To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=24922
20 messages

Lyr Add: Never Grow Old

30 Aug 00 - 08:04 PM (#288229)
Subject: Never Grow Old ^^
From: Joe Offer

Seems funny that we've missed this one
-Joe Offer

NEVER GROW OLD
(Words & Music: James Cleveland Moore, 1930)

I have heard of a land on the faraway strand,
’Tis a beautiful home of the soul;
Built by Jesus on high, there we never shall die,
’Tis a land where we never grow old.

Refrain

Never grow old, never grow old,
In a land where we’ll never grow old;
Never grow old, never grow old,
In a land where we’ll never grow old.

In that beautiful home where we’ll nevermore roam,
We shall be in the sweet by and by;
Happy praise to the King through eternity sing,
’Tis a land where we never shall die.

Refrain

When our work here is done and our life-crown is won,
And our troubles and trials are o’er;
All our sorrow will end, and our voices will blend,
With the loved ones who’ve gone on before.


(MIDI, score). Moore was a singing teacher in Spaulding County, Georgia. Heavenly Highway Hymns shows the copyright date as 1930, but some sources show it as early as 1914.


JRO ^^


31 Aug 00 - 07:31 AM (#288411)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Quincy

A beautiful song!
Brings back some special memories.....and also gives hope for the future!

Thanks Joe
best wishes, Yvonne


31 Aug 00 - 10:06 AM (#288515)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: GUEST

A fine rendition of this by Anne Hills & Cindy Mangsen on their album titled "Never Grow Old" (1995, Flying fish FF70638). Joe, their liner notes say it was written in 1926. They also say that they learned it from a recording of the Smith Sacred Singers on the Smithsonian "Classic Country Music" anthology.


31 Aug 00 - 10:12 AM (#288525)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: MMario

wow! great!


31 Aug 00 - 10:18 AM (#288530)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: paddymac

Growing old is inevitable, but growing up is entirely optional. It's a great song, Joe. Thanks. Sort of a churchy spin on the legend of Tir na nOg.


31 Aug 00 - 10:27 AM (#288535)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Giac

Hadn't thought of this song for years, thanks, Joe, for bringing it back in sight!


31 Aug 00 - 10:35 AM (#288539)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: GUEST,Gene

A variation of this great old tune

NEVER GROW COLD

Some folks live like a king
Think they have everything
With great riches and treasures untold
We don't have what they do
But when our day is thru
We've got love that will never grow cold

CHORUS
DUET: Never Grow Cold
Never Grow Cold
Our love will never grow cold
Never Grow Cold
It will Never Grow Cold
Our love will never grow cold

When my life here is thru
When they take me from you
When my earthly possessions are sold
They can have what I own
Still, when these things are gone
We've got love that will Never Grow Cold

Chorus


31 Aug 00 - 11:26 AM (#288577)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Dale Rose

Another version not to be missed is that of Alfred Karnes on The Music of Kentucky, Early American Rural Classics 1927-1937, Vol. 1, Yazoo CD 2013 and also on Kentucky Gospel 1927-1928, Document CD 8013. If you want just other gospel music to go with it, then I would suggest the Document ~~ both are excellent anthologies, a close call either way. Let's see ~~ who else? Carter Family, Jim Reeves, George Jones, Alisa Jones (daughter of Grandpa and Ramona Jones ~~ hammer dulcimer instrumental). . .

SMALL ADDITIONS: You are just as likely, perhaps moreso, to find it as Where We'll Never Grow Old in most hymnals.

Favorite Songs and Hymns, Stamps Baxter, 1939 lists it as copyright 1930, probably a renewal. It has the notation (To my father and mother, -- J.C.M.) below the title. I did not check Heavenly Highways, probably my next favorite source for old gospel songs, but I am certain that you will find it there as well. Heavenly Highways has the advantage of still being in print, while Favorite Songs and Hymns is not, though you can easily find used copies in the $3-$13 range, depending on condition and whether paperback or hardback.


