“Too much love, drives a man insane.” Words of wisdom from Jerry Lee Lewis! I remember as a kid hearing a piano song on the radio where a guy was singing “Great balls of fire,” but I didn’t know who the singer was, or what he was singing about. Many years later I heard a Jimmy Swaggart record where he was talking about his cousin. I was confused. I had a comic when I was a kid of Jerry Lewis, and I got the two mixed up. Later it became clear. Jerry Lee Lewis was Jimmy Swaggart’s cousin who had a lot of hit records in America. Jerry Lewis was an actor who teamed up with Dean Martin at one stage in their careers. Of course, years later the movie “Great balls of fire” came out which made everything clear.
Jerry Lee Lewis’ songs sold by the millions back in the fifties. I remember having this record in the 80′s. “I’ll sail my ship alone, and when it starts to sink then I’ll blame you.”
Jerry Lee Lewis – Gather round children
However, as is the case with many of the American singers, I first heard them singing gospel songs. I bought a record in Pretoria in about 1971 called “In loving memories.” It is a song about his mother’s funeral. “In loving memories we gather. In loving memories on this sad day, in loving memories forever, until we meet beyond the shining river.” The song I had linked to, got taken off the internet, so I have replaced it with him singing ‘Gather round children.’
That was a fantastic record. It inspired me to want to play the piano in public. Before that I only played for myself, but with Jerry’s exuberant style, it did something to me, that got me playing in public. Just swing it old chap! One song particularly grabbed my fancy. “Let me tell you brother, that my God’s not dead.” I sang it two days ago in a church. There is another song that he sang with his sister, but I can’t remember the name. I wrote the words out and sang it for a few years, but I left all my song books in Africa, so it is gone from my memory. Another great song he sang was “He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.” That song is featured on the Dottie Rambos section because she wrote it. Those great songs on that record are not available on the internet, so I have put this one on that I found just now, where he is talking about his past. It really touched my old heart.
“Too much to gain to lose” was also on the record, but I found some other people’s version on the internet. Some words are a little bit different. I seem to remember Jerry singing: “Somewhere up ahead there’s cool clear water, and defeat is one word I’ll never use.”
Hey, I used to sing this song when I was young. I wish I could play piano like Jerry!
I am guessing that this video is of Johnny Cash’s memorial service. Very nicely done.
This song was on his record with his sister singing with him. It was a great blessing to me. “Now I’m waiting for the harvest of the seeds that I have sown, for I know that they will bring me to the right hand of God’s throne. I love those words.”
I also have a Gospel web site. If you want to check it out, go to: http://countrygospelandbible.com/