| "I Had a Good Father and Mother" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Washington Phillips | |
| Recorded | Dallas, Texas, December 2, 1929 |
| Genre | Gospel blues |
| Length | 3:01 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | Washington Phillips |
| Producer(s) | Frank B. Walker [1] |
"I Had a Good Father and Mother" is a 1929 gospel blues song by Washington Phillips (1880–1954, vocals and zither). [2] The song has sometimes been covered as "I Had a Good Mother and Father"; or with, in both cases, "Real" inserted before "Good".
Unusually, the song does not have a conventional refrain; instead, the verses are separated by a wordless vocalise.
The final verse reflects a concept mentioned several times in the Gospel of John:
- A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. – John 13:34
- As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. – John 15:9
- This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. – John 15:12
The recording history suggests that the song was composed by Phillips himself: there seems to be no earlier or contemporary version, nor any cover version until 64 years after his recording of the song.[ citation needed]
Recordings
 | This list of songs or music-related items is
incomplete; you can help by
adding missing items. (August 2015) |
- 1929 – Washington Phillips, [2] [3] [4] 10" 78rpm single Columbia 14566-D
- 1993 – Palace Brothers [5] [6] on the album There Is No-One What Will Take Care of You
- 1994 – Kate Wolf [7] on the album Looking Back at You [8]
- 2003 – Gillian Welch [9] on the album Soul Journey
- 2004 – Paul Rishell and Annie Raines [10] on the album Goin' Home [11]
- 2016 – The Lower Lights [12] on the album A Hymn Revival, Vol. 3 [13]
References
- ^ Corcoran, Michael (December 29, 2002). "Exhuming the Legend of Washington Phillips". Austin Statesman. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
- ^ a b "Washington Phillips discography". wirz.de. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ George Washington Phillips: I Had a Good Father and Mother, Composed by George Washington Phillips at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ I Had a Good Father and Mother at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ The Palace Brothers: I Had a Good Mother and Father at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ The Palace Brothers: I Had a Good Mother and Father at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Kate Wolf: I Had a Good Father and Mother, Composed by Traditional at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. Kate Wolf: Looking Back at You at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Gillian Welch: I Had a Real Good Mother and Father, Composed by Gillian Welch / Traditional at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Annie Raines / Paul Rishell: I Had a Good Mother and Father, Composed by George Washington Phillips at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Lankford, Ronnie D., Jr.. Paul Rishell: Goin' Home at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ The Lower Lights: I Had a Good Mother and Father, Composed by Gillian Welch at AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
- ^ The Lower Lights: A Hymn Revival, Vol. 3 at AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
