what's your favorite hymn?

[brmichaelpaul]

[JEStanek]

I might like to have this song sung over my grave. Warfare (as done by Uncle Earl)

Jamie

[SGraham]

What Wondrous Love is This, O My Soul! from William Walkers' Southern Harmony

Exceedingly beautiful melody and the words are sublime.

[Pete Counter]

Lifes Railway To Heaven
How Great Thou Art (thile)
Jesus Loves Me (Leftwich)

[pefjr]

Many of these mentioned have been my favorites over 60 years. Just recently I discovered the old Jerry Garcia/Grisman 1970's gospels with a lot of harmony that remind me of my childhood. Here is just one: Voice from on High:

[mandolirius]

"When They Ring Those Golden Bells".

01 Track 1.mp3

[Mike Bunting]

My favorite Gospel song is "Shine on Me (Let the light from the Lighthouse)" so much energy in it. Used in various ways effectively in The Ladykillers most recently. Sadly my Episcopal Church would end up singing it (if they tried) at dirge tempo. I don't play it on the mandolin... I enjoy playing carols and lenten songs on the mandolin.

Jamie

That's a great one. I love the original version by Blind Willie Johnson as well as Monroe's version.

[Ed Goist]

"When They Ring Those Golden Bells".

01 Track 1.mp3

Absolutely fantastic playing of a profoundly beautiful tune. Wow.

[Ed Goist]

All of my favorites in this category are African-American Spirituals.

Here are my two favorite versions of what is probably my favorite Spiritual:

[Ivan Kelsall]

At age 13 i was taken to see the film "A Night To Remember" about the sinking of the Titanic.One of the most famous & moving incidents of that tradgedy,was the fact that the ship's small orchestra played the beautiful Welsh hymn "Nearer My God To Thee"
as the ship was sinking.The melody is so beautiful,that since that time,the hymn has been my favourite,& since we're only 2 days away from the centenary of that terrible tradgedy,it's been in my mind for the last few days. I have many favourite hymns,but that one has to top the list. - http://youtu.be/pj-1b1Yvep8
Ivan

[neil argonaut]

When it comes down to Bluegrass or Country, probably Angel Band, I saw the Light or I'll fly away.

[eadg145]

Like fiddle tunes, I think many hymns and gospel tunes translate particularly well to octave mandolin. Every time I hear a choir, singer, or any arrangement of "Lord Of The Dance", I feel compelled to arrange it for OM.
And I'll throw in another vote for "Amazing Grace". Somehow that ends up getting played every time I pick up my Octar.

[John Duncan]

Washed in the blood
Pass me not o gentle saviour

[Bigtuna]

Great High Mountain - Larry Sparks

God's not Dead - The Johnson Mountain Boys

There are many more, but these are my current favorites.

[Marty Henrickson]

Ed, I'm glad you reminded me about spirituals. Here's Eric Bibb singing one that has been part of my interior soundtrack for the last couple of years:

And another version, with some commentary interspersed:

[Mandolin-Tele]

Johnny Cash & The Carter Family singin' "Were You There Then Crucified My Lord".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV211l4170U

[greg_tsam]

Today the Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter so here's a short clip of what you might hear.



Χριστός ανέστη, y'all!

[pefjr]

On the other hand, my grandmother went to a fundamentalist church in the U.S. and I hear her voice whenever I hear "The Old Rugged Cross" or "In the Garden" (and he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own).

I had an aunt(gone now) that loved the Old Rugged Cross and played it on the piano. She would have me join in on harmonica with her. Over the years I have had a lot of fun with that old number jazzing it up or bluesin it. I love the Rob Ickes version, as he is so good at jazz. He just gives you a slight hint as to the original melody.

[aphillips]

Here's my version of the Old Rugged Cross - live

[mandolirius]

Absolutely fantastic playing of a profoundly beautiful tune. Wow.

Well, thanks for that Ed. Doesn't look like anyone else thought much of it. Guess that's what you get for posting a guitar piece on a mandolin forum.

[Fstpicker]

Here's my version of the Old Rugged Cross - live

That was outstanding and very moving! Thanks for sharing!

Jeff

[pefjr]

Well, thanks for that Ed. Doesn't look like anyone else thought much of it. Guess that's what you get for posting a guitar piece on a mandolin forum.

Not true, I liked it and put it on my ipod, my wife liked it, put it on hers too, then my daughter and DIL put it on their's, thanks, it's very pretty. It is now working it's way around Honolulu, and Las Vegas.

aphillips, love it, thanks. Tuck your shirt in. That's not Richard Greene is it?

[mandolirius]

Thanks. Sorry if I sounded petulant. Sometimes you wonder if anyone's even clicking the link. Being online seems to demand more and more of a person all the time. And I'm not even on Facebook.

[fatt-dad]

The Episcopal hymnal has a few gems. Here's one:

1. Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets,
sing to the Lord a new song!
O victory, loud shouting army,
sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain:

He has done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

2. Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Flowers and trees, loud rustling leaves,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain

3. Trumpet and pipes, loud clashing cymbals,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre, loud humming cellos,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain

4. Engines and steel, loud pounding hammers,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams, loud building workers,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain

5. Classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band, loud cheering people,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain

6. Knowledge and truth, loud sounding wisdom,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son, loud praying members,
sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain

[John Flynn]

I sang this hymn many times in the chapel on the USS Eisenhower during three very difficult deployments in an A-6 Intruder squadron. "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" aka "The Navy Hymn." To this day, I cannot keep a dry eye when I hear it. There are many verses, but my two favorite are:

Eternal Father, Strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid'st the mighty Ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.

Lord, guard and guide the men who fly
Through the great spaces in the sky,
Be with them always in the air,
In dark'ning storms or sunlight fair.
O, Hear us when we lift our prayer,
For those in peril in the air.