I Am In The Heavenly Way

- Booker White (aka Bukka White)

Tom Feldmann - National Reso-Phonic guitar/vocals

Lyrics

I am in the heavenly way

Travelin' on from day to day
And I'll sing the weary long
Oh the joy, I'm movin' home

Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The wonderful joy, I'm movin' home
Oh the joy, praise joy. The peace and joy, I'm goin' on
Heaven I sing this song
An I'm movin' home

Oh the joy, great joy, of rollin' home

And I sing a wonderful song

Oh, I sing a wonderful song
Oh, the joy, the joy, the joy
The peace and joy, of movin' home
Oh, the joy, praise joy, I'm rollin' home

And at last when day is done
And they crown a heavenly one

I will sing a wonderful song

Oh the joy, I'm movin' home

Oh the joy, the joy, the joy
The peace and joy, of movin' home
Oh the joy, free joy, of rollin' home

Heaven I sang this song

An I'm movin' home
The joy, sweet joy, of rollin' home

I am in a heavenly way
Travelin' on from day to day

And I'll sing the weary long

Oh the joy, I'm movin' home

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Booker White was born on November 12, 1906 (although his headstone says 1909) near Houston, Mississippi.  He first recorded in Memphis for Victor Records in 1930. Big Bill Broonzy landed him a session for ARC in Chicago in 1937 and while serving time in 1939 at Parchman Farm penitentiary for shooting a man, he recorded for folklorist John Lomax. The few songs he recorded around this time became his most well-known.

I Am In The Heavenly Way was first recorded on May 26, 1930 but was redone years later after his "rediscovery".  I first heard this song on the Masters Of The Delta Blues: The Friends Of Charlie Patton CD which is his earlier version. The lyrics were difficult to make out, so I went to his later, slower version from the Bukka White: Revisited disc.

During the 1930's Booker hoboed around, worked as a professional boxer in Chicago and as a Negro League pitcher with the Birmingham Black Cats.  Until John Fahey and Ed Denson tracked him down in 1963, it was assumed that Booker was dead. Just a few months after his rediscovery, White was recording again and playing the Coffee House/Folk Festival circuit.

Booker White died in February 1977 from cancer, at the age of 70, in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1990 he was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame along with Blind Blake and Lonnie Johnson.

An interesting side note: Booker White was cousin to Riley B. King, otherwise known as B.B. King. Booker reportedly gave B.B. King his first guitar.

More info on Booker White