A traditional Southern gospel song, alternately titled "Run On For A Long Time", sung by countless American blues-men, roots bands and backyard choirs. Not having a lot of experience with the music myself, it's one of those tunes which I can only describe (forgive me) as "rollicking".

The song seems to be popular for a number of reasons. For one thing, it has a dirt-simple rhythm section that repeats through the entire song (even if your piano virtuosity extends only as far as "Chopsticks", you could probably still manage this one). And, while the song's theme is obviously strong, plain-spoken and spiritual (good for the core audience), it manages to stay upbeat and approachable about it (good for the mass market).

Of course, it should also be mentioned that electro-pop megastar Moby included a version of the song on his album Play, which at last count has sold approximately 6 skajillion copies. That probably had something to do with "Run On"'s new-found popularity, particularly among the younger crowd.

That's not to say that Moby's version is particularly bad. I happen to like it quite a bit myself. Still, it's not as if he wrote the song himself. On the right radio stations, you might hear recordings of the song by the likes of Bobbie Gentry, Sweet Honey in the Rock, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Bill Landford and the Landfordaires (the group Moby sampled for his own version), or even Elvis Presley.

One thing that does irk me about Moby's version, though, is that it mangles the lyrics a little. I mean, even a pasty white Northerner like I am knows that the line is supposed to be "long-tongued liar". What's more, he pared down the second and third stanzas a bit; you'll notice (below) that they both originally had eight lines, much like the first stanza.

Anyway, for the sake of authenticity, I sent off a missive to a few friends in Carolina to get some kind of grass-roots consensus. Here's the set of lyrics that my chums in NC were more familiar with...

Well you may run on
For a long time.

Run on
For a long time
Run on for a long time
Let me tell you God Almighty's gonna gonna cut you down

Go tell that long-tongued liar
Go tell that midnight rider
Tell the gamblin', ramblin' back-biter
Tell him God Almighty's gonna cut him down

Well, God Almighty, let me tell the news
My head's been wet with the midnight dews
I've been down on my bended knees
Talkin' to a man from Galilee
My God spoke and he spoke so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of angels' feet
He put one hand upon my head
Great God Almighty let me tell you what he said

He said tell that long-tongued liar
Tell that midnight rider
Tell the gamblin', ramblin' back-biter
Tell him God Almighty gonna cut him down

Run on for a long time
Run, boy, drunk and indulgin'
Run on for a long time
Let me tell you God Almighty's gonna cut you down

You may throw your rock, hide your hand
Work in the dark against your fellow man
But sure as God made the day and the night
What you do in the dark will be brought to the light
You may run and hide, slip and slide
Try to take the mote from your neighbour's eye
As sure as God made the rich and poor
You gonna reap just what you sow

And you gonna run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down

Go tell that long-tongued liar
Go tell that midnight rider
Tell the gamblin', rambler, back-biter
Tell him God almighty gonna cut him down

Some people go to church just to signify
Tryin' to make a date with the neighbour's wife
Brother let me tell you just as sure as you're born
You better leave that woman alone
'Cause one of these days, just mark my word
You think that brother is gone to work
You'll sneak up and knock on that door
That's all brother you'll knock no more

And you'll run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down

So tell that long-tongued liar
You tell that midnight rider
Tell the gamblin', ramblin' back-biter
Tell him God Almighty gonna cut him down.