"I'll Fly Away" | |
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by Albert E. Brumley | |
Genre | Hymn |
Text | by Albert E. Brumley |
Language | English |
Meter | 9.4.9.4 |
Melody | "I'll Fly Away" |
Composed | 1929 |
Published | 1932 |
"I'll Fly Away" is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled Wonderful Message. [1] [2] Brumley's writing was influenced by the 1924 secular ballad, "The Prisoner's Song".
"I'll Fly Away" has been called the most recorded gospel song. [1] [2] It is frequently used in worship services by Baptists, Pentecostals, Nazarenes, the Churches of Christ and many Methodists. [3] It appears in many hymnals where it is listed under the topics of eternal life, heaven and acceptance. It is a standard song at bluegrass jam sessions and is often performed at funerals, including jazz funerals in the New Orleans tradition.
Albert E. Brumley has been described as the "pre-eminent gospel songwriter" of the 20th century with over 600 published songs. [3] Other popular songs by Brumley include "Jesus, Hold My Hand", "Turn Your Radio On", "I'll Meet You in the Morning", and "This World Is Not My Home". According to interviews, Brumley came up with the idea for the song while picking cotton on his father's farm in Rock Island, Oklahoma. [1] [3] Brumley says that as he worked he was "humming the old ballad that went like this: 'If I had the wings of an angel, over these prison walls I would fly,' and suddenly it dawned on me that I could use this plot for a gospel-type song." [1] The song Brumley described appears to be "The Prisoner's Song". [4] It was an additional three years later until Brumley worked out the rest of the song, paraphrasing one line from the secular ballad to read, "Like a bird from prison bars has flown" using prison as a metaphor for earthly life. [1] Brumley has stated, "When I wrote it, I had no idea that it would become so universally popular." [1] Other earlier nineteenth century slave songs also contained similar lyrics, stating: "I'll fly away to glory; I'll fly away to my heavenly home, And I'll shout glory." [5]
"I'll Fly Away" | |
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Single by Selah Jubilee Singers | |
Released | ? |
Recorded | February 21, 1941 |
Genre | gospel |
Label | Decca 7831 (reissued Document DOCD 5499) [6] [7] |
Songwriter(s) | Albert E. Brumley |
One of the earliest recordings of "I'll Fly Away" was made by the Selah Jubilee Singers in February 1941 for Decca Records. The group was founded around 1927 by Thermon Ruth, a disc jockey at radio station WOR in Brooklyn New York. [6]
"I'll Fly Away" | |
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Single by James and Martha Carson | |
Released | 1951 |
Recorded | ? |
Genre | gospel |
Label | Capitol 1415 |
Songwriter(s) | Albert E. Brumley |
James and Martha Carson, also known as the "Barn Dance Sweethearts" released their first recordings on White Church in 1947 and later signed with Capitol in 1949. They recorded 22 numbers for Capitol and "I'll Fly Away" is one of a half-dozen that "did well" for them. [9]
"I'll Fly Away" | |
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Single by Chuck Wagon Gang | |
Released | 1950(?) [11] |
Recorded | December 16, 1948 [12] |
Genre | gospel |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | Albert E. Brumley |
The Chuck Wagon Gang's 1948 recording of "I'll Fly Away" for Columbia sold over one million copies and ranks among the top selling gospel records of all-time, [13] and is listed among the top selling songs of the 1940s in general. [14] In 1950, Billboard reported that American disc jockeys voted the Chuck Wagon Gang "18th most popular of all singing groups in the nation," considering all music genres, and the third most popular recording artist for Columbia. [12] Hank Williams, Sr. released a cover version in 1949.
In a history given by the current Chuck Wagon Gang, their recording of "I'll Fly Away" is described as the "first commercially licensed" release. [12] Their recording appears to have had two releases on Columbia, first as a B-side in 1949, then as an A-side in 1950.
In 2017, the Chuck Wagon Gang's recording of "I'll Fly Away" was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". [15]
In 1956, the Kossoy Sisters included "I'll Fly Away" on the album, Bowling Green , which featured instrumental backing by Erik Darling. The Kossoys, twin sisters Irene Saletan and Ellen Christenson, practiced close harmony singing, which is exemplified on this track. Their recording was introduced to a wider audience when it was included in the 2000 Coen Brothers film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? . [16] [17]
George Jones recorded an energetic version on his classic 1965 gospel LP Old Brush Arbors .
The Stanley brothers released a version in 1966 with Ralph Stanley later releasing a solo version on his Shine On album on Rebel Records in 2005.
