“His Spirit Lives On,” recorded by Joe Williams, 1945

Blues musician, Big Joe Williams’, commemoration of Roosevelt’s death in 1945 was captured in his song, “His Spirit Lives On.”  Blues is another distinctly African American musical form that combines traditional African musical styles with the heartbreak of slavery, sharecropping, and prejudice.  Blues embrace rhythm and tell a story.

Well you know that President Roosevelt he was awful fine,  

He helped the crippled boys and he almost healed the blind, 

Oh yes, gonna miss President Roosevelt. 

Well he’s gone, he’s gone, but his spirit always live on.

He traveled out East, he traveled to the West, 

But of all the Presidents, President Roosevelt was the best, 

Oh yes, gonna miss [etc.] 

Well now he traveled by land and he traveled by sea, 

He helped the United States boys, and he also helped Chinese, 

Oh yes, gonna miss [etc.] 

President Roosevelt went to Georgia boy, and he ride around and round, (twice) 

I guess he imagined he seen that Pale Horse when they was trailin’ him down. 

Oh yes, gonna miss [etc.] 

Well now the rooster told the hen “I want to crow, 

You know President Roosevelt has gone, can’t live in this shack no more,” Oh yes, we’re gonna miss President Roosevelt, 

Well he’s gone, he’s gone, but his spirit always’ll live on.

Source: Paul Oliver, Blues Fell This Morning, Meaning in the Blues. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990, 261–262.

Document 5.11.3