Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: GUEST,#
Date: 02 May 21 - 10:38 AM

Now an apostrophe in gets. Sheesh. Time to go.

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: GUEST,#
Date: 02 May 21 - 10:16 AM

It get's easier when I spell the guy's name correctly ;-)

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: cnd
Date: 01 May 21 - 07:43 PM

Thanks for that link.

I've found the following records Watkins was on, but no substantive info otherwise. Mostly via 45worlds.com and Discogs, though Coleman 5997 is also currently for sale on eBay for $24. I may buy that.

Singles:
Coleman Records 5997 (1948), UP IN MY HEAVENLY HOME (W. Bell) / ONE MOMENT IN GOD'S KINGDOM.
Coleman Records 6009, Charles Watkins and the Golden Melodeers DOWN ON MY KNEES / CLINGING
Coleman Records 6012, LAST MILE OF THE WAY / BLESSETH QUIETNESS
Coleman Records 6013, LORD BE WITH ME (Watkins, Bell) / YES IT'S MINE (Watkins, Bell)
Regent 189 (1951), Charles Watkins CHRISTMAS MORN (Watkins, Bell) / The Meltones WHITE CHRISTMAS (Irving Berlin)
Savoy 4029 (1951), CHRISTMAS MORN (Watkins, Bell) / I MUST TELL JESUS
Savoy 4049 (1954), Charles Watkins with The Original Concertones DON'T LET THIS HARVEST PASS / RUN, RUN AND TELL HIM
Savoy 4054, Charles Watkins with The Original Concertones ?SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER / WHAT HE DONE FOR ME
Savoy 4186 (1963), Charles Watkins and The Pentecostal Mass Choir (of Chicago, IL) SHADY GREEN PASTURES / HEARTACHES

He also had a pretty length recording career, releasing several LPs from the 1960s-80s.

As for the Golden Melodeers, it appears as if the flip side to HE KNOWS MY HEART was I'M BOUND FOR HIGHER GROUND (via click), however, no catalog number. It was re-released on Pewburner 566, 566 Gospel Quartet Collection, Vol. 4.

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: GUEST,#
Date: 30 Apr 21 - 02:37 PM

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1418543

Have a look at that. (I can't locate anything about Watson.)

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: cnd
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 05:14 PM

Oops, should be King Jesus in the penultimate stanza and not "King Hesus"...

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: cnd
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 05:13 PM

Here's how I hear the version by the Golden Melodeers (listen). Same caveat as above:

GOLDEN MELODEERS - HE KNOWS MY HEART

Well, as I journey here below
Sometimes, sometimes I'm tempted by my fold
How, how I've suffered
O Lord, dear Lord, you know
Because you know, Lord
You know my heart

Oh, well, He knows, He knows my heart
King Jesus, He knows, He knows my heart
Do--Well, well, He knows, He knows my heart
I thank God that He knows, this bleeding heart

Sometimes I'm up, sometimes I'm down
Sometimes my troubles held me to the ground
Oh, but it's, more, more, yes
You know my heart

Oh, well, He knows, He knows my heart
King Hesus, He knows this bleeding heart
Do--well, well he knows, He knows my heart
I thank God that He knows, this old bleeding heart

I've got King Jesus down deep in my soul
Yes I am free and I'm made whole
Because it's more, oh, more, yes
You know my heart, oh, yes

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: cnd
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 05:04 PM

Yes, it seems to be the same song. Here's my transcription of the Mahalia Jackson version (listen). Note that I'm a little unsure what she's tempted by in the first stanza (I put "fold").

MAHALIA JACKSON - HE KNOWS MY HEART

As I journey here below
Time, Lord, I'm tempted by my fold
Lord, how I suffered, Lord, you know
Well, O Lord, yes, you know
You know my heart

He knows my heart, my bleeding heart
Yes, He knows my heart, my poor, bleeding heart
Oh, but sometimes I'm protected
For I, I do my part
Oh, but Lord, you, you know
You know my heart

He knows, He knows my heart
My poor, blee-, oh, bleeding heart
Yes, He knows, He knows my heart
My poor, bleeding heart
Yes, sometimes, well, I'm protected
For I, I do my part
Oh, but Lord, yes, you know
You know my heart

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: GUEST,#
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 11:18 AM

Do you know if this song is at all connected to the one done by Mahalia Jackson?

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: GUEST,#
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 09:32 AM

Way cool.

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: cnd
Date: 28 Apr 21 - 09:15 PM

Thanks for that.

Incidentally, I just stumbled across this link (click) which are the liner notes to that CD. The liner notes are long, but don't say much on this group. Here's what it has to say:

Track 5 [He Knows My Heart]: THE GOLDEN MELODEERS:
Coleman Hotel, Court St.
Newark. c. October 1948

So I've at least got a year and a geographic location, if nothing else.

Subject: RE: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: GUEST,#
Date: 28 Apr 21 - 06:10 PM

cnd, I can't access the other albums "He Knows My Heart" by the Golden Melodeers" is on. I wonder if either of the others note a date/authorship ??

https://wynk.in/music/package/golden-melodeers/amhyb_watc1_wa_1fe80030

Subject: Info: Golden Melodeers Gospel Group
From: cnd
Date: 28 Apr 21 - 05:24 PM

Does anyone know anything about The Golden Melodeers? I've been attempting to find the original recording/release year of music from compilation albums in my collection and this one has me stumped. All I know is the song was released between 1945-1958 and was first released on CD on Nuggets From The Golden Age Of Gospel, 1945-1958 (        JSP JSPCD 77126) in 2009.

(via link)

In particular I'm looking for the release year of the track "He Knows My Heart"