Rebel to Redeemed…Sharing HIS Kind of Love
Now Rest Beneath Night’s Shadows was written by Paul Gerhardt. Gerhardt was born in Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany in 1607. He studied theology and wrote many hymns. He endured much suffering and lived through The Thirty Years War. Four of his five children died young and his wife endured a prolonged illness. Like many other German hymns, Gerhardt’s songs are very […]
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Oh that I had a Thousand Voices was written by Johann Mentzer. The song was first written in German and translated into English by Henry Mills. Mentzer was born born July 27, 1658, at Jahmen, near Rothenburg, in Silesia. He became a student of theology and is said to have suffered great affliction. He wrote many hymns by his 1734 […]
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My Song is Love Unknown is a hymn by Samuel Crossman. Crossman was a Puritan minister who opposed the Act of Uniformity 1662 and was exiled from the Church of England. He wrote the poem “My Song Is Love Unknown” in 1664. It was not published until he rejoined the Church of England and published in The Young Man’s Meditation […]
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The Day Thou Gavest was written by John Ellerton. The hymn was first published in 1870. Ellerton was born in London, England in 1826. He was ordained to the Church of England in 1851 and served six different churches throughout his career. He also helped to compile several hymn books. He died in England in 1893. Ellerton wrote and translated […]
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Now I Belong to Jesus was written by Norman J. Clayton. Clayton composed the tune Ellsworth in 1942 and a year later wrote the lyrics to this hymn to go with it. The hymn is sometimes referred to by it’s first line “Jesus, my Lord will love me forever”. Clayton was born on January 22, 1903 in Brooklyn, New York. […]
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More About Jesus was written by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt and John R. Sweney provided the music. More about Jesus was one of the first collaborations of Hewitt and Sweney. The song was first published in 1887 in the hymnal Glad Hallelujahs. During a visit to the Onondaga Reservation, Hewitt was adopted into the tribe. She stated “this relationship has led […]
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Sweeter as the Days Goes By was written by Genser Smith. The song has a 1984 copyright with LeFevre-Sing Publishing. The sweet hymn is often performed in the Gaither Homecoming videos. I’ve been unable to find any additional information on Genser Smith or the song. However, I love the lyrics and the reminder “The more I trust Him, the more […]
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We just celebrated the 4th of July over the weekend. Today I want to share the story behind one of our patriotic songs, Yankee Doodle Dandy. We all think about the Revolutionary War when we hear the song, however, the folk song dates back to even before the Revolutionary War. Yankee Doodle Dandy dates back to the Seven Years War. […]
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He Keep Me Singing is sometimes also referred to as Sweetest Name I know. The song was written by Luther B. Bridgers. Bridgers was born on February 14, 1884 in Margarettsville, North Carolina. He grew up assisting their father with revival meetings. He became an ordained minister in 1908-1909 after completing his training at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. He […]
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He Keep Me Singing is sometimes also referred to as Sweetest Name I know. The song was written by Luther B. Bridgers. Bridgers was born on February 14, 1884 in Margarettsville, North Carolina. He grew up assisting their father with revival meetings. He became an ordained minister in 1908-1909 after completing his training at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. He […]
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Happy Father’s Day to all our Fathers. This song story is about the best Father of all. The Lord our God. Good Good Father refers to all the ways the Lord loves his children. It’s because of who he is, not who we are. The song was written by written by Pat Barrett and Tony Brown and recorded by Chris […]
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Open my eyes that I may see was written by Clara H. Scott. She was born in Elk Grove, Illinois on December 3, 1841. In 1856, Scott attended the first Music Institute held by C.M. Cady. She married in 1861 Henry Clay Scott. She wrote at least twenty hymns and published The Royal Anthem Book in 1882, the first anthem […]
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Crying in the Chapel was written by Artie Glenn for his son, Darrell, to sing. Darrell and Artie’s band, The Rhythm Riders, recorded the song in 1953. The song was rejected by a couple of publishers before being published by Valley Publishers. The original version was released in May 1953. It became a local hit and soon spread throughout the […]
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In God We Still Trust was written by Bill and Kim Nash with assistance from Rob LeClair, President of HolyBears, Inc. The idea came about as LeClair wanted a song that addressed God in America today for his animated Children’s video series. The country group Diamond Rio recorded the song and released it on their Greatest Hits II album, “In […]
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Swing Down Sweet Chariot was recorded by Elvis Presley. It is a variation on the well-known “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” The songwriter is listed as traditional and it is unknown who altered the lyrics. The Golden Gate Quartet popularized the song in the 1940s. Elvis first recorded the song for his album His Hand in Mine and was backed up […]
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Elvis Presley is known for his love of gospel music and to often have hymn sings after his concerts. It is said he used it to “to rehearse and loosen up before concerts and at the beginning of recording sessions”. After the success of his single Peace in the Valley, Elvis was eager to record a full gospel album. His […]
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Our mothers help mold us into the people we become and is someone we never forget. As we celebrate our mother’s today, it seems a wonderful time for this song story. “That’s Someone You Never Forget” was written by Elvis Presley and his bodyguard, Red West. Presley came up with the idea and title himself. It is believed that the […]
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The chorus to Farther Along is one that is easy to get stuck in your heart and soul. Much of life we will only understand “farther along”. However, there are a lot of questions and uncertainty about the origins of this song. In 1911, Rev. W. A. Fletcher, an itinerant preacher, was struggling with his calling and family obligations. He […]
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“Lying bedridden with a near fatal illness in 1866, William C. Dix found the hope to pen the words to the joyful hymn of victory, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!” Inspired by the words of Revelation to sing a new song, this hymn calls us to lift our voices and praise the ascended Christ, who yet remains with us and intercedes […]
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The Day of Resurrection was written by St. John of Damascus, an eighth-century Greek poet. He is known for his writing of six canons for the major festivals of the church year. He lived a life of wealth and honor until he became dissatisfied with his life at age forty. He gave away his possessions, freed his slaves and entered […]
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