God Don't Never Change

"God Don't Never Change"
Single by Blind Willie Johnson
A-side	"Let Your Light Shine on Me"
Released	1929–30
Format	10" 78 rpm
Recorded	December 10, 1929
Genre	Gospel blues
Length	2:59
Label	Columbia
Blind Willie Johnson singles chronology
"Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying" (1929) "God Don't Never Change" (1929) "Bye and Bye I'm Goin' to See the King" (1929)

"God Don't Never Change" is a gospel blues song recorded by Blind Willie Johnson in 1929, and released on Columbia 14490-D.^[1] The song is sometimes known as "God Don't Ever Change".

The recording history suggests that the song was largely overlooked for many years, until it was noticed in the 1990s.

Lyrics

The gist of the chorus, and the subject-matter of the song, is:^[2]

He's God, God don't never change,
He's God, always will be God.

The verses include allusions to:

• Psalm 114:4 "The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs".
• Amen Corner, that part of a church where the most vocally devout worshipers congregate, as in the poem "Trouble in the Amen Corner".
• The influenza pandemic of 1918–20. The topicality of that event suggests that Johnson wrote at least that verse. Unless and until an earlier version can be found, he can be credited with both the tune and the words.

Recordings

Recordings by notable artists include:

• 1929 – Blind Willie Johnson ^[3]
• 1990 – Glenn Kaiser and Darrell Mansfield, on the album Trimmed and Burnin' ^[4]
• 1991 – Russ Taff, on the album Under Their Influence ^[5]
• 1994 – Tom Shaka, on the album Hot'N Spicey ^[6]
• 1995 – Catfish Keith, on the album Fresh Catfish ^[7]
• 1996 – "God Don't Ever Change" by Cissy Houston on the album Face To Face ^[8]
• 1997 – Jimmy Vivino, on the album Do What, Now? ^[9]
• 1999 – Knut Reiersrud, on the album Sub ^[10]
• 2002 – Cary Hudson, on the album The Phoenix ^[11]
• 2002 – Max Ochs, on the album Letter to the Editor ^[12]
• 2009 – Ashley Cleveland, on the album God Don't Never Change ^[13]
• 2009 – The Radiators, on the album 10/09/09 New Orleans, LA Tipitinas ^[14]
• 2014 – Levon Helm Band, on the album The Midnight Ramble Sessions, Vol. 3 ^[15]
• 2016 – Lucinda Williams, on the various artists' album God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson^[16]

References

1. "Blind Willie Johnson discography". Retrieved February 17, 2015.
2. Blakey, D. N. (August 8, 2007). Revelation: Blind Willie Johnson, the Biography. Raleigh, NC: Lulu Enterprises. Chapter 19. ISBN 978-1430328995.
3. Blind Willie Johnson: God Don't Never Change at AllMusic. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
4. Kaiser* / Mansfield* – Trimmed & Burning at Discogs (list of releases)
5. Under Their Influence, Vol. 1 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
6. Hot N Spicey at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
7. Fresh Catfish at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
8. Face to Face at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
9. Do What, Now? at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
10. Sub at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
11. The Phoenix at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
12. Letter to the Editor at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
13. Ashley Cleveland: God Don't Never Change at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
14. 10/09/09 New Orleans, LA Tipitinas at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
15. The Midnight Ramble Sessions, Vol. 3 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
16. Minsker, Evan (December 14, 2015). "Tom Waits, Sinéad O’Connor, Lucinda Williams Appear on Blind Willie Johnson Tribute Album". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 3, 2016.