Showing posts with label gospel blues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gospel blues. Show all posts

Sunday, July 03, 2016

*In Honor Of The Late Ralph Stanley-The Root Of The Matter-Putting Bluegrass and Gospel Together For Real- “We Are Family”

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of The Easter Family performing "Roses Will Bloom Again".

DVD Review

We Are Family, various artists from the Easter and Lewis families, Daywind Records, 2008




Sometimes when reviewing roots music CDs and DVDs you come across material that you are both somewhat unfamiliar with and that does not fit easily in the various known categories of roots music. That is the case here with the combination of bluegrass and white gospel presented by the Easter Brothers and their family, very extended family as its turns out. A regular reader of this space might be somewhat puzzled by this remark. Of course, particularly over the last few months, I have reviewed reams of bluegrass music from the old days with the likes of Roscoe Holcombe, Ralph Stanley and the like.



Certainly the bluegrass folk revivalists of the 1960s, like the New Lost City Ramblers and The Greenbriar Boys, have gotten plenty of space. Moreover, one cannot really review Harry Smith’s “Anthology Of American Folk Music”, as I have in this space without running into plenty of bluegrass and gospel music. What is rather startling in this presentation these days is that combination, present here, of true believers in the gospel who bring their message through their bluegrass concerts for the folks. Frankly, I am much more comfortable with a secular group like The Bluegrass Gospel Project, who belt out the old tunes with fervor but not fever. .



Nevertheless, despite my befuddlement and a natural inclination to write this stuff off, this group, or rather real life extended family (I never did really get all the relationships down), knows how to sing this white gospel bluegrass music. Not enough to make me jump up and run out and get their albums but enough to appreciate that this Georgia -based group had something to say. That certainly is the case with a couple of songs, “Roses Will Bloom Again” and “I Need You”.



Roses Will Boom Again

Written by Marsha Henry
performed by Jeff and Sheri Easter
From the album, “By Request”


Verse 1


I planted a little rose bush
I tended it with care
It’s buds began to blossom
Their fragrance filled the air
But when winter came it withered,
The petals drooped and fell to the ground
My heart sank as it faded
But I’d forgotten who had made it


Chorus
Roses will bloom again
Just wait and see
Don’t mourn what might have been
Only God knows how and when that
Roses will bloom again


Verse 2
Rose was his only sweetheart
A loving wife for forty years
Cherished every day they had
And held memories oh so dear
He never dreamed he’s bury love
And go to live alone
But he lay his Rose to rest
Looked up to heaven and tried his best
To believe that


Chorus
Roses will bloom again
Just wait and see
Don’t mourn what might have been
Only God knows how and when that
Roses will bloom again


Verse 3
The precious Rose of Sharon
Broken and bruised in cruel shame
Stained on the cross of Calvary
So that men might be saved
Oh, satan cheered as He died
While Mary and the others cried
Then God raised Him up from that sleep
And kept a promise only He could keep


Chorus
Roses will bloom again
Just wait and see
Don’t mourn what might have been

Monday, June 08, 2009

*Going Up Country, Blues Country That Is- Reverend Gary Davis And Sonny Terry Are In The House

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of Reverend Gary Davis performing "Children of Zion" on Pete Seeger's 1960s television show "Rainbow Quest"

DVD Review

Masters of the Country Blues: Reverend Gary Davis & Sonny Terry, Reverend Gary Davis, Sonny Terry, Yazoo/Shanachie Productions, 2001


The names Reverend Gary Davis and Sonny Terry are no strangers in this space. Anytime one wants to speak “country blues” those names along with those of Son House, Bukka White and Sonny’s long time, if estranged, playing partner come easily to mind. I first heard the Reverend Gary Davis at one of the early Newport Folk Festivals. Now listen up. I didn’t like him that much them. Of course in those days it was Son House, Mississippi John Hurt and Skip James that got my attention. But Reverend Gary Davis grows on you, especially when he gets a righteous song to tear into for about ten minutes like “Twelve Gates Of The City” (actually performed by Sonny here in his segment). Here “If I Had My Way” (aka "Samson and Delilah"), although not that long fills the bill. As for Sonny, needless to say when he is hot on his harmonica, as he is here on “Hootin’ The Blues”- watch out. Hey, the producers who went back to the 1960s vaults in putting together this DVD knew these guys were the masters, Taj Mahal, a great bluesman in his own right, who introduces the segments, knew they were masters, I know they are the masters and now you will too? Enough said.


