Sunday May 31, 2020 “Like a Mighty River” St. Paul & the Broken Bones

The Sunday gospel according to St. Paul ...(and the Broken Bones).

Paul Janeway the lead singer and principal lyricist for this group grew up in a devout family where secular music was largely forbidden and he suggests that the only non-gospel music he had heard during his youth was the Stylistics and Sam Cooke and at age ten he was being groomed to be a minister.

In fact it was his pastor who encouraged his musical interests and he learned to play guitar and sing at church.

As for the name, it was taken from lyrics from a song that Janeway had written early on, ‘broken bones and pocket change’. The band thought it would funny to be like ‘all she left me with is broken bones and pocket change’ as they had no money and felt it appropriately covered their situation.

Try this little experiment with me on this song. Click on the link and then close your eyes and listen to the band for about 30 seconds and then open them and check them out. Probably nothing near to what you were thinking just listening to them, I bet.

Stay safe and well...oh yeah, Paul Janeway was actually studying to be an accountant.

All I need is a little tender touch
And yet we burn the coal
Oh, baby, I heard what you've been saying
And I know that we will be all right

You are just a tired girl
And I am just a tired boy
And we ain't gonna let it fall
But you can't, but you can't let me take you down
'Cause we got to take it slow

Oh but I, I am just working hard
And you, you
You're just working through it
And all of us
Ah, we just play it cool
Your love, my love, our love
Oh, it's like a mighty river, baby

Please, lord, can you hear my prayer?
Don't let it fall on deaf ears
But ain't nobody hearin' me
So I guess I'll just have to speak up

She is just a pure girl
And I am just a dirty boy
And we're just trying to work it through
But there ain't, but there ain't no one to cut me
Like the words that she used

Oh but I, I am just working hard
And you, you
You've been just working, too
And all of us
Ah, we just play it cool
Your love, my love, our love
Oh, it's like a mighty river, baby

Gotta let it, let it flow...
Gotta let it, let it flow...
I know, I know, I know
You've gotta, You've gotta
You've gotta let it flow, flow...
I said let it flow