(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go
Encyclopedia
" If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" is a funk
/soul
song originally recorded by Curtis Mayfield
for his album Curtis (1970). The song was meant to serve as a warning regarding the state of race relations and the tempest growing in America's inner cities.
The song begins with a woman proclaiming the virtues of the Bible
's "Book of Revelation
" over an introduction of fuzz-bass guitar and conga drums. Mayfield then shouts with a large echo overdub "Sisters! Niggers! Whities! Jews! Crackers
! Don't worry, If there's a Hell below, we're all gonna go!" followed by a scream then the song breaks out with a heavy fuzz bass, Latin percussion, wah-wah guitar, and strings.
The song is performed live on the album Curtis/Live!
(1971) and Live in Europe
(1987). Studio outtakes of the song have been added to the CD re-issue of the album.
Punk rock band Antiseen
have covered the song on their EP Hell.
Narada Michael Walden
performs this song on A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield
.
The Afghan Whigs covered this song on their 1998 live EP "Live at Howlin' Wolf".
D12
would sample this song on "That's How" off their album Devil's Night (album)
.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
/soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
song originally recorded by Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
for his album Curtis (1970). The song was meant to serve as a warning regarding the state of race relations and the tempest growing in America's inner cities.
The song begins with a woman proclaiming the virtues of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
's "Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
" over an introduction of fuzz-bass guitar and conga drums. Mayfield then shouts with a large echo overdub "Sisters! Niggers! Whities! Jews! Crackers
Cracker (pejorative)
Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a pejorative term for white people. It is an ethnic slur that is especially used for the white inhabitants of the U.S. states of Georgia and Florida , but it is also used throughout the United States.-Etymology:One theory holds that the term comes from the...
! Don't worry, If there's a Hell below, we're all gonna go!" followed by a scream then the song breaks out with a heavy fuzz bass, Latin percussion, wah-wah guitar, and strings.
The song is performed live on the album Curtis/Live!
Curtis/Live!
Curtis/Live! is Curtis Mayfield’s first live album, after leaving The Impressions. Originally released in May 1971 as a double LP on Mayfield's Curtom label , the album's twelve tracks — along with Mayfield's interstitial raps on the politics of the...
(1971) and Live in Europe
Live in Europe (Curtis Mayfield)
-Track listing:All tracks composed by Curtis Mayfield; except where indicated# Introduction# “Ice 9”# “Back to the World”# “It's Alright”/”Amen”# “Gypsy Woman”# “Freddie's Dead”# “Pusherman”# “We've Gotta Have Peace”...
(1987). Studio outtakes of the song have been added to the CD re-issue of the album.
Punk rock band Antiseen
Antiseen
Antiseen is an American punk rock band formed in Charlotte, North Carolina by vocalist JeffClayton and guitarist Joe Young, the sole members to have remained for the entire existence of the group...
have covered the song on their EP Hell.
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
performs this song on A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield
A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield
A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield is a compilation album of various artists, celebrating the music of Curtis Mayfield. While many tribute albums are recorded after an artist has passed, this album was completed five years before Mayfield's death....
.
The Afghan Whigs covered this song on their 1998 live EP "Live at Howlin' Wolf".
D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
would sample this song on "That's How" off their album Devil's Night (album)
Devil's Night (album)
*"Revelation"'s ending covers "Another Brick In The Wall Pt II" where there are kids screaming and Eminem saying both "Wrong! Do it again!" and "If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding! You can't have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat!"...
.
Charts
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 29 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 3 |
External links
- [ "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go"] at Allmusic