Straight Street: Pop Culture Matters

What Matters Most

Welcome to the first episode of Pop Culture Matters, a discussion with Martin Strong and me regarding Gospel music and the song "Straight Street," written by J.W. Alexander and Jesse Whitaker in the 1950s and first recorded by The Pilgrim Travelers in 1955. Today we are especially looking at Ry Cooder’s version of the song "Straight Street" and the biblical and other spiritual themes that suffuse this song, Cooder’s 2018 album Prodigal Son from this song is taken, and Gospel music in general. We also spend a little time discussing "Wade in the Water" by the Staples Singers. We have links to both songs on You Tube below, and also the lyrics. So, please, if you have not already, listen to the songs, read the lyrics, and then come back and join us for our conversation.

We also discussed why What Matters Most is introducing this new podcast format, what we are getting at, and why we think pop culture matters as a spiritual force. Honestly, it was about a lot more than "Straight Street," it was also about why we think these conversations are important and the spirituality that underlies how we share our cultural touchstones as well as the spirituality within the songs, movies, books, and other forms of art that we love. And we managed to touch on a lot more pop culture, like Fargo, No Country for Old Men, the Coen Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, Ricky Gervais, Jim Carrey, The Verdict, and much more.

Martin and I will be back, and we have a lot of ideas for things to discuss, but we hope that you will make some suggestions for us too. What should we talk about next? We’re thinking of Godland, or Life of Brian, or the last season of Fargo, or some other movie or tv show, but why not let us know what you want to discuss.

Since St. Mark’s Centre for Christian Engagement seeks to enable the creation of a culture of encounter and dialogue, let me invite you into that discussion. Follow us at our Instagram page, @stmarkscce, newly revived, and drop us a line as to what you want to see or hear. We’ll post there with a question as to what you are most interested in. I will also post the question on Facebook @biblejunkies. We will be moving to a CCE Facebook page, but in the meantime, feel free to check us out @biblejunkies. When we decide what’s next, we’ll let you know and then we can all make sure to watch it or listen to it or read it before the next episode of Pop Culture Matters. Or email us with your suggestions to [e-mail] or [e-mail].

Thanks to Martin Strong for joining me in this venture!

Thanks to Kevin Eng for editing and engineering this episode.

Thanks to Fang Fang Chandra, the CCE assistant, who helps me bring this podcast to you, but also makes the CCE run so much more smoothly.

I also want to thank our donors to the Centre, whose generosity enables this work to take place at all: Peter Bull, Angus Reid, and Andy Szocs. We are thankful to their commitment to the life of the academic world and of the work of the Church in the world by funding the work of the CCE. I am also thankful to the Cullen family, Mark and Barbara, for their support of the ongoing work of the CCE through financial donations that allow us to bring speakers to the local and international arenas.

If you are enjoying the podcast, please let your friends know. And also let people know by rating and reviewing What Matters Most on your favourite podcasting platform.

The Songs:

The Pilgrim Travelers, Straight Street

Staple Singers, Wade in the Water

Ry Cooder, Straight Street

The Lyrics:

Straight Street

[Verse 1] Well I used to live on Broadway, right next to the liar's house My number was self-righteousness and a very little guide of mouth [Chorus] So I moved, I moved and I'm living on Straight Street now I moved, I had to move, I'm living on Straight Street now [Verse 2] Before I moved over, let me tell you how it was with me Old Satan had me bound in chains and I had no liberty One day my heart got troubled all about my dwelling place I heard the Lord when He spoke to me, and he told me to leave that place [Chorus] So I moved, I moved and I'm living on Straight Street now Yes I moved, I move, well I'm living on Straight Street now [Bridge] Since I moved, I'm really living, I've got peace within I thank the Lord for everything, so glad I found new friends [Chorus] So I moved, I moved and I'm living on Straight Street now I moved, I had to move, and I'm living on Straight Street now

[Outro] I'm living on Straight Street now Yes I moved, I had to move, I'm living on Straight Street now Yes I moved, I had to move, yes I'm living on Straight Street now Well I moved, yes had to move, and I'm living on Straight Street now (Move, move, living on Straight Street now) (Move, move, living on Straight Street now) (Move, move, living on Straight Street now)

Written by J.W. Alexander and Jesse Whitaker

Wade in the Water:

[Chorus:] Wade in the water Wade in the water children Wade in the water Don't you know that God's gonna trouble the water Don't you know that God's gonna trouble the water I stepped in water and the water is cold Don't you know that God's gonna trouble the water Said it chilled my body but not my soul Don't you know that God's gonna trouble the water [Chorus] Well I went to the water one day to pray Don't you know that God's gonna trouble the water And my soul got happy and I stayed all day Don't you know that God's gonna trouble the water [Chorus] There is love (In the water) In the water (In the water) There is joy yeah (In the water) In your water yeah (In the water) Your peace (In the water) Is in the water (In the water) Your deliverance (In the water) Is in the water yeah (In the water) Oh step in, step in (In the water) Joy is in the water In the water yeah (In the water) Oh step in, step in (In the water) Love is in the water (In the water) Oh step in yeah (In the water) For deliverance (In the water) Everything (In the water) In the water yeah

Everything you need (In the water) Everything you need (In the water) Everything you need (In the water) Everything you need (In the water) Everything you need (In the water) Everything you need (In the water) Everything you need (In the water) Everything you need (In the water) God's gonna trouble the water God's gonna trouble the water (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) God's gonna trouble the water (Ooh) God's gonna trouble the water Oh wade in the water

Written by Ramsey Lewis