Bob Marley adapted a reggae version in 1973 and recorded it with the Wailers as part of his Rastaman Chant. [18]
There have been numerous recordings of "I'll Fly Away" since its inclusion in the 2000 film O Brother Where Art Thou?. Although the Kossoy Sisters recording was used in the film itself, a contemporary recording by Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch was chosen for the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. The spare recording, produced by T-Bone Burnett, features Welch on lead vocals with Krauss singing harmony. Their voices are accompanied by Mike Compton on mandolin and Chris Sharp on guitar. The soundtrack sold over eight million copies, reached the top position on at least four of Billboard's album charts, and was named Album of the Year and Best Soundtrack album at the 44th Grammy Awards in February 2002. [19] [20]
Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch performed the song again for a concert of May 24, 2000, at the Ryman Auditorium that featured many of the artists from the O Brother soundtrack. Film from the concert was used to create the 2000 documentary, Down from the Mountain . Krauss and Welch's live performance is included as the final track on the Down from the Mountain soundtrack album, which sold over 500,000 copies, won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album, and appeared on several of Billboard's charts. [21] [22]
Both the studio and live performances by Krauss and Welch were popular among folk music disc jockeys. The two recordings were ranked at No. 7 and No. 47 respectively on the Top Songs of 2001 Folk Radio airplay chart. [23]
"I'll Fly Away" was included as an interlude in Kanye West's 2004 album, The College Dropout. The rendition was sung by Tony Williams. [24] [25] [26]
The Christian rock band Jars of Clay have recorded "I'll Fly Away" twice, first, for the 2004 various artists compilation album, WOW Worship: Red and again for their own 2005 album, Redemption Songs . The latter features guest vocals by Sarah Kelly. Redemption Songs reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart and No. 71 on the Billboard 200. [27] Their recording of the song was popular enough on Christian radio to be placed at No. 1 on a list of the Top Songs of 2005 by at least one station. [28]
Alan Jackson included "I'll Fly Away" on his first gospel album, Precious Memories (2006). He offers an up-tempo performance with guitar and piano solos. Jackson's album sold over 1 million copies and reached the top position on Billboard's charts for Top Country Albums and Top Christian Albums, as well as No. 4 on the Billboard 200. [29] [30]
Quebecois musician and storyteller Fred Pellerin recorded a version of the song sung in french, Je m'envolerai, on his 2019 album Après. [31]
A familial rendition of "I'll Fly Away", being performed at a close relation's funeral, is featured from 0:10-0:22 of JID's song "Kody Blu 31", off of his 2022 album "The Forever Story". [32]
This will likely always be an incomplete list. The listings at AllMusic are in excess of 1000 entries. [33]
"I'll Fly Away" was sampled without permission for the Grammy-winning song "I'll Be Missing You" recorded in 1997 by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans. In 2000, the songwriter's heirs, Albert E. Brumley & Sons, Inc. settled a copyright infringement suit filed against Arista Records, Faith Evans, Illegal Songs Inc., Chyna Baby Music, Janice Combs Publishing Inc., Magnetic Publishing Ltd. and Bad Boy Entertainment. In the settlement, the defendants acknowledged that Albert E. Brumley & Sons were the rightful copyright owners of "I'll Fly Away" and compensated them for an undisclosed amount. [37]
The Jacksonville State University marching band, The Marching Southerners, lead football fans in singing "I'll Fly Away" at the end of each home football game on Burgess-Snow Field. Team members link arm-in-arm with each other before leaving the field and join the band, coaches, cheerleaders, university president and the crowd of fans in singing the hymn. [38]
A live recording of it was played at the funeral of Marching Southerners member Darius Whited on August 6, 2022, to celebrate his life. [39]
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 satirical comedy-drama musical film written, produced, co-edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning in supporting roles.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the soundtrack album of music from the 2000 American film of the same name, written, directed and produced by the Coen Brothers and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Goodman.
"Morning Has Broken" is a Christian hymn first published in 1931. It has words by English author Eleanor Farjeon and was inspired by the village of Alfriston in East Sussex, then set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune, "Bunessan".
"The Water Is Wide" is a folk song of British origin. It remains popular in the 21st century. Cecil Sharp published the song in Folk Songs From Somerset (1906).
Kingdom songs are the hymns sung by Jehovah's Witnesses at their religious meetings. Since 1879, the Watch Tower Society has published hymnal lyrics; by the 1920s they had published hundreds of adapted and original songs, and by the 1930s they referred to these as "Kingdom songs" in reference to God's Kingdom.
"Angel Band" is an American gospel music song. The lyrics – a poem written in common metre – were originally titled "My Latest Sun Is Sinking Fast," and were written by Jefferson Hascall. The lyric was first set in J. W. Dadmun's tunebook The Melodeon in 1860, to a tune by Dadmun. These words, being in common metre, could be sung to many hymn tunes, but the tune now universally associated them is by William Batchelder Bradbury, and was published in Bradbury's Golden Shower of S.S. Melodies in 1862. Bradbury's song was originally titled "The Land of Beulah." "Angel Band" became widely known in the 19th century, both in folk traditions and in published form, e.g. William Walker's Christian Harmony of 1866, and has been recorded by many artists, probably most famously by the Stanley Brothers, Emmylou Harris, and by the Monkees. The Stanley Brothers version is included on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack album (2000).
