Blogging Break

I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while. I know there's only a small handfull of people who read this any way but i don't feel like i've got much that is worth while to say at the moment. So, rather than slowly fade with not great posts I'm going to stop for a while.

Valley Songs: Down to the River to Pray

The last two times I’ve been to church (at different churches) I’ve got to sing and play this song and it’s great to sing in a large group. Made most famous by it’s appearance in the film Brother Where Art Thou I’ve changed the words slightly to include some beatitudes. The first time I played it was with the ridiculously talented Paul Gioia. Always a blessing and a curse playing with him. You get to see how much potential music has but you get to realise how much you have to learn.

Here's Alison Krauss singing it...

Down to the River to Pray
(Beatitudes Version)

As I went (E)down to the river to pray, (B)Studying about that (E)good old way
And (E)who shall wear the robe and crown, Good (B)Lord, (A)show me the (E)way
(B)O, sisters, (E)let's go down, (A)let's go down, come on (E)down,
(B)O, sisters, (E)let's go down, (A)Down to the river to (E)pray

(other verses identical pattern)

As I went down to the river to pray, Studying about that good old way
And how the poor shall wear a crown, Good Lord, show me the way
O, brothers, let's go down, let's go down, come on down,
O, brothers, let's go down, Down to the river to pray

As I went down to the river to pray, Studying about that good old way
And how the meek shall wear a crown, Good Lord, show me the way
O, fathers, let's go down, Let's go down, come on down,
O, fathers, let's go down, Down to the river to pray

As I went down to the river to pray, Studying about the good old way
And the merciful who'll wear a crown, Good Lord, show me the way
O, mothers, let's go down, Let's go down, come on down,
O, mothers, let's go down, Down to the river to pray

As I went down to the river to pray, Studying about the good old way
And the peacemakers who'll wear a crown, Good Lord, show me the way
O, sinners, let's go down, Let's go down, come on down,
O, sinners, let's go down, Down to the river to pray

As I went down to the river to pray, Studying about the good old way
And the pure in heart who'll wear a crown , Good Lord, show me the way

© Traditional - Beatitude additions Chris Summerfield

Sympathy for The Devil

I have never been a fan of Kyle Sandilands. But, I can’t help but feeling that in the furor over the incident on his breakfast show that some key things were missed. What was most shocking for me in the whole incident was not Sandilands reaction but...

1. That a 12 year old had been raped.
2. That a 14 year old was put under a lie detector test and asked questions about her sex life.
3. The question about her sex life was being asked by her mother who the daughter had already told about the incident.

I assume that after the revelation that she had been raped the "is that your only experience" question he asked was probably a way of trying to affirm that she was not sexually active teenager, which is what the mother's question was trying to find out. The incident was unquestionably badly handled but, in the heat of live comedy radio I think many might have done the same. I have some sympathy for Sandliands who is being crucified while all the other issues are being ignored.

I think the media can do better than concentrate on just one element of this story.