[An 'Early-American'-flavored "Spiritual" with Harp and Pan Flute sounds]
Yes, I had to smile— as I looked in the folder for this song I composed nearly ten years ago— when I saw two variations of the lyrics. At the top of the one paper I had written "Proper English"— and on the other, "Cotton-pickin' English."
Since this song is a "spiritual" I'm choosing to favor the latter version, with its colloquial, and hopefully-not-too-offensive, dialect, to give the song more authenticity.
When I ponder the difficult lives of the colonial slaves on our early-American soils, I rejoice that some of them knew the mercies of Jesus, and kept their Faith alive, even through sometimes horrible and harrowing circumstances, by singing such simple, arrows-from-the-heart, hymns of Hope.
May we also, amid the deluge of our social media, choose daily to be active SING-ers of simple songs that move our hearts, and stir our spirits toward God.
Since this song is a "spiritual" I'm choosing to favor the latter version, with its colloquial, and hopefully-not-too-offensive, dialect, to give the song more authenticity.
When I ponder the difficult lives of the colonial slaves on our early-American soils, I rejoice that some of them knew the mercies of Jesus, and kept their Faith alive, even through sometimes horrible and harrowing circumstances, by singing such simple, arrows-from-the-heart, hymns of Hope.
May we also, amid the deluge of our social media, choose daily to be active SING-ers of simple songs that move our hearts, and stir our spirits toward God.
I Kneel Beside the Jordan River
I kneel beside the Jordan River, deep and wide,
Feel the lonely billows rollin' over me,
Know that I will soon be on the other side,
Free— forever free;
Listen! Do you hear the angel sayin',
"Wontcha come along without delayin'?
Soon you'll leave your sins behind, and all your prayin'—
Walk on through with me."
Feel the lonely billows rollin' over me,
Know that I will soon be on the other side,
Free— forever free;
Listen! Do you hear the angel sayin',
"Wontcha come along without delayin'?
Soon you'll leave your sins behind, and all your prayin'—
Walk on through with me."
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