In the Garden

I remember my grandfather singing this song.  It meant a lot to him.  He spent 40 years working in his gardens. Every day of his retirement for 20 years he'd be in the garden.  He produced the yummiest tomatoes and yellow squash, okra, carrots, and so much more.  He had several rose and flower bushes for my grandmother as well.  They were married over 60 years.

Here's an Alan Jackson rendition with lyrics.

This is a really pretty country version in a live performance.

Merle Haggard version

Gospel version - beautiful and powerful

Loretta Lynn Version

Brad Paisley in a Live Performance

Brad Paisley during the Corona Pandemic

Elvis Presley Version

Johnny Cash version

Violin & piano, plus a high soprano

Gospel version, interactive with audience

Dolly Parton & Allison Kraus - enough said! 

This is a pretty good country rendition

Blue Grass band version

Very Sweet Version

Best Acapella version that I found

Lawrence Welk Show

Irish man version

Child singing

I've Decided that This One is My Favorite

The End










PS.  I stumbled across a different Hymn called The Garden Hymn.
It is a Celtic hymn and quite beautiful.
Here are two renditions of it.

Prayer of St Francis

Prayer of St Francis - Make me an Instrument of Your Peace

A friend of mine mentioned that she dwells on the  Prayer of St. Francis when she needs peace in the midst of her personal chaos.
This has always been one of my favorite songs on my favorite hymn cd.


Susan Boyle - Beautiful - as if it should be in a broadway musical like Les Mis

John Michael Talbot - I've always enjoyed his music.  This is a slow version, but beautiful

Sarah Maclachlan - always sublime, very much "her" version, a little bit too much of a "production" though.

Not sure of who the singer is.  A girl child singing.  I do like this one though.  Sounds like a solo from a child at church

Classical version, classical woman singer in the hometown of St. Francis in Italy, nice scenery!

Nobody yet is singing it with any meaning or umph or feeling.  They're singing it beautifully because its a beautiful song.  No yearning in the voice as yet.

Sinead O Connor - a peaceful version.  Getting closer.  really pretty.

The Burns Sisters - a trio of sisters singing

Of course, there are plenty of choir versions on youtube.  If you like choir versions, you will find plenty there....

Lyrics in Sign Language

well, you know how I feel about slow versions.  And yet, this one is TOO FAST.

A Bit of a jazz version.  Really good song.

Words said aloud by an Irishman amongst scenery pictures.

With a Native American flute

Instrumental version:

Olivia Newton John Duet - Nice!  I really like the duet part, very harmonious together

Kristin Chenoweth Version - more of what I'm looking for                 

I watched many many videos of people who can't sing.  But that's the beauty of youtube.

This one has a DEEP, DEEP, DEEP, DEEP voice
                                     

Wasn't expecting this voice from this video:
                                   
                                     

I really like this one.  Matt Wessell - not pretentious like so many others


                                      

This one is peaceful. Vince Ambrosetti

                                     

It sounds like a medieval guitar version - famous singer from the 1960s  - like it!
                                       
                                     

Ethereal version:
                                     

Definitely more of what I'm looking for.  I think she has experienced sorrow.
                         
                                     

Denison Witmer - also a really nice version, i appreciate it more and more as i listen

                                      


One of my favorite versions from a cd that i've had since 1997 and still one of my favs.  Mars Hill Worship One  (and no, I don't support or like Mars Hill the church, but this was back in 1997, and it was a different place.  I picked up this cd at a conference in Glorieta, New Mexico.)
Prayer of St Francis version by Brad Currah
Mars Hill One on Amazon
If i can ever figure out how to upload a song to a blog from a cd, I'll put it here.
(PS. I just found a video of one of the songs on the Cd.  I had no idea.  And I've had this cd for 19 years!)
Oh, and Brad Currah did another version last year on his new cd.
Brad Currah Song Sample

Victory in Jesus

Jumping up and down!  yay!





the way i heard it as a kid:





Fervent and Earnest:




The Gaithers.  Need I say more?





Sweet.





Ugh, dozens upon dozens of versions later.....Where's the heart?  Why doesn't anyone sing this with heart?  What is up with that?

Lots of "comforting" type singing.  Needs heart.

