Hold My Mule
Shirley Caesar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴I just want to take time
To tell you
A story
About a man called Shout'n' John
John joined a dead church
They didn't believe in shout'n'
They did't believe in dancin' and speakin' in tongues
But when they opened the doors of the church John joined that church
And when John joined that church
He came in dancin'
Everybody, everybody got disturbed
Because John was dancin' all around the church
The deacons ran and sat him down
He jumped back up
They tried to hold his legs
His hands would go
When they turn the hands aloose
The feet were goin'
It's just like fire!
It's just like fire!
Shut up in the bone
They did everything they could to stop ol' John from shout'n'
And when they couldn't finally stop him
They made up their mind
"We got to go out to John's house y'all
For something is wrong with him
Doesn't he know
We don't act like that in our church
Doesn't John know
We've got dignitaries in our church
We're goin'
We're goin'!
We goin' to John's house"
Well!
When they got out there
They found this ol' 86 year ol' man
Him and a ol' beat up mule
Plowin'
Plowin'
In the fiel'
They drove up, all of the deacons
They got out of their fine cars
They walked over to John
John looked around and said
"Whoa, mule!"
Walked over to 'em and said
"Brother, I know why you've come out here
You've come out here to tell me that I praise the Lord too much
You've come out here to tell me that I dance too much"
One of the deacons tol' him
"If you don't stop shoutin'
If you don't stop dancin'
We gon' put you outta our church
Somebody say yeah
Say yeah
We are gonna entertain for it, yeah yeah
John said to them
"Well, put me out!
I can't hold my peace
Did you se all of that land you just drove up on?"
He said
"God gave me all that land
But you don't want me to dance in your church"
Said
"Look at my sons and my daughters!"
Said
"God gave me all of my children
Not one time
Have I been to the court house
Not one time
Have I been to the cemetery
But you don't want me to dance in your church?"
Then he said
"Look at me
I'm 86 years old
I'm still able
To walk behind that ol' mule
I'm still able
To harvest my own crop
But you don't want me to dance in your church?
Listen Brother Deacons
If I can't shout in your church
Hold my mule
I'm gon' shout right here"
Say yes
Say yes
Say yes
Oh yeah yeah yeah
Hold my mule
Hold my mule
Hold my mule
That's the way I feel right now
I feel like goin' shout'n' with John
I'm know we got some dignified folk in here
But I come to tell you
I feel like praising, praising Him
Ooh I feel like praising, praising Him
Praise Him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Praise Him all day long (raise Him all day long)
I feel like, Lord like if I praise Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
I'm gon' praise the Lord while I got a chance
I'm gon' praise the Lord while I have a chance
Praise Him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Praise Him all day long (praise Him all day long)
I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
But let me hear your motive
Well John
Just danced all over that place
Began to walk Him outside
That's kind of how I feel right know
I feel like walkin' Him outside
And I know somebody
That's not ashamed to walk Him outside with me, come here son
Just walk Him outside
If you don't wanna praise Him don't hinder me
If you do not want to praise don't hinder me
Praise Him, praise Him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Praise Him all day long (praise Him all day long)
I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Well all right, well all right
Now
I know some of you all are dignified
But you know y'all are just gonna clap your hands like I'm some mother
I feel like, I feel like, I feel like praising Him
Like praising, praising Him
I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him
Praise Him, in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Praise Him all day long (praise Him all day long)
Ooh I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him
Wait a minute
Somebody got a chance they like to give their hearts to the Lord
Come on and praise the Lord while you have a chance
Come on and praise the Lord while you have a chance
Praise him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Praise him all day long (praise Him all day long)
I feel like praising praising him (I feel like praising praising him)
Hallelujah
Praise him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Praise him all day long (praise Him all day long)
I feel, I feel like praising praising Him (I feel like praising praising Him)
Hallelujah
Overall Meaning
The song “Hold My Mule” by Shirley Caesar tells the story of a man named Shout’n’ John who joined a dead church that didn’t believe in dancing, speaking in tongues, and shouting. When he joined this church, he came in dancing, which disturbed everyone. The deacons tried to stop him from dancing, but they eventually went to John's house and told him that he praised the Lord too much and danced too much. John responded by saying that God had given him everything he had - his land, children, and ability to work even at his old age - and if he couldn't shout in their church, they could hold his mule and he would shout right there. The message of the song is that praising God is more important than following man-made rules and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
I just want to take time
I want to take a moment to share something important
To tell you
To share with you
A story
A narrative
About a man called Shout'n' John
About a man named Shout'n' John
John joined a dead church
John became a member of a lifeless church
They didn't believe in shout'n'
They didn't believe in expressing their joy loudly
They did't believe in dancin' and speakin' in tongues
They didn't believe in dancing and speaking in unknown languages
But when they opened the doors of the church
But when they allowed new members to join the church
John joined that church
John became a part of that church
And when John joined that church
And when John became a member of that church
He came in dancin'
He entered the church dancing
Everybody, everybody got disturbed
Everyone, everyone became disturbed
Because John was dancin' all around the church
Because John was dancing throughout the church
The deacons ran and sat him down
The deacons hurriedly made him sit
He jumped back up
He quickly got back up
They tried to hold his legs
They attempted to restrain his legs
His hands would go
His hands would move
When they turn the hands aloose
When they released his hands
The feet were goin'
His feet were moving
It's just like fire!
It's as intense as fire!
Shut up in the bone
Contained within the bones
They did everything they could to stop ol' John from shout'n'
They did everything possible to prevent John from expressing his joy
And when they couldn't finally stop him
And when they ultimately couldn't stop him
They made up their mind
They decided
"We got to go out to John's house y'all
"We must visit John's house, everybody
For something is wrong with him
Because something is amiss with him
Doesn't he know
Isn't he aware
We don't act like that in our church
We don't behave similarly in our church
Doesn't John know
Doesn't John realize
We've got dignitaries in our church
There are respected individuals in our church
We're goin'
We're going
We're goin' to John's house"
We're going to John's house"
Well!
Well!
When they got out there
When they arrived there
They found this ol' 86 year ol' man
They discovered this elderly man of 86 years
Him and a ol' beat up mule
Him and an old, worn-out mule
Plowin'
Plowing
Plowin'
Plowing
In the fiel'
In the field
They drove up, all of the deacons
All the deacons arrived in their cars
They got out of their fine cars
They stepped out of their luxurious cars
They walked over to John
They approached John
John looked around and said
John surveyed the area and said
"Whoa, mule!"
"Hold on, mule!"
Walked over to 'em and said
Approached them and said
"Brother, I know why you've come out here
"Brother, I understand why you've come here
You've come out here to tell me that I praise the Lord too much
You've come here to inform me that I worship the Lord excessively
You've come out here to tell me that I dance too much"
You've come here to convey that I dance excessively"
One of the deacons tol' him
One of the deacons told him
"If you don't stop shoutin'
"If you don't cease your joyful exclamation
If you don't stop dancin'
If you don't stop dancing
We gon' put you outta our church
We will remove you from our church
Somebody say yeah
Someone say yes
Say yeah
Say yes
We are gonna entertain for it, yeah yeah
We are surely going to insist, yes yes
John said to them
John said to them
"Well, put me out!
"Go ahead, remove me!
I can't hold my peace
I can't remain silent
Did you see all of that land you just drove up on?"
Did you see all of the land you just arrived on?
He said
He stated
"God gave me all that land
"God granted me all that land
But you don't want me to dance in your church"
But you don't want me to dance in your church"
Said
He continued
"Look at my sons and my daughters!"
"Consider my sons and daughters!"
Said
He added
"God gave me all of my children
"God blessed me with all of my children
Not one time
Not even once
Have I been to the court house
Have I visited the courthouse
Not one time
Not even once
Have I been to the cemetery
Have I gone to the cemetery
But you don't want me to dance in your church?"
But you don't want me to dance in your church?"
Then he said
Then he declared
"Look at me
"Look at me
I'm 86 years old
I'm 86 years old
I'm still able
I'm still capable
To walk behind that ol' mule
To walk behind that old mule
I'm still able
I'm still capable
To harvest my own crop
To gather my own harvest
But you don't want me to dance in your church?
But you don't want me to dance in your church?
Listen Brother Deacons
Listen, Brother Deacons
If I can't shout in your church
If I can't rejoice in your church
Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins
I'm gon' shout right here"
I'm going to rejoice right here"
Say yes
Say yes
Say yes
Say yes
Say yes
Say yes
Oh yeah yeah yeah
Oh yes yes yes
Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins
Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins
Hold my mule
Take my mule's reins
That's the way I feel right now
That's exactly how I feel at the moment
I feel like goin' shout'n' with John
I feel like rejoicing alongside John
I'm know we got some dignified folk in here
I know we have some sophisticated individuals in here
But I come to tell you
But I want to tell you
I feel like praising, praising Him
I feel like worshipping and exalting Him
Ooh I feel like praising, praising Him
Oh, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him
Praise Him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Worship Him in the morning (worship Him in the morning)
Praise Him all day long (raise Him all day long)
Worship Him throughout the day (worship Him throughout the day)
I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him (I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him)
Wait a minute
Wait a moment
Somebody got a chance they like to give their hearts to the Lord
Somebody has an opportunity they'd like to dedicate their hearts to the Lord
Come on and praise the Lord while you have a chance
Come on and worship the Lord while you still can
Come on and praise the Lord while you have a chance
Come on and worship the Lord while you still can
Praise him in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Worship Him in the morning (worship Him in the morning)
Praise him all day long (praise Him all day long)
Worship Him throughout the day (worship Him throughout the day)
I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him (I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him)
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Well all right, well all right
Well all right, well all right
Now
Now
I know some of you all are dignified
I know some of you are refined
But you know y'all are just gonna clap your hands like I'm some mother
But I know you're just going to lightly clap your hands as if I'm just anyone
I feel like, I feel like, I feel like praising Him
I feel like, I feel like, I feel like worshipping Him
Like praising, praising Him
Like worshipping, worshipping Him
I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him
I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him
Praise Him, in the morning (praise Him in the morning)
Worship Him, in the morning (worship Him in the morning)
Praise Him all day long (praise Him all day long)
Worship Him throughout the day (worship Him throughout the day)
Ooh I feel, I feel like praising, praising Him (I feel like praising, praising Him)
Oh, I feel, I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him (I feel like worshipping, worshipping Him)
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Shirley Caesar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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