MP3 John Paul Sharp - Spiritual
Electronic interpretations of African-American spirituals with etheral vocals.
14 MP3 Songs
GOSPEL: Traditional Gospel, KIDS/FAMILY: Kid Friendly
Details:
When I first began listening to Nina Simone, I was in my first year of college, back in 1998. The first song I ever heard was "Pirate Jenny." This song stuck such a huge chord in me, I was literally a changed person from that moment on.
I discovered all of the recordings of Nina Simone and some of my favorites are the traditional African-American gospels, or spirituals.
She is the inspiration behind my decision to create an entire album of electronic interpretations of these old songs. I present to you a collection of music that I hope will be seen as a testimony to the influence and power of the African-American in the history of music and the history of time.
Some of these songs were complete discoveries for me and I have had the privelege and pleasure of getting to know some extremely beautiful songs. Other songs, like "Nobody Knows the Troubles I''ve Seen" and "This Little Light of Mine" were familiar, but all the more open to originality in sound.
Also, I find each track to have a very unique and specific feeling. There are musical twists and bends with an unexpected choice of interpretation.
The album, as a whole, contains all kinds of instrument sounds, including various bells, sitars, guitars, piano, whistles and flutes, string orchestras amd other, more synthetic ambience.
What is even more striking than the quality of arrangement is the creative vocal work on each track. At times, the vocals are straightforward and clear and other times, the vocals are very ethereal in a choral style. The additional composition of backwards vocals adds a sense of emotional drama that normal, forward voices cannot replicate.
Within the element of rhythm and percussion, you can expect everything from Hip-Hop drums to high energy Rock to softer, ambient tablas. I also put to use many non-rhythmic sounds to give the songs a living feeling.
When you add all these qualities, you get 14 moving songs that both children and adults can enjoy.
This album is truly a treasure trove of American History in music. The songs tell tales of wonder, pain, joy and the power of prayer.
Thank you listening and I hope you enjoy these traditional African-American spirituals. The following are lyrics for all the songs:
All My Trials:
If religion was a thing that money could buy
The rich would live and the poor would die
Chorus:
All my trials Lord, will soon be over
Too late my brothers,
Too late but never mind
All my trials Lord, will soon be over.
Go to sleep my little baby and don''t you cry
Your dad was born just to live and die
Repeat Chorus
Oh, I have a little book that sets me free
My bible, it spells "LIBERTY"
Repeat Chorus
Yes, a man was born to suffer agony
His will to live spells "VICTORY"
Repeat Chorus
Deep River:
Deep River my home is over Jordan
Deep River Lord I want to cross over into campground.
Oh, don''t you want to go over?
To that gospel feast?
That promised land
Where all is peace
Oh, Deep River, My home is over Jordan
Deep River, I want to cross over into campground
I want to cross over to Lord
Didn''t My Lord Deliver Daniel?:
Didn''t my Lord deliver Daniel?
And why not every man?
He delivered Daniel from the lion''s den
Jonah from de belly of da whale
And de Hebrew children from the firey furnace
And why not for every man?
Didn''t my Lord deliver Daniel?
And why not every man?
De moon run down in a purple stream
To some forebear to shine And every star will dissapear
King Jesus shall be mine.
Didn''t my Lord deliver Daniel? And why not every man?
De win blow eas and de win blow wes
And it blow like judgement day
And every soul dat never did pray
Will be glad to be praying that day
I set my foot on the gospel ship
And the ship begin to sail
It landed me over on Caanan shore
And I''ll never come back no more
Didn''t my Lord deliver Daniel? And why not every man?
Every Time I Feel the Spirit:
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin'' in my heart
I will pray.
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin'' in my heart
I will pray.
Up in de mountain
My Lord spoke
Out his mouth came
Fire and smoke
All around me
Looks so shine
Ask my Lord if all was mine.
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin'' in my heart
I will pray.
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin'' in my heart
I will pray.
Jordan River
Runs right cold
Chills the body, not the soul.
Ain''t but one train
On one track
Runs to heaven and right back.
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin'' in my heart
I will pray.
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin'' in my heart
I will pray
Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho:
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumblin'' down.
Repeat
You may talk about your man of Gideon
You may talk about your man of Saul
There''s none as good as Joshua at the Battle of Jericho
Up in the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
"Go blow dem ram horns" Joshua cried
"''Cause the battle is in my hands."
Den the lam ram sheep horns begin to blow
The trumpets begin for to sound
Lord, Old Joshua commanded the chillun to shout
And the walls come tumblin down, dat morning
Repeat Chorus
Let Us Break Bread Together:
Let us break bread together on our knees.
Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
Oh, Lord, have mercy on me
Let us drink wine together on our knees.
Let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
Oh, Lord, have mercy on me
Let us praise the Lord together on our knees.
Let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
Oh, Lord, have mercy on me
Never Said a Mumblin'' Word:
Oh, they whipped him up the hill
Oh, they whipped him up the hill
And he never said a mumblin'' word
Oh, they whipped him up the hill
And he never said a mumblin'' word
He just hung his head and he cried
Oh they crowned him with a thorny crown
Oh they whipped him with a thorny crown
And he never said a mumblin'' word
Oh they whipped him with a thorny crown
And he never said a mumblin'' word
He just hung his head and cried.
