Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama, There Will Be A Light (amazon.com).

I subscribe to Rhapsody; this one has been off-limits for the past few years (after its initial release). On a whim I checked today, and it's available. Yee-Haw!

Track List:

1. Take My Hand
2. Wicked Man
3. Where Could I Go
4. Church House Steps
5. 11th Commandment
6. Well Well Well
7. Picture of Jesus
8. Satisfied Mind
9. Mother Pray
10. There Will Be A Light
11. Church On Time

Of the album, one Amazon reviewer says, "Is this gospel music? If it is, then I love gospel music."

Lyle Lovett, from his song "This Old Porch". I'm listening to his "Anthology Vol. 1: Cowboy Man (amazon.com)", though it was originally on his 1986 self-titled release (amazon.com). Here's the verse:

This old porch is like a steamin', greasy plate of enchiladas
With lots of cheese and onions, and guacamole salad
And you can get 'em down at the La Salle Hotel in old downtown
With iced tea and a waitress, and she will smile every time

I can't tell you why I like this, but I'll try. Each verse of the song uses scenes like this to describe the comfort of sitting on an old porch. In this verse, can't you just taste the stuff he's describing, and picture the setting?

Each verse is great, but for some reason — perhaps because I think I can actually smell the "steamin', greasy plate of enchiladas" every time he sings the line — I like this verse the best.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain,
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name

(Refrain)

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead

(Refrain)

The best version of the song is that done by Jacob's Trouble on their "... let the truth run wild" album, which you may have to hunt around to find (unless it's been re-released recently).

It's true. Soul Brother #1, a.k.a. The hardest working man in show business, a.k.a. The godfather of soul, the one and only James Brown has passed away.

The obituary on Slate is a decent read, complete with links to YouTube for some of Brown's best work. The best paragraph?

Brown's showmanship merged the fervent emotionalism of the black church with pure showbiz—flashy clothes, vaudevillian theatrics, sweat-drenched movement, and a pompadour flamboyant enough to inspire Al Sharpton (and countless pimps). He was the model for all pop performers who followed him. After Brown, even the whitest white boy felt compelled to shake it a little onstage.

I've blogged twice about JB so it is only appropriate to point to those entries today.

• March 11, 2005: The "James Brown - Semeia Funkadelic Discourse" Rhapsody Playlist. Blogged upon finding out that the SBL's Semeia journal (entire journal series available for Logos Bible Software) actually interacts with James Brown song titles from a theological perspective. I'll never think of the song "It's Too Funky in Here (Open up the Windows)" in the same light.
• July 20, 2006: Shamanah! Blogged upon realizing that JB's common epithet "Shamanah!" is likely Brown-speak for the phrase, "Show me now!"

Below are the lyrics to a song called My Savior, My God by Aaron Shust that have been running through my head with some frequency over the past month. The below are the verses, they are taken from an older hymn. Shust's chorus (which I've not reproduced here) is his own. Me? I like the verses, so that's what I reproduce. Read, think and meditate on them.

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at his right hand
Stands one who is my savior

I take him at his word and deed
Christ died to save me, this I read
And in my heart I find a need
For him to be my savior

That he would leave his place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my savior

Yes, living, dying; let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring
That he who lives to be my king
Once died to be my savior

That he would leave his place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my savior

I believe you can listen to the song on Rhapsody, whether you're a subscriber or not Rhapsody provides 25 free plays per month per IP, I think.

(Thanks, Bob, for mentioning the song a few months ago)