Sunday morning gospel: Sacred Songs by the Northlanders of Sweden

Sorry about the lack of Sunday Morning Gospel last Sunday--a temporary PC crash was the cause. Temporary crashes being the best kind, of course. I was getting a "Disc read error" message, with instructions to Alt + Ctrl +Del, which accomplished nothing. Neither did rebooting. Yet, for some reason, when I turned my PC back on several hours later, everything was as before. Very strange.

Just like today's LP cover, you say? Well, it's certainly different. And cool. But the music can't possibly be half as cool, right? Wrong. The music is terrific. Thanks go to Diane Werts, who thrifted this LP for me, and to MAGIX, for making everything (with my guidance) sound better.

So, can I fill you in on today's group, the Northlanders of Sweden? Sure thing. Here's what the back jacket has to say: Back jacket. Not very helpful, I know. Well, we know they're from Sweden, anyway--yet, despite that fact, they sound ready to break into yodel at any moment. In fact, their entire sound strikes me as central European, but I do not complain, since I love the polkas, schottisches, and waltzes (apologies to Snoopy) from that neck of the planet. As "ethnic" sounds go, such music doesn't get a lot of respect, I realize, but whose problem is that? Ours?

Fantastically entertaining sounds, even if they're not as northern as my ears expected. I'm not exactly an expert on ethnic sounds, anyway, but I know what I dig. Prepare yourself for The Bird Song.

To the music: Sacred Songs by the Northlanders of Sweden.

The Bird Song
Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary
When Morning Breaks
The Sweetest Name on Earth
Onward Christian Soldiers
A Sailor Am I
I Know a Place
A Name I Highly Treasure
He the Pearly Gates Will Open
The Name Above All Others
I Come to the Savior
The Christian March to Glory

Sacred Songs by the Northlanders of Sweden (Christian Faith 1241)



Lee

Introducing King James

He's big, red, fuzzy, and furry, and he's ours! A former barn cat turned spoiled house cat, King James loves to eat, complain, and nap in whatever order turns up and/or occurs to him.

He's between six and seven years old. He loves his people and he's willing to tolerate his fellow felines. James brings our number up to nineteen.

Loved Madonna's halftime show

It was really spectacular. I especially loved the... um....

Oops. Wrong picture.

Sunday morning gospel: A Charles H. Gabriel Festival

Today, gospel tunes (and, often, texts) by the self-taught, ultra-talented Charles Hutchinson Gabriel. The above image was swiped (and modified) by me from this amazing page, maintained by John McDonnell, to whom I intend to send a thank-you email. Gabriel was a handsome cuss, no?

Four of the titles are presented in two consecutive, contrasting versions--for instance, we hear a concert rendition of His Eye Is on the Sparrow, followed by a country gospel version (both terrific).

Click here to hear: A Charles H. Gabriel Festival

SEND THE LIGHT--Chuck Wagon Gang, 1959.
SEND THE LIGHT--Fairfield Highlands Baptist Church Choir.
HIGHER GROUND--Fairfield Highlands Baptist Church Choir.
HIGHER GROUND--The King's Trio.
AWAKENING CHORUS--Jimmy Blue, organ.
HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW--Norma Zimmer.
HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW--The Blue Ridge Boys, 1966.
SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART--The Christian Couriers Male Q.
SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART--Haitian Gospel Quartet.
MY HEAVENLY FATHER WATCHES OVER ME--Blackwood Brothers Q., 1960.
HE IS SO PRECIOUS TO ME--Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, 1957.
JESUS, ROSE OF SHARON--Russell Newport, Tenor, 1965.
TELL SOMEONE ABOUT JESUS--Blackwood Borthers Q., 1959.
THERE IS GLORY IN MY SOUL--The Crusader Men, 1965.
SAIL ON--Janz Quartet, 1955.


Lee

It's Polka Time, Part 7!!

This was a recent thrift find, and what a cheap, but cool, cover! In typical no-budget fashion, the Parade label has given us three titles to choose from--the one on the front cover (The Fun of the Polka, Vol. 2), the back cover (Polka Party, Vol. 2), and the label (just Polka Party). I kind of like the first one, so I'm sticking with it.

No information about "Baron Stanley" in the liner notes, unfortunately--but, whoever he was, he had one heck of a band. The music is fabulous, and the sound quality (terrible pressing aside) is quite good, if a little thin in the treble. The most pleasant thrift store surprise of the year, so far. For an LP that screams "cheap," this really delivers the polka!

To the fun: The Fun of the Polka, Vol. 2--Baron Stanley and His Orch.

PENNSYLVANIA POLKA
GRETCHEN POLKA
MAY WINE POLKA
BLACK FOREST POLKA
RHINELANDER POLKA
ZWEI HERTZEN POLKA
MARGARET POLKA
PRETTY ANNA POLKA
FRITZEL'S POLKA
BEER & PRETZEL POLKA
HAPPY LIFE POLKA
ESSEN POLKA

The Fun of the Polka, Vol. 2--Baron Stanley and His Orch. (Parade 334)


Lee