I’m not religious, but some of my favorite artists are. Poets and lyricists, primarily. Why? Dunno. I suppose if one truly wants to eff the ineffable, one could certainly have a worse background than deep spiritual study. Also, too, I happen to think we could use a little more grace in the world, and song is a good vehicle for that sentiment.
Without further ado, here are two wonderful covers of wonderful songs.
“Come Healing” by Elayna Boynton (original by Leonard Cohen)
“Redemption Song” by Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer (original by Bob Marley)
May you all have a peaceful evening. I’m going to kick back and watch some teevee. Here’s a place to find respite from *gestures at world* that whole thing.
hilts
Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer is a truly inspired pairing. Wish they’d recorded an entire album together.
Yutsano
Allison Krauss doing an old timey spiritual never sucks.
Major Major Major Major
@hilts: If I recall correctly, I had to pull over the first time I heard that song.
Ruckus
Here is another version of the redemption song.
Bob Marley.
Another Bob Marley in the same vein.
Steeplejack
Bittersweet Bob Marley: “Waiting in Vain.”
Steeplejack
Reggae spiritual: Mikey Spice, “Alli Alli Ho.”
hitchhiker
I like to sing Be Thou My Vision in the shower; does that count?
Steeplejack
Shakespear’s Sister, “Could You Be Loved.”
NotMax
A not all that unpleasant earworm which has been intermittently running through the cranium of late.
@Steeplejack
Was away doing offline tasks at the time so belated birthday wishes.
Rusty
Thanks for the Bob Marley. Rough day, losing faith in the job search. Second guessing everything. That helped to add a little perspective.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Thank you, sir. ?
Ruckus
Phil Collins
I don’t mind
Steeplejack
Robert Palmer, “Every Kinda People.”
Ruckus
@Rusty:
The best things in life come when you aren’t looking for them.
Good luck with the job search. I got my current one purely by luck. My cousin interviewed for the job, told the owner than it sounded far more up my alley. Been there 7 yrs next month.
chris
Thanks for Elayna Boynton, new to me and lovely.
In other news, Steve has a new enhanced portrait. He’s looking a little smug because that is Bert’s chair.
Steeplejack
Slightly off theme, but I can’t resist: Sugar Black, “Fly Like an Eagle.” Reggae makes everything better!
Amir Khalid
A joyous celebration of hope reborn: Jimmy Cliff’s cover of Johnny Nash’s I Can See Clearly Now.
Ben Cisco
Is This Love – Bossa Nova style
Sab
@Yutsano: I love that song, and Alison Krauss singing anything.
Ben Cisco
@Steeplejack: Hey Steep, I missed that too – congrats!
Steeplejack
Simply Red, “Fairground.”
Old Dan and Little Ann
Hot damn do I love me some Johnny Cash. I have not heard this duo before. Cheers!
Ruckus
A little respite tune
UOGB
A bit different.
Ben Cisco
https://youtu.be/OH1zO2xI8KA
Also, because reggae:
Steel Pulse – Chant A Psalm
Gin & Tonic
My own tastes in religiously-inspired music tend to the Baroque. JS Bach’s Mass in B-minor is one of my “desert island” discs (I would just have to decide which of three versions to take.)
Steeplejack
@Ben Cisco:
Thanks!
Steeplejack
Sly and Robbie, “Inner City Blues.”
Ruckus
Band practice.
NotMax
Musicians especially might appreciate it as an exercise. Never On Sunday with transposition to 7/9 time.
Steeplejack
@Amir Khalid:
Nice.
Ruckus
Jimmy Cliff
Many Rivers to Cross
Steeplejack
@Ben Cisco:
Excellent!
BiD featuring Seu Jorge, “E Depois.”
Steeplejack
@Ruckus:
Those are great!
Steeplejack
Marcela, “Os Grilos.”
Ruckus
Under African Skies
hotshoe
I’ve been listening every day to Night Tracks on BBC Sounds; past programs available to stream in US but there doesn’t seem to be a way to link it here directly. I just searched “BBC Sounds Night Tracks”
Most recent session available is from Jan 15 2020; tracklist:
Antonio Vivaldi; Cum dederit dilectis (Nisi Dominus, RV 608)
John Cage; Story [ed note: skip past that one, re-start listening at time mark 10:30 ]
Väsen; Stråkmakarns polska
Maurice Ravel; Le Tombeau de Couperin: Forlane
Erland Cooper; Haar
Michael Tippett; The Blue Guitar (Dreaming)
etc etc etc
It’s very restorative!
Steeplejack
Seu Jorge, “Changes.”
NotMax
@Steeplejack
A taste of Gilberto Gil.
Steeplejack
@Ruckus:
Booker T and the MGs, “Hang ‘Em High.”
Ruckus
@Steeplejack:
The UOGB I came across one night and spent hours listening to them. They make fun of what they do and then do it so well.
