It is my great desire that I may possess, for my spiritual edification, the religion of faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ as practiced by my Christian forefathers.
In other words, “Give me that old time religion.”
This great old song has been vilified, scorned, abused, parodied and denigrated more than any other gospel song. And its harshest critics may just as soon be conservative Christians as evangelistic atheists. What a shame, because it is such fun to sing.
I sing it this way in a sort of chronological pattern.
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It’s good enough for me.
The succeeding verses are of similar repetition and end with “It’s good enough for me.” The refrain repeats after each verse.
1. It was good for the Hebrew children…
2. It was good for the prophet Daniel…
3. It was good in the fiery furnace…
4. It was good for Paul & Silas…
5. It will take us all to heaven…
This song is a true folk song and sometimes changes occur with each singing as new verses are added in or deleted. To keep folk from saying “what comes next?” in a group sing, it’s kind of good if the leader will solo the first line and the group joins in after. The song is delivered in this manner in the famous conversion scene in the movie “Sergeant York” with Gary Cooper.
Old Time Religion is an old song. One musicologist, Forrest Mason McCann, states the possibility of English roots with folk origins. 1
In 1871, an accapella ensemble of black students was created as a fund-raiser at Fisk University in Nashville , Tennessee Washington , D.C.
A small book recounting this tour was published in 1873 and included the first printing of Old Time Religion. 2
Charlie D. Tillman was born in Atlanta , Georgia Atlanta
In 1889 Tillman was assisting his father with a tent meeting in Lexington, South Carolina. The elder Tillman lent the tent to an African American group for a singing meeting on a Sunday afternoon. It was then that young Tillman first heard the spiritual "The Old Time Religion." He quickly scrawled the words and the rudiments of the tune on a scrap of paper. Tillman published the work to his largely white church market in 1891.
Tillman’s published version reflects a modified text line and cadence which seems to have been just what the song needed to achieve a wider appreciation.
Tillman’s version follows:
Give me that old time religion
’Tis the old time religion, (x2)
And it's good enough for me.
It was good for our mothers. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
Makes me love everybody. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
It has saved our fathers. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
It will do when I am dying. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
It will take us all to heaven. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
’Tis the old time religion, (x2)
And it's good enough for me.
It was good for our mothers. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
Makes me love everybody. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
It has saved our fathers. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
It will do when I am dying. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
It will take us all to heaven. (x3)
And it's good enough for me.
The importance of Tillman’s work is in the transference of Old Time Religion from the black spiritual genre to that of southern gospel.
The movie industry provided the last leg of the journey that placed this song in the national repertoire. The SATB arrangement in Tillman's songbooks became known to Alvin York and is thus the background song for the 1941 Academy Award film Sergeant York, which spread Old Time Religion to audiences far beyond the South.
The song has been recorded by Jim Reeves, Buck Owens, Jimmy Dean, Five Blind Boys from Alabama
Jim Reeves’ version includes the verse
It was good for dad and mother…
Buck Owens includes the verse,
It was good enough for mother,
It was good enough for papa,
It was good enough for sister,
And it’s good enough for me.
Woody Guthrie includes,
It was good enough for Peter…
Dolly Parton includes,
It will do when the world’s on fire…
Since this song has been so assimilated into the folk tradition, you must feel free to add your own verses. For a little inspiration on the message of this song, go get your KJV of the Holy Bible and read Hebrews, chapter 11, the faith chapter. Become a part of the history of this song and go share it with someone.
Have fun and Praise the Lord.
1. McCann, F.M., Hymns & History: An Annotated Survey of Sources. (Abilene, Texas: ACU Press, 1997) p. 595
2. Pike, G.D., The Jubilee Singers and Their Campaign for Twenty Thousand Dollars Nashville
WOW! You could dig up nuggets for Amazing Facts! That's some interesting information you've compiled.
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