Just because I didn’t buy into the view that the mysterious origin of the universe and all existence, like our own, could be explained by positing some creative being whose own existence just had to be accepted with no questions asked, doesn’t mean that I rejected musical offerings by the theistically inspired.  Good music can come from a huge variety of sources in a huge variety of styles, religion being one.  So I reckoned that today would be a good Friday to post a few of my faves.

          First up is I Saw the Light.  It’s written by the great Hillbilly Shakespeare, Hank Williams.  I like many of his songs so what first got me was the catchy melody and soon enough the honest simplicity of the message.  I don’t feel compelled to parse every last phrase and its main theme is easily understood metaphorically.  While Hank, much like Leonard Cohen or the Beatles, typically does the definitive versions of his songs, the one below is lots of fun.  It’s faithful to the spirit of Hank’s original, it includes the Carter family and it’s a glimpse of the early days of television.  So what if the video quality is off. 

          Next we go to Ireland, a country that I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited a few times.  This is Tommy Makem singing Lord of the Dance.  The lyrics are cleverly composed and I’ve always enjoyed Makem’s voice.

          The first two had lively melodies so we’ll change the pace now.  Ever since I first heard The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Will The Circle Be Unbroken album back in the 70s, I’ve been a big fan of Doc Watson.  There’s a sweet authenticity to his voice, rather like  honey and grits, and although I prefer his bouncier songs like The Tennessee Stud, Way Downtown or Shady Grove, the following is just beautiful.

          And did someone mention Will The Circle Be Unbroken?  It wrapped up the album and will do the same for this post.  You’d have to be a pretty hard-hearted non-believer not to be moved by the fellow-feeling of this performance.