Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning: A Song for Inauguration

In anticipation of January 20^th, I offer a bluegrass song that has potential to bring together Trump opponents and Trump supporters. “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” inspired me 30 years as a law student because of its ethereal and spiritual quality, and its pleasing melody.

For Trump supporters: The song is mostly played in the South, especially Appalachia; and this version, by Hot Rize, is arranged and performed for bluegrass. The lyrics (below) are thought to be adapted from the New Testament. Putting my New Testament ignorance aside, I understand that “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” was written to remind listeners that The Day of Judgment is coming.

That theme likely connects with Trump opponents, who worry that our nation is heading for an apocalyptic presidency. 

Hot Rize was founded in Boulder, Colorado, a stronghold of liberal thought (and lots of weed). This trendy band chose the name Hot Rize to play off a sponsor of bluegrass music, Martha White Flour. The flour company claimed to have a secret leavening ingredient, called Hot Rize. The band chose that term to symbolize itself as a new force in music.

To sum things up, Hot Rize is one of the few groups that regularly plays on A Prairie Home Companion, a radio hangout for liberals, and The Nashville Network’s New Country, likely a stronghold for social conservatives. If Hot Rize can be enjoyed by these different audiences, let’s hope that Trump supporters and opponents can keep talking to each other through January 20, 2021.

And let's also hope for some of that magic leavening that allows all of us to rise together after January 20th.

KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING (performed by Hot Rize; click here to listen!).

Well mother don't you stop prayin'

Father keep right on prayin'

Don't you stop prayin' for this old world is almost done

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning

For this old world is almost done

Brother don't you stop prayin'

Sister keep right on prayin'

Don't you stop prayin' for this old world is almost done

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning

For this old world is almost done

Keep our lamps trimmed and burning

Keep our lamps trimmed and burning

Keep our lamps trimmed and burning

For this old world is almost done

Keep our lamps trimmed and burning

Keep our lamps trimmed and burning

Keep our lamps trimmed and burning

For our race is almost run.