At our last choir practice, Brother Roger shared with us a couple of new songs he thought we might work on in the new year. I'm not sure if he was teasing or was serious about the choir working on this song. But I woke up this morning with it on my heart so I'm thinking, God is telling me, Roger wasn't teasing and I'd better get to work. Of course, I have a story.
In yesterday's post, I mentioned Ms. Wade and the youth choir. I recall the choir working on this song over and over again, with the bass section having to spend more time on their part than any others. Well, without any more discussion, let me just say, one bass singer in particular had trouble keeping up and even though it was practiced over and over again, I don't ever recall singing it. So Brother Roger, if you do decide for the choir to sing this song, I promise, even though that bass singer is now old and on oxygen, he will try to keep up.
"Everybody Will Be Happy Over There" is a toe tapping, hand clapping, upbeat, fun song that has been sung by many Southern Gospel Quartets over the years. E.M. Bartlett wrote this song in 1921. I remember bass singers, like "Big Chief" Jim Weatherington, J.D. Sumner, London Paris, Brock Speer, George Younce, Rex Nelon and many others enjoy singing this song just about as much as any other song they sang. You may even remember the Gospel Quartet on the country show "Hee Haw" singing it. "Everybody Will Be Happy Over There" has been around a long time, sung by many and often sung today by quartets and choirs alike. Often in concerts, quartets would couple "I'll Have A New Life" and "Everybody Will Be Happy Over There" together. Ok, I must admit that I even though I can't keep up, I love it!
I don't have a favorite version and there are so many to choose from, but the one that I thought I would post this morning is "Big Chief" singing with the Statesmen Quartet. "Big Chief" considered to be one of the finest bass singers of all time, died of a heart attack at the National Quartet Convention in 1973 at the age of 50. One thing I always notice when I watch a video of any group singing this song is the wonderful happy spirit it brings to the audience and also the singers.
I hope "Everybody Will Be Happy Over There" will help make your Saturday even better!
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