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American Roots

by Larry Norman

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    Bonus item is a scan of the rear artwork from the CD and a previously unheard demo recording of Down The Line.
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1.
​​Oh no, they'd never let me go to no dances, no sir Paul, you're not supposed to dance. Not supposed to dances. They had nice parties. [Spoken by grandma Rubie] I grew up in San Francisco, an all black neighbourhood. I remember it very well. I was not allowed to dance. But in my room I could move around if I felt like it, and had the chance. I started playing music when I was five, 1952, writing down my feelings. Everybody's life is different, and so's mine. Isn't that right grandma? [Spoken by Larry] My feet are on a rock, my name is on a roll But moving and a grooving does not satisfy my soul So when I’m down I go off on my own When I feel moved I dance before the throne Just like David [Spoken] Some people think I’m strange Yeah they think I’m some kind of fool You know they shake their heads in church And they laugh at me in school But I believe someone rolled away that stone And I am not alone So when I feel the need I dance before the throne Take it easy, nice and slow Feel his presence, don’t you know If he says follow, I will go I feel like dancing, ‘cause he saved my soul Goliath had a sword, David had a stone (Dum bum bum dum bum bum bum) I have got the Lord and I am not alone (Dum bum bum dum bum bum bum) So if you knock me down (Ooh woo woo woo) Oh brother I will not fight you back (Ya ya ya ya, woo wo-wo wo-wo woo-oh wo wo) You know God loves all his children (Wo woo woo woo) Red, white, yellow, brown and black (Wo-oh oh oh oh oh) Go Charley go My my my, such a little boy too, mmm hmm My feet are on the rock, my name is on the roll But moving and a grooving never satisfies my soul Don’t wanna do the stroll When I’m down I go off on my own And I am not alone When I feel moved I dance before the throne Mmm mm mm Back off Jimmy, it’s not wrong This kind of music comes from the church not from the devil Now I hope you heared me Good night God bless you
2.
Keep going Here I come One two [Spoken] The river is deep and the river is wide But I’m gonna cross over when I see my ride ‘Cos I got a home on the other side When the time has come I’ll close my eyes Shut out that world with all its lies And I’ll lay me down until I rise Instrumental Four [Spoken] When I awake I’ll see his face Of this worlds tears there’ll be no trace He’ll take us to a better place My dearest friends -little harder- keep up the fight Resist the darkness and do what’s right And when you stand up, walk in the light
3.
Well Jesus is on that mainline Tell him what you want Yes Jesus is on that mainline Tell him what you want Jesus is on that mainline Tell him what you want You can call him up and tell him what you want Well if you're sick and you wanna get well Tell him what you want Yes if you're sick, you wanna get well Tell him what you want Well if you're sick and you wanna get well Tell him what you want You can call him up and tell him what you want Instrumental [Spoken] [Larry scats an instrumental passage] You can call him up and tell him what you want Verse [Spoken] If you're sick and you wanna get well Tell him what you want If you're sick and you wanna get well Tell him what you want If you're sick and you wanna get well Tell him what you want Call him up and tell him what you want
4.
​​Last Sunday there was preaching We all went out to hear The little church was crowded The rich and poor were there It was a splendid sermon The singing full and free Country church, country people With their eyes upon the Lord Built a church with a steeple As a place to hear his word You can live and die in the same small town But the Lord spreads his love all around The choir was dressed in glory (Ooh ooh ooh ooh) Their voices dressed in love (Ooh ooh ooh) The music told the story (Ooh ooh ooh ooh) Of God who sent his son (Ooh ooh ooh) How Jesus came from heaven (Ah ah ah ah) To set the sinner free (Ah ah ah ah ah) Amazing grace How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost But now I'm found Was blind but now I see The choir was finished singing And the congregation stood While the spirit touched and filled them (Ooh ooh ooh ooh) With power, love and good (Ooh ooh ooh) From God who reigns in heaven (Ah ah ah ah) Always watching every man (Ah ah ah ah ah) And guiding all his children With his kind protecting hand Oh (Oh oh oh) Country church, country people With their eyes upon the Lord Built a church with a steeple As a place to hear his word You can live and die in the same small town But the Lord spreads his love all around But the Lord spreads his love all around (Ah ah ah ah)
5.
Well if your friends, they betray you And your woman runs away And if you lose all your money And you have no place to stay And if you’re feeling so downhearted You just can’t face another day You've got to leave it up to God to handle You got to leave it up to God, leave it up to God Leave it up to God to handle [x2] And when you’re sick and feeling weary And you don’t know where to turn A-and your life has been so troubled That it just makes your memories burn yeah Well if your health keeps getting worse Then there’s just something a-you must learn You got to leave it up to God to handle You got to leave it up to God, leave it up to God Leave it up to God to handle, yeah You got to leave it up to God, leave it up to God Leave it up to God to handle Alright Herbie [Spoken] So grab a chair and sit beside me There are a few things that I know About the Lord and his provision And how he never lets us go We’re in his hands and he will help us So when you’re feeling down and low You got to leave it up to God to handle You got to leave it up to God, leave it up to God Leave it up to God to handle You've got to leave it up to God, leave it up to God Leave it up to God to handle Yes you got to leave it up to God, leave it up to God Leave it up to God to handle​ You got to leave it up to God, leave it up to God Leave it up to God to handle