31 Aug 00 - 11:43 AM (#288598)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Dale Rose

Actually, that would be Alisa Jones WALL, but I don't remember how she is listed on the CD. Total side trip ~~ for those withing driving range of Mountain View, Arkansas, get to the Ozark Folk Center tomorrow and Saturday for the Grandpa Jones Tribute; you won't be sorry. Scheduled are Ramona Jones, Mark Jones, Alisa Jones Wall, Ron Wall, David Holt, and likely a host of others. Last year Ramona had Larry Sledge and Ruth McLain (I've forgotten her married name)in her band and several other walkons, including Cathy Barton and Dave Para.


31 Aug 00 - 03:51 PM (#288707)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: wysiwyg

I think this one song, which I heard first on the Hills/Mangsen tape, was the whole inspiration for the character of our Saturday night service. When I first heard it-- and sang along with it in my kitchen while cooking or doing dishes for three gnarly, growth-spurting teenagers-- I did not know that a few years after I heard them nail this hymn, I would be trying it in public, or singing in public at all. But that's how it worked out, and the sound of it has guided many of my choices since then as I have planned that service's music.

Also known as LAND WHERE WE'LL NEVER GROW OLD and in a lot of hymnals thataway.

Verse variants-- I have heard the words as [through eternity ring] and [our life's crown is won]... seems these vowel/consonant combinations are more easily voiced.

A favorite at our church, and our group ALWAYS does it when we visit nursing homes. The people there usually cry. (It's on our tape.)

AND, I believe it is BOUND FOR THAT CITY which has a different melody BUT can also be sung to the lovely NEVER GROW OLD tune to make more verses of it.

Whew. Memories. Thanks, Joe.

~S~


31 Aug 00 - 05:07 PM (#288747)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Joe Offer

I'm still a little unclear on the copyright date, so I'm open to suggestions on what's absolutely correct. Also, I'm wondering if the verses are in correct order and form above. I copied them from "Cyber Hymnal," and I'm not sure they're perfectly accurate. It's in Rise Up Singing, but that's not a source I completely trust for accuracy, either. I think that most of the time in this business, we look for an approximation, not total accuracy. I sang this song last night at our song circle. I usually sing it a cappella, but I invited the guitars to join in - what resulted, I'm afraid, was an approximation of the song.
-Joe Offer-


31 Aug 00 - 10:40 PM (#288969)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Dale Rose

All the differences that I hear/read between Joe's post, Favorite Songs and Hymns, and the Alfred Karnes version are very minor. The biggest one I see is that Favorite Songs and Hymns says OUR life crown is won, instead of THE life crown ~~ the rest are of even less importance, I think.

Praise, this is one that WE grew up singing. Maybe that is a topic for a thread sometime, the songs and hymns which "never grow old" no matter how many times we hear them!


31 Aug 00 - 11:56 PM (#289001)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: wysiwyg

Dale, I didn't grow up singing ANY of them, and i envy you... I am trying to catch up though! And to sing so others CAN grow up singing them.

~S~


01 Sep 00 - 02:42 PM (#289433)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Burke

From what I've seen of CyberHymnal I would not consider it the authority for anything. I'd be more likely to put my money on their composers & dates than their words.

Words for these kinds of hymns have been subjected not just to the folk process but the theological process as well. Hymnbook compilers have felt free to tweak words since the beginning of their publishing. One reason one must always watch words when using a different hymnal.

I'll check a couple of older hymnals that I have, but don't expect much. Your best authority for dates, etc. is the hymnal companion if one has been done. The Episcopal Church did the mother of all companions a few years ago. Never Grow Old, however, is not the hymnal so it's not in the companion. If it's in Broadman, it's companion has a reputation of being good. Also good are books with titles like the story behind the hymns, but which hymns are included is the writer's personal selection.

