Retro Album "of the week" 50 - Lamb

We've not managed to get our 52 in within the year so we will finish the series with this one. This is Lamb by Lamb and it came out in 1973. It was an album I bought a little later in my local Christian Bookshop in the days when I was trying to listen to more "Christian music". I made the purchase on the basis of how the album looked, having no other knowledge of the band. I did like it, although I was painfully aware of the inadequacies evident in several places. Lamb it turns out was a two man combo, Joel Chernoff (lead singer/songwriter) and Rick “Levi” Coghill (producer/guitarist).

Both would call themselves Messianic Jews and the flavour of the music is contemporary Jewish with plenty of Hebrew words sprinkled here and there. Lamb have apparently sold over 600,000 albums, having produced 14 recordings. I never got beyond this album and I currently have only the best of the tracks on my ipod. HaTeeshKach, BaruchHaShem and DraChaiCha have Hebrew titles. The other tracks are The Judge, The Sacrifice Lamb, Time is running out, The Least I could do and The night is far spent. So not only very Jewish but pre-millennial too. The singing can be a bit languid at points.

A True Story

One of my deacons suggested a while ago that we might like to give out some tracts that Roger Carswell has done on Handel's Messiah (see here) outside a performance of the piece. We tracked down one such performance to the Royal Albert Hall last night (see here). Paul then said that it might be a good idea to go into the performance which the others all agreed to do. I decided against it for various reasons.

Anyway, while I was giving out tracts last night and this couple approached me and asked if I was going in, which I wasn't. They then offered me a ticket. They had hoped their grown up children would join them but it hadn't worked out and so they had two tickets spare. I was reluctant at first, of course, but they were keen and so I went for it.

It was an excellent seat and I really enjoyed the performance. That's the third time I've seen it and I have two or three parts that I regularly listen to so I was able to really enjoy it.

I chatted, of course, to the lady who had been so kind to me. During the interval we formally introduced ourselves. Her husband turned out to be a Tory Peer and a household name in the Thatcher/Major era. He was sat next to an even better known Tory Peer of the same vintage. I almost feel obliged to vote Tory next time round. We'll see. (My attitude to Mrs Thatcher is the same as my attitude to Marmite. Not a huge fan or hugely anti-).

So there's an interesting story for me to tell. I take it as yet another little reminder from God of his caring providence that is over my life at all times. As my hands Got colder giving out the tracts and I again stressed that I was not a tout I remember briefly thinking "why am I bothering?" and immediately reminding myself that God is no man's debtor. I had not expected such an immediate and obvious reassurance. If Lord and Lady D should happen to see this - thanks again.

Handel House Museum

 

 

As I was in Central London on Tuesday I did something I have been meaning to do for some time. I went to have a look around Handels' house in Brook Street. It is done very nicely. We began with a nice audio visual and then looked around the relatively small house. As with most of these houses, it is down to your imagination really. I have been to hear Messiah but am not a big Handel fan. I enjoyed it though and was interested to learn about his librettist Charles Jennens, who I want to find out more about. You have to pay to get in but I'm glad I finally got round to it after so many years (it opened 2001 I think). Read more here. London is full of  brilliant things.