Reverend Gary Davis lyrics

Death Don't Have No Mercy

Death don't have no mercy in this land
Death don't have no mercy in this land
He'll come to your house and he won't stay long
You'll look in the bed and somebody will be gone
Death don't have no mercy in this land

Well Death will go in any family in this land
Well Death will go in every family in this land
Well he'll come to your house and he won't stay long
Well you'll look in the bed and one of your family will be gone
Death will go in any family in this land

Well he never takes a vacation in this land
Well old Death never takes a vacation in this land
Well he'll come to your house and he won't stay long
Well you'll look in the bed and your mother will be gone
Death never takes a vacation in this land

Talk
Great God
Yeah

Well he'll leave you standin' and cryin' in this land
Well Death will leave you standin' and cryin' in this land
Well he'll come to your house and he won't stay long
You'll look in the bed and somebody will be gone
Death will leave you standin' and cryin' in this land

Old Death always in a hurry in this land
Old Death always in a hurry in this land
Well he'll come to your house and he won't stay long
You'll look in the bed and your mother will be gone
Death always in a hurry in this land

Well he won't give you time to get ready in this land
Well he won't give you time to get ready in this land
Well he'll come to your house and he won't stay long
Well you'll look in the bed and somebody will be gone
Death won't give you time to get ready in this land

Make your last talk
Talk to me Death
Talk to me


transcribed by Cheryl Rhodes, who wrote, "from Blind Gary Davis/Harlem Street Songs recorded in Englewood Cliffs, NJ August 24, 1960 (according to the liner notes) and released on CD under the Prestige/Bluesville Records (Fantasy) label



Samson and Delilah

by Reverend Gary Davis
©Chandos Music

(From the album - Gospel, Blues and Street Songs)



If I had my way
If I had my way
If I had my way
I would tear this old building down

Well Delilah, she was a woman fine and fair
She had good looks, God knows and coal black hair
Delilah, she came to Samson's mind
The first he saw this woman that looked so fine
Delilah, she set down on Samson's knee
Said tell me where your strength lies if you please
She spoke so kind, God knows, she talked so fair
'til Samson said 'Delilah, you can cut off my hair
You can shave my head, clean as my hand
And my strength 'come as natural as any a man'

If I had my way
If I had my way
In this wicked world
If I had my way
I would tear this old building down

Talk, Yeah
Yeah, Talk to me
Yeah, Yeah, talk to me
Yeah, what happened then?

If I had my way
If I had my way
If I had my way
I would tear this old building down

Yeah you read about old Samson, told from his birth
He was the strongest man that ever had lived on Earth
So one day while Samson was-a-walkin' along
He looked on the ground and saw an old jawbone
He stretched out his arm, God knows, it broke like flint
When he got to movin' ten-thousand was dead, Mmm

If I had my way
If I had my way in this wicked world
If I had my way
I would tear this old building down

Well old Samson and the lion got attacked
Samson he jumped up on the lion's back
So you read about this lion had killed a man with his paws
But Samson got his hand in the lion's jaws
He rid that beast until he killed him dead
And the bees made honey in the lion's head

Good God!

If I had my way
If I had my way
If I had my way
I would tear this old building down

If I had my way
If I had my way in this wicked world
If I had my way
I would tear this old building down

Good God

Let Us Get Together

by Reverend Gary Davis
©Chandos Music


Let us get together
Right down here 4x

Let us walk together
Right down here 4x

Let us do our living
Right down here 4x

Let us have our heaven
Right down here 4x

break

Let us walk together
Right down here 4x

Let us do our rejoicing
Right down here 4x