Lyr Req: That Beautiful Homeland (from Larry Moses

Subject: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST,Bob Sloan, Rowan County KY
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 09:46 PM

I'd like to know if the lyrics below ring memory chimes for anyone. With a bunch of other folks I'm trying to run down the song's title and more information, if it can be had.

All I know about the song is a guy remembers his father and grandmother singing it in Hazard KY fifty and more years ago.

If you know anything, please let me know.

Thanks for any help you can lend.

Bob
Rowan County KY

rlsloanATmindspring.com


Far beyond the fleecy clouds is my homeland
That fair land never seen by mortal eye
And I'm only passing through on a journey
For my home is far beyond the starry sky

Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland
Ageless land of pure delight where the angels walk in white
Oh that homeland beautiful homeland
Soon on pinions I'll arise and soar to thee

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 11:00 PM

Mr Google found nothing. Sorry.

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 12:15 PM

Sounds like a great song - but all I came up with was "Homeland Security."
-Joe-

Just the name "Homeland Security" sounds like propaganda to me, but that discussion is for another thread. I hope we find this song.

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 12:15 PM

My wife and I have Googled this every way we can think of.

I've sent the lyrics to every musician I know, and every person I know with a serious knowledge of old-time gospel.

So far nobody's come up anything.

The thing is, I can _almost_ hear the thing in my mind (I grew up in Rowan County KY), especially the chorus.

I'm starting to think this is one of those rarities, an "undiscovered" highly localized song that I somehow heard in church as a kid. (When I "almost" hear it in my mind, it's from a church congregation, with that unmistakable "church piano" in the background.)

Anyway, I'd _really_ like to get some more info on it.

For what it's worth, this began, for me, as a post into a newsgroup, but I've ended up putting a fair amount of time into trying to research it. . .

And I've suggested to the guy who raised the subject of the song that he record it himself, just so the tune won't be completely lost.

Bob
Rowan County KY

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 12:50 PM

I'm with Guest Bob- It twists at the memory. I have some old 19th c. gospel- hymn books and will take a look in them.

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 01:09 PM

Has anyone PM'd Whizzy with this? I think she is on vacation for a week or 2......

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jul 06 - 03:11 PM

Q,

Any chance you're thinking of "Face to Face with Christ my Savior"?

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 02:36 AM

I looked for "Homeland" and "My Homeland" and "Far beyond the fleecy clouds" in my vast collection of cheezy hymnals, but to no avail.
Maybe I should have looked for "beautiful homeland," but I forgot.
The national anthem of Croatia is "Beautiful Homeland," but I doubt that's what you want.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST,Bob Sloan
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 10:58 AM

I appreciate the interest everyone's taking in this. And I hope if anyone else has any ideas they'll post them.

At the Cyberhymnal I found "Face to Face with Christ my Savior," per Peace's suggestion, and it doesn't seem close. I hadn't gotten lost on that site in a long time though, and it was fine to sit for fifteen or twenty minutes digging and delving. . .

I'm beginning to suspect this is a very obscure regional thing.

We have, here in Rowan County KY, a really fine group called the Clack Mountain String Band. (The have a website at http://www.clackmountain.com) If the guy who originally put me on to this lyric records some form of it and emails it, I'm gonna see if CMSB will work it into their performance repertoire.

Thanks again for everyone's help and interest.

Bob
Rowan County KY

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 11:58 AM

Sorted through "The Golden Sheath" and "Golden Wreath" so far. Several 'homelands' but not the right one.
So many songs whose content bear no relation to title that one must leaf through these volumes page by page. It may be 19th c. last half since in that time period there are several with similar thoughts.

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 12:11 PM

I am on vacay but stopping at #1 son's house today. This sounds like one of a zillion "singing convention" possibilities where quartets would travel performing from their new songbooks so they could sell same to congregations. I have a handful of those booklets at home, but am hoping to find this one already posted when I get home. Love an MP3 of the tune!

~S~

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 01:21 PM

For WYSIWIG (and others):

If I get an mp3 of this song I'll be happy to share it around.

