July 10, 2020 (Friday)

When looking for a old rendition of “O Happy Day” (yesterday’s blog) I discovered that the overwhelming number of versions refer to a later arrangement of this great song. The newer arrangements are so different that they may as well be known as separate songs all their own. This blog is about the more popular presentations. Here are three of them:

“Oh Happy Day” Edwin Hawkins – Anthony Brown w/ FBCG Combined Choir:

From the movie, “Sister Act 2:”

Ray Charles and the Jubilation Singers:

______________________________

There’s an old story about a man who showed up at church one day and said “Amen” as the preacher presented his message. After a while, he said, “Hallelujah.” Still later, he shouted out, “Praise the Lord!” And after that even more shouting.

The pastor did not like that, so he sent some deacons out to talk with the man. They found him in his field, walking behind a plow that was being pulled by a mule. They explained why they were there, and he responded by reciting all the ways in which he had been blessed. As he talked he got more and more excited about it and finally he extended his hand holding the reins and said, “I get to thinking about how good the Lord is to me, and I just can’t help it, “Brothers, hold this mule while I shout!” Songs have been written about that. Here is one of them:

Hold My Mule While I Shout:

HOLD MY MULE WHILE I SHOUT

The Lord has been so good to me
I don’t know what to do
There’s so much joy within me
I feel it through and through
It’s bubbling up inside of me
I’ve got to let it out
So hold my mule while I shout.

Chorus:
Hold my mule while I shout when I’m hugging
Hold my mule while I shout Amen
It’s tons of fun rejoicing
Of that there is no doubt
So hold my mule while I shout

Sometimes I get so tired of walking
Here behind this plow
But then I get to thinking
Of where I’m headed now
But if I had a handkerchief
I’d wave it all about
So hold my mule while I shout.
Chorus

So Lord take me
When I was young
It was eons ago
And some day I shall stand before
The One who loves me so
I’ll be so thrilled, I’ll be so glad
So happy on that day
I’ll turn to an angel and say
Chorus