Albertina Walker - Topic, Sep 24, 2015
Best of Albertina Walker
℗ 1996 Zomba Recording LLC
Released on: 2004-05-25
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents lyrics for the 1903 Christian hymn ""In Shady Green Pastures" (also known as "God Leads His Dear Children Along" or "God Leads Us Along").
This post also showcases seven examples of this hymn. Two of these examples are performed as a hymn and five are what I call "gospelized hymns". "Gospelized hymns" is my term for hymns that are performed in a Gospel style, particularly in a Black Gospel style.
The content of this post is presented for religious, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain withtheir owners.
Thanks to G. A. Young for composing this song. Thanks to all those who are featured in this examples that are showcased in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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LYRICS -" IN SHADY GREEN PASTURES" (also known as "God Leads His Dear Children Along" or "God Leads Us Along")
(composer: G. A. Young (George Young), 1903)
1 In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along;
where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.
Refrain:
Some through the waters, some through the flood,
some through the fire, but all through the blood;
some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
in the night season and all the day long.
2 Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,
God leads His dear children along;
sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,
God leads His dear children along.
3 Though sorrows befall us and Satan oppose,
God leads His dear children along;
through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,
God leads His dear children along.
4 Away from the mire and away from the clay,
God leads His dear children along;
away up in glory, eternity’s day,
God leads His dear children along.
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ADDITIONAL YOUTUBE EXAMPLES
SHOWCASE #2 (Christian Hymn) - Bill & Gloria Gaither - God Leads Us Along [Live] ft.
Sue Dodge
Gaither Music TV, Dec 6, 2012
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SHOWCASE #3 - In Shady Green Pastures God Leads His Dear Children Along
Some Though the Shadows
Mission Minded Teacher, Sep 26, 2020
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SHOWCASE #4: (African American Gospelized Hymn) - Rev. James Cleveland - "God Leads His Children"
Rev. James Cleveland and the Southern California Community
Choir - Topic
Having Church ℗ 1990 Savoy Records, Inc.
Released on: 1990-04-27
Main Artist: Rev.
James Cleveland
Main Artist: The
Southern California Community Choir
Composer: Calvin B. Rhone:
Music Publisher:
Calvin Rhone Publishing
-snip-
Calvin B. Rhone is the arranger of this version of G.A. Young's song.
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SHOWCASE #5 (African American Gospelized Hymn) - God Leads His Children Along
Bishop G.E. Patterson - Topic, Nov 7, 2014
Provided to YouTube by Syntax Creative
Recorded Live In Memphis, TN Volume 2
℗ 2006 Podium Records
Released on: 2006-01-01
Main Artist: Bishop
G.E. Patterson
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SHOWCASE #6 (Jamaican Gospelized Hymn) - In Shady Green Pastures || The Echoes Of Faith Choir
PFMFamily, Feb 15, 2018
-snip-
Here's information about PFM from https://www.youtube.com/@PFMFamilyMusic
"Description
Welcome to PFMFamilyMusic. This channel is dedicated to
serving you with videos of the various Choir & Music Ministry of the Power
Of Faith Ministries International.
Visit Us
Lot 13, Portmore Town Centre, Portmore
St. Catherine , Jamaica W.I"
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7icQQiOWd8s&list=RD7icQQiOWd8s&start_radio=1 for a 2012 YouTube video of a rendition of this song by the same church.
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SHOWCASE #7- (Jamaican-American Gospelized Hymn) -
FUTIM-NJ, Jan 18, 2010
Co-Pastor Evangelist P. Faulknor ministers in song before
bringing the Word.
-snip-
"FUTIM" = First United Tabernacle International
Ministries, Inc. (East Orange, NJ)
This church has a strong Jamaican influence through its
founder, pastor/s and congregation.
Bishop Lloyd L. Faulknor, who founded this church in 1983 and was its Senior
Pastor, was born in the parish of Manchester, Jamaica.
https://www.futimnj.org/seniorpastor
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Here's a comment about the history of the song "In Shady Green pastures" (also known as "God Leads His Dear Children Along" or "God Leads Us Along")
ReplyDeleteFrom the discussion thread for the Showcase Example #2 in this pancocojams post -Bill & Gloria Gaither - God Leads Us Along [Live] ft. Sue Dodge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvi5nRidGns&list=RDdvi5nRidGns&start_radio=1
@nathanaellee8356, 2018
"A short history of this song: God Leads Us Along was written by Dr George Young after tragically losing his family and new home in an arson fire started by two disgruntled church members. Dr Young a vibrant Baptist preacher considered taking his own life after such heartbreak when he was by his own admission deep in depression God showed him in a personal and loving way that even in the darkest of night God was still leading him in his sorrow and despair has he had in the joyful times."
Here's another comment from that same discussion thread:
ReplyDelete@annschwartz6429, 2020
"This song is featured in James Baldwin's novel "Just Above My Head," along with other gospel lyrics. The main character's brother is a gospel singer and he and his brother and his accompanist are invited to sing in a Black church in Richmond during the civil rights movement. Now I understand how this song foreshadows the death of the accompanist "to the high-pitched rebel squeal of a laugh."
-snip-
African American novelist James Baldwin's book "Just Above My Head" was first published in 1979.
Some of these showcased gospelized hymns didn't have a discussion thread feature. In the discussion threads for those African American, Jamaican, and Jamaican American gospelized hymn videos many of the commenters had very fond memories of "In Shady Green Pastures" and lamented that a lot of church choirs and congregations nowadays don't sing this song or other old hymns.