Hello, kittens & dawgs! Music is what makes my heart beat, but then you already know this with two weekly posts dedicated to tunes. That being said, if you’re here then it’s because you’re a regular on the 4M dance floor and this week’s theme is “freebie style”. I’m happy to share my participation in BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB).
Hosting this little shindig is, Far Away Series & Steven T. McCarthy. The basic rules are as follows: You listen to different recordings of the same song and vote for the one you like best by leaving it in comments. There are two “Battles” per month ~ the 1st and 15th. Six days later (the 7th and 21st), I tally the votes (including my pick) and announce the winner.
Let the battle begin!
A song recorded and adapted over the years by many artists is The Lord’s Prayer. Here is a cross-section of styles throughout the years from traditional to pop.
In 1949, in a church, Perry Como recorded The Lord’s Prayer. He enlisted the help of his parish priest to sit in on the recording to make sure he sang the lyrics with deserving respect.
Cliff Richards did The Millennium Prayer for charity in 1999. The lyrics consisted of The Lord’s Prayer set to the tune of Auld Lang Syne. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart.
Doyle Dykes, a guitarist I am not familiar with popped up in my search. I felt this instrumental rendition definitely deserved a shot at the battle.
I love the traditional sound of The Lord’s Prayer by many artists. To name just a few, I like listening to Jackie Evancho, Andrea Bocelli, Jim Neighbors, and Susan Boyle performances. However, when I think about this song, I remember a popular version from the from the 70s by Sister Janet Meade.
This contemporary rock recording sold 3 million copies worldwide and certified gold for its 1M copies sold. Meade was nominated for a Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance but lost. Here is another Christian pop interpretation by Michael W. Smith.
For fellow BOTB players, if you missed my August 1st vote results, you can check it out here. Now, are you ready to cast your vote? Okay, here’s what you do. In the comments section, tell me which band you like the best and why. Next week, this time (hopefully) I will post the results of your votes. Meanwhile, why not check out what the other BOTB participants (below) are sharing.
STMcC Presents ‘Battle of the Bands’
Creative Outlet of Stratplayer
For all of you regular Monday’s Music Moves Me dancers let me say, on behalf of the lovely Dancing Queen, Marie @XmasDolly and her Solid Gold dancers ~ Callie @JAmericanSpice, Stacy @Stacy Uncorked, Becca @Everyday Life, & myself , I want to invite you to step on the dance floor. Please join us, add your music post URL below!
Linky Tools subscription expired. List not available.Before I ska-daddle, let me say thanks to the laborers of this country.
Next stop… your place! What music moves you?
1. Grab XmasDolly 4M button. 2. Display it on your blog. 3. Add your favorite YouTube videos. FYI: we dance freebie style every other week, and on the off weeks we dance to a chosen theme picked by the previous week Spotlight Dancer. You can find it listed on XmasDolly’s side menu. That all being said, we aren’t music snobs. As long as you have tunes for us to dance to, then you’re cool!
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I used to listen to him. He has such a nice voice.
I love Michael W. Smith.
As I was listening to the Cliff Richard version (having suffered through the Como version) I found myself wishing you’d put the hit single from the 70’s as one of the choices. Imagine my surprise when I scrolled down and it was there…after nine years of Catholic school, I have too much guilt and fear not to vote for the singing nun!,
Larry
Every time I think of the Lord’s Prayer in song the first thing that pops in my head is Sister Meade. I don’t believe I knew at the time that the song came out that it was actually done by a real nun, though. I could have forgotten that tid-bit. I tend to do that. Anyhow, I still sing her version quite frequently. Thanks for chiming in with your pick.
Five lovely version of beautiful words with superb melodies. In the end I give my vote to Perry Como (He was one of my mother’s favorites and I’m almost shocked to see myself vote for him here). He seems to capture the perfect blend of reverence and love in his rendition.
CATHY ~
I’ll be honest with you…
I am a very devoted reader of The Holy Bible (Genesis to Revelation at least 20 times), even if my Spiritual beliefs are a bit “unorthodox”. And ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ is very special to me because it was always my gateway to the meditative state.
However, even so… when I saw 5 (count ’em: FIVE!) versions of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ here my first thought was one of “BOTB Overkill”. BUT(!)… [did you sense there was a “but!” coming?] …in listening to all five versions I found that I enjoyed every one of them and they were all so entirely different that it actually justified the inclusion of all five.
So… good call and good BOTB blog bit, Cathy!
Now, on to my vote…
What I especially liked about the Perry Como version was the angelic-sounding choir in the background. That REALLY set the mood for these mystical, Divine Words!
The Cliff Richard version was interesting because of his incorporation of the Auld Lang Syne melody. I mean, when you stop and think about it, The Lord’s Prayer was not originally a song. It was given to us by God’s Son and our Savior as an example of an ideal prayer to God The Father. Yeshua spoke the words, He didn’t sing ’em. So who’s to say that the words in song form MUST match a certain melody?
While I missed the Divine Words in the Doyle Dykes instrumental version, I gotta say: Hokey-Smoke! That guy can really play the guitar! Beautiful, just beautiful playing.
