Stand by Me (Charles Albert Tindley song)

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Stand by Me
by Charles Albert Tindley
GenreHymn
Written1905
Meter8.3.8.3.7.7.8.3

"Stand by Me" should not be confused with "Stand by Me Father", by Sam Cooke and J. W. Alexander.[1]

Though sometimes known as "Stand by Me Father", "Stand by Me" is a 1905

gospel song by the Rev. Charles Albert Tindley.[2] Although often thought to be a "traditional spiritual", Tindley copyrighted the song in 1905.[3][4] The song of the same name by Ben E. King draws on Tindley's song. The song has been sung in Tindley's original gospel form by various artists including Bob Dylan.[5]

Lyrics

When the storms of life are raging, stand by me.
When the storms of life are raging, stand by me.
When the world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea,
thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me.

In the midst of tribulation, stand by me.
In the midst of tribulation, stand by me.
When the hosts of hell assail, and my strength begins to fail,
thou who never lost a battle, stand by me.

In the midst of faults and failures, stand by me.
In the midst of faults and failures, stand by me.
When I do the best I can, and my friends misunderstand,
thou who knowest all about me, stand by me.

In the midst of persecution, stand by me.
In the midst of persecution, stand by me.
When my foes in battle array, undertake to stop my way,
thou who saved Paul and Silas, stand by me.

When I'm growing old and feeble, stand by me.
When I'm growing old and feeble, stand by me.
When my life becomes a burden, and I'm nearing chilly Jordan,
O thou Lily of the Valley, stand by me.

Recordings

The song has been recorded by artists including:[6]

References

  1. ^ "The Soul-Stirring Gospel Sounds of the Pilgrim Travelers". allmusic.com. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  2. ^ Robert Darden, Bob Darden People Get Ready!: A New History of Black Gospel Music 2005- Page 162 "Tindley had a rare gift for both creating Bible-based images and imminently singable choruses: "Stand by Me" (Charles Albert Tindley, originally copyrighted 1905) When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me When the storms of life are ..."
  3. ^ "Stand By Me". hymnary.org. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Stand By Me". nethymnal.org. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  5. ^ Oliver Trager Keys to the rain: the definitive Bob Dylan encyclopedia 2004 - Page 584 ""Stand by Me" a "Stand by Me" (Charles Albert Tindley) aka "Oh Lord, Stand by Me' Elvis Presley,... to Mahalio Jackson (1996) Dylan only performed this gospel song (not the same tune popularized by Ben E. King and by the effective 1989 adolescent buddy flick starring the late River Phoenix)."
  6. ^ Steve Sullivan, Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings Volume 2 (2013). p. 94. "It was inspired by the gospel standard 'Stand by Me' (also known as 'Stand by Me Father'), written in 1905 by Charles Albert Tindley (a Philadelphia-based African Methodist Episcopal minister), and recorded by, among others, the Pace Jubilee Singers (for Victor in 1928), the Norfolk Jubilee Singers (for Decca in 1937), Sister Rosetta Tharpe (for Decca in 1941), and the Staple Singers (for Vee Jay in January 1961 just before King's record was issued). Anthony Heilbut remarks that it "combines the fervor of a Dr. Watts hymn with a terse economy of a spiritual": "When the storms of life are raging, stand by me, stand by me ... In the midst of tribulation, stand by me ..." 472 The Tindley song . ...
  7. ^ "Victor 21500–22000". 78discography.com. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  8. ^ "Decca 14500 series Numerical Listing". 78discography.com. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  9. ^ "The Best of Gospel Choirs". www.muziekweb.nl. Retrieved January 9, 2016.