Sunday, September 29, 2019

Favorite gospel tracks, Part 7--An Evening Prayer


You'll have to admit that the above LP cover stands out in any genre, including gospel, which has more than its share of unusual jacket images.  I posted this at Facebook, where it received the comment, "Shades of 'Bride of Frankenstein.'"  A reference to the doll-sized people on the organ, of course.

Most of these are cassette "rescues," and I thought I'd looked everything up in time for this post, LP- and year-wise (when possible), but it looks like I didn't.  Oh, well.  That'll happen.  Since there are four Shouting on the Hills versions in today's list, I could have named this post "Still Shouting," but I settled instead, title-wise, for the lovely Charles H. Gabriel number (words by C. Maude Battersby) An Evening Prayer, a gospel standard from around 1911.  The next time someone challenges you to name a hymn recorded by both Homer Rodeheaver and Elvis Presley, just name this one.  And there's some fine Jimmy Swaggart piano on two tracks, including Glory Land March, which may have been composed by Jimmie Masters.  That's the one credit I'm able to find--a copyright entry--but was he the actual composer?  Same question when it comes to the not-Led-Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven, which is associated with the Stanley Brothers and credited on one page to Bill J. Grant and Ralph Stanley.  But only on a single webpage, so I can't be sure. 

I have no idea what's up with Over in Gloryland, which is not Just over in the Gloryland, if that's any help.  We know what it isn't, at least.  And I can now say with definite definiteness that Eugene Monroe (E.M.) Bartlett composed There'll Be Shouting.  I finally found it in one of my songbooks, and I posted a scan here, but don't tell anyone. Copyrighted 1925, which means that the number was only a year old when Smith's Sacred Singers recorded it! 

Please Stop Running Away from God is a lovely song that I'd love to find a sheet music copy of, though in basic SATB form, not a choir version, so I can play it on the organ.  At any rate, I'm surprised it's not better known.  Maybe it just came out at the wrong time.  Maybe it simply failed to last into the praise song era.

Enjoy!




DOWNLOAD: Favorite gospel tracks, Part 7





Brighten the Corner Where You Are (Odgon-Gabriel)--Ralph Carmichael
An Evening Prayer (Battersby-Gabriel)--The Browns, 1962
Same--Blue Ridge Quartet, 1972
Same--Homer Rodeheaver, 1920 (Victor 17714)
That Heavenly Home (Frank White)--The Prophets Quartet
Over in Gloryland--Same
Shouting on the Hills of Glory (Bartlett)--The Baker Family
There'll Be Shouting (Bartlett)--The Happy Goodman Family (1968)
Jesus Is Coming Soon (R.E. Winsett)--Gethsemane Quartet
Glory Land March (Johnnie Masters?)--Jimmy Swaggart, piano, 1972
Stairway to Heaven--Bluegrass Gospel Travelers
Palms of Victory (Matthias)--Singing Revivers
Crying Holy Unto the Lord--The Country Gospel-Aires
There Ain't No Grave (Claude Ely)--The Country Gospel-Aires
Since Jesus Came Into My Heart (McDaniel-Gabriel)--Jimmy Swaggart, piano, 1972
There'll Be Shouting on the Hills of Glory (Barlett)--The Bissell Brothers
When They Call My Name (Lister)--Gospel Mariners
Shouting on the Hills (Bartlett)--Gospel Mariners
The Meeting in the Air (Martin)--The Speer Family, 1966
Where the Gates Swing Outward Never (Chas. H. Gabriel)--Mrs. William Asher-Homer Rodeheaver, 1920
Please Stop Running Away from God (Oren Paris)--Revivaltime Choir, 1969
Assurance March (Wendell P. Loveless)--Paul Mickelson at the Grand Robert-Morton Pipe Organ, 1961

Lee



5 comments:

Zoomer Roberts said...

I like finding a new Gospel post on Sunday morning and sampling it before church. Some of your favorites are mine, too. Others are news to me, but always of interest. Should you ever unearth a vintage recording of "The Ninety and Nine" -- a version with a more elaborate chord sequence than Ira Sankey's -- might you include it on a future post? But only if it becomes one of your favorites.

Happy Sunday, Lee. Thanks for the music, and peace be with you.

Zoomer

Larry said...

I'm falling behind on these (still working on part 5). I come across a particular song and sometimes linger on it for days. Also due to your posts I picked up my 12 string for the first time in nearly five years. When I took it out of the case all the strings but one were actually in tune. I consider that a miracle, as well as an encouraging sign. It will take a few weeks to get my callouses back on my finger tips.

Playing piano was probably something God meant for Jimmy Swaggart to do, crying on cue while begging for money maybe not so much. Hopefully he can be remembered for the former. I have no idea what he's doing now.

Ernie said...

That is a great cover! Don't think I've seen this one in the stacks before. :)

Lee Hartsfeld said...

I've only seen it twice. I had a copy years ago; just thrifted this one. Possibly not a huge seller, though you'd think the cover would attract sales.

musicman1979 said...

Just recently found and added the Mickelson album to my collection. And I may have that Blue Ridge Quartet Evening Prayer in my collection of albums from them; was able to acquire most of the LaVerne Tripp-era albums from them in one fell swoop back in April of this year at my local Goodwill.