Here's one that is close - at least some pep, vitality and some jumping up and down!  Still needs a bit more heart.

 


Not what I am looking for, but GOODNESS, this girl has a gorgeous voice.  She does a smashing job too of Victory in Jesus.





Interesting version.  Really good.




Too Fast.  But nice.





Classic.  Just Classic.  Merle Haggard.





Another classic.  Burl Ives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyoWRqmJaj4


Ok, here is my obligatory SLOW version posting.  Boy, its SLOW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wm3Dm-JvK0


Really Different arrangement.  Live though and Windy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4HjtutxmkA


This is a SLOW one,.....BUT I really like this one.  Go figure!
Great voice!  I think I have found another favorite band.....





Surprisingly good!





And the last one - Really Good!  More of what I was looking for. :)

Thank You for The Valley I Walked Through Today

My cousins sang this song when I was a child.  I had it on a tape, and so I used to sing this song a lot.
A friend of mine put in her facebook status about walking through both valleys and mountains with God (after a loss), and reminded me again of this old gospel song.
I'm not really sure that I totally agree with the theology behind this song anymore, but it does remind me of my young teen years, so I am fond of it.
So I went on a Youtube hunt looking for the heartfelt version.

This one reminded me (in a good way) of my husband's grandmother's church.  This is actually one of the better versions on Youtube.



Here is one with lyrics and the picture of mountains - but bland pretty singing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK0SBD8v31I


Now here is a small town Gospel church version - Nice southern voices!





and the 1969 version by the Rambos....the original?.....

For the Beauty of the Earth

So I asked a friend what was her favorite hymn.  She said, "For The Beauty of the Earth."  That she had loved it since she heard it from the Little Women movie as a child.
So here I go....on a journey to rediscover this song.....
It has been many years since I have heard or sung this song.
There is a lot to be grateful for right now in my life - though times are hard, God keeps giving and providing.....So this song is fitting for my life.........

Soft, pretty version.  Love the soft pipe flute in the middle.
Steve and Danny Thompson





Harp, celticy version with intertwining melodious pretty voices.
Amy Shreve




Banjo version in a church.  Very country and lively!
Found Wandering




Oh I do like this one.  Just a very nice peaceful voice on a guitar.
The N Crew




Here's just an instrumental version:
Chris Rice




Very, Very, Very slow version.  I think you all know by now how I feel about Very, Very, Very slow versions.......
The Lower Lights




Flute Instrumental Version:





Another Instrumental Version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9fTRxQIbI4

Another Instrumental Piano Version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHqmrwi43vw

Oldest version I found from 1973:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tn22mnsSmc


Lots of choir versions.  LOTS AND LOTS of choir versions.
The boy choir ones though sure are beautiful.
This is the original version:



This is the version with lyrics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMsJ4epHfA4


The same version of song.  But with adults.  And in Spanish.  The church is gorgeous.




Soooooo.......someone did a movie tribute with one of my Favorite movies to this song....those who Love The Man from Snowy River movie will appreciate this montage.....




Here is a folk singer version.  I Really like this one.
Amy Martin




Most versions that I am listening to now are just a bit too slow.  Some beautiful voices, some beautiful instrumentation, but Slow.
Let's see if I can find one that is just a tad bit faster.  I am feeling like this song *could* be a song you could jump and down to.  Just haven't found that version yet.  Of course, I feel like every hymn should have a version where you can jump up and down......

Ok, this one made me laugh.  Its a Pop Boy version.  Its actually very pretty.  Just very poppy.




Oh Here is One.  I Do like this One.  Its a Hallelujah/FTBOTE mashup.
Definitely my style......maybe a bit "worship hymn CD" syndrome - but still really good.
Scott Dyer




So my four year old son came in and curled up on my lap and listened to this one with me.....he liked the pictures.....




Well, this One is Different.....




Well, I hope these versions of this hymn have brought you some peace and calm in this jittery world of ours.....

My favorite versions:  Amy Martin and Scott Dyer Versions.  Definitely.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come Thou Fount - I love this hymn. 
 (Lyrics and Explanations at the bottom of the page.)

