This is another of those spiritual type songs that I grew up knowing – I just didn’t know its provenance, as the terminology goes. I see from my notes in the book that I did perform this song from the book in my country church during my growing up days. It was obviously a family … Continue reading Sweet By and By
Category: Music
#4: Praise Ye the Triune God!
(Part of a series singing through the hymnbook I grew up with: Great Hymns of the Faith) 1 Praise ye the Father for His loving-kindness, Tenderly cares He for His erring children; Praise Him, ye angels, praise Him in the heavens, Praise ye Jehovah! 2 Praise ye the Savior – great is His compassion, Graciously … Continue reading #4: Praise Ye the Triune God!
Shew! Fly, Don’t Bother Me!
I think I hear the angel sing, I think I hear the angel sing, I think I hear the angels sing, The angel now are on the wing. I feel, I feel, I feel, That’s what my mother said, The angels pouring ‘lasses down, Upon this nigger’s head. Chorus Shew! Fly, don’t bother, me, Shew! … Continue reading Shew! Fly, Don’t Bother Me!
#3: Sing praise to God Who Reigns Above
(Part of a series singing through the hymnbook I grew up with: Great Hymns of the Faith) 1 Sing praise to God who reigns above, The God of all creation, The God of pow’r, the God of love, The God of our salvation; With healing balm my soul He fills, And ev’ry faithless murmur stills: … Continue reading #3: Sing praise to God Who Reigns Above
Reuben and Rachel
This song isn’t instantly familiar to me, until I read the lyrics – then I know I have heard it – sung by a women’s chorus from a local middle school during a middle school choral festival we attended. So I decided to try reading this one. I recall it being a little bit haunting, … Continue reading Reuben and Rachel
Pop Goes The Weazel
Boy, the lyrics to this song aren’t like anything I learned in elementary school! A whole lot of Anglophobic lyrics about the British needing to watch out for the Americans. Still, the catchy tune is familiar. And one can learn a lot about period politics if we avoid inserting our own period’s biases into the … Continue reading Pop Goes The Weazel
Old Folks at Home
A Stephen Foster song, earned him a lot of money – but his name never appeared on it during his lifetime. The Swanee river is acutally the Suwannee river of Florida. I never realized where it was until seeing it accidentally on a map one time. But the river comes to represent the stereotypical Southern … Continue reading Old Folks at Home
#1: O Worship the King
(Part of a series singing through the hymnbook I grew up with: Great Hymns of the Faith) 1 O worship the King, all glorious above, And gratefully sing His pow'r and His love; Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. 2 O tell of His might, O … Continue reading #1: O Worship the King
Old Black Joe
Old Black Joe exemplifies Stephen Foster at his height of expression and grace. Note that the song is devoid of any affectations of black dialect. The language is poetic. If one can take away the bias of the modern era, indeed the century and more that has passed since its composing, and see it as … Continue reading Old Black Joe
Oh! Susanna
I said the previous song was probably one of the most popular in the book, but I could also say it about this song. Although I am only familiar with three of the four verses in the original sheet music. I think you will be able to quickly tell which verse it is, and why … Continue reading Oh! Susanna
At The Rainbow 