Composer Gavin Bryars was living in London working on a documentary about people living in poverty. During the recording, a number of people being interviewed broke into drunken maudlin ballads and even loud opera. But one old man, who, according to Bryars, was not drinking, sang a small verse of a religious song called "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet."
He sang it without irony. He sang it seemingly in childlike faith despite his dire circumstances.
The recording of the old man was never used in the film and it was returned to Bryars. When Bryars listened to it at home he found something beautiful in the old man's singing. He improvised a simple accompaniment to the verse that built around the man's singing. Shortly after that he took the tape to the recording studio where he worked. He copied the loop of song onto a continuous reel. Knowing this would take time he left the studio with the song playing to grab a cup of coffee.
Out into the studio floated the old man's words, haunting and faith-filled:
Jesus blood never failed me yet-
never failed me yet
Jesus blood never failed me yet -
there’s one thing I know
because he loves me so
Jesus blood never failed me yet -
When Bryars returned he noticed something odd. "When I came back I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued," said Bryars. "People were moving about much more slowly than usual and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping."
He didn't understand why until he realized the tape had been playing the entire time he'd been gone and was causing a strong reaction in people. "This convinced me of the emotional power of the music and of the possibilities offered by adding a simple, though gradually evolving, orchestral accompaniment that respected the tramp's nobility and simple faith," he said.
Bryars added a swelling orchestral accompaniment around the man's voice and recorded it on Brian Eno's label in 1975. Since then, the song has moved millions. Including me.
I can tell you that the first time I heard it I was picking up my brother Kevin from the train station. Going through chemo at the time and suffering seizures at odd times he wasn't able to drive so the family would drive him in to work or the train on a daily basis. As I lived in Philadelphia and only came up during the summers, I was glad to help when I could.
So there I was waiting for him and flipping through radio stations when I heard this old man's warbling voice. In the beginning I couldn't even understand what he was saying but it soon had me transfixed. My brother came off the train and climbed in the car. Normally, he launched right in with jokes but he heard the song. We both sat in the car for twenty minutes listening. We didn't talk. We didn't drive. We just listened. We shared that moment.
So now I share it with you.
A sad note, the tramp (as he came to be known) died before he could hear what Bryars had done with his singing. I find it beautiful as millions of others have. I'll let you decide.
The first three minutes are completely without music and then the orchestration slowly builds around it.
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My husband and I do jail ministry at the local county jail. One evening we were lead to the lowest and oldest part of the facility. We had never experience this area before. The sheriff lead us down a very dark dank hallway with only one light bulb hanging from the ceiling in the center. There was another sheriff already attending to the inmates who were kept behind solid steel doors with only a slot in the center, presumably the slot they receive meals through. The inmates were telling the officer how they were going to do him in that evening and they were screaming all sort of obscenities and other treats even at us as we passed by their cells, even going to the trouble of sticking their faces up to the slots in the doors.
The officer showed us the classroom where we would share the Body of Christ with the willing inmates. It had a switch on the inside wall that would light a small red light in the hallway if we had problems with those attending the Communion Service.
We began the service against the den of voices coming from the hallway and it continued right up to the end until we started singing Amazing Grace. At first you could not tell any increase in the volume but but the third verse there was a noticeable unity of voice coming from the cells and by the time we left you could have heard a pin drop as we walked back down the hallway.
Music does indeed soothe the harden heart. With the help of the Holy Spirit.
I wish we knew his name, although I suppose it could be good we don’t since it makes him representative of anyone.
I"ll take “Panis Angelicus” or “Adorate Devote” a capella any day!!!!
I added this to my favorites list so I could back to it. Just. Beautiful.
Thank you.
Thank you, Matthew.
Anniem, this isn’t an either or situation, Gregorian chant or gospel hymns. This wouldn’t go at Mass, obviously, but neither would Panis Angelicus or Adorate Te Devote in the jail situation mentioned by elm above. You run the risk of making the best the enemy of the good, but if we do that there are very many good things which we would let go by the board to our very great loss. Similarly, Scripture, the Fathers, are the best, but should we for that reason discount the Chronicles of Narnia or “Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue?”
I am 22 minutes into listening to this and I hope to find myself singing it tomorrow on my way to work.
This is an old man singing himself into heaven.
Thanks for this article.
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Go to More Dark Than Shark at http://www.moredarkthanshark.org for everything about Brian Eno
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This song was definitely sealed on the man’s heart. Sort of like Ubi Caritas et Amore, Deus Ibi Est.
Now just try to get that song outta your head for the rest of the day.
Enjoy.
Speaking of simple, accapella sacred music,Here’s a plug for one of my favorite types, Sacred Harp. It originated in Britain & is never accompanied with instruments. The “sacred harp” refers to the human voice.Back in the day, musical instruments were forbidden in the Puritan & Calvinist-type churches.Only the psalms were sung.Little by little other accapella hymns were added & this tradition using “shape notes” continued on in early America.It pretty much died out except in Primitive Baptist & other churhes, mostly in the South.
If you google Sacred Harp or “fa so la” you can hear examples.Also in the film “Cold Mountain.“It’s very moving. The sound is something like Eastern Chant meets Bluegrass.There are still folks alive who compose shape note hymns.Pretty cool.
Wow. Simple truth is beautiful. Thank you for this Matthew.
To The God that never fails…
Jesus I Trust In YOU
Jesus I Trust In You
Jesus I Trust In You
You can listen to the composer talking about this track last year at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz1-R0TcTPY
The section about the piece starts about 36:30 with Tom Waits involvement in the piece but the whole interview is worth listening to.
I second the “Sacred Harp” recommend. It can leave you gasping with its aliveness and power. I’ve sat behind the square, listening to live performances, more than once. Amazing!
All hymns sang with love touch a chord. Elm’s great testimony is another example. God’s blessings on your jail ministry.
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