Slow Train Coming

Bob Dylan’s Gonna Serve Somebody is a Christian song contrasting good and evil, of which we share a long sordid history. Take world history, did humanity primarily choose forgiveness or vengeance, love or hate? What do we choose today? We certainly desire to think of ourselves as just people who would freely choose what benefits others. Yet, the sad reality is we have not always lived up to this vision of ourselves.

Dylan’s song can be summed up in these brief lyrics, “Indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody / Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord.” This got a strong reaction from fellow artists. John Lennon thought it was “embarrassing” and wrote “Serve Yourself” in response to it. Lennon’s lyrics proclaim, “You gotta serve yourself / Ain’t nobody gonna do it for you.”

Here’s a worthwhile challenge, consider our global leaders today and look back at all the historic leaders of the past. Now make an honest comparison between them. You’ll be looking a long, long time trying to find anyone who even remotely compares to the complete love and forgiveness of Christ Jesus.

Please carefully consider your choices in this brief life.

Sources: Medium + Song Facts + Andrea Piacquadio

Nat King Cole

The tenderness of Nat King Cole’s silky smooth performance on Oh Holy Night is one of the most beautiful renditions you will be fortunate enough to hear this time of year. I say fortunate, because the 1847 French original, Cantique de Noel, was uniformly denounced by the church leaders after discovering the composer Adolphe Adams was Jewish and the lyricist Placide Cappeau had walked away from the church to join the socialist movement.

The English version we sing today came from an American writer named John Sullivan Dwight. He had heard it in France, still being sung by the French people. Sullivan, a staunch abolitionist, strongly identified with the third verse (not included on the Nat King Cole version): “Truly he taught us to love one another; his law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother; and in his name all oppression shall cease.”

Each Christmas, I’m thankful to Mr. Sullivan; for bringing Nat King Cole such an opportunity.

Sources: Beliefnet + Nathan Anderson

Sunday School

Released in 1971 as the second track from Willie Nelson's Yesterday’s Wine album, In God's Eyes has a timeless message from both its performer and songwriter. This simple and easy listening song reflects the Christian values Nelson once taught as a Sunday School teacher.

The first verse is about reusing to think evil against people. As sung by Nelson, an evil thought is just an evil word unspoken, in God’s eyes, He sees it this way. The second verse speaks of lending an unconditional hand to strangers, never worrying if they can repay. In the last verse, Nelson uses the biblical analogy of sheep in a meadow where now and then a lamb goes astray, but open arms should await its returning, in God’s eyes, He sees it this way.

While Yesterday’s Wine never appeared on the charts, in part due to RCA’s lack of promotion and misunderstanding for Nelson’s ‘imperfect man concept,’ even so, Nelson had no regrets and still considers it one of his best albums.

Sources: Country Thang Daily + Luke Stackpoole + Henning Witzel + Roman Nguyen + Mart Productions

Roots Music

Beautifully performed by Ry Cooder on his The Prodigal Son album and written by International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor member Carter Stanley, the song Harbor Of Love comes from the early days of Stanley’s primitive baptist roots. For him, both bluegrass and religion originated out of the remote coal and timber fields of southwestern Virginia.

As a songwriter, Stanley was known for his straightforward lyrics. On Harbor Of Love, he tells of a coming time with a great judgment morning. When a savior will welcome you home. Will you be prepared for the journey to heaven on a great ship that carries God’s chosen one’s home.

After the great ship anchor’s in the harbor of love, the song gets personal by reminding us of our condition; You’re wandering in sin away from God’s teaching. He does this not to condemn, but to continue offering us hope. Won’t you ask him to show you the way? Fall down on your knees in a chapel next Sunday and meet with your friends in heaven someday. Repeat

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Sources: Wikipedia + Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum + Anna Goncharova

Steve Earl

2020 has been an ongoing struggle for all of us. Maybe that's why, this Christmas I’ve been drawn to Steve Earl’s Nothing But A Child, off his Copperhead Road record. On this record, Steve blends his own free-flowing mix of gritty rock and bluegrass.

Steve’s Christmas song wasn’t written for Copperhead Road. It had originally been written for an Oak Ridge Boys record. Matter of fact, Steve credits his whole career to Oak Ridge Boys Publishing, as being the only folks in Nashville to hire him as a songwriter. Since the Oak Ridge Boys already had a wildly successful Christmas record in the 1980s, Steve was sure if he could get one of his songs on their new Christmas record, it would be financially beneficial for him and his family. Unfortunately, Steve's submission wasn’t selected. Fortunately, Steve was putting the finishing touches on Copperhead Road at the time and thought this Christmas song would make a good ending to his own record.

Critics and musicians alike raved about the first five songs on this record, while many considered the last five songs overly sentimental. According to one NY Times reviewer, the ending song on the record was little more than a ‘hokey’ Christmas song. Well, hokey or not, I've enjoyed hearing Steve's Christmas song this year and you may as well.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Sources: Steve Earl + Wikipedia + Wallpapers9

Elder David Ross

He Gave Me A Heart To Love, by Elder David Ross was recorded in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 2, 1954. It can be heard on Music From The South, Volume 9: Song And Worship.

The performer and presumed author of this song, Elder David Ross was an itinerant preacher, singer and guitar player. Both he Blind Willie Johnson, another well known itinerant singer can be heard in the Folkways Jazz Series. Elder Ross was a man of devout faith, who may have weakened his health with his many extended fasts. He was often heard on the streets of New Orleans, strumming his guitar and singing his songs on its’ busy city sidewalks.

I’m thankful this type of music has been preserved by Folkways and Steven Lance Ledbetter’s wonderful box set compilation, entitled Goodbye, Babylon. These performers and their songs were from a time long ago, in our well-worn past and remain as true today for the believers in Christ Jesus as they were back then.

© Helpful Creative

Sources: Folkways Recordings + FreeStockTextures