I Hear The Noise of Wings

My friend's momma passed away this week and we attended the funeral. It was held at a little country church in the backwoods of Hot Spring County; Harmony Primitive Baptist in Donaldson, Arkansas.

The service started with congregational singing. The song leader stood and announced the hymn number (but not the title) and lauched into the first verse before I could find the correct page. I recognized the hymn as Blessed Be The Tie That Binds and could get through the first verse by memory. However, by the second line I realized the congregation was singing a cappella in four-part harmony. This was Sacred Harp singing; or shape-note singing, a rarity in today's America of mega-churches and praise bands.

It was beautiful. Simply magnificent, even with the screeching soprano in the back, the tenor who was a little sharp, and the lady behind us who was in a monotone drone. Their deviation made it all the more beautiful.

I wept openly at the stunning simplicity. It touched me somewhere deep inside; deep in my Southern Arkansas roots. My great-great-great grandmother sang it this way, as did all my ancestors before me, just a few miles down the road in another little country church in Clark County. I was transported back in time 200 years and my DNA helixes were vibrating in harmony with the sound.

During Amazing Grace and O Come, Angel Band I fell completely apart. Tears were streaming down my cheeks it was so moving. It was a good thing I was at a funeral and not a wedding or Sunday church service where my tears would not be so appropriate. I had never heard these hymns sung like this live-and-in-person, only in recordings or on video.

Angel Band is one of the best funeral songs ever and is on the soundtrack of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?.

1.) My latest sun is sinking fast, my race is nearly run,
My strongest trials now are past, my triumph is begun!

CHORUS:
O come Angel Band, come and around me stand,
O bear me away on your snowy wings to my immortal home,
O bear me away on your snowy wings to my immortal home.

2.) I know I'm nearing holy ranks of friends and kindred dear,
I brush the dew of Jordan's banks, the crossing must be near,

3.) I've almost gained my heav'nly home, my spirit loudly sings;
The holy ones, behold they come! I hear the noise of wings,

4.) O bear my longing heart to Him who bled and died for me;
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin, and gives me victory.

Harmony Primitive Baptist isn't so primitive after all. They have a web site and a podcast of the entire funeral. Blessed Be and Amazing Grace are at the beginning. Angel Band is about 75% of the way down the slide. Of course the recordings don't do the songs any justice. They were much more beautiful live.

More recordings of congregational singing are on the HPB Sermon Podcasts page at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar.

I love my Methodist pipe organ, but when it comes to singing, the Primitive Baptists have got it goin' on.