End Times So Very, Very Near

I think the explanation for Paul's commentary on marriage -- and how he could think he could expand the church through procreation by advocating celibacy -- is that he honestly thought the second coming of Christ was right around the corner. Given that, then the objective was not so much to create more people but to save those already in existence and then stand ready for day of Judgment.

Clearly his timing was off. The natural skeptic in me asks, "If wrong on that, what else might you have been wrong about?" But I don't feel the energy to go down that path.

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Thanks for the sample of the "And Your Bird Can Sing." It sounds like that particular take was a goofy free-for-all in the studio -- everyone having way too much fun. You're right ... I can picture George Martin sitting there thinking, "I'll let 'em play for a bit, then I'm going to have to get serious with them and clean this up for release."

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I don't have a sample of Precious Lord, Take My Hand by Tennessee Ernie Ford with me right now. I'll have to remember to do that when I get access to the files. You can listen to a clip on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000DMGT/qid=1107872419/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-6154988-1247252?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

Click on the "See all 20 tracks" link for the second disc, then go to the second to the last song on the second disk.

Note: bear in mind, that was recorded in the 1960's ... there's a bit of period flavor to the arranging.

For now, here are the lyrics to the song:

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

Music aside ... that's a beautiful poem.

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One of the things I find particularly appealing about a song -- whatever song -- is the tempo. I like songs of all tempos, but there's a certain tempo I find particularly appealing. (If that's the proper term; I suspect it's not just the raw timing of a song, but the way the song "moves" or "flows.")

As I was thinking about favorite songs last night, I remember thinking that'd I'd forgotten to add one song to the list. It's a Frank Sinatra song, but not one of the common standards like "New York, New York" or "My Way." Those are fine songs, but to my ear they don't compare to:

• The Summer Wind -- Frank Sinatra

Lyrics:

The summer wind, came blowin’ in - from across the sea
It lingered there, so warm and fair - to walk with me
All summer long, we sang a song - and strolled on golden sand
Two sweethearts, and the summer wind

Like painted kites, those days and nights - went flyin’ by
The world was new, beneath a blue - umbrella sky
Then softer than, a piper man - one day it called to you
And I lost you, to the summer wind

The autumn wind, and the winter wind - have come and gone
And still the days, those lonely days - go on and on
And guess who sighs his lullabies - through nights that never end
My fickle friend, the summer wind

This song "moves" (or "flows") as beautifully word-to-word as any I've ever heard.

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In a bid to contradict what I just said about tempo and my draw to songs of a slower tempo, let me add a final comment about what I think is one of the better "covers" of all time ... Mrs. Robinson by the Lemonheads (circa 1991, I think). They took that song and put a real knife's edge on it. Love it.

Though speaking of great covers ... the best of all time (in my humble opinion): All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix. Sorry, Dylan ... Jimi owns that song now. (I think even Bob Dylan agrees with that, if memory serves. He commented once how Hendrix's version was brilliant.)

Speaking of Jimi Hendrix ... did you know that he was a wicked blues guitar man?