Charles Wesley wrote this hymn sometime in the middle of the 18th century, and Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band perform it in the style of the time–Light of the World, Thy Beams I Bless.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the World: the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9).
One thing I can’t do is find and post hymns I haven’t heard of–so don’t be too surprised when I repeat myself. And everyone is welcome to request a hymn. Let’s not rely entirely on my store of them.
To Be a Pilgrim–words by John Bunyan, music by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band–we live in an evil age of a fallen world, and we all need bracing up. Remember what the Apostle John said: “Greater is he that is within you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so pantheth my soul after thee, O God.
(Psalm 42:1)
This is a new one, as hymns go, published in 1975. But the lyrics are based on Psalm 42 and the traditional British folk melody is as old as the hills: and it’s a very beautiful hymn.
Sung by Maddy Prior, music by The Carnival Band.
I have known this melody for years–a few bars of it introduce A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott–without knowing the lyrics, or even knowing it’s a traditional English Christmas carol, first published in the 17th century. Imagine my delight when I stumbled over it today on youtube.
So here it is, The Sussex Carol, also known as On Christmas Night, performed by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band in true 17th century style. I hope you love it as much as I do.
I’m kind of baffled by the paucity of reader requests, compared to the celebration we had here last year. C’mon now, folks! It’s only 16 days to Christmas! I’d rather post hymns than politics, but I can do both.
Meanwhile, I like this carol so much, I’m posting it again–this time by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band, performing it the old-fashioned way. And if the Hillsboro, Oregon, school district doesn’t like it, so much the better!
An old, old Christmas carol, first published in the 16th century, performed the old-fashioned way by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band–God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
Ladies and gents, it’s December 1 and time and start getting in the mood for Christmas. But of course we have something way more important to do than that: to proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to testify to all the world that yes, yes, yes–He came in the flesh, and He will come again.
So come on, let’s whoop it up! Let’s have your requests for Christmas music. Come on now, let’s get busy!
Well, I’m having technical prombles all of a sudden, so I didn’t get the hymn I thought I’d posted. But the one I did get is so gorgeous, I don’t have the heart to replace it. So let’s see if I can give you “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” with this link: cross my fingers, and here goes.
Will this work? If not, I give up for now.
Ta-dah!
Is this beautiful, or what?–Light of the World by Charles Wesley, performed by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band. Ah, they wrote some fine hymns in the 18th century!
P.S.–My doctor says everything looks OK, and getting better; but what he really wanted to know about was how the New Testament came to be, and related issues. May the Lord grant my answers are good answers, and true.
Wow! Those 18th century hymns by Charles Wesley…
I love the way Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band perform these hymns. Here they give us Light of the World–well worth turning up the volume for.
I love this glorious old hymn, and I love the way Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band perform it.
The melody in this version was published in 1815, but there are other melodies used from 1708 and 1621. And who knows? There may be more yet to come.