Take My Hand, Precious Lord

Infobox Single
Name = Take My Hand, Precious Lord


Artist = Mahalia Jackson
from Album = "Bless This House"
A-side =
B-side =
Released = 1956
Format =
Recorded = Tuesday, March 27, 1956
Genre = Gospel
Label = Columbia
Length =
Writer = Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey
Producer =

"Take My Hand, Precious Lord" (aka "Precious Lord, Take My Hand") is a gospel song, written August 1932 by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), melody by George N. Allen (1812-1877).

History

The melody, although credited to Dorsey, was taken from a 1844 hymn entitled, "Maitland," by American composer, George N. Allen (1812-1877). [Westermeyer, Paul. "Let the People Sing: Hymn Tunes in Perspective" (2005), GIA Publications, page 311 - ISBN 1579993532] Dorsey said he used it as inspiration. [Boyer, Horace Clarence. "The Golden Age of Gospel" (2000), University of Illinois Press, page 61 - ISBN 0252068777] The "Maitland" music was for the text "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone", it first appeared in "The Oberlin Social and Sabbath School Hymn Book". [ [http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/u/mustjesu.htm "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone" music] ] Dorsey penned "Precious Lord" in response to his inconsolable bereavement at the death of his wife, Nettie Harper, in childbirth, and his infant son the day after. [Shaw, Arnold. "Honkers and Shouters: The Golden Years of Rhythm and Blues" (1978), Macmillan Publishing Company, pp. 8-11 - ISBN 0026100002] Earliest known recording; August 16, 1938 by vocalist Emory Johnson (Decca 7546). [Dixon, Robert M. W. "Blues and Gospel Records: 1890-1943", Oxford University Press (1997), page 13 - ISBN 0198162391] "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" is published in more than forty languages. [McNeil, W. K. "Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music" (2005), Routledge, page 107 - ISBN 0415941792]

It was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s favorite song, and he often invited gospel legend Mahalia Jackson to sing it at civil rights rallies to inspire the crowds; at his request she sang it at his funeral in April 1968. Opera singer Leontyne Price sang it at the state funeral of President Lyndon Baines Johnson in January 1973, [Woods, Randall. "LBJ: Architect of American Ambition" (2006), Simon and Schuster, page 884 - ISBN 0684834588] and Aretha Franklin sang it at Mahalia Jackson's funeral in 1972. It was sung by Nina Simone at the Westbury music fair on April 7, 1968, three days after the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King. That evening was dedicated to him and recorded on the album "'Nuff Said!"

Recorded

Recorded by Mahalia Jackson in New York City, Tuesday March 27, 1956, Columbia Records (CL 899); with The Fall-Jones Ensemble: Mildred Falls (piano); Ralph Jones (organ), [ [http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/2675/discography.htm Columbia and Later Recordings] ] released on the album "Bless This House" (1956). [ [http://wc01.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0jfyxq95ldde All Music: "Bless This House"] ] Jim Reeves version of the song is one of the best known of all. It was released as the "B" side of his hit single "This world is not my home" in 1965.

Lyrics

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear
Precious Lord linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Awards

"Take My Hand, Precious Lord" was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007. [ [http://hallmuseum.com/induct/preciouslord.htm Christian Music Hall of Fame] ] It was also included in the list of "Songs of the Century", by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Notable cover versions

"Take My Hand, Precious Lord" is a masterpiece as evidenced by the number and quality of singers who cover the classic. A partial list includes:

* Emory Johnson (1938 Decca 7546)
* Selah Jubilee Singers (1938 Decca 7598)
* Rosetta Tharpe (1941 Decca 8610)
* Mahalia Jackson (1956)
* Little Jimmy Dickens (1956)
* Elvis Presley (1957)
* Jimmy Dean (1957)
* Roy Acuff (1958)
* The Oak Ridge Boys (1959)
* Tennessee Ernie Ford (1960)
* Chet Atkins (1962)
* Jim Reeves (1962)
* Little Richard (1964)
* Nina Simone (1968)
* Marion Williams (1973)
* Ike and Tina Turner (1974)
* Preservation Hall Jazz Band (1976)
* Lawrence Welk (1978)

* B. B. King (1987)
* Lonnie Donegan (1993)
* Al Green (1994)
* Clara Ward (1996)
* Andrae Crouch (1996)
* Marvis Staples (1996)
* Gladys Knight (1998)
* Pat Boone (1998)
* Aretha Franklin (2000)
* Merle Haggard (2001)
* Engelbert Humperdinck (2003)
* Etta James (2005)
* Chaka Khan (2005)
* Randy Travis (2005)
* Faith Hill (2005)
* Others [ [http://wc06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=17:1507681~1~T00A All Music: "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"] ] [ [http://wc06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=17:1221077~1~T00A All Music: "Precious Lord"] ] [ [http://wc01.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=17:1221085~1~T00A All Music: "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"] ]

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSHvUvlzznc Mahalia Jackson - Precious Lord Take My Hand]
* [http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2003/004/16.16.html Story Behind the Song]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:9ikxlfge5cqe~T1 Allmusic biography of Thomas Dorsey]