Sunday, April 5,2020 “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show” Neil Diamond

Another churchless Sunday so let’s enlist Brother Love to bring us the good news, and although it may not have the same spirit as last Sunday’s “Oh Happy Day”, early Neil Diamond songs are a guilty pleasure for me, and one that I hope you might share.

Neil Diamond, ten number one songs and one hundred million records which is a nice accomplishment but for all of us mediocre guitar players he refers to his songs as three chord symphonies because, well they are all done with three chords, yes most of his songs are variations of E A and D. His early tunes are so well constructed and tell such great stories that they offset the sappiness of his later compositions (all million sellers, just this personal opinion, but we still love Neil Diamond).

Side notes, Neil was in the same Erasmus High School freshman class as Barbra Streisand and crafted his early tunes in the Brill Building along with legendary songwriters Carol King and Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and the other Neil, Sedaka.

And let’s be honest, once the good brother starts that small earthquake of his message it moves us appropriately because “...when your heart is troubled you have to reach out to the man up there...and when your brother is troubled you have to reach out your other hand.”

So pack up the babies, grab the old ladies and get ready for when you can hear yourself sweat and enjoy the sermon.

Be well and safe.

Hot August night
And the leaves hanging down
And the grass on the ground smelling sweet
Move up the road
To the outside of town
And the sound of that good gospel beat

Sits a ragged tent
Where there ain't no trees
And that gospel group
Telling you and me

It's love, Brother Love say
Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies
And everyone goes
'Cause everyone knows
Brother Love's show

Room gets suddenly still
And when you'd almost bet
You could hear yourself sweat, he walks in
Eyes black as coal
And when he lifts his face
Every ear in the place is on him

Starting soft and slow
Like a small earthquake
And when he lets go
Half the valley shakes

It's love, Brother Love say
Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies
And everyone goes
'Cause everyone knows
'Bout Brother Love's show

Hallelujah, brothers
Halle-hallelujah
I said brothers
(Hallelujah) Now you got yourself two good hands
(Halle-hallelujah) And when your brother is troubled,
You gotta reach out your one hand for him
(Hallelujah) 'Cause that's what it's there for
(Halle-hallelujah) And when your heart is troubled,
You gotta reach out your other hand
(Hallelujah) Reach it out to the man up there
(Halle-hallelujah) 'Cause that's what he's there for

Take my hand in yours
Walk with me this day
In my heart I know
I will never stray
Halle, halle, halle, halle, halle, halle, halle, halle

Love, Brother Love say
Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies
And everyone goes

I say love, Brother Love say
Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show
(Halle, halle)
Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies
And everyone goes

Love, Brother Love say
Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show