God Moves on the Water

1929 single by Blind Willie Johnson

"God Moves on the Water"

Single by Blind Willie Johnson
Released	1929–30
Recorded	New Orleans, Louisiana, December 11, 1929
Genre	Blues
Length	3:04
Label	Columbia (14520-D)
Songwriter(s)	Unknown

"God Moves on the Water" is a gospel blues song recorded by Blind Willie Johnson in 1929 and released on a 78 rpm record by Columbia Records.^[1]

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 ^[2]
1963–71 – Rory Block and Stefan Grossman, as an instrumental ^[3]
1965 – Mance Lipscomb, live at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival
1966 – Mance Lipscomb, live at the 1966 Berkeley Folk Music Festival^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]
1972 – Stefan Grossman, as an instrumental ^[8]
2000 – Guy Forsyth^[9]
2003 – Chris Jones and Steve Baker, on the album Smoke and Noise ^[10]
2003 – Chris Jones, on the album Roadhouses and Automobiles ^[11]
2004 – Mary Margaret O'Hara^[12]
2008 – Garrison Keillor, on the album A Prairie Home Companion 4th Annual Farewell Performance ^[13]
2009 – Charlie Parr, on the album Roustabout ^[14]
2011 – Charlie Parr, on the album Keep your Hands on the Plow ^[15]
2011 – "God Moves on Water" by Dead Rock West, on the album Bright Morning Stars ^[16]
2020 – Larkin Poe, on the album Self-Made Man ^[17]

References

^ Columbia Records 14520-D
^ Blind Willie Johnson: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Rory Block / Stefan Grossman: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Waater" [sic] at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Water (The Sinking of the Titanic)" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Mance Lipscomb: "God Moves on the Water (The Sinking of the Titantic)" [sic] at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Stefan Grossman: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Guy Forsyth: "God Moves on the Water" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Chris Jones: Smoke and Noise at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Chris Jones: Roadhouses & Automobiles at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Various Artists: Dark Was the Night: A Tribute to the Music of Blind Willie Johnson at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Garrison Keillor: A Prairie Home Companion 4th Annual Farewell Performance at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Charlie Parr: Roustabout at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Charlie Parr: Keep your Hands on the Plow at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Dead Rock West: Bright Morning Stars at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
^ Larkin Poe: Self Made Man at AllMusic. Retrieved July 2020.