The Good Lord Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise
Ruby, one of my readers, brought this phrase to my attention and it just so happens that recently I saw it on the cover of a CD in Starbucks. So when something as obscure as this turns up twice in one week I figure it should be in the blog!
God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise
If someone says, “God willing and the Creek don’t rise” they’re looking to achieve a goal. When they use this phrase, it means that they will achieve their goal as long as there are no outside forces of which they have no control preventing them from doing just that.
Well it turns out that if your first impression was that the phrase is referring to a creek as in body of water – we’re wrong! This phrase first appeared in print in a letter written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th Century. Hawkins was a politician in the 18th and early 19th Centuries and an Indian diplomat. This was a time when American Indians and white settlers were in constant battle over land in the United States. Hawkins was in the South when he was requested to return to Washington DC by the President. He wrote back. “God willing and the Creek don’t rise”. He capitalized the word Creek and it has been deduced that he was referring to the Indian tribe. The Creek Indians also known as Muscogee tribe was located in the South East, where Hawkins had been located as well. The possibility of an Indian uprising was great.
This figure of speech is still in use today and is a lyric in a 2008 song by the country music group, Little Big Town and the song is The Good Lord Willing and the lyrics are Good Lord and not God.
So there you have it and this blog will get published and go out to hundreds of readers, the good Lord willing and the creek don’ t rise!!!
Bill Ding and his band of clowns are the security patrol for this blog site. He is a favorite toy from the 50*s. By the way sometimes a blog is just an ego-maniacal stream of conscience.
Pbenjay's Blog 
I think this is also the name of Spike Lee’s most recent follow-up documentary about New Orleans, post-Katrina.
Thanks, Lori! I knew someone somewhere had also heard the saying!
Feeling kind of old here..first thought that came to mind was it was the good night sign off signature by 60’s or 70’s American TV entertainer and singer Tennessee Ernie Ford
Hi Gerrie,
Don’t feel old, you are not alone in mentioning Tennessee Ernie used that as his sign-off. AND Spike Lee is coming out with a new documentary entitled “If God is willing and da creek don’t rise” – he has taken some liberties with the original phrase.
Actually, it was used by Hank Williams as a sign-off of his radio shows in the early 1950’s. I’ve also seen it on some of his concert promotion posters. Tennessee Ernie’s sign off was “Bless your little pea-pickin’ hearts”.
Hi Allen,
I’m sure many people picked it up over the years. I think Spike Lee is making a new documentary with the title;”If God is willing and da creek don’t rise” – he’s taking some liberties with the original phrase. Thank you for stopping by my blog today. I hope you’ll come back again.
Great!!! Always wondered lol
First, I hear’ed it were in 1950 from Hank Williams, Sr on the radyo, I always assumed he meant a “crik”, cause he clearly said “crik”. A “crik” is a “strim” not a Injun tribe. But it is a play on wirds, I’ll grant you all. God bless ol Hank!
While serving in the RAF in Germany 1954/7 we used to listen to AFN Radio , much better than our own BFN ,this was always used as the signing off tune , The Good Lord Willing and the creek don’t rise we’ll be with you tomorrow at six o. Five ,