6.
Swing low sweet chariot Coming for to carry me home [x2] Well I looked over Jordan And what did I see (Coming for to carry me home) A band of angels coming after me (Coming for to carry me home) Swing low sweet chariot (Coming for to carry me home) [x2] Well if you get up there before I do Coming for to carry me home Tell all my brothers and sisters I'll be coming there too Coming for to carry me home, yeah (Shoodup an’ do it up) (Shoodup an’ bang bang) [x2] Swing low sweet chariot (Shoodup an’ do it up, shoodup an’ bang bang) Coming for to carry me home (Shoodup an’ do it up, shoodup an’ bang bang) Wa ah ah ah ah ah oh sweet chariot (Oh oh oh oh) Coming for to carry me home (Oh ho ho ho) Well I looked over Jordan (Ah-ah ha ha) And what did I see (Ah-ah ha ha) Coming for to carry me home (Wo-oh wo-oh oh oh oh) I saw a band of angels (Ah-ah ha ha) coming after me (Ah-ah ha ha) Coming for to carry me home (Eh-ye-ye-ye-yeah) Well, swing low sweet chariot Swing low, swing low Swing low sweet chariot (Shoodup an’ do it up, shoodup an’ bang bang) Coming for to carry me home (Shoodup an’ do it up, shoodup an’ bang bang) Swing low sweet chariot (Oh oh oh oh) Coming for to carry me home (Oh ho ho oh) Yeah yeah yeah (Ooh ooh-ee-ooh ooh) yeah yeah (Ooh ooh-ee-ooh) Wo oh oh oh (Ah ah ah ah-ah ah) Wo oh oh oh (Ah ah ah ah-ah ah ah-ah) Yeah eheh a hoo hoo hoo ooh ooh ooh eh yea-eh Ah-ah ah ah Ah-ah ah ah (???) I’ll look up one night (???) And what will I see (???) Something in the sky (???) Coming after me (Ah-ah ah ah) Swing low (Sim-d-d-d sim-d-d-d sim-d-d-d-dip dip dip) (Sim-d-d-d sim-d-d-d sim-d-d-d-dip dip dip) [x3] (Ooh ooh) (Ah ah ah ah wa ah ah) I'm sometimes up (Ah ah ah ah wa ah ah) (Ooh ooh) I'm sometimes down (Wa-ah) (Ooh ooh ooh ooh) Sometimes I feel (Ooh) (Wee-oop dee-ooh) Like I'm on the ground (Ooh ooh ooh) (Wee-oop dee-ooh) (Ooh ooh) (Wee-oop dee-ooh) Swing low sweet chariot (Ooh ooh ooh ooh) (Ooh ooh) (Wee-oop dee-ooh) Swing low (Ooh ooh ooh ooh) (Wee-oop dee-ooh) Take us all home (Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh) (Wee-oop dee-ooh) Take us all home (Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh) (Ah ah ah ah ah) Swing low sweet chariot (Wee-oop dee-ooh) (Wee-oop dee-ooh) (Aah aah) Come on down and take us all home (Aah aah) Swing low sweet chariot (Aah aah) Come on down and take us all home (Aah aah) In the still of the night (Ah ah) (Deeoop deeooh deeoop deeooh) (Ah ha ah ah ha ah) (Deeoop deeooh) (Ah ah)
7.
​Lord if I've got my ticket, can I ride If I've got my ticket, can I ride Lord if I've got my ticket, can I ride Up to heaven on that morning Well I hear a lot of talk about the judgement day I've got no time to forget the way Away an’ by and by without a doubt Jehovah will load up the train about He's gonna clean out the world and leave no sin I tell you brother, he is coming again Lord if I've got my ticket (can I ride) If I've got my ticket (can I ride) Lord if I've got my ticket (can I ride) Up to heaven on that morning Well I hear a lot of talk about the gospel train I've got no time to forget the way Be down at the station right on time If you’re not ready you'll be left behind Clean out the world and leave no sin I tell you brother he is coming again Lord if I've got my ticket (can I ride) Yeah if I've got my ticket (can I ride) Lord if I've got my ticket (can I ride) Up to heaven on that morning Well I hear a lot of talk about the judgment day I've got no time to forget the way Away an’ by and by without a doubt Jehovah will load up the train about He's gonna clean out the world and leave no sin I tell you brother he is coming again Woah wo-oh-oh Lord if I've got my ticket, can I ride Lord if I've got my ticket, can I ride Lord if I've got my ticket, can I ride Up to heaven on that morning I hear a lot of talk about a gospel train Better be ready 'cause it's on its way Be down at the station right on time If you’re not ready you'll be left behind Clean out the world and leave no sin I tell you brother he is coming again, ooh (Can I ride) [x4] If I've got my ticket, can I ride If I've got my ticket, can I ride Well if I've got my ticket, can I ride Up to heaven on that morning Well I hear a lot of talk about a gospel train You better be ready 'cause it's on its way Be down at the station right on time If you’re not ready you'll be left behind Oh yes, you’ll be left behind Ow I’ve got my ticket, I’ve got my ticket Buh buh buh buh buh buh buh Well if I've got my ticket can I ride If I've got my ticket, can I ride [x5] I hear a talk about a gospel train I think it's coming down the tracks He will be down at the station right on time So we’ve got no time to relax You better get ready, I hear it coming I hear it coming, I hear it coming down the tracks I see that smoke, I see that smoke I hear it coming, hear it coming down the tracks I'm gonna get a new pair of shoes I'm gonna get a long white robe [x2] Ow, you know what I want You know what I need I need love That's right If I got my ticket can I ride (Can I ride) [x4]
8.
​Aow put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands Just put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands He's the rock of ages He's the sage of sages He's the key to the promised land So put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands I was blind but now I've learned to see I was trapped but now I've been set free, ah-oh-ho I was lost and alone, so far from home, I was losing sight of me But now I'm warm and safe as I can be So put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands Put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands You have heard the wondrous story (Oh oh-ah) Now go and tell it 'cross the land (Oh ah ah ah) Tell 'em, put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands Oh yeh right, I don't really have a verse to go here So I'll just let the band play it one time Play it Jonny, play it boys Yeah that's nice Put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands Put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands (In his hands) (Oh yeah) He's the rock of ages He's the sage of sages He's the key to the promised land So put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands Just put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands (Put your life in Jesus' hands) (In Jesus' hands) Put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands (Put your life in Jesus' hands) Well Jesus is the rock and he rolled my blues away I'm gonna play in his heavenly band (La la la la la la la la) Put your life in Jesus' nail scarred hands Put your life, you know where (in Jesus' nail scarred hands) in his hands, that's right (Just put your life) you only got one, you might as well go put it in his hands) (in Jesus' nail scarred hands) Woo-ooh Rock of ages and sage of sages, that's right, he's the man So put your life right into his hands (in Jesus' nail scarred hands), put it there (Well put your life) Put your life
