The Old Thing's Walkin' About (Featured Track)

The Old Thing’s Walkin’ About

Contact information:
Larry Cordle - (615) 830-4765
mightycord@aol.com

Songwriter(s): Larry Cordle/Larry Shell
Publisher(s): Wandachord Music, BMI/Not Her Money Music, BMI

Lead vocal-Larry Cordle
Back vocals-Angie Primm & Gail Mayes
Gtrs: Clay Hess
Weisennborn Slide Gtr: Rob Ickes
Bass: Brennan Hess

This song idea came from an old family story that my Dad & Uncle used to tell. The story featured their Uncle Georgie, who was startled (or, better yet scared stiff to be honest), one morning to hear the sound of what he thought was angels singing, echoing down through the holler. The source of the heavenly choir had actually originated from a gospel troupe driving up & down the little country roads around about home. They were advertising an upcoming tent meeting, singing gospel songs piped through loud speakers mounted to the tops of the cars. Sounds would carry for miles in the 1930s & 40s through the hills of East Kentucky, especially with the lack of noise pollution in those days. Uncle Georgie, not understanding where the beautiful singing was coming from, took it to mean that the end of time had arrived. He supposedly ran to my Grandfather’s house telling everyone “the old thing is walkin’ about”. (his way of announcing his belief that the end had come & everyone should prepare). My Grandfather was said to have remarked to Uncle Georgie rather laconically, “George, if it was the end of time, I doubt you would have had time to run all the way from your house to ours, [about a quarter mile away], to tell us about it; since the bible says it will occur in the twinkling of an eye.” This calmed him down I reckon or at least so the family legend goes.
This is a funny story my folks used to tell but certainly not funny if we are unprepared when Jesus returns.
I told this story to my old pal & most frequent collaborator, Larry Shell, about 25 years ago. He and I tried to write it as a funny, country song several times over the years with no luck. God finally showed me that it was supposed to be a gospel song about 3 or 4 years ago. I was on my way to the IBMA awards show in Raleigh, NC., when it finally hit me that my approach to writing the song had been wrong all along. So, I told Shell, ‘let’s make it a gospel tune’. He readily agreed and helped me bring it home. Angie & Gail really make this thing by providing those great traditional ‘black spritual’ harmonies that I love so well… just like I heard them in my head…. Thanks girls! You truly make the old thing walk about!