“Fifteen Spirituals That Will Change Your Life” (Book Review)

Henry L. Carrigan Jr.’s recent book Fifteen Spirituals That Will Change Your Life is a delightful quick tour of fifteen hymns and spirituals. Carrigan’s guidance through these songs will educate and delight you. His book also will make you want to track down various versions of songs you have heard before and new ones you have not heard.

Carrigan, a musician and journalist who writes for No Depression, examines many of the most popular religious songs, including “Amazing Grace,” Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “How Great Thou Art,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?,” and “I’ll Fly Away.” I also learned about a few songs I had not heard before.

For each song, Carrigan tells the reader about the origin of the song. In the cases where there are known composers, he informs us about the writers. Then he provides a deeper discussion of the lyrics and the meaning of the songs, often suggesting different versions you should hear. Throughout, he often reflects on his own personal experiences with each song. Finally, he ends each chapter with a “Reflection” section, providing guidance to religious readers who want to use the songs to find a closer connection to their faith.

The well-written book is for believers, non-believers, and for all music lovers. One does not have to be religious to enjoy this book about some of our most beautiful folk songs. Atheists may skip over the short “Reflection” sections, but even they will find insight in the suggestions there. One tip: To better understand an extremely familiar song like “Amazing Grace,” find a new version to hear.

I enjoyed learning more about songs I knew. I knew the story that a former captain of a slave ship wrote “Amazing Grace,” but I did not know all of the details about the history of that song or other songs I knew.

I especially enjoyed Carrigan’s suggestions about versions of the songs to check out. Among his insight, he led me to a lovely Tina Turner version of one of the highlighted spirituals.

The book may lead you to other discoveries. I had never heard Andraé Crouch‘s “If Heaven Was Never Promised to Me,” and found it to have some of the most loving lyrics about one’s relationship with God.

The book, unfortunately, does not include complete lyrics to the songs, which I assume was a rights issue. But Carrigan quotes from the lyrics in his discussion of the songs, giving the reader some insight into the words. The purpose of his book, though, is to get you to listen to the songs, and it will send you following Carrigan’s suggestions.

In short, Fifteen Spirituals That Will Change Your Life may lead you to some life-changing discoveries. But even if it does not meet the title’s boast, the book is a delightful pleasurable and informative read about some great songs.

What is your favorite spiritual? Leave your two cents in the comments.

Some related Chimesfreedom posts.:
  • Mahalia Jackson: “Silent Night”
  • Gospel Medley With Dolly Parton, Donna Summer, Tom Jones, and Mac Davis
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Stars (Part 5): Cash & Byrds
  • Marty Brown Jr. Praise Band: “Jesus Paid It All”
  • Richard Shindell’s “The Ballad of Mary Magdalene”
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers 4: Morning, Flying & Mystery
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Stars (Part 5): Cash & Byrds

    Pop Gospel Songs

    Chimesfreedom continues its periodic discussion of the best gospel songs by popular singers.  In this Post, we consider recordings by Johnny Cash and The Byrds.

    “Spiritual,” Johnny Cash

    I am not sure why it has taken me until this far into our “Gospel Songs by Pop Stars” series to write about “Spiritual” because I love this song. Johnny Cash, of course, recorded a number of religious songs though his career, but this one recorded near the end of his life stands out for me.

    “Spiritual” was written by Josh Haden, son of great jazz bassist Charlie Haden. There are other excellent versions of the song, including one of Josh singing on his father’s 2008 album, Rambling Boy. But Johnny Cash’s version from his 1996 Unchained album gets me every time.

    The song starts slow and hypnotic, gradually building to an emotional cry of pain. Beautiful.

    “I Like the Christian Life,” The Byrds

    The Byrds, under the influence of Gram Parsons, recorded “I Like the Christian Life” for their Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (1968) album. The excellent album is largely credited as a major catalyst for the country-rock movement, and “The Christian Life” was a cover of a classic Louvin Brothers song for the hippie crowd.

    On a rock record, one might expect the song to translate into tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, but the song feels genuine in its praise of living a simple Christian life. It is hard to imagine an album by a major pop group including a song like this one today.

    Originally, the Byrds recorded the song with Gram Parsons singing lead vocal, but a dispute about Parson’s contract with another record company, the Byrds replaced Parsons’s lead vocals on some of the songs. Some believe that the change was also motivated by the band’s concern that the album was becoming too much of a Gram Parsons project.

    So, the official album version featured Roger McGuinn’s vocals dubbed into the lead. Both versions are excellent and appear on re-issues. Below is McGuinn’s version that was originally released on the CD.

    For comparison, below is a rehearsal take featuring Gram Parsons singing lead.

    Check out other posts in our series on Gospel Songs by Pop Singers.

    What is your favorite gospel song by a popular singer? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Charlie Haden’s “Spiritual”
  • Sturgill Simpson: “You Don’t Miss Your Water”
  • The Byrds Release “Mr. Tambourine Man”
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers 4: Morning, Flying & Mystery
  • Great Song, Bad Name: Hot Burrito #1
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers 3: Ready, Walk, Great
  • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    Marty Brown Jr. Praise Band: “Jesus Paid It All”

    Chimesfreedom has previously noted that country singer-songwriter Marty Brown‘s talent seems to run in his family. Brown’s son Marty Brown Jr. has recorded some songs with his father, and recently the proud father posted some videos of a performance by the Marty Brown Jr. Praise Band.

