Spirituals

 (19 customer reviews)

What a voice this man has...there is no other like it. I had not heard most of this album for about 40 years, and I was astonished when I found it on Amazon. The great thing is that since God never changes, these hymns are as current as anything written last week. What wonderful memories this music brought back for me. Whoever is responsible for this CD, THANKS!!!!!!

ME

Thank goodness this music was reissued as a CD! There is not one song on this albumn that hasn't touched me in some way through the years. Mr. Ford's deep voice reverberates the depth of feeling that is needed when you sing spirituals. My personal favorites are "When God Dips His Love in My Heart" and "Take My Hand, Precious Lord." Actually, they are all amazing and meaningful in their own way. No one and I mean, NO ONE sings "Wayfaring Stranger" like Tennessee Ernie Ford. He brings out every emotion- hope, pain, and loss- into the song. I will say that for some, his back-up singers may create a "dated" sound. I will only say that his voice and his soul coming through more than makes up for that aspect of the recordings. One last thing, I asked for only two things when my grandmother passed away- her Franciscan-ware china and this record. I have loved both since I was a little girl. Listen and enjoy!

This LP was in my dad's record collection, and as a kid I listened to it over and over, memorizing the words AND the arrangements. I was amazed, finding this decades later, that I could still remember every song, as well as the backing vocal tracks, etc.

Ford seems to be having a whopping good time throughout, especially on the upbeat songs. But he can also project deep emotion, as in "Wayfaring Stranger" or "Were You There?" Credit should also be given to the excellent backing vocalists and the arrangers who put it all together.

This is a fine selection of spirituals and Gospel songs, sung by one of the most distinctive voices of the mid-20th century.