Although I’d never heard her sing before, I had heard OF “The Singing Nun” (not to be confused with “The Flying Nun”). I liked her version but, hoo-wee, it didn’t sound a bit like I imagined The Singing Nun would sound. I expected something much more traditional and not so Pop/Rock sounding. Pretty good though.
The Michael Smith version was my least favorite, and I agree with Robin that it was perhaps a bit too long, but I still liked that one also and it was different from the others, so I didn’t feel like it was just a “repeat” of something I heard earlier.
In the final analysis though, I’m gonna vote for the Perry Como version, because it really seemed heartfelt and the sound of it put my mind on top of a cloud with a golden harp to strum.
Good BOTB blog bit, Cathy!
~ D-FensDogg
‘Loyal American Underground’
POSTSCRIPT:
If the BOTB popularity lasts long enough, I may one day also use ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, putting the Johnny Mathis version against the Mahalia Jackson version.
Each version of The Lord’s Prayer done in song speaks to my heart. This is the beautiful thing about music in how it ministers to your soul. My grandmother went to an Old Regular Baptist Church and they did not believe in worshiping with musical instruments. That absolutely blew my mind away. The Bible clearly makes references to harps, horns, drums, flutes, and other joyful noise making devices. God must like music instruments why else would He have the writers of the Bible to mention these things? Back to my point, all of these versions speak to me differently and depending on my mood when the song comes to mind is the way I will start singing it. Anyway you choice to sing praises to God, then He is faithful to hear our words. He knows our heart. Thanks for casting your vote!
Wow — a lot of choices!
The guitar playing by Doyle Dykes is phenomenal, and that is by far my favorite instrumentation. But if you didn’t know the song, you’d have no idea what it was, and this is a song where the lyrics are the whole point.
I found something to like in each of the newer versions, although I think the simple Perry Como version is the best. So another vote for Perry.
I agree Doyle Dykes did an amazing job on the guitar. I prefer hearing The Lord’s Prayer, too. After all, the message is in the words.
My pick is Cliff Richards. I enjoyed the guitar, but its not the same meaning without the words. It was a tough call between Cliff and Sister Janet the only other competition.
Richards’ version was nice, but perhaps my least favorite of my choices. I was happy to bring it to the BOTB spin off. Thanks for voting!
It’s easy to eliminate two of them: Sister Janet’s and Michael W. Smith’s. Sister’s because I never liked it, and Smith’s because it’s a little too Christian-pop for me.
I love Perry Como, both his singing and his choice of material. This was very traditional, kind of like Perry. He’s an old-Church Catholic, like I am. Cliff Richard’s version had me singing along with it: the melody was familiar, and the words he added were beautiful–but was it the Lord’s Prayer? While he uses the words of the prayer, I don’t think you can say that it is. I think it was appropriate that he didn’t call his version “the Lord’s prayer.”
But my favorite of the three of them was Doyle Dykes’ version. It was fingerstyle guitar artistry combined with the beautiful melody of this setting. Again, was it the Lord’s prayer? No, the words weren’t there.
Hard as it is to choose one, I go with Dykes’, with Perry Como’s version close behind as the most traditional and Cliff Richard’s in there close berhind Perry’s as the most singable.
Arlee told me to let you know that I’ve started doing BOTB as well. I’d like to invite you to come by and see my first effort.
John Holton
The Sound Of One Hand Typing
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Dykes performance of The Lord’s Prayer. I consider myself a traditionalist by most accounts. Como certainly ranks in the top for doing this song superbly. However, I am a bit at a stand off on who I my final pick will be. I’ll let y’all know who I go with next week! Thanks for joining in on the BOTB fun!
wow I love them all it’s to hard to choose just one.
It is hard to choose. I like the BOTB.
I think the 1st one and the the last one are good. Well at least for me.
I however do not like Michael saying ‘which art in heaven…” I prefer if he said “Who art in heaven…”
Very good ones Cathy.
Have a wonderful week! *HUGS*
I do not remember Perry Como doing the Lords prayer,thank you for posting it.
Very nice. Enjoyed them.
For me, the battle is between Doyle Dykes and Janet Mead. I really didn’t care for the others. Como’s was too slow. Richards too fast (maybe, I don’t know… I just didn’t like it). Smith’s version was just too repetitive. I didn’t need 5 minutes unless you are going to do something truly spectacular and I don’t think he did.
Normally I don’t care for an instrumental version when the song is about the words, but I knew the words and I felt the sentiment in the guitar. I really liked the idea of the rock mass that Mead brought to the table. I liked it better knowing that all of her music was God-based and that she was just bringing another interpretation to the words. I am going with Mead, but it was really close between and her Doyle.
Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!
https://joycelansky.blogspot.com/
All of the artists should have had a priest supervising. Perry Como’s version is the most appropriate in regard to the subject matter. The guitarist was good. The other versions are a bit to poppy for my taste in respect to “The Lord’s Prayer”.
My vote for Perry Como.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Wow! The Singing Nun is resurrected heheh! Perry Como always reminds me of my childhood l;-)
Have a praytastic week
These are phenomenal my friend! Thank you very much for putting these together. Fabulous my favorite is the first one though I must say!
I’m a traditionalist so I’m picking Perry Como’s rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer”. I was a little shocked at the Singing Nun’s version of it…yikes. She was a hip Sister.
Happy Labor Day!