Walpurgis Night!

Repent Walpurgis’ is a track from Procol Harum’s self-titled first album released in June 1967. It was written by Matthew Fisher, who credits Gary Brooker for the idea to add some Bach in the middle (Prelude No 1 in C major from JS Bach’s48 Preludes and Fugues, Book I).

For much more information click on Walpurgis Night: the other Halloween!

Enjoy!

New Dylan Album!

New Dylan Album: Our First Listen! - News - Mojo

In this article (above link) from MOJO, Michael Simmons accentuates Dylan's new album (to be released in late April 09) as "a powerful personal work by a man who still thinks for himself in an era of fear, conformity, and dehumanization.”

Rejoice!

Christmas songs!

Click on the little blue arrows that appear when you scroll over the song titles, and you are given the option to play, get a web link, or download.  So just click on the option you want.  Listen and...

enjoy,

ron

Father Barron on Bob Dylan

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3.8, ESV)

BTW: How does it feel?

rejoice, ron

Idol's Hillsong Song!

If you were in any doubt about the influence and reach of Hillsong's music, you might like to note that ‘Shout to the Lord’ was sung not once, but twice on two separate episodes of American Idol recently. You can see both on YouTube.

enjoy, ron

Lazy Tuesday (Neo-Orthodoxy)

Word Up Barth!

enjoy, ron

Jerry Lee Lewis!

I just had to post this 1971 performance of Jerry Lee performing the hymn Where He Leads Me. God rasied up Jerry Lee Lewis and if you don't believe me, believe him (click on the audio clip link below)!

For some great insight into this man and his music listen to this clip (turn up your volume control) of an interview with Jerry Lee from the 1970s. Lewis is being asked about where his religiousity and love of gospel music comes from. He responds by saying that niether denominations nor religion itself has any direct bearing on salvation. Here’s some quotes:

People of every church are going to be in heaven, brother. Upbringing’s got
nothing to do with it, or what church you believe in. I knew that’s what you
were referring to — I thought I’d just go ahead and get into it.

Are you a Christian or a Christian-minded person? [...]

… As a matter of fact, there’s no such a word as religion in the Bible. You’ll not even find that word in the Bible. Salvation, you’ll find.

enjoy, ron

Dylan Hillbillies!

This is a great combination!



You have the great Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs singing a great Dylan song on the greatest TV show ever. Add to that mix a great dance routine by Granny and Jed and you have a great laugh.

PS. (I don’t watch TV shows but when I was a child “The Beverly Hillbillies” was one of my all time favorites)

PSS. If you want to watch and hear "Mama You Been On My Mind", click here to go directly to a YouTube presentation of Dylan and his band delivering a delicate and lovely version of the song in Iowa in the year 2000.

watch, listen & enjoy, ron

Grace!

Augustus Montague Toplady

(November 4, 1740 – August 11, 1778)

“Grace ! ’Tis a Charming Sound”

This great hymn is the work of two well-known 18th century English ministers, Philip Doddridge and Augustus Toplady.

Grace! tis a charming sound, harmonious to the ear; Heav’n with the echo shall resound and all the earth shall hear.

’Twas grace that wrote my name in life’s eternal book; ’twas grace that gave me to the Lamb, who all my sorrows took.

Grace taught my wand’ring feet to tread the heav’nly road; and new supplies each hour I meet, while pressing on to God.

Grace taught my soul to pray, and made mine eyes o’er-flow; ’twas grace which kept me to this day, and will not let me go.

O let Thy grace inspire my soul with strength divine; may all my pow’rs to Thee aspire, and all my days be Thine.

Chorus: Saved by grace alone! This is all my plea; Jesus died for all mankind, and Jesus died for me.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

enjoy, ron

Sinnerman!

Check out this YouTube of David Eugene Edwards (Woven Hand), the long-time front man for those remarkable gothabilly rockers 16 Horsepower singing Sinnerman.

16 Horsepower is not your ordinary Christian country-music band. There’s little hillbilly or cowboy about them. Rather, their subject matter turns on man's sins and breakdown, societies lack of faith, wallowing in a world of superficial possessions... all swallowed up in traumatic soundscapes of `ghostly banjos and a rather pulsation low-end. This music and lyric is not for the faint of heart!

Sinnerman lyrics

o sinnerman where will you run to
sinnerman where will you run to
sinnerman where will you run to
all on that day

run to the mountain
the mountain wont hide you
run to the sea
the sea will not have you
and run to your grave
your grave will not hold you
all on that day

see sinnerman
mountains are falling
sinnerman
the sea it rages
sinnerman
the grave will not hold you
all on that day
run to the lord
lord please hide me
run to the lord

sinnerman
sinnerman
sinnerman

where you gonna run to
all on that day
run to the mountain
the mountain wont hide you
and run to the sea
the sea will not hold you
and run to your grave
the grave will not hide you
all on that day

sinnerman
the mountain is falling
and sinnerman
the sea it rages
and sinnerman
sinnerman
sinnerman
where will you run to
all on that day

the mountain wont hide you
the sea won’t have you
and the grave will not hold you
all on that day

enjoy, ron

Sparrow Falls!

Lyrics:

Holy king cause my skin to crawl
Away from every evil thing
In a cotton mouth in a cotton mouth
Quick across the water bring

Your hand speak of a broken door handle
Of thoughts and deeds a little bird sings
A little bird sings
Star rise on the face of the water
Quiet comes on the wing of a lark
Call out in an old time holler
Call out if you're afraid of your dark

I will you no grief no to see you fall
Once had a mind to I'm done with that
I mean you no harm at all

What stands between us
Runs right through my head
It's water still under the bridge
We come together in a horsehead union
Hang my tobacco hands from a beam
Silver handled and chest of drawers
Out of the longhouse I took what's yours
I took what's yours

I will you no grief no to see you fall
Once had a mind to I'm done with that
I mean you no harm at all

I will you no grief no to see you fall
Once had a mind to I'm done with that
I'm done with that
I mean you no harm at all

“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (ESV, Luke 12.7)

Thinking of sparrows? (click here)

Listen, read. reflect & enjoy, ron

David Eugene!

David Eugene Edwards is the lead singer, main songwriter and principal musician of the Woven Hand band. He is the former lead singer of 16 Horsepower. His music defies simple genre categorization and his lyrics often combine the apocalyptic elements of darkness, judgment and redemption. It’s my kind of popular Christian music never heard on popular Christian radio stations. His theological bent is Reformed/Calvinistic and on stage his performances are evangelistically intense, eerie and persuasive.

Edwards performs on the soundtrack to the short film "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus," playing the traditional "Wayfarin' Stranger." He also appears in this religiously agile film, playing a fragment of "Phyllis Ruth," a Sixteen Horsepower song from 1997's Low Estate.

If you haven’t heard David Eugene, it’s time! Don’t delay! Start now my little Pilgrim’s Progress!

The above image is of David Eugene Edwards of 16 Horsepower/Woven Hand performing solo at Debaser in Stockholm, Sweden, 2004-05-25. (c) Anders Jensen-Urstad.

enjoy!