9.
Well I, I am a man of constant sorrow And I've seen trouble all my days I bid farewell to old Kuntucky The place where I was born and raised The place where he was born and raised For six long years I've been in trouble No pleasure here on earth I've fou-ad [Larry seems to start singing 'found' but change to 'had' half way through] So in this world I'm bound to ramble I have no friends to help me now He has no friends to help him now Alright [Spoken] Well you can bury me in some deep valley For many years where I'll be laid For we all must ride that railroad The one that takes us far beyond the grave The one that takes us beyond the grave ​Break [Spoken] Well maybe your friends think I'm a stranger And that my face, you will never see no more But there is one promise that I will give you That is I'll meet you on God's golden shore He'll meet you on God's golden shore ​A E [Spoken - Larry calling out chords]
10.
​​Will true love smile on you Sometimes you never know And I myself was lonely Not so very long ago Life was hard, times were bad Heart was broken, I was feeling sad My dreams had blown away like a feather Could not smile, could not sleep Nothing helped, not even counting sheep Heart filled with rain, no change in the weather My faithful friend Whose name is Phydeaux He could not chase away my blues Ah but he tried though Empty heart, full of strife Then one day love walked into my life And all at once we stood there together Bra ba ba Bra ba ba Bra pa pa pa pa ba da pa da Wha pa pa pa pa Wha pa pa pa wa Held our breath for a baby boy Two months early, big fat bundle of joy And now we three are happy together Our dearest friend Old faithful Phydeaux He could not come along to the baby ward But he tried though Love abides, life makes sense Great big house with a little white picket fence And now we three are happy together
11.
​​There are christians in Russia, they meet underground In China they're killed when they're found And in Cuba the christians live up in the hills Because it’s not safe in the town And to think it might happen right here in America I know you think it’s not true But it’s happening to christians right here in America Wait till it happens to you The christians in Berkeley are passing out bibles and food to the hungry They're hoping to help out the people this way But there are threats on the lives of their leaders and wives They're not welcome to stay And to think it might happen right here in America Maybe you think it’s not true If you think it’s not happening right here in America Wait till it happens to you There's an underground church and it’s following Jesus And hoping to meet people's needs But we don't have the time to build nice little churches Besides we don't need to We're holding our church in the streets And we are passing out leaflets and underground pamphlets From Buffalo to Monterey And we're talking ‘bout Jesus and all of a sudden We're arrested and taken away So I ask you America, where do you stand Your people are starving, they're beaten and they're raped And they're dying in jail cells, so what are your plans I'm not talking to congress or you politicians Or panthers or muslims or Nixon or Birch I'm addressing this song to the church Cause I've been in your churches and sat in your pews And heard sermons on just how much money you'll need for the year And I've heard you make reference to Mexicans, Chinamen, niggers and Jews And I gather you wish we would all disappear And you call yourselves christians when really you're not You're living your life as you please If you're really a christian then put down yourself And follow wherever God leads I'm not talking religion, I'm talking ‘bout Jesus Put all your plans on the shelf Let's stop marching for peace and start marching for Jesus And peace will take care of its self Well I pray that we christians will get off our sofas And stand up for what we believe The time is too short and Christ is returning We'd better get ready to leave We who are christians should turn on the light So the truth will shine bright as the day Jesus will come like a thief in the night And he'll steal all who love him away There are christians in Russia, they meet underground In China they're killed when they're found And in Cuba the christians live up in the hills Because it’s not safe in the town And to think it might happen right here in America I see you shaking your heads And I hear you saying it just can't be true But it's happened to me right here in America Wait till it happens to you​
12.
One two one two three [Spoken] The river is deep and the river is wide I’m gonna cross over on heaven's tide ‘Cos I got a home on the other side When time has come I’ll close my eyes Shut out the world with all its lies And I’ll lay me down until I rise This world is filled with sorrow There’s trouble everywhere But do not be dismayed Nor weak and in despair He knows all that has happened And what you’re going through You’re covered by his love And he won’t let go of you When I awake I’ll see his face Of this worlds tears there’ll be no trace He’ll take me to a better place Alright Steve [Spoken] Speak from your heart and let it shine And let God’s will be done, not thine So I can see you once again on down the line Yeah [Spoken]