Oh, they nailed him to the cross
Oh, they nailed him to the cross
And he never said a mumblin'' word
Oh, they nailed him to the cross
And he never said a mumblin'' word
He just hung his head and cried.
Well they pierced him in the side
Well they pierced him in the side W
ell they pierced him in the side
He just hung his head and cried.
Well, the blood came twinklin'' down
Oh, the blood came twinklin'' down
And he never said a mublin'' word
Well, the blood came twinklin'' down
And he never said a mumblin'' word
He just hung his head down and cried.
Nobody Knows the Troubles I''ve Seen:
Nobody knows the trouble I see
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the troubles I see
Glory Hallelujah!
Sometimes I''m up, Sometimes I''m down.
Oh yes, Lord!
Sometimes I''m almost to the ground
Oh yes, Lord!
Nobody knows the trouble I see,
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the troubles I see
Glory Hallelujah!
Although you see me going long so,
Oh, Yes, Lord!
I have my troubles here below,
Oh, Yes, Lord
Oh, nobody knows the trouble I see
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the troubles I see
Glory Hallelujah!
What makes old Satan hate me so?
Oh, yes, Lord
''cause he got me once and let me go
Oh, Yes, Lord.
Nobody knows the trouble I see
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the troubles I see
Glory Hallelujah!
Oh, Freedom:
Intro:
Oh, Freedom
Oh, Freedom
Oh, Freedom
Verse 1: Oh, Freedom
Oh, Freedom
Oh, Freedom over me
Chorus:
And before I''d be a slave,
I''d be buried in my grave,
And go home to my Lord
And be free.
Verse 2:
No more mourning,
No more mourning,
No more mourning over me.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 3:
No more weeping,
No more weeping,
No more weeping over me.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 4:
No more fighting,
No more fighting,
No more fighting, if you please.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 5:
There''ll be singing,
Yes, There''ll be singing,
There''ll be singing over me.
And before I''d be a slave,
I''ll be dancing on my grave,
And go home to my Lord and be free.
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child:
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long way from home
A long way from home
True believer
A long way from home
A long way from home.
Sometimes I feel like I''m almost gone.
Sometimes I feel like I''m almost gone.
Sometimes I feel like I''m almost gone.
Way up in the heaven''ly land
Way up in the heaven''ly land
True believer
Way up in the heaven''ly land
Way up in the heaven''ly land
Standing in the Need of Prayer:
It''s me, It''s me, It''s me, O'' Lord
Standing in the need of prayer.
It''s me, It''s me, It''s me, O'' Lord
And I''m standing in the need of prayer.
It''s me, It''s me, It''s me, O'' Lord
Standing in the need of prayer.
It''s me, It''s me, It''s me, O'' Lord
And I''m standing in the need of prayer.
''Taint my mother or my father but it''s me, O''Lord
Standing in the need of prayer
''Taint my father or my mother, it''s me, O''Lord.
''Taint my deacon or my leader, it''s me, O'' Lord.
Standing in the Need of Prayer
''Taint my deacon or my leader, it''s me, O'' Lord.
Standing in the Need of Prayer
It''s me, It''s me, It''s me, O'' Lord
Standing in the need of prayer.
It''s me, It''s me, It''s me, O'' Lord
And I''m standing in the need of prayer.
Standing Need Prayer
Standing Need Prayer
Steal Away:
Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus.
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain''t got long to say here.
My Lord, he calls me,
He calls me by the thunder.
The trumpet sounds within''a''my soul
I ain''t got long to stay here.
Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus.
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain''t got long to stay here.
Green trees, a''bending,
Poor sinners stand a''trembling,
The trumpet sounds within''a''my soul
I ain''t got long to stay here.
Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus.
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain''t got long to stay here.
My Lord, he calls me,
He calls me by the lightning
The trumpet sounds within''a''my soul
I ain''t got long to stay here.
The Lonesome Road:
Look down, look down that lonely road,
Hang down your head and cry
Look up, look up to meet your Maker,
He looks for you from on high.
Look down, look down that lonesome road,
Hand down your head and cry.
I loved , I lost, My days are numbered,
O'' Lord, I want to die.
Look down, look down that lonesome road,
Where love has come and gone.
Look up, look up, you''ll find a new love,
And keep travellin'' on.
This Little Light of Mine:
This little light of mine,
I''m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I''m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine
I''m gonna let it shine
Every day, every day, every day
Gonna'' let my little light shine.
On Monday, he gave me the gift of love
On Tuesday, peace came from above
On Wednesday, told me to have more faith
On Thursday, gave me a little more grace.
On Friday, told me to watch and pray
On Saturday, told me just what to say
On Sunday, gave me the power divine
Just to let my little light shine.
This little light of mine
I''m gonna'' let it shine.
This little light of mine
I''m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine
I''m gonna'' let it shine
Every day, every day, every day
Gonna'' let my little light shine.