First time I heard this song, it was Peter, Paul and Mary who sang it. I
didn't find out till I bought the music that someone named Tom Paxton
wrote the song. Later on I took the kids to a folk concert in Fort
Worth, Texas where both PP&M and Tom Paxton performed the same
night. One of the songs Tom sang was "Last Thing on My Mind," a lament
about lost love - the kind that's your fault. Tom writes a lot of
protest songs. Some I agree with and some I don't. I'm funny like that
about folk music.
Here's Tom singing "Last Thing on My Mind,"
with another favorite of mine, Liam Clancy of the Clancy brothers. There
are much better sounding versions of this song, but I couldn't resist a
live version with Liam.
Kind of a sad song, but the guitar part is very nice. I learned to play it on the guitar and used to sing it when girlfriend's broke up with me. That actually happened a lot. This song got me through some bad days.
One of my early folk gospel favorites was Very Last Day by the inimitable Peter, Paul & Mary. Paul was actually a Christian and was responsible for the trio's inclusion of Christian folk music selections on many of their albums. I actually performed this once for Sabbath School when I had the music crew stand me up. It's kind of a militant sort of Christian song - rather like Oh, Sinner Man, so I let 'em all have it with my rather aggressive version of Very Last Day.
PP&M do a terrific job of capturing the intensity of the song. Remember this was back when SDA pastors were preaching hard about the time of trouble and the return of Christ. This song seems to catch the determination of people holding on while waiting for the coming of the Lord. Here's Very Last Day.
Love the way these guys work the harmony. Nobody does it better. They make it sound effortless, but they really worked hard to achieve that perfect sound. I still play this song when I feel militant about the Second Coming.
This lovely old song by Charlotte Elliott with music by William B. Bradburywas originally written in 1835 and published in 1836 in a hymnal she edited. Charlotte related later that she was troubled about her own salvation. She often comforted herself by writing verse. She took pen and paper from a nearby table and deliberately set down to write what she later called "the formulae of her faith." In this familiar altar call hymn, Charlotte restated the Gospel of pardon, peace, and heaven.
I remember this hymn fondly from the ministry of former Voice of Prophecy Quartet singer, John Thurber. Brother John taught his Adventist Youth in Action (AYA) teams and the kids who came to youth meetings how to sing this song. He always got amazing harmony out of us. This song in particular used to really reach me.
On May 1, 1971, Brother John baptized me in the swimming pool at Jefferson Academy - Just as I was. Here's Michael W. Smith's rendition of this lovely hymn at the funeral of Billy Graham. This song was the altar call at the 1934 revival meeting at which Billy Graham came forward and was converted. The song became Graham's traditional altar call song throughout his career as an evangelist.
I discovered these amazing children and their incredible voices.yesterday. I've listened to their music all day today and my heart is lifted. This song is about loss, but it is all about hope as well. I wept all the way through it for I have experienced many losses in my life; in our lives for Sheila and I lost a son. We lost her parents and my father and stepfather. My dad and brother died in tragic circumstances. This music makes me sad and joyful all at the same time. And they have many more songs.
This music is like a visit to the New Earth. I imagine us all making music like this throughout eternity. Music should bubble up from the soul and increase our joy. The One Voice Children's Choir does precisely that.
This song find a place deep in my heart that is still grieving and gives me hope. This children's choir is directed by a guy who is a genius at putting together just the right voices and locations and a spare just right use of musical instruments to produce music that makes me all weepy.
In my mind I can imagine angels standing behind these kids smiling as they give us a tiny peek at what Heaven and the New Earth will have for us. I plan to spend a century or so learning to play the cello, violin and improve my other stringed instrument skills, just for those Saturday night jam sessions on the back porch with neighbors.
You'll be seeing more of my new favorite group soon.
Ever once in a while you stumble across a weird little song and it just sticks in your head. This little ditty by Louden Wainright III celebrates an experience we've all had driving down a country road late at night. this is one of those songs you sing at the top of you lungs when you're driving along alone and feeling just a bit unhappy with the state of affairs in the world and you just want to express your frustration with the things.
Here's Louden Wainright III with "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road".
