I splurged and bought Goodbye Babylon from Dust to Digital — an outfit who is, as their website says dedicated to re-issuing music from old 78’s. This five-cd set (six if you count the bonus cd of sermons) is SO fabulous — there’s everything from shape-note singing to holiness string bands to jubliee gospel quartets to just wonderful weird singing about Jesus (or as I like to think of him, Jeeee-sus). I slugged all five cds into the player and have been listening to it nonstop for about a week — I don’t know what the deal is — I haven’t been able to step inside a church since Patrick died, but I’ve been listening to almost nothing but old-time American hymns ever since. As they say, He/She works in mysterious ways.
cmf
I'm a writer and editor based in Livingston, Montana. I moved to Livingston from the San Francisco Bay area in 2002 in search of affordable housing and a small community with a vibrant arts community. I found both. LivingSmall details my experience buying and renovating a house, building a garden, becoming a part of this community. It also chronicles my efforts to rebuild my life after the sudden death of my younger brother, and closest companion, Patrick in a car wreck.
3 Comments on “Goodbye Babylon”
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Try the Anonymous 4 album “American Angels”.
I heard them on NPR this weekend — I have a couple of their other albums, and I was trying to restrain myself (which probably won’t last long).
I love that singing. I wish there was a group around here that did shape-note singing. Eerie and thrilling and very uplifting.
I haven’t stepped in a church since the pastor of the last church I went to said, “We, the Religious Right…” I knew I was in the wrong place!