God Moves on the Water

"God Moves on the Water"
Single by Blind Willie Johnson
A-side	Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There
Released	1929–30
Format	10" 78rpm single
Recorded	December 11, 1929; New Orleans, LA
Genre	Blues
Length	3:04
Label	Columbia 14520-D
Blind Willie Johnson singles chronology
"Bye and Bye I'm Goin' to See the King" / "You'll Need Somebody on Your Bond" "Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There" / "God Moves on the Water" "John the Revelator" / "You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond"

God Moves on the Water is a blues song recorded by Blind Willie Johnson in 1929, and released as the B-side of Columbia 14520-D.

The song describes the sinking of RMS Titanic and the consequent loss of life after it struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912. Its origins are obscure: topical songs are generally written soon after the event to which they relate. Johnson's lyrics call the ship's captain, E. J. Smith, A. G. Smith, which suggests an oral tradition. The fact that two of the earliest recordings, by Johnson in 1929 and by Mance Lipscomb in 1965, were made by Texans suggests an origin in that state.

The title may allude to the Book of Genesis at 1:2: "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters". If it does, the song may derive from an earlier gospel song, now lost.

Recordings

The following recordings are by notable musicians:

• 1929 – Blind Willie Johnson ^[1]
• 1963–71 – Rory Block and Stefan Grossman, as an instrumental ^[2]
• 1965 – Mance Lipscomb, live at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival
• 1966 – Mance Lipscomb, live at the 1966 Berkeley Folk Music Festival ^[3][4][5][6]
• 1972 – Stefan Grossman, as an instrumental ^[7]
• 2000 – Guy Forsyth ^[8]
• 2003 – Chris Jones and Steve Baker, on the album Smoke and Noise ^[9]
• 2003 – Chris Jones, on the album Roadhouses and Automobiles ^[10]
• 2004 – Mary Margaret O'Hara ^[11]
• 2008 – Garrison Keillor, on the album A Prairie Home Companion 4th Annual Farewell Performance ^[12]
• 2009 – Charlie Parr, on the album Roustabout ^[13]
• 2011 – Charlie Parr, on the album Keep your Hands on the Plow ^[14]
• 2011 – "God Moves on Water" by Dead Rock West, on the album Bright Morning Stars ^[15]

References

1. Blind Willie Johnson: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
2. Rory Block / Stefan Grossman: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
3. Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
4. Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Waater" [sic] at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
5. Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Water (The Sinking of the Titanic)" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
6. Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Water (The Sinking of the Titantic)" [sic] at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
7. Stefan Grossman: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
8. Guy Forsyth: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
9. Chris Jones: Smoke and Noise at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
10. Chris Jones: Roadhouses & Automobiles at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
11. Various Artists: Dark Was the Night: A Tribute to the Music of Blind Willie Johnson at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
12. Garrison Keillor: A Prairie Home Companion 4th Annual Farewell Performance at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
13. Charlie Parr: Roustabout at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
14. Charlie Parr: Keep your Hands on the Plow at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
15. Dead Rock West: Bright Morning Stars at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.