RG - Posted - 05/10/2019:  01:03:28

This haunting song has been a favorite of mine ever since I first heard it played by Frank Proffitt in 1975 on John Cohen's masterpiece compilation LP "High Atmosphere" on Rounder Records amazon.com/High-Atmosphere-Bal...0000002CS an album that I can't recommend enough if you like old-time music.



As related in the liner notes:



"Frank learned this from a Negro man who played blues and spirituals. This unique tuning permits both a minor key and blues sound. This was the last song Frank recorded for us, and probably the last of his life, for his tragic death came a few days after our visit. (Frank also sings this song unaccompanied on his Memorial Album for Folk Legacy Records)."



Frank played a fretless mountain banjo North Carolina index lead style tuned to GGBbCD (DDFGA). I tune it in the middle of both of those at eEGAB as it seems to fit my (admittedly awful) voice better... I sure wish I could sing like Frank!



The history of the song is a little obscure. Was it an old spiritual before it was recorded by underrated guitar evangelist Blind Joe Taggart for Paramount Records in Grafton Wisconsin in December of 1930 and released in 1931 shazam.com/track/57699071/sata...come-down or did he compose it?  It's listed as a traditional spiritual on Wikipedia, but I can't find any reference to an earlier version... anyone out there know for sure? Additionally, it is surely related somehow to Shirley Caesar's famous 1974 recording "Satan, We're Gonna Tear Your Kingdom Down" youtube.com/watch?v=XwYPC9Q4REg. Did she adapt that song from Blind Joe Taggart, or is it the earlier version of a song that Blind Joe adapted?  My hunch is that it's a Taggart original composition, but the questions remain and I certainly don't have answers... but I do know the song is a good one, enough that it's continually played as a theme for TV shows, in TV shows and films, recorded by alt-country rock bands, a weed loving country superstar, and even a former Led Zeppelin...

Of course Frank Profitt is (or surely should be) well known by anyone with a passing interest in old-time music en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Proffitt, but Blind Joe is a less well known, but equally interesting character, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Joe_Taggart and his recordings and playing are really amazing, I highly recommend checking them out thedocumentrecordsstore.com/pr...ocd-5153/ thedocumentrecordsstore.com/pr...ocd-5154/.



Blind Joe's version is markedly different than Frank Proffitt's version in that it's in a major key... so the man that Frank learned it from had "bluesed" it up by the time Frank heard it, and I like it in the minor key (have been playing a lot of blues fiddle and guitar lately anyway) so like Mr. Proffitt, I've always played it there. There are a boatload of versions out there, but I've always rapped it or picked it two-finger thumb lead, which is how I've played it here (2-finger thumb lead).



Here's a small sample of other versions...



Tracey Schwartz (great version) folkways.si.edu/tracy-schwarz/...ithsonian



Willie Nelson with Riley Baugus on banjo youtube.com/watch?v=Ivp9Rb66_Hk



Uncle Tupelo youtube.com/watch?v=FjJ9TgG-urk



Robert Plant youtube.com/watch?v=Ais53rladFU



The lyrics I sing are Frank's...



Satan, your kingdom must come down (2X)

I heard the voice of Jesus say

Satan your kingdom must come down



I'm gonna shout 'til I tear your kingdom down, kingdom down

Shout 'til I tear your kingdom down

I heard the voice of Jesus say

Satan your kingdom must come down



I'm gonna pray for your kingdom to come down, kingdom come down

Pray for your kingdom to come down

I heard the voice of Jesus say

Satan your kingdom must come down



And there you have it, it's REALLY easy to play, and the modal-ness of it is cool too. I've included a little breakdown as to how I play it 2-finger thumb lead (since I can't write tab to save my life), so that should get you off to a decent start...



Hope you enjoy it & have a great weekend!

 

Edited by - RG on 05/10/2019 01:14:04

Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down

Tune Breakdown Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down eEGAB

revellfa - Posted - 05/10/2019:  05:56:17

Thanks for this.

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 05/10/2019:  10:29:07

Great selection, rendition, and history on this one RG.
As usual, when it comes to keeping the real stuff alive
you lead from the front!

JanetB - Posted - 05/10/2019:  18:05:05

Well, RG, you sure gave us a powerful song to listen to and work on. That Em tuning of eEGAB made it a unique and fun exercise in arranging a TOTW. Your awesome recording and explanation, plus Art Rosenbaum's 2-finger tab in a book I have, pointed the way.

VIDEO: Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down (TOTW)
(click to view)

Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down (CH) tab

RG - Posted - 05/10/2019:  23:03:28

Thanks Frankie, R.D. and Janet for the kind words...

Janet, LOVE your version, really nice! That is a really cool banjo, and you pull great tone out of it!