    While the video is of a live performance, with the usual sound problems that live performances can have, Marty Jr. and his band do an excellent job on the classic hymn. Check it out and listen to that voice.

    The lyrics to “Jesus Paid It All” were written a long time ago by Elvina Hall (1822-1889), a member of the Monument Street Methodist Church in Baltimore, Maryland. Hall was sitting in the choir loft at church bored during services when she came up with the words for “Jesus Paid It All.” With no paper, she began writing down the lyrics on the pages of a hymn book. Subsequently a pastor at the church came up with idea to combine Hall’s lyrics with music written by choir director John T. Grape for a song called “All to Christ I Owe.” It was a great combination.

    Speaking of great combinations, Marty Brown Jr. is currently touring as part of his father’s backup band, The Kentucky Wildcats.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • “Boomtown”: The Debut Album from Maceo
  • The Great Lost Career of Marty Brown
  • George Strait Sings a Marty Brown Song: “To the Moon” (Song of the Day)
  • Marty Brown Sings “There’s a Honky Tonk in Heaven”
  • Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Opens Exhibit on Marty Brown
  • Tune In For a Live Marty Brown Concert Online
  • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    Richard Shindell’s “The Ballad of Mary Magdalene”

    I have a soft spot for songs that take a figure from a religion and helps us see the human side of that figure. After all, as humans we can best connect to understanding other human qualities, so songs that make that connection have a special power. A beautiful song that makes this connection is Richard Shindell’s “The Ballad of Mary Magdalene,” which captures the heartbreak of the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

    Richard Shindell Courier AmazonJesus loved me this I know,
    Why on earth did he ever have to go?
    He was always faithful;
    He was always kind;
    But he walked off with this heart of mine.

    “The Ballad of Mary Magdalene” first appeared on Shindell’s album Blue Divide (1994), and he also recorded the song along with Dar Williams and Lucy Kaplansky in their “supergroup” Cry Cry Cry on their 1998 self-titled album. More recently, it appears on Shindell’s live album, Courier (2012).

    Shindell has a distinctive voice that is great at capture the pathos behind a song. The video below features Richard Shindell playing “The Ballad of Mary Magdalene” at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio on February 24, 2010.

    What is your favorite song about a religious figure that captures a human connection? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • “Fifteen Spirituals That Will Change Your Life” (Book Review)
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Stars (Part 5): Cash & Byrds
  • Marty Brown Jr. Praise Band: “Jesus Paid It All”
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers 4: Morning, Flying & Mystery
  • Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire!
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers 3: Ready, Walk, Great
  • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    Buy from Amazon

    Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers 4: Morning, Flying & Mystery

    O Brother Where Art Thou

    In response to popular demand, Chimesfreedom continues its periodic discussion of the best gospel songs by pop singers. In this Post, we consider one gospel song overwhelmingly identified with one pop singer, another gospel song that is recorded by many singers, and finally, a beautiful song about being an agnostic that deserves a place next to other songs of faith.

    “Morning Has Broken,” Cat Stevens.

    This song is so associated with Cat Stevens — now Yusaf Islam — that for a long time, I thought it was one of his original songs. But the Christian hymn first appeared in 1931, and the music goes back even further to the nineteenth century as a traditional Gaelic tune, “Bunessan.”

    “Morning has Broken” is a simple song with a simple message of being thankful for each day: “Praise with elation, praise every morning / God’s recreation of the new day.”


    “I’ll Fly Away,” Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch.

    Alfred E. Brumley wrote “I’ll Fly Away” in 1931. He was picking cotton when he came up with the song. As he later explained: “I was dreaming of flying away from that cotton field when I wrote I’ll Fly Away.” Many believe the song is the most-recorded gospel song of all time. If true, it is not surprising because it is a beautiful song.

    A number of country singers have recorded the song, including Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Charley Pride, Jim Reeves, and Alan Jackson. Etta James does an uplifting version. Kanye West does an excellent version too. I especially like Alison Krauss’s version, and in particular this version with Gillian Welch from the film O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000).

    “Let the Mystery Be,” Iris DeMent.

    One might dispute including “Let the Mystery Be” from Iris DeMent’s Infamous Angel (1993) album in a discussion of Gospel songs because the song reflects DeMent’s agnosticism rather than faith in a higher power. Yet, the song only could have been written by someone who was raised in a religious environment.

    DeMent grew up in a Pentecostal family where she was not allowed to listen to non-gospel music, and the song brings out the division between her upbringing and her adult beliefs. But “letting the mystery be” takes a leap of faith too. And, as in many of the best gospel songs, it highlights a beautiful struggle in a beautiful song.

    Some say they’re goin’ to a place called Glory and I ain’t saying it ain’t a fact.
    But I’ve heard that I’m on the road to purgatory and I don’t like the sound of that.
    Well, I believe in love and I live my life accordingly.
    But I choose to let the mystery be.

    See our other posts in our series of Gospel Songs by Pops Singers.

    What is your favorite Gospel song by a pop singer? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • “I’ll Fly Away” and the Prisoner
  • Chris Cornell and Yusaf / Cat Stevens Sing “Wild World” (Duet of the Day)
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Stars (Part 5): Cash & Byrds
  • John Prine Releasing New Album, “For Better, For Worse”
  • Sweet Victory . . . and Sweet Forgiveness
  • Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers 3: Ready, Walk, Great
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