Feed Your Ears

[Luigi]

I met a Dominican friar (Central Province of St. Albert the Great) some years ago. We're not friends, but I keep up with where he is and what he's doing. One of the things he does is play electric guitar, of the progressive rock variety. Another thing he does is pray the psalms. 

The most recent thing he's done is compose a progressive rock version of Domine Refugium. It's almost 14 minutes long. I'm not sure I like it - I'm not big into progressive rock - but I don't dislike it. 

And here's a link to an article about the song, the process, the goal, etc., from The Catholic Spirit, Madison, WI's archdiocesan newspaper. https://thecatholicspirit.com/news/local-news/dominican-priest-uses-heavy-metal-melodies-to-reach-people-for-christ/?fbclid=IwAR164kqc6xmHzD9dar_6Q1Z53zf_fWuxmVf25aLZCeI1m6V_cTwOo2ekX8U

 

[little2add]

like*

[Luigi]

Speaking of musical Dominicans, have you heard of the Hillbilly Thomists? A group of friars from the US eastern province (St. Joseph), all of whom sing and play stringed instruments. They formed the group as a fund-raiser when they were in formation; one of them is the rector of the Angelicum in Rome, so the group may include friars who weren't in formation together - I don't know all the technicalities. They've made two or three CDs, and I hear there's another in the works. They sing  Black spirituals, classic hymns from the Great Awakening, and their own compositions. All of them are intended to preach some aspect of the Gospel one way or another.  

This one was composed by one of the friars - on YouTube, they never specify who the composer is, which I find frustrating. In any case, I think this one - "The Weight of Eternal Glory" - is hysterical. 

 

[chrysostom]

That's by Fr. Thomas Joseph White. All the best original lyrics are by him and he usually sings solo on them too.

[Luigi]

9 hours ago, chrysostom said:

That's by Fr. Thomas Joseph White. All the best original lyrics are by him and he usually sings solo on them too.

Thanks for the update! One more detail about the song nailed down!

[Luigi]

"Keep on the Firing Line" is a classic, first recorded almost 100 years ago, in 1928. Here's the Turner Family Band - Mom on vocals & keyboards, Dad on guitar, Big Brother (maybe 14 years old) on bass, Big Sister (maybe 12? and barefoot!) on vocals and trumpet, and Little Sister (maybe 6?) on vocals. Completely amateur - looks like it was recorded in a basement studio - but putting their hearts and souls into a sound I'd call New Orleans Mardi Gras. The little sister is just a stitch! I doubt she even understands the words she's singing, but she belts 'em out anyway. And I certainly didn't expect the big sister to deliver the trumpet solo she did. This makes me happy every time I watch it! 

 

[Luigi]

"Amen, There's a Higher Power" was written (apparently) by Charlie & Ira Louvin - great bluegrass musicians - in 1959 or so. This version was recorded by the Marshalls, a.k.a. The Marshall Family, in the late 1970s. That include Pop (Chester), Mom (Donna), David (guitar, banjo), Judy (guitar), Ben (bass), and Danny (mandolin), and everyone on vocals, although I think this recording is just the children without Mom & Pop. I didn't hear it until 2023. THIS is bluegrass! This is a great arrangement, great mandolin pickin,' and great harmonizing. Enjoy!

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by Luigi

[Luigi]

The Forbes Family is/was another gospel group, often classified as bluegrass, although there's nothing particularly bluegrass-y about them except the instrumentation and the harmonies. David Marshall, from the group just above, worked with them as producer, arranger, guitarist, and on vocals. There are a lot of similarities between the Marshalls and the the Forbes Family - the lead singer has one of those very pretty, sweet voices like Judy Marshall has, and the close harmonies are similar. 

The best song on the album, by me, is "Outside the Gate," but I'm not crazy about the mandolin work on it - the Forbes brother who plays it came up with some licks that sound like a staggering drunk. Nonetheless, I like the song very well, and the vocals. This link provides the whole album. To listen to just "Outside the Gates," slide up to 7:15 and hit Play. 

 

[dUSt]

On 11/29/2023 at 8:58 AM, Luigi said:

Speaking of musical Dominicans, have you heard of the Hillbilly Thomists? A group of friars from the US eastern province (St. Joseph), all of whom sing and play stringed instruments. They formed the group as a fund-raiser when they were in formation; one of them is the rector of the Angelicum in Rome, so the group may include friars who weren't in formation together - I don't know all the technicalities. They've made two or three CDs, and I hear there's another in the works. They sing  Black spirituals, classic hymns from the Great Awakening, and their own compositions. All of them are intended to preach some aspect of the Gospel one way or another.  

This one was composed by one of the friars - on YouTube, they never specify who the composer is, which I find frustrating. In any case, I think this one - "The Weight of Eternal Glory" - is hysterical. 

 

This is amesome.

[Luigi]

12 minutes ago, dUSt said:

This is amesome.

I agree! Since I've heard it, when I'm going through something I don't want to endure, or have to do something unpleasant I'd rather not do, I hum this song to myself. And it helps get me through!