Down from the Mountain is a 2000 documentary and concert film featuring a live performance by country and traditional music artists who participated in the Grammy-winning soundtrack recording for the Joel and Ethan Coen film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? The concert, held at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on May 24, 2000, was a benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The documentary was directed by Nick Doob, Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker. The artists in the concert also participated in a Down from the Mountain concert tour.
"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" is a Christian hymn written by the pastor and hymnodist Robert Robinson, who penned the words in the year 1758 at the age of 22.
"How Great Thou Art" is a Christian hymn based on an original Swedish hymn entitled "O Store Gud" written in 1885 by Carl Boberg (1859–1940). The English version of the hymn and its title are a loose translation by the English missionary Stuart K. Hine from 1949. The hymn was popularised by George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows during Billy Graham's crusades. It was voted the British public's favourite hymn by BBC's Songs of Praise. "How Great Thou Art" was ranked second on a list of the favourite hymns of all time in a survey by Christianity Today magazine in 2001 and in a nationwide poll by Songs Of Praise in 2019.
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional gospel song and jazz standard that has been performed and recorded by many artists. Performed as either an instrumental or vocal, "A Closer Walk" is perhaps the most frequently played number in the hymn and dirge section of traditional New Orleans jazz funerals. The title and lyrics of the song allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7 which states, "We walk by faith, not by sight" and James 4:8, "Come near to God and He will come near to you."
The Kossoy Sisters are identical twin sisters who performed American folk and old-time music. Irene sang mezzo-soprano vocal, and Ellen supplied soprano harmony, with Irene on guitar and Ellen playing the five-string banjo in a traditional up-picking technique. Their performances were notable examples of close harmony singing. They began performing professionally in their mid-teens and are esteemed as a significant part of the popular folk music movement that started in the mid-1950s.
"'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" is a Christian hymn with music by William J. Kirkpatrick and lyrics by Louisa M. R. Stead. The lyrics were written in 1882. They appeared in Stead's Songs of Triumph.
"The Hymn of Joy" is a poem written by Henry van Dyke in 1907 in being a Vocal Version of the famous "Ode to Joy" melody of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's final symphony, Symphony No. 9.
"As with Gladness Men of Old" is an Epiphany hymn, written by William Chatterton Dix on 6 January 1859 (Epiphany) while he was ill in bed. Though considered by many as a Christmas carol, it is found in the Epiphany section of many hymnals and still used by many churches. The music was adapted by William Henry Monk in 1861 from a tune written by Conrad Kocher in 1838. The hymn is based on the visit of the Biblical magi in the Nativity of Jesus.
"Palms of Victory", also called "Deliverance Will Come", "The Blood-washed Pilgrim", and "The Way-worn Traveler", is a Christian hymn that appears to have been written in 1836 by John B. Matthias, a Methodist Episcopal minister in New York State. This attribution is not well documented, and Matthias had no known history of songwriting, but there is no other author to whom it can be attributed.
"Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus" is a 1744 Advent and Christmas carol common in Protestant hymnals. The text was written by Charles Wesley. It is performed to one of several tunes, including "Stuttgart", "Hyfrydol", and "Cross of Jesus". The hymn is considered an enduring classic in Christian hymnody.
How Sweet the Sound: 25 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Greats is a studio double album by American rock band the Charlie Daniels Band. The album sees the band performing Christian hymns in their style. According to Daniels, "I didn’t want to do it in a churchy way, [...] I wanted to do it like CDB would do it." Released on January 29, 2002 through Sparrow Records, the album peaked at number 40 on the Top Country Albums chart.
"Sin Wagon" is a song written by Natalie Maines, Emily Erwin, and Stephony Smith and recorded by The Chicks for their 1999 album Fly. Though never released as a single, it charted as an album cut. It has been featured in five tours: Fly, Top of the World, Accidents & Accusations, Eagles with Dixie Chicks and the DCX MMXVI World Tour.
"O'er the Gloomy Hills of Darkness", also titled "O'er Those Gloomy Hills of Darkness", is a Welsh Christian hymn by William Williams Pantycelyn written in 1772. The hymn was written as a missionary hymn; there are conflicting accounts of why the hymn was written. The hymn was later published in 374 hymnals worldwide, though it was censored and altered in the United States by slaveholders for evangelising to slaves. The hymn later fell out of favour with hymn book editors in the 1960s.
Bowling Green and Other Folk Songs From the Southern Mountains is a 1956 album by the Kossoy Sisters, containing their renditions of Appalachian folk songs. The sisters sing in tight close harmony, with additional instrumental accompaniment by Erik Darling. Originally released on Tradition Records, the album was re-released on CD by Rykodisc in 1996.