Praise, don't feel bad about just learning these songs now. I had them is small doses as a child & can enjoy them. I know people who grew up on them who really can't stand them any more. Unmixed with other types of 'standard' hymns they can get a bit boring after a while. :-) The oddest thing to me is a couple of Jewish Sacred Harp singers I know who are getting into these songs. It sure is making me take another look at Bliss, Barnby, etc.


02 Sep 00 - 12:02 AM (#289772)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Rick Fielding

Hey Dale, nice to see you.

Oh Joe if you haven't heard the Alfred Karnes version, get your assets on a plane and come to Toronto. I'll play it for you. My gosh I LOVE that man's singing!

Rick


18 Feb 01 - 11:53 AM (#400844)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: GUEST

oops, all thumbs seem to hit submit!

Here's what I was trying to say:

Here we are again loving this old tune. How life changes in a short time. I've traded in the name Praise for WYSIWYG and it's quite odd, as Burke said it would be, to see people addressing someone named "Praise" here and no post listed from her because the database changed it into WYSIWYG retroactively. So Burke, you were right, of course, and I aplogize for hearing you so rudely! Forgive me? (But I'm keeping the new name!)

And here is Dale Rose too, who tried once to tell me something and I let fly with a rant in reply, and I keep running into him in all the threads I ike best! Did you forgive me too, Dale? Did you ever get the PM of apology? I never got an answer.

And Joe...

And I am somehow posting even more boldly than ever and yet I think I am managing to piss off fewer people, if not yet pissing them off less when I do. How odd.

Well anyhow, I have a little story to share on this hymn, but I can't recall all the names. It was about a famous gospel singer who came to an all-day singing, and he had done this hymn a million times in performance, and had been a friend of Cleveland's. Someone slipped the word to the MC that Cleveland, now quite old, was actrully in attendance at the event. He was snuck up onstage to do the hymn with his famous old friend, who I think he hadn't seen in years. You can imagine what THAT rendition was like, right? The story is told on the Gaither Homecoming Hour (cable TV, USA). I can't recall which show. Hovie Lister, I think, told the story and was the MC who hooked them up, the singin' being at his church as I recall.

I thought I'd add chords too. The version in our songbook is so messed up I need a fresh original of our arrangement, for our group.

Verses
(C)I have heard of a land on the faraway strand,
'Tis a (F)beautiful (C)home of the (G)soul; (G7)
Built by (C)Jesus on high, there we never shall die,
'Tis a (F)land where we (C)never (G)grow (C)old.

Refrain
(C)Never grow old, (F)never grow (C)old,
In a land where we'll never grow (G)old; (G7)
(C)Never grow old, (F)never grow (C)old,
In a land where we'll (G)never grow (C)old. (F,C)

Well, that's how we do it.

~Susan


16 Jan 08 - 04:17 PM (#2237929)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Goose Gander

Never Grow Old

I've heard of a land on th far away strand
T'is a beautiful home of th soul
Built by Jesus on high, there we shall die
In th land where we never grow old

Never grow old, never grow old
In a land where we'll never grow old
Never grow old, never grow old
In a land where we'll never grow old

In Heaven no drooping or pinning
A wish for else where to be
But life forever there shinin'
How beautiful Heaven must be

The angels so sweetly are singing
Up there by th beautiful sea
Sweet joy from glow harps are ringing
How beautiful Heaven must be
Beautiful Heaven must be
Home of th happy an' free
Haven of rest for th weary
How beautiful Heaven must be

as sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on October 26, 1971.

Source:
Max Hunter Folksong Collection


16 Jan 08 - 05:32 PM (#2237985)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: topical tom

A beautiful song that I heard as a boy and have sung ever since! Fond memories, Joe!


16 Jan 08 - 05:43 PM (#2237992)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: topical tom

Michael Morris included the line in his song "How beautful heaven must be".This is also a grand old time hymn (gospel?)
http: This is it


16 Jan 08 - 05:56 PM (#2238001)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Never Grow Old
From: Joe Offer

I wish I had the chance to take Rick up on his offer to sing it for me.

-Joe-