Friday, January 5, 2018

Sabbath Music - I Believe In You



Greetings Gail-Friends!

This week, I watched a show called the Transatlantic Sessions on NetFlix (I think).  I was intrigued by Allison Kraus' rendition of  I Believe in You.  I looked up the song on YouTube, found the lyrics, and was deeply touched by them.  It's a beautiful worship song, perfect for Shabbat.  I want to share two versions of the song with you today, and tell you a little bit about the songwriter. Here is the first version:  I Believe in You by Allison Krauss

Isn't her voice like a pure, softly ringing bell?  I never tire of listening to her music.  As I listened to the song, at first I thought it was just a sweet love song, but then the words caught my attention. When I looked it up on YouTube, I ran into this:  I Believe In You by Bob Dylan

Quite a difference, right?  But when you listen to Dylan's version, can't you hear the deep emotion?  It touched me even more when I realized he was the writer of the song.  Bob Dylan is Jewish, and accepted Yeshua as his Messiah.  This song was written back in the 1970's when he became a believer.
 
I've been a fan of Dylan since the 1960's.  While everybody else in my peer group was listening to the Beatles and Rolling Stones, I was buying Dylan's records.  Everything about his music touched me, the themes, the rhythms, but most of all his poetry.  I think that is what grabbed me about the song, I Believe In You.  I thought, this isn't a love song.  This is a worship song.  This is a gut-level call out to G-d.  That's why I had to find out more about it.  Here are the lyrics:

They ask me how I feel
And if my love is real 
And how I know I’ll make it through
And they, they look at me and frown 
They’d like to drive me from this town 
They don’t want me around 
’Cause I believe in you

They show me to the door 
They say don’t come back no more
 ’Cause I don’t be like they’d like me to
 And I walk out on my own
 A thousand miles from home 
But I don’t feel alone 
’Cause I believe in you

 I believe in you even through the tears and the laughter
 I believe in you even though we be apart
 I believe in you even on the morning after 
Oh, when the dawn is nearing 
Oh, when the night is disappearing 
Oh, this feeling is still here in my heart 

Don’t let me drift too far 
Keep me where you are 
Where I will always be renewed 

And that which you’ve given me today
Is worth more than I could pay 
And no matter what they say
I believe in you 

I believe in you when winter turn to summer
I believe in you when white turns to black
I believe in you even though I be outnumbered 
Oh, though the earth may shake me 
Oh, though my friends forsake me
Oh, even that couldn’t make me go back

Don’t let me change my heart 
Keep me set apart 
From all the plans they do pursue 
And I, I don’t mind the pain 
Don’t mind the driving rain
I know I will sustain
'Cause I believe in you

I'd never heard the song because it came out in the 70's, while I was having babies and listening to other types of music.  I'm so glad I found it, though, because I love listening to it.  It's full of faith, desire, and hope.  I love that.

I also learned that Bob Dylan was awarded the Noble Prize for Literature in 2015,"for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."  Here are some other articles I found interesting.  Dylan has always marched to the beat of a different drummer. 

 https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/2016/dylan-lecture.html

  https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/apr/02/bob-dylan-finally-accepts-nobel-prize-in-literature-at-private-ceremony-in-stockholm

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan

Shabbat Shalom Gail-Friends, and may your Sabbath be filled with worship, rest, and JOY!


2 comments:

  1. Beautiful song. I am a Dylan fan as well. And, I am an Alison Krauss fan. I don't think I've heard this song but I am going to listen to both versions right now. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's nice to know you love both of these amazing artists.
    Blessings,
    GG

    ReplyDelete

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