Turn, Turn, Turn

Interesting - though some are direct contradictions of the Bible.

I like this as a pacifist song, but it rather misses the point of the Scripture - Isaiah said it better!

HOW BEAUTIFUL UPON THE MOUNTAIN (Tom Paxton) -

Lyrics
How beautiful upon the mountain
Are the steps of those who walk in peace
How beautiful upon the mountain
Are the steps of those who walk in peace

Across the bridge at Selma you came marching side by side
In your eyes a new world on the way
Hope was in your heart and justice would not be denied
You sang we shall overcome some day
God knows the courage you possessed
And Isaiah said it best
How beautiful upon the mountain
Are the steps of those who walk in peace

Marching round the White House, marching round the Pentagon
Marching round the mighty missile plans
Speaking truth to power, singing peace in Babylon
Asking us why not give peace a chance
God knows the courage you possess
And Isaiah said it best
How beautiful upon the mountain
Are the steps of those who walk in peace

Now the generations who have joined you on this road
Look to you with power in their eyes
Now you know the torch has passed as they pick up the load
Now you see their eyes are on the prize
God knows the courage they possess
And Isaiah said it best
How beautiful upon the mountain
Are the steps of those who walk in peace

 

Just an update Brother Robert, my wife asked me what I would like for my birthday... Knowing you recommended a book Atonement In The Apocalypse by Robert W. Canoy which I bought and read and enjoyed, I told her well just get me Turn Turn Turn which, Brother Robert recommended and she did... Just got it the other day, which I started to read and it looks like another good one... Thanks again Brother Robert!... Brother Glen

 

The children's favourite, "All things bright & beautiful" has a verse that goes beyond Calvin -

The rich man in his castle;
the poor man at his gate;
God made them high or lowly
and ordered their estate.​

That was taken up by Maggie Holland (!) in her song "A Place called England"

I saw town & I saw country;
Motorway and sink estate;
rich man in his rolling acres;
poor man still outside his gate;
retail park and burger kingdom;
prairie field and factory farms,
run by men who think that England's
only a place to park their cars.​

I like this version.

 

Yes I am enjoying the book and am going to recommend it to others who love music like I do, and here is why... The first song mentioned is Can The Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye) by The Carter Family circa 1935... Not only did I get to read the story of how the song came to be but because of the web I got to listen to the original recording... I noticed also after reading the history of others mentioned not only could I listen to the originals but also the stories themselves are full of biblical quotations... So I highly recommend it for these reasons... And I know I got it for a gift but you mean those who love music can't part with twenty bucks?... You probably put that much and more into the collection plate... Show some love to yourself and others and BUY the book, and tell your friends... its worth it!... Brother Glen

 

I've bought it. Surprised to see "How can I keep from singing?" missing from the list.
When this became popular, I bought a CD as I loved the music. THen I found it was in Sankey, & I had it already - but to a different tune, & with explicitly Christian words. Attributed to Robert Lowry.

It seems it was modified by Doris Plenn & Pete Seeger & became popular in the folk revival.

Our choir has been invited to sing a selection of Sankey hymns, so I chose the original version. Our choir leader knows a 2-part arrangement to the revised words - but we will be singing the Christian version as in Sankey.

 

I'm disappointed not to see the song words printed.

 

Ian... That is one of the drawbacks to the book but I have the web, so I just search them out... So I do a little extra work and someone like yourself that has a background in music, you have the advantage over me... So does Brother Robert... I can't even read music and sing songs by heart... In church, our voice is the musical instrument... When you lead and sing songs to the Lord long enough you get to know them... Brother Glen