Ain't It A Shame 2: That Old Time Religion

In a previous life, long ago and far away, when I worshipped in a church very different from our own, I found the singing much to my liking. The hymns were well chosen, and the many vigorous male voices did them justice. I can hardly carry a tune, but I could join in without embarrassment by keeping a fraction of a second behind everyone else.

While I was there, I compiled a selection of recordings of hymns and gospel songs, in a variety of styles, just for my own enjoyment. I burned them to a CD and printed an attractive label on it bearing the legend “That Old Time Religion”, since the first track was “(Give Me That) Old-Time Religion”, and all of the recordings were old ones in the public domain.

It occurred to me that others might like these songs. I made a few copies of the CD, which were well received, and then a few more, and more, until I had given out about forty of them. Some folk went out of their way to thank me, praising the old hymns, or the bluegrass gospel songs, or the parlour ballads, or whatever else had taken their fancy.

Whenever I was thanked by anyone, I would ask that person if they had listened to the CD all the way through. Most said that they had. “And you liked it all?” “Yes, indeed!” “What about that last one, the one about working on Sunday?” Those who could recall it were entirely happy with it.

I began to ask others what they thought of the CD, and the last song in particular. Again, no one had found anything untoward in what they had heard.

I was surprised. These were not indolent liberals or casual churchgoers: they sat through sermons with open bibles on their knees, and they were well-schooled in doctrine; they would have been insulted if anyone had questioned the words which they said and sang in worship. And yet...

The last item on the CD was originally included for its entertainment value - and because it has a moral to it. I left it on the CD’s that I gave out simply as an experiment, to see how many people would spot it. 

The song is called “Ain’t It A Shame?” It’s true that there are pops, crackles and hisses throughout, since this is an old 78rpm disc digitised for preservation, but the words are perfectly clear if you take the time to listen to them.

The first verse serves to lull us into a false sense of security.

Ain’t it a shame, to work on Sunday,

Ain’t it a shame? - It’s a workin’ shame!

Ain’t it a shame, to work on Sunday,

Ain’t it a shame? - It’s a workin’ shame!

Ain’t it a shame, to work on Sunday,

When you got Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

An’ you got Thursday, Friday, Sat’day, Lord,

Ain’t it a shay-ee-ame?

Without the music, this seems slightly repetitive. However, the call and response structure coupled with a cappella gospel-style harmonies makes for engaging and exhilarating listening. Take my word for it - it sounds like many of the soulful black gospel songs that have been around in recorded form for a century or so. And the sentiments expressed in this verse will no doubt be acceptable to most conservative and/or conventional Christians.

Verse two deals with dancing, as follows.

Ain’t it a shame, to dance on Sunday,

Ain’t it a shame? - It’s a dancin’ shame!

Ain’t it a shame, to dance on Sunday,

Ain’t it a shame? - It’s a dancin’ shame!

Ain’t it a shame, to dance on Sunday,

When you got Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

An’ you got Thursday, Friday, Sat’day, Lord,

Ain’t it a shay-ee-ame?

Again, quite acceptable, as long as you have nothing against dancing per se.

But consider the third verse. “Ain’t it a shame, to get drunk on Sunday…” Perfectly acceptable on every other day of the week, then?

And so the song goes on, with gambling, gossiping, lying and stealing all given the go-ahead, as long as it isn’t on a Sunday.

My favourite verse is as follows. Note the slight variation in its structure.

Ain’t it a shame, to beat your wife on Sunday,

Ain’t it a shame? - No it ain’t no shame!

Ain’t it a shame, to beat your wife on Sunday,

Ain’t it a shame? - No, it ain’t no shame!

Ain’t it a shame, to beat your wife on Sunday,

When you got Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

An’ you got Thursday, Friday, Sat’day, Lord,

No it ain’t no shay-ee-ame!

The song, of which there are several versions extant (see the Internet Archive’s “78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings” section), is a parody of a real gospel song, also available in several versions, e.g. “Ain’t It A Shame” by the Utica Institute Jubilee Singers, or “Ain’t It A Shame To Work On Sunday” by the Bethel Jubilee Quartet. Some suggest a connection with old Minstrel Show songs, others with Blind Willie McTell’s “Ain’t It Grand To Be A Christian”, and so on and so forth.

We can leave the matter of its origins to the musicologists. What concerns me is the way in which it was accepted as a genuine gospel song by all and sundry. Why could they not spot such an obvious parody? “Ain’t it a shame?” Indeed it was.

Hmm. Just as I write this, another possibility suddenly occurs to me. What if some of those folk did hear exactly what was being sung - and agreed with the sentiments expressed?

No, no, surely not! Perish the thought…

I wrote earlier that the song “has a moral to it.”

I wonder if you’ve worked out what it is, by now? I’ll leave that one with you.

P.S. Elvis update! The King has been spotted several times recently, making his presence known by his tuneful whistling, and by chasing away any other birds that dare to enter his domain. He is also enjoying the apples that have finally appeared (after several barren years) on the tree next to the one in which he usually sits. I can’t see him returning to his cage any time soon...