Bob
Rowan County KY

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 02:04 PM

We could always just write a few more verses, too-- I do it all the time, and we can approximate a tune as well. There are only so many ways to sing a song that scans like this one. And it's a surefire way to learn the correct tune and text. Perform it as best you can and someone will eventually come up afterwards to tell you how THEY sing it!

~S~

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Peace
Date: 30 Jul 06 - 06:55 PM

I'm still lookin'. Found this which may be the one Q was harkening to:

Unclouded Day

Words and music: Josiah K. Alwood (c. 1880)
This song also appeared on Praise and Adore Him by The Sounds of Glory and as "O They Tell Me of a Home" on Don't Wait Til Winter by Revival.
Lead: None

O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies
O they tell me of a home far away
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise
O they tell me of an unclouded day

Chorus:
O the land of cloudless day
O the land of an unclouded sky
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise
O they tell me of an unclouded day

O they tell me of a home where my friends have gone
O they tell me of that land far away
Where the tree of life in eternal bloom
Sheds its fragrance through the unclouded day

Repeat Chorus

O they tell me that He smiles on His children there
And His smile drives their sorrows all away
And they tell me that no tears ever come again
In that lovely land of unclouded day

Repeat Chorus (x2)

Scriptural Reference:

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 03:20 PM

Allmusic.com lists 66 recordings of various songs called HOMELAND. There are sound samples available for most of them. It would take a lot of patience to listen to all of them. I would start with the one marked "gospel." I can't do it now, though.

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 01:59 AM

Jean Ritchie didn't know this one, but she sent a note with information on a song with a related theme:

I never have heard of this song, "Beautiful Homeland." Sounds as though it came from a local poet and hasn't been published. The Old Regular Baptists have a similar one in their songbook, "There's a Beautiful Home Far Beyond the Skies," whose chorus says about the same thing:

   In that beautiful land
   Where the angels stand,
   We shall meet, we shall meet,
   We shall meet in that beautiful land.

A lovely song- but not the same as, "Beautiful Homeland."   Sorry I cannot help.

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST,Bob - Rowan County KY
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 09:46 PM

I've about decided "Oh That Homeland" is a total unknown outside Harlan --and maybe Perry-- County in Kentucky.

The guy who sent the lyrics to me, having learnt them from his grandparents, has sent me an mp3 file and given me permission to upload it someplace, in the hope someone will add this lovely old tune to their repertoire.

Any notions about where I might do that?

Lemme know. . .

Bob
Rowan County KY
rlsloanATmindspring.com
http://bobsloansampler.com/
Now available: "Nobody Knows, Nobody Sees"
Herald-Leader Column: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/14945607.htm
MISSING MOUNTAINS: http://www.windpub.com/books/missing.htm

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 10:08 PM

I dunno where you can upload it, Bob, but I'd love to hear it via email. I use a LOT of vintage gospel in our church's weekly Sat. night service.

~Susan

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Janie
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 10:20 PM

My grandparents are from Johnson Co. I know Rowan is not adjacent, but it is still in the same region. My Dad still has Pawpaw's 'lined-out'United Baptist Hymnal. I'll ask him to look through it and see if it might be in there.

You also might try posting an inquiry to the guestbook of the Kentucky genweb site for Rowan and Perry Counties. That might yield some leads and other resources worth pursuing. There are also some websites with links to Old Regular Baptist and United Baptist churches and associations. There are probably only one or two Associations with which the Old Regular and/or United Baptist churches in any particular county are affiliated. You might have some luck if you can locate and contact the Association(s).

Good luck.

Janie

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 12:47 AM

Susan wrote:

*****

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: WYSIWYG
Date: 20 Aug 06 - 10:08 PM

I dunno where you can upload it, Bob, but I'd love to hear it via email. I use a LOT of vintage gospel in our church's weekly Sat. night service.

~Susan

*****

Emailed it to you just a few minutes ago.

Hope it works out that you can use it at church.

Let me know, please, if that happens.

