Description
All God’s Children, sub-titled Songs from the British Jesus Rock Revolution 1967-1974, is a multi-artist 3-CD Box Set released on the mainstream label Grapefruit Records in September 2023, a division of Cherry Red Records.
PROMO
During the late 60s and early 70s, the restless, questing nature of the Woodstock generation and the horrors of Vietnam saw the pop scene add a new spiritual element.
Many young people embraced Christianity, viewing Jesus as the prototypal long-haired hippie, persecuted by the establishment of the day while dispensing peace and love to a troubled, cynical world.
The American branch of the Jesus movement effectively started in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, but there was also a parallel development in the UK that slowly evolved from beat groups performing in church coffee-bars.
By 1971, leading British Xian rock band Out Of Darkness were appearing at notorious countercultural gathering Phun City, while Glastonbury introduced a “Jesus tent” that offered Christian revellers mass and holy communion twice a day.
‘All God’s Children’ assembles the best of the British Christian acts, including such respected names as Out Of Darkness (and their earlier incarnation, garage R&B act The Pilgrims), Parchment, Whispers Of Truth and Judy MacKenzie.
It also features the secular alongside the sacred, including the likes of Strawbs, Moody Blues, Amazing Blondel, John Kongos and Medicine Head – bands who, though theologically shyer than their more overtly Christian contemporaries, all wrote songs with a strong spiritual message.
A 3CD, four-hour set, ‘All God’s Children’ – which takes its name from the gorgeous Kinks’ ballad, naturally included herein – is a fascinating look at an under-documented phenomenon and unexpected by-product of the hippie era.
This is a 3CD box set which is a deep dip into music history and its compiler David Wells needs to be congratulated for putting together such a truly fascinating set which finally brings into focus a chunk of popular music history neglected for too long by music historians. There are tracks by the Christian music pioneers like Parchment, Out Of Darkness, Judy McKenzie and Whispers Of Truth (Graham Kendrick’s start into the wonderful world of music making). There are also a lot of tracks by bands and soloists who weren’t Christians but during the era when churches could put on Christian music events at the Rainbow Theatre and the Royal Festival Hall and when even Joni Mitchell and Elton John were making lyrical references to American Jesus freaks it seemed quite appropriate to record songs about Jesus and the Bible with either cover versions like Art Reynolds’ «Jesus Is Just Alright», the traditional favourite «Will The Circle Be Unbroken» or Judy Sill’s «Jesus Was A Cross Maker» and sometimes penning their own compositions. As this compilation demonstrates, there were a sizeable number of well-known acts prepared to have a shot at a God song and the Strawbs, Clifford T Ward, Jethro Tull, Roy Wood, Matthews Southern Comfort, the Kinks, Lindisfarne, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and others all weigh in here and intriguingly rub shoulders with unheralded Christian acts like Roger & Jan and the Pilgrims. Sometimes the music is downright poor (All Things New’s «Jesus Is Coming Again» or Gerry Rafferty’s «Gospel Song») but more often it is musically strong despite the passing of the years. Quality too is the packaging with comprehensively researched sleeve notes and some seldom seen photos to go with the 57 tracks on offer here. The whole set gives fans of late ’60s/early ’70s rock plenty of music, much of which they may not have heard before. ‘All God’s Children’ is a set which deserves a track-by-track review. Cross Rhythms will endeavour to deliver such in the future. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, January 2025]
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3CD tracklist:
Disc One
1-01. Salamander – Prelude (incorporating He Is My God)
1-02. Out Of Darkness – On Solid Rock
1-03. Bourbon Street Mission – Jesus Is Just Alright
1-04. Parchment – Son of God
1-05. Lindisfarne – Winter Song
1-06. Unicorn – Country Road
1-07. Paul Brett’s Sage – Help Me Jesus
1-08. Moody Blues – Minstrel’s Song
1-09. Gordon Giltrap – Gospel Song
1-10. Ramases – Jesus Come Back
1-11. Quintessence – Jesus My Life
1-12. Heron – Lord and Master
1-13. Richard Thompson – Mary and Joseph
1-14. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Prayer
1-15. Whispers Of Truth – Reality
1-16. The Pilgrims – Thank You Lord
1-17. The Hollies – Jesus Was a Cross Maker
1-18. Magna Carta – Lord of the Ages
Disc Two
2-01. Strawbs – The Man Who Called Himself Jesus
2-02. Clifford T. Ward – The Traveller
2-03. The Johnstons – Jesus Was A Carpenter
2-04. The Incredible String Band – Job’s Tears
2-05. Amazing Blondel – Safety In God Alone
2-06. Gerald Moore – To Be A Pilgrim
2-07. All Things New – Jesus Is Coming Again
2-08. Kevin Coyne – Heaven In My View
2-09. Gerry Rafferty – Who Cares
2-10. Wil Malone – Jesus
2-11. Graham Kendrick – Sweet Fire
2-12. Prelude – Dear Jesus
2-13. Fairport Convention – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
2-14. Bill Fay – Time of the Last Persecution
2-15. Jethro Tull – My God
2-16. Clive Palmer – Stories of Jesus
2-17. Nigel Goodwin – First Time I Went To Church
Disc Three
3-01. Matthews Southern Comfort – Woodstock
3-02. Wishful Thinking – Clear White Light
3-03. Roy Wood – Songs of Praise
3-04. Help Yourself – I Must See Jesus For Myself
3-05. Quiet World – Christ One
3-06. Stray – Hallelujah
3-07. Bill Nelson – Love’s a Way
3-08. Strawbs – Is It Today, Lord?
3-09. Al Stewart – Gethsemane, Again
3-10. Mellow Candle – Heaven Heath
3-11. Judy MacKenzie – New Song
3-12. Nirvana – Lord Up Above
3-13. Bruce Spelman – Hallelujah Sang The People
3-14. Roger and Jan – Three Crosses
3-15. Phillip Goodhand-Tait – Child of Jesus
3-16. Medicine Head – His Guiding Hand
3-17. Genesis – The Serpent
3-18. Fickle Pickle – Jesus Cristo
3-19. John Pantry – Family of Man
3-20. John Kongos – Come On Down Jesus
3-21. Pentangle – Will The Circle Be Unbroken
3-22. The Kinks – God’s Children
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