A little gospel music break

It's been what seems like a loong time since I posted any music. So here are just a couple of things. First, a new-to-me version of "Down to the River to Pray":



While watching it I couldn't help thinking of the fact that there have always been places where being baptized is a dangerous thing. Muslims understand what baptism is and are, to put it mildly, unhappy when a Muslim decisively converts to Christianity by being baptized. It brings home both the beauty and the importance of baptism to contemplate this fact: There are people who risk their lives to be baptized. There are such people right now. (And in the United Kingdom, social workers have taken the side of the Muslims over baptism, even baptism of a teenager who was removed from her family and put into foster care.)

Here and here are two other versions of "Down to the River to Pray."

On a lighter note, here are the Hoppers singing "Shoutin' Time." I think the surprising juxtaposition of the plaintive "I Will Arise" with a country gospel version of the angels' rejoicing works well once one gets used to it.