Bob
Rowan County KY

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 01:49 AM

Bob, if you can e-mail a copy of the MP3 to me, I have a place where I can post it temporarily.
Thanks.
-Joe Offer-
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 01:22 PM

Hearing it now. Lovely tune.... Bob, can you post the additional lyric and give us the performer info so his stewardship of this song can be credited when people do it? Please also let him know I'd love to correspond with him-- and that I loved his strong singing of it.

This is definitely one we will be using.

~S~

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 05:21 PM

OK, MP3 has been posted. Can't guarantee how long it will stay up. To make room for this one, I deleted an MP3 from Louis Roy.

---

Click to play (joeweb)

(recording by Larry Moses)

---

We still don't have a full transcription of the lyrics for this song. Anybody got time to transcribe and post it?
Not me. It's time for my nap...
-Joe-

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Aug 06 - 07:52 PM

I think Bob has a text file, and I've asked him to post it. If he doesn't I will transcribe it, and I may even make a simple MIDI. Also on request is attribution info on his friend, including whatever the friend would like said about his source.

~Susan

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST,Bubba
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 12:15 AM

Thanks for the help, folks. Getting this song out is a way to keep the song alive and to also honor my heritage. Thank you

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Janie
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 12:43 AM

Is it possible to save this MP3 file to my computer? And if so, how?

I couldn't find any buttons on realplayer while it was playing that would allw me to do that.

Janie

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 02:13 AM

Hi, Janie - point to the link with your mouse and click the right mouse button. A menu will pop up - choose "save target as..." ("save link as..." in Firefox). It doesn't work on all files on all sites, but it does work on many. Since I have a slow, rural dialup connection, I use this technique a lot.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Neighmond
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 03:54 AM

Beautiful Homeland, That

as sung by Bob Sloan,
County Rowan, KY, U.S. America

Far beyond the fleecy clouds is my Homeland
That fair land never seen by mortal eye,
And I'm only passing through on a journey
For my home is far beyond the starry sky

Chorus: Oh that Homeland! Beautiful Homeland!
Ageless land of pure delight, where the angels walk in white!
Oh that Homeland! Beautiful Homeland!
Soon on pinions I'll arise, and soar to thee!

Often here I see this Earth, clothed in beauty,
Flow'rs and blossems all around me as I roam;
But it never can compare with my Homeland!
Farewell, Earth! In the evening I am going Home!

Chorus

Oft times here, I grow homesick, and I wonder
Oh, Why that I'am asked to wait so long?
For I long to hear the harps of the angels,
And I long to hear the saints break forth in song!

Chorus



Will this work?

Chaz

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 04:05 AM

Works great, Chaz - I'm not sure Bob Sloan is the singer on the MP3 - we're waiting for information from him on that. I marked the MP3 "from Bob Sloan" - that may have been misleading. It's a nice song. I'm surprised it's not better-known.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Neighmond
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 04:48 AM

I have five feet of hymnody on the book shelf, and darnded if I could find it either! I bet someone in that area wrote it.

In the second verse "Often" ought to be striken and replaced with: "Oft times" now that I hear it more clearly.

CJ

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Neighmond
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 04:52 AM

Try Brett Ratliff, for the artist?

Subject: ADD: That Beautiful Homeland
From: Neighmond
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 04:59 AM

Here it is, after mistening about ten more times and correcting my initial errors:


THAT BEAUTIFUL HOMELAND
as sung by Larry Moses
County Rowan, KY, U.S. America

Far beyond the fleecy clouds is my Homeland
That fair land never seen by mortal eye,
And I'm only passing through on a journey
For my home is far beyond the starry sky!

CHORUS:
Oh that Homeland! Beautiful Homeland!
Ageless land of pure delight, where the angels walk in white!
Oh that Homeland! Beautiful Homeland!
Soon on pinions I'll arise, and soar to thee!

Oft times here I see this Earth, clothed in beauty,
Flow'rs and blossems all around me as I roam;
But it never can compare with my Homeland!
Farewell, Earth! In the evening I am going Home!

