All Things Expounded » Music

Jazz and Christian Thought

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:52:45 +0000

The Reformed Media Review has a great interview called Jazz and Christian Thought with Pamela York, a Jazz musician and the wife of a pastor of an OPC congregation in Texas.

He Was A Friend Of Mine

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:33:33 +0000

There’s an old folk song called “He Was A Friend Of Mine”, the earliest version being from “Shorty George”. Many musicians have performed this song, perhaps most notably Bob Dylan starting in 1962.

It lamented the death of a friend. Part of it went:

He was a friend of mine

He was a friend of mine

Every time I think about him now Lord I just can’t keep from cryin’

Cause he was a friend of mine

In 1963, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds rewrote this song to make it an eulogy for President Kennedy:

He was a friend of mine, he was a friend of mine
His killing had no purpose, no reason or rhyme
He was a friend of mine

He was in Dallas town, he was in Dallas town
From a sixth floor window a gunner shot him down
He was in Dallas town

He never knew my name, he never knew my name
Though I never met him I knew him just the same
Oh he was a friend of mine

Leader of a nation for such a precious time
He was a friend of mine

This song actually caused a little bit of tension among the members of The Byrds. Before singing the song at a festival in 1967, David Crosby stated he did not accept the usual explanation of the shooting (which is to some degree affirmed in the song). The other members were upset at him for littering the performance with this conspiracy theory, at least partly because it resulted in less television coverage. This, along with other events at the festival, is probably at least partially an explanation for the split between Crosby and the rest of the group. Or at least part of the progression that led to that.

Anyways, just an interesting random history flashback.

Byrds Harmony

admin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:11:35 +0000

The Byrds

If there ever was a perfunctory blog post, this may be it.

I’m planning to post a Book Log soon, and thus far I haven’t posted anything in August. So, to make it two posts in a month, I’m making this post. I promise to try to post more in September.

For one reason or another, I can’t get this song out of my head. So to be all original and everything, I figured I’d post a YouTube video which basically just contains the audio. It is a rendition of Oil In My Lamp by The Byrds (originally appearing on their eighth album, Ballad of Easy Rider, October 1969–with Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Gene Parsons and John York). The arrangement is by Parsons & White. Take that John and Paul and George and Ringo!

Mel Brown Passes Away

admin — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:16:16 +0000

This past Sunday, Mel Brown, a bluesman from the Mississippi Delta, died.
Mel’s first gig was with Sonny Boy Williamson, and he played with many greats such as B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and John Lee Hooker.

One point of interest was that Mel Brown actually lived in Kitchener, Ontario (my birth place) since 1989. Of Kitchener, he once said: “‘I love this place. I just love this place”.

Here’s a video of Mel Brown playing Crosstown:

Just For Me And You

admin — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:47:33 +0000

For all the couples out there on this here Valentine’s Day, I present to you “Just For Me And You” by Poco in 1972. I think you’ll like it if you like country rock

Richie Furray, who is the lead singer and also wrote this song, came from Buffalo Springfield (Neil Young’s first major band) and later became a Calvary Chapel pastor in Colorado. And another band member, Timothy Schmit, went on to join The Eagles.