My Journey to finding the most amazing version: 

So I bought an album of a favorite artist of mine and he had a version of this song on his album.  So I posted it on facebook.  Then I thought - what other versions are out there?  So I spent the next several hours exploring this song on youtube.  I found quite a few interesting versions.  All told I listened to over 70 versions of this song.  Yes, 70 versions.  In this post, I will include the highlights of this particular journey.

Here is the album that began my journey:
https://myspace.com/bradcurrah/music/song/come-thou-fount-sample-94107384-104709107

And here starts my Youtube journey:

Slow pace version/all verses: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax_NMWLEb6U

Pretty, but not quite what I'm looking for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3w9nvXuVnk

Getting closer, definitely faster version!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgv0Zl687ds


AWESOMENESS.  Best Drum version:





More like what I am looking for:





Swing-Style Version! :




Jars of Clay did a version:




hmmm, the Jericho Road version:




At this point I was beginning to think I needed to form a band and sing this song myself the way I wanted it sung.

The ABSOLUTELY slowest version.  And its such a pretty introduction too....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvkSgWlm-e4


Beautiful Voice, Beautiful version:





^^^^^Everyone should give that one a listen for sure!  In fact, I think I need to download some more of their songs.........

Very Nice duet - she has a gorgeous voice:





So what's your favorite version so far?  

Here's a good band/audience one - good violinist:




This one is more of what I keep seeing over and over and over again - Beautiful Voices singing it very BORINGLY - and the audience is very BORED.  This is TRAGIC.  (no offense adorable kids, you just need a bit more 'pep'):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f77GAIqnyrw


I love this arrangement:




Hammered Dulcimer Version:




For Some Reason, I like this one:

 


Another duo that I am now going to follow.  I think

I have found several artists that I now love:






Well, this one is different.  Very different, very cool!




^^^^More of them:

More at http://deseretbook.com/Beautiful-World-Justin-Cash/i/5071445 

and http://deseretbook.com/Waiting-Place-Calee-Reed/i/5077490


Here is a nice acapella one:




AND THEN I found it!!!!!!!!!!
Finally, Someone gets IT.
What is both ironic and wonderful - the band is in my Hometown!!!!  




And I will admit, that since I found this particular song, I am a bit obsessed with it - its such an awesome version of the song.
So I looked these kids up and they now have a band.  Show 'em some love. 
http://canvasbride.com/
https://www.facebook.com/canvasbridemusic


Bonus!  Another version of the song by Claire Shannon of Canvas Bride:









Lyrics and Explanation of Ebenezer:

Come, thou Fount of every blessing, 

tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

3. O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

The word Ebenezer comes from the Hebrew words ’Eben hà-ezer (eh’-ben haw-e’-zer), which simply mean “stone of 

help” (see Enhanced…, 1995). When Robinson wrote his lyrics, he followed the word Ebenezer with the phrase, “Here 

by Thy great help I’ve come.” An Ebenezer, then, is simply a monumental stone set up to signify the great help that God 

granted the one raising the stone. In Robinson’s poem, it figuratively meant that the writer—and all who subsequently 

sing the song—acknowledge God’s bountiful blessings and help in their lives.

The next time you sing about raising your Ebenezer, you will be able to “sing with the understanding” that you are 

acknowledging God’s help in your life (1 Corinthians 14:15).

http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx...

Another Link:

http://www.anotherthink.com/contents/essays_on_faith/20050408_here_i_raise_my_ebenezer.html

WELCOME

I will post on this website somewhat of a review, somewhat of a thought process, mainly discoveries and downright treasures of hymn finds from the internet. I'm honestly not very good with reviews, I am too blunt.  I'm not necessarily looking for aesthetics, more of a punch-gut feeling when I listen to hymns.  This will be part of my worship/discovering God time, and I'm simply sharing it with others in order to help them on their journey too.  I post randomly, so sign up on facebook or sign up for an email alert.

I've participated in Church choirs most of my life, and I've heard a lot of hymns in all types of churches and several different denominations.  I even took a Hymn class at seminary.  I love hymns, there is just something about them - they have meaning, they have cadence, you step into God's presence with a hymn.

I've already discovered a few new bands and musicians and have become a true blue fan through this process. I hope you'll discover some treasures too.

But mainly, I hope you will be reminded of God's love and His Grace and His Endurance and His Mercy through this hymn journey.