Why Not Me, Lord (Honoring Gladys Milton)

“I’m Gladys Milton and I was born May 26, 1924, which makes me not old, but I’ve been living quite a little while. Now I was trained to hold him up by the heels and give him a swat, but as the years went by the feeling has changed about that. Isn’t that a bad way to enter into the hemisphere; held up by the heels with a swack? If you think about that , that’s a little cruel. So now, when he is born and we have a receiving blanket and stuff there for him – if he go on and cry, he won’t get that spanking anymore. But if he doesn’t cry, he still going to get it. So sometimes I look at one and I say, “Alright boy, you’d better let me hear some music here or you’re going to get a spanking, you know.” But most of them – see, we don’t use sedation s our babies aren’t sedated; so the minute they’re born, they usually let out. I say like Wayne King’s music; the sweetest music this side of heaven is a newborn baby crying and you know he’s all right. I don’t think there is anybody that don’t light up when that happens. That’s a beautiful thing, a beautiful experience. Sometimes I wish you could see it.” – Gladys Milton

From the Album Here I Stand: Elder’s Wisdom; Children’s Song (Smithsonian Folkways)

Mother was fifteen when she had me
Stayed with my aunt, who was once a midwife
Inside an old trunk filled with her keepsakes
I found a book with God’s plan for my life

Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me Lord
If you give me strength
Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me
Why not me

One thing I like better than fishing one time
Is fishing two times, you know that it’s true
Fishing is waiting; waiting is fishing
God has a plan for me and for you

Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me Lord
If you give me strength
Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me
Why not me
All of these children; all of them happy
For one another; how can it be
Babies come out whenever they want to
Make sure your house is always kept clean

Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me Lord
If you give me strength
Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me
Why not me

Give me the hands to carry the children
Out of the darkness into the light
Give me the love to carry the children
Give me the faith to be your midwife

Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me Lord
If you give me strength
Why not me Lord
If you count me worthy
Why not me
Why not me

Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1996 | BMI

*Lyrics collectively written by Larry Long with youth from Lockhart in rural Alabama through the Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song program in partnership with PACERS Small Schools Cooperative and Community Celebration of Place. Inspired by Gladys Milton.

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Here I Stand: Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song is exclusively available on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Larry’s music is available on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, Bandcamp and select e-tailers