From: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org (good-noise-digest) To: good-noise-digest@smoe.org Subject: good-noise-digest V5 #45 Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org Sender: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk good-noise-digest Wednesday, April 17 2002 Volume 05 : Number 045 Today's Subjects: ----------------- People Get Ready - Lyrics and a comment [ThePsyche@aol.com] Re: People Get Ready - Lyrics and a comment [" Gina" ] RE: People Get Ready - Lyrics and a comment ["Susan Krauss" > Songs of faith and inspiration have always been an important part of folk music. They have always been songs that stir the mind and the spirit. To me, with a song like People Get Ready, it doesn't matter what your faith is, the lyrics are for everybody. To question whether John has "gone religious" made me feel a bit uneasy. So what if he did? While I am not someone who attends a particular denomination regularly, ours in a spiritual and religious household. We believe in God. We believe in a higher power. My husband is a practicing Hindu and we are raising our son in that faith. A strong faith (whatever that means to each of you) is something I see as important during these volatile times. I find (and this is what is so wonderful about music) many of John's songs to be spiritually based. His personal religious convictions are of no interest to me. But, what I take from his music, that is up to me. I love the song People Get Ready. To me it speaks to how we need to change ourselves in the face of all the violence and hate and racism in the world. So much is being waged in the world "in the name of a God." No matter what your religious principals, (yours, mine or John Gorka's) we are all part of the problem and all part of the solution. The last verse of the song says it all for me, Faith is the key, Open the doors and board on, There's room for all. Its about acknowledging differences, accepting people in spite of the diversity because in the end, we are really more alike than we are different. I can't wait to hear John perform that song, hope it is still in rotation the end of this month in Chicago. By that time maybe he will have added "Onward Christian Soldiers" to the set list too. The next time you see the banner proclaiming, "God Bless America" think about changing it in your head to "God Bless the World" Namaste, Bryn, the music junkie ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 21:32:51 -0500 From: " Gina" Subject: Re: People Get Ready - Lyrics and a comment See, this is why I feel religion and music don't mix unless the performer is clearly defined, as in praise or gospel music singers. It makes people uncomfortable. It also doesn't do much for a folk singer's career. Bob Dylan comes to mind. He alienated throngs of people when he was doing his Jesus thing. There is a passage in "People Get Ready" about sinning and "no hiding place from the Kingdom's throne." And the whole people get ready line is implying the coming of Jesus. "Amongst who loves the most," is implying loving Christ, not really each other. It's all about getting Jesus and being ready for his coming. It's gospel. It makes me uncomfortable. As someone who has had a life and family that has been profoundly affected by religious persecution, it really does make me feel uneasy. I'd much rather hear this one, which is more about brotherhood than salvation. I wonder what Cat thinks of this song now? Now I've been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come And I believe it could be, something good has begun Oh I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again Now I've been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come And I believe it could be, something good has begun Oh peace train sounding louder Glide on the peace train Come on now peace train Yes, peace train holy roller Everyone jump upon the peace train Come on now peace train Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too Cause it's getting nearer, it soon will be with you Now come and join the living, it's not so far from you And it's getting nearer, soon it will all be true Now I've been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is Why must we go on hating, why can't we live in bliss Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 9:34 AM Subject: People Get Ready - Lyrics and a comment > People get ready > There's a train a-comin' > You don't need no baggage > Just get on board > All you need is faith > To hear the diesel hummin' > You don't need no ticket > Just thank the lord > > People get ready > For the train to Jordan > It's pickin' up passengers > From coast to coast > Faith is the key > Open the doors and board on > There's room for all > Amongst who loves the most > > > Gina inquired: > > << Well, I hope he's not going religious on us. >> > > Songs of faith and inspiration have always been an important part of folk > music. They have always been songs that stir the mind and the spirit. To me, > with a song like People Get Ready, it doesn't matter what your faith is, the > lyrics are for everybody. > > To question whether John has "gone religious" made me feel a bit uneasy. So > what if he did? > > While I am not someone who attends a particular denomination regularly, ours > in a spiritual and religious household. We believe in God. We believe in a > higher power. My husband is a practicing Hindu and we are raising our son in > that faith. A strong faith (whatever that means to each of you) is something > I see as important during these volatile times. > > I find (and this is what is so wonderful about music) many of John's songs to > be spiritually based. His personal religious convictions are of no interest > to me. But, what I take from his music, that is up to me. > > I love the song People Get Ready. To me it speaks to how we need to change > ourselves in the face of all the violence and hate and racism in the world. > So much is being waged in the world "in the name of a God." No matter what > your religious principals, (yours, mine or John Gorka's) we are all part of > the problem and all part of the solution. > > The last verse of the song says it all for me, Faith is the key, Open the > doors and board on, There's room for all. Its about acknowledging > differences, accepting people in spite of the diversity because in the end, > we are really more alike than we are different. > > I can't wait to hear John perform that song, hope it is still in rotation the > end of this month in Chicago. By that time maybe he will have added "Onward > Christian Soldiers" to the set list too. > > The next time you see the banner proclaiming, "God Bless America" think about > changing it in your head to "God Bless the World" > > Namaste, Bryn, the music junkie ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 21:55:07 -0700 From: "Susan Krauss" Subject: RE: People Get Ready - Lyrics and a comment I have mixed feelings about religious/gospel songs. Since I'm Jewish, songs praising Jesus don't really speak to me. However, I really like gospel when people are talking about their own beliefs and joy in those beliefs and aren't telling me I'm a sinner because I don't believe the same thing. So I can listen to Robin & Linda Williams & Kathy Mattea sing their gospel songs and have a grand time. On the other hand, David Wilcox completely lost me when I saw him in concert and all those songs of his I loved all became odes to Jesus. His between song patter made clear that many of his songs were about Jesus and I just couldn't hear them the same way any more. So I guess I'm a bit inconsistent but that's what makes us human. I love "People Get Ready" and loved John's version. More about the Berkeley show....I know a lot of folks here are Alice Peacock fans but she doesn't do much for me. Sometimes her harmonies worked and sometimes they didn't. I wish John had done some of the songs solo rather than have Alice join in. I love when Lucy Kaplansky sings with John (and Lucy is a high standard in terms of harmony) so it's not an "I need John solo thing." I just don't think Alice's voice compliments John's voice that much. John was in a great mood. I especially love it when he cracks himself up. He was on KPFA earlier in the day and unfortunately I was in the car so only got home in time to record one live song and part of the interview. It was fun to listen to him try to explain how having a family had changed him - stuttering and having difficulty getting the words out and finally saying that his song "Morningside" explained it much better than he could. Very sweet. susan in alameda ------------------------------ End of good-noise-digest V5 #45 *******************************