about

The following is how this album was described on www.larrynorman.com when it was released:

Larry created a "red, white and blues" trilogy in 1976 to commemorate the BiCentennial of America's Independence. (Red = the labor force of America, White = the political dreams of both the North and the South and, finally, Blues = the songs which sprung forth from early urban life and mingled with jazz and gospel songs.) The gospel distribution company Solid Rock was signed to wanted nothing to do with it and refused to release any of it. The tracks have sat on the shelf for the last twenty seven years.

In 1992 and 1993 Bob Dylan recorded two albums of early American music and was laughed at by the critics. ("Good As I Been To You" and "World Gone Wrong"). In 1994 Johnny Cash recorded an album called "American Recordings" containing "roots" music from the same field that Larry and Dylan had harvested. And in 2000 The Coen brothers released the film, "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?" and the film soundtrack of American songs from the 20s and 30s exploded into the American consciousness. Suddenly, dozens of artists are recording music from the last two centuries.

So, maybe Larry was just a little bit ahead of the curve in 1976. We are now beginning to transfer tapes from his American Trilogy and putting them with other songs he has recorded.

This is our first foray into this material.

The album cover shows Larry with his sister and his crow, out in the desert.

***

Jesus On The Mainline and Man Of Constant Sorrow were the 'new' 1976 recordings referred to.

Note that the songs People Get Ready and When He Returns are not present on this Bandcamp release, due to their policy on cover versions.

credits

released October 18, 2003

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Larry Norman Los Angeles, California

American musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer. Norman had a major influence on artists as diverse as The Pixies, Guns n' Roses, and U2. After his death in 2008 his most well-known album, 1972's Only Visiting This Planet, was selected for inclusion in The United States Library of Congress for its cultural significance and impact on American culture. ... more

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