Song for Sunday: Shut de Do

I have no idea why this song is in my head. It arrived two days ago and stuck. I haven't heard it or thought about in years, probably decades. 

It's a calypso-style song written and performed by gospel singer Randy Stonehill sometime in the '70s or '80s. Websites disagree about the date. I remembered it being performed by gospel choirs when I was in college. 

It is a song about keeping Satan at bay. Shut the door on sin, shut the door on the devil. It's a fun song about making right choices. 

I have been meditating on light and dark, so maybe that is why this came up. 

Shut de do, keep out de debil
You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright

When I was a baby child
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
Good and bad was just a game
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
Many years and many trials
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
They proved to me they not the same
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)

I say shut de do, keep out de debil

Shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright

Oh, Satan is an evil charmer
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
He's hungry for a soul to hurt
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
And without your holy armor
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
He will eat you for dessert
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)

Shut de do, keep out de debil

You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet

Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright

Hey, hey, hey shut de do
Hey, hey, hey shut de do
Hey, hey, hey, you gotta shut de do
Say a prayer he will be back no more

My mama used to sing this song
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
Oh poppa used to sing it too
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
Jesus called and took them home
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
And so I sing the song for you
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)

Shut de do, keep out de debil

You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil

Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright

I said you shut de do, keep out de debil
You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright

                                           ~Randy Stonehill

May you all be blessed and have success at keeping the devil in the night!


Do you have a Song for Sunday?