Feed Your Ears

[Luigi]

This is going to be my last regular post in this thread. I've tried to post one song a day (or let someone else post one), and I've been pretty consistent, although I've missed a couple of days. This is Day 366 - a full year, and a leap year, at that. I feel like I'm pretty well played out now - I think I'm getting repetitive. I may post occasionally in the future, but not daily. Others, of course, are more than welcome to post their own favorites. 

This being my last regular post, I'm going out with a bang. I've posted a number of songs by Sister Shirley Caesar, but this is her masterpiece, her crowning glory, and what I consider the best song in this year's repertoire. It's called "Hold My Mule," but some people call it "Shouting John." It features: one of the best Gospel singers this nation has ever seen; a large back-up choir in the 'mass choir' tradition; a good narrative that hearkens back to the agricultural roots of Gospel music; a preached recitative that seamlessly transitions to singing; excellent musicians; a (very short) mostly a cappella section; a couple of false endings (when it's over, it's not really over, because the Spirit inspires another chorus); something like an altar call; audience participation; and it addresses the long-standing tension in the Black church traditions between more formal worship and more expressive, Pentecostal-style worship. (Catholics aren't the only ones who have "liturgy wars.") It's got everything from Black Gospel music except the kitchen sink! Enjoy. (Lastly, there are a couple of live versions on YouTube, and they're also worth watching.)