Sister Rosetta: “Everybody’s Gonna Have a Wonderful Time Up There”

The Song

Lee Roy Abernathy is the original writer of the song “Everybody’s Gonna Have a Wonderful Time Up There.” As a matter of fact, its original score was already packed with jazz. But Abernathy was not able to perform it because of the conservative nature of some of their clergymen. In the light of this, Pat Boone eventually covered the song. Boone actually associated the song with the most embarrassing moment of his career. He forgot the lyrics of this song when he was performing this on a Tonight Show Performance.

Moreover, this song is widely covered by multiple artists including Johnny Cash and, of course, Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Correspondingly, this song was released by Tharpe in her 2016 album: “I Can’t Sit down – An Introduction to the Godmother of Rock’n’Roll.”

Listen to her amazing song here!

The song is about the incoming rapture of our time. It cautions us to seek religion and glory in God’s name. It also encourages us on accepting the reckoning. We will all be welcomed in our Lord’s arms and we will have eternal life.

The Sister

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a pioneer in the American Gospel. Her unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and the rhythmic background was the roots of what we know as rock and roll. She was a pioneer of mid-20th-century music. Tharpe was the first great recording star of gospel music. She is one of the first gospel musicians to appeal to the rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll audiences. Hence, she was later being referred to as “the original soul sister” and of course, “the Godmother of rock and roll.”

Apart from “Everybody’s Gonna Have a Good Time Up There,” she has other songs as well. She is known for the songs such as “Down by the Riverside,” and “Strange Things Happening Every Day.” Tharpe is identified as a major influence for many, such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards.