The Songs
Norm
1. ~ Wayfaring Stranger
Traditional, 1st published in mid-1800’s – dates back to the late 1700’s
(E) Native American Flute & unaccompanied
​
2. ~ Holy Manna (Brethren We Have Met to Worship)
Traditional; attributed to William Moore, 1825;
Sacred Harp #59; Southern Harmony #103
(D) mountain dulcimer
​
3. ~ What Wondrous Love
Traditional: found in Sacred Harp #157; Text attributed to Alexander Means circa 1840;
Tune, “the Ballad of captain Kidd,” circa 1700.
(C) unaccompanied w/ mountain dulcimer intro and break
​
4. ~ How Deep the Father’s Love
Stuart Townend © 1995 Thankyou Music
(D) mountain dulcimer
​
5. ~ Ode to Joy
Public Domain: Ludwig van Beethoven
"Ode to Joy" is best known for its use by Ludwig van Beethoven in the final (fourth) movement of his Ninth Symphony, completed in 1824. Beethoven's text does not use the entirety of Friedrich Schiller's poem, and reorders some sections. His tune (but not Schiller's words) was adopted as the Anthem of Europe by the Council of Europe in 1972, and subsequently the European Union.
(G) mountain dulcimer; hammered dulcimer – Cliff Cole & concertina – Rob Yoder
​
6. ~ I Want Jesus to Walk with Me
Traditional African-American Spiritual; tune learned from Don Pedi; lyrics from multiple sources…
(D) bass mountain dulcimer
​
7. ~ It’s Amazing to Me
Norm Williams © 1976
I wrote this around issues I was having in my first marriage… it has taken on deeper meaning for me on many levels.
(D) guitar
​
8. ~ Your Lone Journey
Doc & Rosa Lee Watson © 1962, Hillgreen Music
Doc stated that “Rosa Lee was sweeping the house one day and thinking about people in her family who had passed on. She spontaneously began singing the tune as the words came to her. Doc said, ‘That’s a pretty song, what is it?’ She said, ‘It was something that just came to me.’ Doc got out his guitar and they worked out the chords and unusual harmony for the chorus. She called it ‘Your Lone Journey’ not ‘Your Long Journey.”
unaccompanied
​
9. ~ My Lord, What a Morning
Traditional African-American Spiritual; Learned from Happy Traum (Homespun Tapes) in 1972
(D) guitar
​
10. ~ Jordan’s Stormy Banks (D)
Traditional: Words: Samuel Stennett, in Selection of Hymns, by John Rippon, 1787.
Music: Miss M. Durham; in The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, by William Walker (New York: Hastings House, 1835)
w/ cello – Trudy Gojeski & concertina – Rob Yoder
​
11. ~ Where the Soul Never Dies
Attributed to William Matthew Golden – public domain
(D) mountain dulcimer/guitar, vocals
​
12. ~ I Want to Live a Christian Here (Amazing Grace)
Traditional: tune source Horton Barker; learned from Don Pedi
unaccompanied
​
13. ~ Beech Spring
Traditional: B.F. White first published in 1844 in the Sacred Harp. On the town square in Hamilton, GA is a monument to B.F. White. Just a few miles away in Harris County is the Beech Spring Baptist Church, which although misspelled in each edition of The Sacred Harp, is the church which gave this popular shape note tune its name.
(A) mountain dulcimer; hammered dulcimer – Cliff Cole; cello – Trudy Gojeski; concertina – Rob Yoder
​
14. ~ Working on a Building
A.P. Carter © 1927, Peer International Corp.
unaccompanied
​
15. ~ This World is Not My Home
Albert E. Brumley © 1937, Merle Haggard Music Inc.
(Db) guitars
​
Bonus track ~ Weeping Pilgrim
Trad. arr. Natalie Merchant / © 2003 Indian Love Bride Music
(Eb) guitar, bass – Stacey Bechtel; mandolin – Nate Druckenmiller
(recorded 2011 - little cat studios)