Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right
"Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right" is a gospel blues song recorded in 1930 by Blind Willie Johnson with backing vocals by Willie B. Harris, who may have been his first wife.[1] The song was released in 1930 on Columbia 14597 as B-side to "Go with Me to That Land".[2]
| "Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Blind Willie Johnson | |
| Released | c. 1930 |
| Format | Gospel blues |
| Recorded | Atlanta, Georgia, April 20, 1930 |
| Label | Columbia (14597-D) |
| Songwriter(s) | Unknown |
The chorus consists of the lines:
Everybody should treat a stranger right, long ways from home,
Everybody should treat a stranger right, a long way from home.
The verses comment on that idea, notably with reference to the Three Wise Men offering gifts to the Christ-child in the manger.[2]
In 2018, Ry Cooder said that the song was "one of Blind Willie Johnson’s great songs - he’s the go to guy".[3]
Recordings
The following recordings are by people with Wikipedia articles:
- 1930 – Blind Willie Johnson [4]
- 1993 – Knut Reiersrud, on the album Tramp (in USA, Footwork) under the title "You Ought to Treat a Stranger Right" [5]
- 2018 – Ry Cooder, on the album The Prodigal Son [3]
References
- "Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right". Smithsonian Folkways. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
- Blakey, D. N. (2007). Revelation Blind Willie Johnson the Biography. online: Lulu Publishing. p. 278 et seq. ISBN 978-1430328995.
- "Video Premiere: Ry Cooder "Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right" (Live in studio)". Relix. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- Blind Willie Johnson: Everybody Ought To Treat a Stranger Right at AllMusic. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
- Knut Reiersrud: You Ought to Treat a Stranger Right at AllMusic. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
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