Gospel Cannonball

DESCRIPTION: "On the great and holy Bibble, on the pages I do find, How God came down from heaven to redeem this soul of mine." The singer notes the popularity of the Bible and urges listeners to heed so they too can go to God on the Gospel Cannonball
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1939 (recording, Wade Mainer and the Sons of the Mountaineers)
KEYWORDS: train religious nonballad derivative
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Cohen-LongSteelRail, pp. 636-637, "The Gospel Cannonball" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #18559
RECORDINGS:
Delmore Brothers, "Gospel Cannon Ball" (Decca 5970/46049, 1941)
Wade Mainer and the Sons of the Mountaineers, "The Gospel Cannonball" (Bluebird B-8349/Montgomery Ward M-8448, 1939)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Wabash Cannonball" (lyrics)
NOTES [61 words]: Cohen considers this derived from the "Wabash Cannonball," while admitting that none of the recorded versions use that popular tune. Certainly some of the lyrics are closely parallel. The source is unknown. It is interesting to note that, though the song talks a lot about the Bible, it never actually cites it, and the theology is, to say the least, simplified. - RBW
File: LSRai636

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