The Danish National Orchestra plays a lot of movie tunes and they seem to enjoy just making music. I ran across them listening to this
Mary G
@Steeplejack: Nice. Happy Birthday! also, too.
Steeplejack
@Ben Cisco:
Very nice!
Steeplejack
@Mary G:
Thank you!
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Excellent!
The Dangerman
I think I heard that John Prine was recognized at the Grammy’s last night (or will be recognized at some show along the way because, no, I didn’t watch).
Anyway, seems fitting:
It’s A Big Ol’ Goofy World (Live)
So, while I’m referencing John Prine and rumor is that this here blog is kinda lefty, how about a Nanci Griffith (serious lefty) cover of John Prine:
Speed of The Sound Of Loneliness
Ninedragonspot
Vladimir Martynov, performed by Kronos Quartet – The Beatitudes
https://youtu.be/FskOzt6INlQ
Ruckus
@Steeplejack:
Possibly in the same vein.
Steeplejack
Back to Lou Rawls for Aleta: “Willow Weep for Me.”
Steeplejack
@Ruckus:
Bookmarked.
Ruckus
Getting back somewhere near the original direction of the thread
And for something in the same vein but completely different
Steeplejack
@Ruckus:
David Crosby, “Orleans.”
Milton Nascimento, “Dancing.”
Steeplejack
@Steeplejack:
Sorry, but I always hear this in my head after that Milton Nascimento song: the Classics IV, “Spooky.”
The Dangerman
Kind of a shame this band didn’t last (or I didn’t pay attention); again, seems fitting. Perhaps the only song I’ve ever heard that references the Vietnam Memorial Wall:
Here’s to the babies in a brand new world
Here’s to the beauty of the stars
Here’s to the travelers on the open road
Here’s to the dreamers in the bars
Here’s to the teachers in the crowded rooms
Here’s to the workers in the fields
Here’s to the preachers of the sacred words
Here’s to the drivers at the wheel
Here’s to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
I think it’s about to hit Midnight on the East Coast. Again, seems fitting. File me under dreamers..
ETA: OK, probably violate some copywrite law, but what the hell, such great lyrics and it’s close to the new day back there:
Here’s to the winners of the human race
Here’s to the losers in the game
Here’s to the soldiers of the bitter war
Here’s to the wall that bears their names
Here’s to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
Here’s to you my little loves with blessings from above
Let the day begin, let the day begin, let the day start
Here’s to the doctors and their healing work
Here’s to the loved ones in their care
Here’s to the strangers on the streets tonight
Here’s to the lonely everywhere
Here’s to the wisdom from the mouths of babes
Here’s to the lions in the cage
Here’s to the struggles of the silent war
Here’s to the closing of the age.
Here’s to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
Here’s to you my little loves with blessings from above
Let the day begin
Here’s to you my little loves with blessings from above
Let the day begin
Here’s to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin, let the day begin, let the day start
Wag
Here is my respite music. Brian Eno’s Music for Airports. Originally composed as a series of interlocking tape loops, the group Bang On A Can transposed it for acoustic instruments. Here’s a recording from a performance at the San Diego airport. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6T92kvk4nXs
Ruckus
Some unnamed artists being great.
Steeplejack
@Steeplejack:
And that’s the gateway to late-night saxophone: Dexter Gordon, “Cry Me a River.”
mrmoshpotato
,?Hey girl, you got me running? (from a werewolf)
Ruckus
A piano player you won’t believe
Ruckus
18 yr old girl busker in Scotland.
Ruckus
Fleetwood Mac in the subway
joel hanes
I’m not religious, but some of my favorite artists are.
I’m a hard atheist, except during Bach’s B-minor mass or select movements of Handel’s Messiah or reading Luke aloud.
Ruckus
Now for something completely different
Ruckus
@The Dangerman:
Here is their page, it’s still live and music can be ordered.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Ruckus:
Trippy!
WaterGirl
@hotshoe: Your comment at #36 was in Spam. Released and approved just now.
Betty
@The Dangerman: Too late for you to see hi, but thanks. Love it.
J R in WV
Wow!
Thanks everyone for all the links in this thread !! I miss musical threads like this, but this is a fine example of Balloon Juice educating us about good music of all genres. From Bach to Prine, all good.
I was heading to bed by the time this thread was posted, yesterday was a get up early for a regularly scheduled Dr appointment morning. I took a nap after I got home, was still really tired. Then I slept from 10:30 til 8 am, with breaks for letting dogs in and out.
Reggae can be great, was in New Orleans back in the mid 2000s for a work conference with a friend/co-worker and we walked the length of Bourbon Street hitting up music. The last place we stopped was a small party with a Reggae band, they were fabulous. The keyboard player was esp great, though he was seriously disabled — he could do everything he needed to with that thing… wish I knew their name.