Chorus

Oft times here, I grow homesick, and I wonder
Oh, Why that I'am asked to wait so long?
          (Oh, Why must the master wait so long?)
For I long to hear the harps of the angels,
And I long to hear the saints break forth in song!

Chorus

---

Click to play (joeweb)

(recording by Larry Moses)

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Janie
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 06:58 AM

Thanks Joe. That worked just fine.

What a beaut this song is. Thank you Bob, for sharing it.

Janie

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST,Bubba
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 11:06 AM

It is an old song that my grandmother and my dad sang, I have never heard anyone else sing it and know nothing about where it came from, who wrote it, etc., but decided to try and find a recording of it. Bob was kind enough to help me try to find this information and now we are at this point and I am proud as I can be to have something that means so much to me seen and heard by so many and to see that others enjoy it also. I recorded the song and sent it to Bob, "oft times" are the correct words. Again, I thank you all.

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Janie
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 04:25 PM

No Bubba. Thank you.

Janie

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Neighmond
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 10:02 PM

What a pretty song!

Transcribing it was a tiny price to pay for adding it to my gospel favorites!

I hope I didn't slaughter the lyrics too badly.

Chaz

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 10:34 PM

Yeah, but Bubba, who do we say sang the song? You did a nice job, and we should give you credit by name. If you're shy, that's ok, but it would be nice to tie your name to the recording.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: 'Oh that homeland, beautiful homeland'
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Aug 06 - 11:31 PM

Yes, I am a shy person but if you promise not to tell anyone, my name is Larry Moses.

Subject: Lyr Add: THAT BEAUTIFUL HOMELAND (from Larry Moses
From: Free
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 02:58 AM

I don't live in Rowan County, I live in Indiana just across the river from Boone County KY. When I joined I had to add the M to Bubba cause there is already a Bubba and there is already a Larry so I stuck with BubbaM. These are the words to the song as I sing it, as I remember them.


Beautiful Homeland, That

as sung by Larry Moses,
Indiana, U.S. America

Far beyond the fleecy clouds is my Homeland
That fair land never seen by mortal eye,
And I'm only passing through on a journey
For my home is far beyond the starry sky!

Chorus: Oh that Homeland! Beautiful Homeland!
Ageless land of pure delight, where the angels walk in white!
Oh that Homeland! Beautiful Homeland!
Soon on pinions I'll arise, and soar to thee!

Oft times here I see this Earth, clothed in beauty,
Flow'rs and blossems all around me as I roam;
But it never can compare with my Homeland!
Farewell, Earth! In the evening I am going Home!

Chorus

Oft times here, I grow homesick, and I wonder
Oh, Why must the master wait so long?
For I long to hear the harps of the angels,
And I long to hear the saints break forth in song!

Chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That Beautiful Homeland
From: Janie
Date: 18 Jan 11 - 10:52 PM

The computer that I saved the link to Larry Moses singing this song crashed and burned, and the links provided no longer work. If anyone else happened to save the recording and could e-mail it to me, I would greatly appreciate you sending me a pm for my e-mail addy.   I didn't sing it often or long enough when I learned it, and am pretty certain I have gone off in my own direction with the melody for the verses.

Janie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That Beautiful Homeland
From: Janie
Date: 18 Jan 11 - 11:02 PM

What I meant to say is "The computer to which I saved the sound file...."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That Beautiful Homeland
From: Janie
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 05:59 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That Beautiful Homeland
From: Janie
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 10:20 PM

Ain't givin' up yet. Surely I am not the only one who saved the sound file to their computer.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That Beautiful Homeland (from Larry Moses
From: Janie
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 09:07 PM

Still hoping some one saved one of the sound files posted here for which the links are now dead. Lost my saved file in a computer crash, haven't sung it for a long while and absolutely don't trust my memory of the melody. Or if you learned it and could perhaps make a rough recording and e-mail it to me, I'd be forever grateful.

---

Your wish is my command, Janie. I posted the recording at my Website and changed the links above.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: That Beautiful Homeland (from Larry Moses
From: Janie
Date: 15 Feb 13 - 10:32 PM

Thanks Joe.