Negro Religious Songs and Services

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Several of these stunning field recordings, made from 1934 to 1942 by John and Ruby Lomax, along with their son Alan, are unparalleled in the annals of American song and religious incantation. Most unforgettable is the dark, ecstatic rapture of Mississippian Bozie Sturdivant singing "Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down" in Clarksdale's Silent Grove Baptist Church, with conviction enough to make atheists tremble and pray. Equally thrilling is the Easter service "Man of Calvary," delivered by the Reverend Sin Killer Griffin to a congregation of Texas penal farm tenants with primal, blood-chilling fervor. Other notable cuts are medicine show veterans Blind Jimmie Strothers and Joe Lee singing "We Are Almost Down to the Shore," the bizarre voice and harmonica of Turner Junior Johnson exploring unknown realms on "In New Jerusalem" and "Steal Away," and Alabaman Dock Reed singing "Down on Me," later remade as a rock & roll benchmark by Janis Joplin. --Alan Greenberg

Negro Religious Songs and Services, Music, Various Artists, Bluegrass, Country, Field Recordings, Gospel Collections, Gospel/Christian Music, Pop

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True roots music.

Negro Religious Songs and Services
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rounder Select
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Negro Religious Field Recordings, Vol. 2

Afro-American Spirituals, Work Songs, And Ballads

ASIN: B00000JMCC
Release Date: 1999-07-27

Do, Lord, Remember Me - Jimmie Strothers/Joe Lee
House Done Built Without Hands - Joe Lee
Oh, The Lamb Of God, The Lord Done Sanctified Me - Joe Lee
We Are Almost Down To The Shore - Jimmie Strothers
Shine Like A Star In The Morning - Joe Lee
Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down - Bozie Sturdivant
Down On Me - Dock Reed
Certainly, Lord - Dock Reed/Vera Hall
The Man Of Calvary - Sin-Killer Griffin
Wasn't That A Mighty Storm - Sin-Killer Griffin
Holy Babe - Kelley Pace/Aaron Brown/Joe Green/Matthew Johnson/Paul Hayes
Meet Me In Jerusalem - Turner Junior Johnson
When I Lay My Burden Down - Turner Junior Johnson
In New Jerusalem - Turner Junior Johnson
Steal Away - Turner Junior Johnson

Amazon.com

Several of these stunning field recordings, made from 1934 to 1942 by John and Ruby Lomax, along with their son Alan, are unparalleled in the annals of American song and religious incantation. Most unforgettable is the dark, ecstatic rapture of Mississippian Bozie Sturdivant singing "Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down" in Clarksdale's Silent Grove Baptist Church, with conviction enough to make atheists tremble and pray. Equally thrilling is the Easter service "Man of Calvary," delivered by the Reverend Sin Killer Griffin to a congregation of Texas penal farm tenants with primal, blood-chilling fervor. Other notable cuts are medicine show veterans Blind Jimmie Strothers and Joe Lee singing "We Are Almost Down to the Shore," the bizarre voice and harmonica of Turner Junior Johnson exploring unknown realms on "In New Jerusalem" and "Steal Away," and Alabaman Dock Reed singing "Down on Me," later remade as a rock & roll benchmark by Janis Joplin. --Alan Greenberg

Customer Reviews:

True roots music........2006-07-18

If you ever wished you could travel back to a small church on a dirt road in the deep south of 1940 for a morning of musical praise and worship, this disc will do it for you. This is an outstanding collection of songs and roots music that can be viewed as the predecessor to jazz, blues, and even rock. The songs presented here are recorded between 1934-1942 so sound quality isn't as good as it would be today, but that is a moot point because the passion and energy of the singers comes through clear as crystal. It's hard to be in a bad mood after listening to the joy and praise of this collection. "Holy Babe" is, in my opinion, the best song on the disc, but all of these songs should be listened to, absorbed, and appreciated by everyone.

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