I Have Decided to Follow Jesus - attributed to S. Marak, mid 19th, Indian (C.Asia) Folk Song

Songs
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This links direct to that track on BandLab:

The story behind this song is a tad convoluted between a martyr (singing while being killed), and a minister basing it on passages. Anyway - I found my old DR-1 and lots of old stuff (krapplla really : ) ) circa '08, '09 ish maybe. Fun, and funny to hear stuff and on this unit which is kinda capable for what it is of that period.

So, I wanted to “test” it, not sure it worked and set it about 3ft away, to my left, (at my guiitar neck side) away from any direct “fidelity” of any kind to see what it might do - 1st pass, 1-take and this is it. I was still in “search” mode for “stuff” if asked in this “celebration season”.

I was actually unaware of this song, till this summer, a missionary from S. India (no one speaks English : ) “Malayalam” - same word if spelled backward : ) cryptic Sanskrit language anyway… anyway… so - so many versions, renditions of it and seems folks know it, esp. S. Indians : ) and in English (which is interesting, to me).

The other thing about when those folks gather, esp outside, omg - thought nothing of bringing in a 2000W PA and mixing board. Apparently down the street they thought it was one of those houses : ) hahhh… (but, no complaints!)

Anyway - did a search on my “topics” and I don’t think I posted a prior cell phone version. There are some, far nicer folk singers renditions of this on YouTube I found.

  • For me on this, Capo on 3 seems to work if even a little piercing treble from this Scale then of the guitar.
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Very interesting “liner notes” from you here. I grew up with this hymn being frequently sung in my Dubuque, IA American Baptist congregation. I like strumming style you’ve chosen and the slightly ragged edge to the vocals.

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Hey, thank you for that comment, feedback; I appreciate it!

Yes, it’s interesting the different Hymnals that evolved and with what content and the potential reasons - if in that Hymnal of yours there. (That’s an old, historic denomination.)

I love tracking down history of origins of songs - it’s an old one it seems and lots of “Gora’s” in India through time : ) In the book “Christ on the Indian Road”, at the “Round Table” (another book in that series) - “they” comment, “this Christianity, can they have it without the Western adulteration?” : ) I love that. In that moment, that missionary learned allot. I often comment “that”. Remove the “adulteration” and many issues go away : ) hahh… - don’t add or take away.

  • That arrangement I choose is not the one found in the archives I viewed, like hymnary .org

Many of the Indian congregations I’ve engaged - they “do” P&W different from most : ) lol! It’s all so interesting to me! : )

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