Cowboy Church #246

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with a medley of What Child Is This and Sweet Little Jesus Boy. This comes from their 1967 album, Christmas Is Always.

This is followed by Floyd Cramer with O Holy Night. This hymn was written in 1847. The lyricist for the song (even though this is an instrumental version here) was Placide Cappeau. Cappeau was a poet who rarely wrote about Christian subjects; however, the local priest asked him to write a poem for Christmas mass. He didn't know what to write so he looked at the story of Jesus' birth in the book of Luke and tried to place himself there. He then asked his friend Adolphe Charles Adams (who had composed over 80 operas) to write some music. This hymn would gain controversy in France, when the church learned of its writers. Cappeau had left the church and joined the socialist party. Adams was not Christian, but rather Jewish. The idea that neither of the writers of a Christian hymn were in fact Christian, upset many church leaders. These church leaders denounced the song and deemed it not fit to sing in a church. Yet despite this the hymn was one of the most popular Christmas songs in France at the time. This recording comes from Floyd's 1996 album, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. 

Afterwards is the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937recording of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. This hymn began with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.

Then comes Washington Phillips with his 1929 recording of I Had a Good Father and Mother.


This is followed by Johnny Cash with I Heard thew Bells on Christmas Day. This song began as a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on December 25th, 1864. At this time the United States was still in the midst of a civil war and this poem reflected and commented on this, ending with a message of hope, that even through all this war and violence, "God is not dead nor does he sleep." This poem featured two stanzas that were not used in the later hymn that directly referenced the Civil War. John B. Calkin composed the music in 1872.

Next comes Gene Autry with Frosty the Snowman. Gene recorded and released this song in 1950 (with When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter as a B-side). Later that same year, Jimmy Durante recorded it later the same year. This song was written by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins, who wrote another holiday themed song (though for a different holiday), Here Comes Peter Cottontail, which Gene Autry also recorded in 1950.

Next is Emmylou Harris singing Light of the Stable. Emmylou recorded this song in 1975. She would later state "Light of the Stable is one of my favorite tracks we ever cut. It was the jelling of the original recording group, the combination of Brain's [Brain Ahern] production and how incredibly creative those guys were was perfect. There is almost more space on the track then there are notes and I always loved that." The song would become the title track of her 1979 Christmas album, which I personally consider one of my favorite Christmas albums. [the quote comes from the liner notes of that album]

Today's musical selection ends with Gillian Welch performing Beulah Land.  

Now for a Christmas Sermon.

Today's movie is Tex Ritter in The Whispering Skull (1944). 

Psalm 76

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.

1 God is renowned in Judah;

    in Israel his name is great.

2 His tent is in Salem,

    his dwelling place in Zion.

3 There he broke the flashing arrows,

    the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.

4 You are radiant with light,

    more majestic than mountains rich with game.

5 The valiant lie plundered,

    they sleep their last sleep;

not one of the warriors

    can lift his hands.

6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob,

    both horse and chariot lie still.

7 It is you alone who are to be feared.

    Who can stand before you when you are angry?

8 From heaven you pronounced judgment,

    and the land feared and was quiet—

9 when you, God, rose up to judge,

    to save all the afflicted of the land.

10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,

    and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.

11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;

    let all the neighboring lands

    bring gifts to the One to be feared.

12 He breaks the spirit of rulers;

    he is feared by the kings of the earth.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.