Feed Your Ears

[Luigi]

Today being the feast of St. Joseph, I have to post a hymn for him. I was taught by Sisters of St. Joseph; my grandmother was born on March 19th, so her middle name was Josephine; and as someone who earned his first paycheck at age 15, and who worked all his life - including 17 years in a soap factory! - I simply have to post a St. Joseph hymn. No way around it. 

But there are no Gospel songs about St. Joseph - Gospel music folks don't honor the saints very much. And most of the Catholic hymns to St. Jospeh are pretty sappy. This one is called "Saint Joseph, Great Protector." Turns out it was written by Owen Alstott, who works for Oregon Catholic Press. I like the lyrics; I like them very well. The melody is called Thaxted. But this musical arrangement is pretty well over the top. Nonetheless, here it is. Saint Joseph, pray for us. 

 

[Luigi]

Today's first reading is from the Book of Daniel and tells (most of) the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (their Babylonian names, not their Hebrew names). So... here's the one and only, the late great Louis Armstrong with his 1958 hit that tells the same story musically. 

 

[Luigi]

The Mighty Clouds of Joy were formed in 1959 and remained active (with lots of changes in personnel) until 2012. Here they sing "I've Been in the Storm Too Long." It was written by James Cleveland, one of the great Gospel singers, but what I find interesting is that there are so few words in the lyrics. It's just "I've been in the storm too long; (please) let me have a little more time to pray." That's it! But the song is five minutes long. And it really doesn't get boring. It comes across as an expression of spiritual exhaustion. The lead singer is Joe Legon.

 

[Luigi]

Stuart Hamblen was a singing cowboy in 1940's Hollywood. After his conversion/reversion, he wrote "It Is No Secret What God Can Do." I've heard his original recording, and it's good. I've also heard Jim Reeves' cover, and Mahalia Jackson's interpretation (I recommend you look it up on YouTube and listen to it by way of comparison). But this is Elvis Presley's version - many people consider it the definitive version. And here's the link to "The Story Behind the Song" - it's very interesting. https://www.christianpost.com/news/the-story-behind-it-is-no-secret-what-god-can-do.html

 

[Luigi]

"(Plant My Feet on) Higher Ground" was written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922), a businessman and preacher. The Famous Davis Sisters were a Philadelphia group formed in 1945, recording from 1949 to 1970. They really were sisters, too - Ruth ("Baby Sis") was the lead singer, with Thelma, Audrey, Alfreda, and Edna singing backup. Oatman composed four verses and a chorus; the Davis Sisters sing the first verse and the chorus, then they ad lib for quite a while, and end with the chorus again. A choir could never ad lib the middle part! I include the lyrics for the first verse and the chorus because the words are rather 'old-time poetic' so they're not always easy to understand even when you hear them correctly. 

1 I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining ev'ry day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Refrain:
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith, on heaven’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

 

[Luigi]

I think I posted this song at some point in the past on a different but similar thread. The song was written by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), blind, but one of the most prolific hymn composers of the 19th century. This is Alison Krauss singing "Near the Cross," accompanied by Ron Block, one of her band members and a very committed Christian, playing the simplest guitar accompaniment you'll ever hear. They must've been at a weekend retreat or something - it looks like they're on stage in a gym or auditorium. This is an amateur video - hand-held phone or something - but I like it because the whole crowd joins in on the last chorus or two, including the guy holding the camera. He has a very good voice and sings a wonderful harmony. The actual singing doesn't begin until 0:45 or so. 

 

[Luigi]

The psalm for today's readings is Psalm 27, The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation (whom shall I fear?). I remember the first time I heard this setting, composed by Andre Crouch, a leading light of current Gospel music and a  prolific composer. This is a stirring setting of the psalm. 

 

[Luigi]

Another Bob Dylan song - "Ring Them Bells" - sung by Joe Cocker. Everybody and his brother has recorded this song; I like Cocker's version. As with any Dylan song, it's hard to figure out exactly what he's saying. I think that's one reason everybody and his brother has recorded it - it feels "spiritual but not religious." But my analysis is that Dylan actually is being religious. Listen and decide for yourself. 

 

[Luigi]

I posted a song by Brother Joe May about a week ago. Here's another one, in pure blues format - "Don't Let the Devil Ride" (cause if you let him ride, he'll want to drive). 

 

[Luigi]

Here's the Taize choir singing "Stay with Me." As with most Taize songs, it's a few words, set to a simple melody, which is repeated. There's a more elaborate version (additional lyrics) out there, too, but this is the simple version. 

 

[Luigi]

"Hard Headed Woman" was written by Claude Demetrius, then recorded by Elvis Presley in 1958. I prefer Wanda Jackson's live performance from 1958 - she was 21 when this was recorded, and she's still with us today at age 86. She started out in country music, picked up rockabilly along the way, composed and sang only Gospel music for a pretty extended period of time, and then went back to a broader selection of styles.  This is just a love song about a somewhat troubled relationship, but the first three verses are examples taken from the Bible. The song reached #1 when Elvis released it. It seems to fit with April Fool's Day and the Feed Your Ears topic. 

 

 

[Hna.Caridad]

"Stay with Me" is currently my favorite Holy Thursday song--thank you for including it!

 

I'm going to momentarily take this thread back to the train theme:

 

 

[Luigi]

^ LIKE ^

[Luigi]

The O'Neal Twins - Edgar on piano & voice and Edward singing lead - sing "Jesus Dropped the Charges." I thought about posting it on Good Friday, but it seemed too upbeat. This is another example of how Gospel music often incorporates the elements of everyday life - trains, telephones, driving, the atomic bomb, law courts - whereas Catholic hymns seldom do. That makes the Catholic hymns more timeless but it can also make the Gospel songs more relevant, at least in the era when they're released. 

 

[Luigi]

The Statler Brothers were a long-running Country act, and they toured with Johnny Cash for a couple of decades. They were also featured on Cash's television show; they sang back-up for him regularly, but they also closed out the show with a Gospel number every week. Here they are singing "When the Roll Gets Called Up Yonder." 

There was a man in my parish who was raised Baptist but converted. He was very friendly, active in the parish, and a long-term usher. He asked the music group once if they could ever find a way to work "When the Roll Gets Called Up Yonder" into a Sunday Mass. He liked that one very well, and he missed hearing it in church. Well, none of the musicians knew the song, so they never did sing it. And it wouldn't have fit well with a Catholic Mass anyway. He is no longer with us, but I sure do hope that got to hear his name called when the roll was called up yonder. On a side note, if the song has the word "yonder" in it, you KNOW it's country!