On p. 153 of their book "Spiritual Churches in New Orleans" (Knoxville 1991), Claude F. Jacobs and Andrew J. Kaslow mention that in healing services held in those churches, "popular gospel songs [...] are among the most powerful conveyors" of the idea, that these churches are capable of "solving people's problems". One of the gospel songs they mention in this context is "Jesus on the mainline", a song explaining that whatever trouble one might face, trust in Jesus will solve all the problems - by a simple act of faith. As I read that yesterday evening, some fine versions of this gospel song in a style you could more or less call "blues" came to my mind.
First one featured here is by Mississippi Fred McDowell, from his 1969 album I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll. One version of the song is part of Ry Cooder's 1974 album Paradise and Lunch. As Ry has done a lot of live-versions of that song, here is a very fine one, with Eldridge King, Terry Evans and Bobby King; finally, among all those other versions available, I chose the one by the Staple Singers, as arranged by Pop Staples - it is the one version that took the song out of church and into popular music.
First one featured here is by Mississippi Fred McDowell, from his 1969 album I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll. One version of the song is part of Ry Cooder's 1974 album Paradise and Lunch. As Ry has done a lot of live-versions of that song, here is a very fine one, with Eldridge King, Terry Evans and Bobby King; finally, among all those other versions available, I chose the one by the Staple Singers, as arranged by Pop Staples - it is the one version that took the song out of church and into popular music.
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