[dcab-l] "I Love to Tell the Story" from the Appalachian Jubilee

 

Bluegrassers:

 

Here's another gospel recording on the big stage at the Appalachian

Jubilee in Chambersburg, Pa.

 

The lyric to “I Love to Tell the Story”,  a much beloved

hymn, was derived from a poem written by an Englishwoman

named Arabella Katherine Hankey in 1866, when she was

convalescing from an illness at the age of 32.  The full poem

has 100 verses, and is divided into two parts, “The Story Wanted”

and “The Story Told.”  In the first part someone “weak and weary”

is pleading to hear the “old, old story” of Jesus.  In the second part,

another voice tells the story, beginning with the fall of Adam and

Eve and then jumping quickly to Bethlehem.  Both parts inspired

hymns: the first inspired “Tell Me the Old, Old Story,” with a tune

by Willam Howard Doane.  The second, “I Love to Tell the Story,”

with a tune by William G. Fischer, is somewhat better-known and

loved.  Instead of a tone of pleading, it offers one of uplift, and

the soft and subtly-mournful melody is a counterpoint which ensures

the song evades any hint of smugness or triumphalism.

 

Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded both songs, and so currently affords

an easy side-by-side comparison via YouTube at these links:

“Tell Me the Old, Old Story” and “I Love to Tell the Story”.

 

Other versions are done by Andy Griffith, and also Emmylou Harris

with Robert Duvall. (!)   (Duvall had included the song on the

soundtrack album for his 1997 film, “The Apostle”).

 

I myself learned this song in my boyhood frame white church, Pine

Forge Chapel, at the base of Rattlesnake Hill, aside the Manatawny

Creek, in Pine Forge, Pa.  It was a non-denominational chapel,

frequented mostly by Church of the Brethren attendees.   When I

attended in the late 40’s and early 50’s, they still dressed “plain”.

Their singing had the old time ring, and was the basis for my love

for bluegrass.

 

Jim Barnett and I worked up this version of "I Love to Tell the Story"

for our live performance at the Appalachian Jubilee.  This rendition

contains only our two voices.

 

Currently Jim is working with a group called “Reborn”; he not only sings,

but also plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, dobro.

 

To listen, just click the URL below:

 

http://rattlesnakehill.org/Web_Music/edsmusic.html

 

I hope you enjoy it!

 

ed