[dUSt]

On 11/28/2023 at 4:07 PM, Luigi said:

I met a Dominican friar (Central Province of St. Albert the Great) some years ago. We're not friends, but I keep up with where he is and what he's doing. One of the things he does is play electric guitar, of the progressive rock variety. Another thing he does is pray the psalms. 

The most recent thing he's done is compose a progressive rock version of Domine Refugium. It's almost 14 minutes long. I'm not sure I like it - I'm not big into progressive rock - but I don't dislike it. 

And here's a link to an article about the song, the process, the goal, etc., from The Catholic Spirit, Madison, WI's archdiocesan newspaper. https://thecatholicspirit.com/news/local-news/dominican-priest-uses-heavy-metal-melodies-to-reach-people-for-christ/?fbclid=IwAR164kqc6xmHzD9dar_6Q1Z53zf_fWuxmVf25aLZCeI1m6V_cTwOo2ekX8U

 

DOPE!!!

 

[Luigi]

Here's a boogie-based rocker by the Hillbilly Thomists. I include the lyrics because they're sometimes hard to understand in a rocker, and the references in this one are kind of all over the map. But in general, it's about a conversion experience - or maybe more than one. One never knows, do one? 

Since Elvis died and Nixon lied
We been livin' off Kentucky fried
Man on the moon's got nothin' on us
'Cause the band drove to Houston in an old school bus
Where we played too loud, knocked down the door
Breakin' stuff up's what we came here for
Mama don't like it and don't understand
But you tell her that's an old time band

[Chorus]
I got fire hosed speakin' my mind in California
My heart got broke in Memphis Tennessee
I nearly lost my mind in Austin Texas
My soul got saved way down in New Orleans

They got the old jazz music and the Dixieland
The church choir stompin' and the whole church rockin'
Don't believe that the music died
'Cause I heard it right here and it's well and alive
Sacred Heart Parish, sun shining bright
The Lord had mercy, I didn't even fight
I got absolution 'cause it works that way
Then we all went to dinner, got the etouffee

[Chorus]
I got fire hosed speakin' my mind in California
My heart got broke in Memphis Tennessee
I nearly lost my mind in Austin Texas
My soul got saved way down in New Orleans

He got the hairshirt on with the scruffy old beard
He stares at the sky, looks pretty weird
Well she broke his heart, he nearly lost his mind
Drinking that old brown turpentine
He went to the left and he went to the right
He heard a preacher man talking and he saw the light
Now he talks to God while he's chewing gum
That's where we took all the lyrics from

Little Timmy Junior put his hand in the socket
Now his hair's too long but he just keeps rockin'
He left the sticks and he moved to the city
Where he got into fights, he [it?] wasn't too pretty
He lost three teeth on Bourbon street
But he knew it was wrong, so he put it in a song
If it ends like this with confession and a kiss
When the record comes out it'll all be bliss [blessed?]

There's fire on the mountain and it burns away
We'll all get together on judgment day
There'll be a barbecue and an angel band
The Mother of God and the Son of Man
Now we've been free since the day He died
So we're cuttin' off ties with the prince of lies
Face the music, preach the truth
It's what we came here to do

[Chorus]
I got fire hosed speakin' my mind in California
My heart got broke in Memphis Tennessee
I nearly lost my mind in Austin Texas
My soul got saved way down in New Orleans

My soul got saved way down in New Orleans
My soul got saved way down in New Orleans

[chrysostom]

On 12/1/2023 at 3:32 PM, Luigi said:

"Amen, There's a Higher Power" was written (apparently) by Charlie & Ira Louvin - great bluegrass musicians - in 1959 or so. This version was recorded by the Marshalls, a.k.a. The Marshall Family, in the late 1970s. That include Pop (Chester), Mom (Donna), David (guitar, banjo), Judy (guitar), Ben (bass), and Danny (mandolin), and everyone on vocals, although I think this recording is just the children without Mom & Pop. I didn't hear it until 2023. THIS is bluegrass! This is a great arrangement, great mandolin pickin,' and great harmonizing. Enjoy!

 

The picture stood out to me - that looks a little like the Washington D.C. Mormon Temple, but with a different number of towers.

 

[Luigi]

Yeah, I don't where the picture was taken. I assumed it was Nashville. The Marshalls lived in Ohio, but they were "discovered" in Nashville, and that's presumably where they would have recorded their albums, but I don't really know. 

[Luigi]

The Carter Family was among the first groups to record what is now called Country Music. The group consisted of Sarah Carter (guitar & lead vocals), her husband A.P (bass vocals), and her cousin Maybelle (married to A.P.'s brother) on vocals and lead guitar. They recorded from 1927 to 1956, and a good many of their recordings were gospel songs. This one is lesser known, but I think it's one of their best, "Look Away from the Cross," recorded in 1940. It refers not to looking away from the cross of Christ but from the crosses an individual has to carry. And of course you can't always look away from those crosses, but sometimes you just need a break!