 2017, from http://www.richieunterberger.com/gibsoncamp.html
Various (Wikipedia). (2017). Bob Gibson (musician). Retrieved April 9, 2017, from https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bob_Gibson_(musician)
Gibson, B., & Camp, B. (Hamilton). (1960). WELL, WELL, WELL lyrics. Retrieved April 9, 2017, from http://www.peterpaulandmary.com/music/f-07-12.htm
