Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying

"Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying"
Single by Blind Willie Johnson
B-side	"Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning"
Released	June 29, 1929
Format	10" 78rpm single
Recorded	December 5, 1928; Dallas, TX
Genre	Gospel blues
Length	3:04
Label	Columbia 14425-D; Vocalion 03022
Blind Willie Johnson singles chronology
"Jesus Is Coming Soon" (1928) "Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying" (1929) "Let Your Light Shine on Me" (1929)

"Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying" is a traditional gospel blues song recorded in 1928 by Blind Willie Johnson (vocals and guitar) and Willie B. Harris (vocals), who is thought to have been his first wife.^[1][2] Some versions of the song recorded by other artists have slightly different titles: for example, a comma after "Lord"; or, "Cryin'" instead of "Crying"; or, an appended "Sometime" or "Sometimes".

"The King's Highway" in the song might refer to one or more of:

• the ancient trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia, mentioned in the Bible
• the British idea of the King's Highway – public roads, where an offence against another person is not merely a civil offence but a crime against the king's majesty under common law
• the pathway to Heaven, the King being God

Recordings

• 1926–27 – Rev. H. R. Tomlin ^[3][4]
• 1928 – Blind Willie Johnson ^[5][6]
• 1967 – Brother Joe May, on the album Thank You Lord for One More Day ^[7]
• 1994 or before – Laura Henton ^[8][9]
• 1997 or before – Golden Gate Quartet ^[10]
• 1998 – Phoebe Snow, on the album I Can't Complain ^[11][12]
• 2004 or before – Bessie Johnson Sanctified Singers, on the compilation album Goodbye, Babylon ^[13]
• 2011 – The Barr Brothers, on the album The Barr Brothers ^[14][15]
• 2011 – Colin Stetson, on the album New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges ^[16][17]
• 2011 – Dave "Snaker" Ray, on the album My Blue Heaven ^[18]

References

1. "Blind Willie Johnson discography". Retrieved July 22, 2015.
2. Blakey, D. N. (August 8, 2007). "Chapter 14". Revelation: Blind Willie Johnson – The Biography. Lulu Enterprises. pp. 100–108. ISBN 978-1430328995. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
3. Reverend H. R. Tomlin / Rev. S. J. Worell: Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
4. Reverend H. R. Tomlin: Lord, I Just Can't Keep from Crying at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
5. Blind Willie Johnson – Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying / Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning at Discogs
6. Blind Willie Johnson: Lord I Can't Just Keep from Crying at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
7. Brother Joe May: I Just Can't Keep from Crying Sometime at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
8. Laura Henton: Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
9. Laura Henton: Lord, I Just Can't Keep from Crying Sometimes at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
10. Golden Gate Quartet / Blind Willie Johnson: Lord, I Just Can't Keep from Crying at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
11. Phoebe Snow – I Can't Complain at Discogs
12. Ruhlmann, William. Phoebe Snow: I Can't Complain at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
13. Unterberger, Richie. Various Artists: Goodbye, Babylon at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
14. Barr Brothers, The – The Barr Brothers at Discogs (list of releases)
15. The Barr Brothers: Lord, I Just Can't Keep from Crying at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
16. Colin Stetson – New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges at Discogs (list of releases)
17. Colin Stetson: Lord I Just Can't Keep from Crying Sometimes at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
18. Dave Ray / Dave "Snaker" Ray: My Blue Heaven at AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2015.