"Lift Him Up That's All" is a gospel blues song recorded in 1927 by Washington Phillips. It is a solo performance, with Phillips' vocals and zither.
Description The verses tell the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, found in the Gospel of John at 4:4-30.
The refrain draws from the Gospel of John at 12:32, often interpreted as a prophecy of the Crucifixion and/or the Resurrection of Jesus:
and runs as follows:
The song seems to have fallen into obscurity until revived in 2002 by the bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley.
The song was played during the last scene of Episode 2 of the HBO series Perry Mason 2020.
Recordings 1927Washington Phillips, Columbia Records single Blind Benny Paris and Wife, Victor Records(?) single 2002Ralph Stanley, "Lift Him Up, That's All" on the album Ralph Stanley 2011 Ralph Stanley, "Lift Him Up, That's All" on the album A Mother's Prayer
Other songs The refrain has some resemblances to that of the 1903 hymn "Lift Him Up" by Johnson Oatman, Jr., but the music and verses are different.
See also "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well", a different gospel song on the same Biblical story
References