The Birth of the Song 'Precious Lord'
THE BIRTH OF THE SONG "PRECIOUS LORD"
Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living
in a little apartment on Chicago 's south side. One hot August afternoon I
had to go to St. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large
revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of
pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in
St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A
and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had
forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.
I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was
strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to
disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the
room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to
sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with
asp;Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope.. Pasted on the
yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.
People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep
from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home.
All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead Nettie is dead.'
When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung
between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died.. I buried
Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.
For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I
didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go
back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in
that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I
went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that
something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would
have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was
lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The
following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a
neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through
the curtained windows.
I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys.
Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could
reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head
they just seemed to fall into place: "Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me
on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm,
through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord,
lead me home."
The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I
learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from
God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring
power.
And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes
when He will take me and gently lead me home.
-Tommy Dorsey-
For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a band leader in the Thirties and Forties. Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted! Beautiful, isn't it?
Worth the reading, wasn't it? Think on the message for a while. Thought you might like to share this, I just did.
Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living
in a little apartment on Chicago 's south side. One hot August afternoon I
had to go to St. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large
revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of
pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in
St. Louis. I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A
and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had
forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.
I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was
strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to
disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the
room with my music.
The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to
sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with
asp;Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope.. Pasted on the
yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.
People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep
from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home.
All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead Nettie is dead.'
When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung
between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died.. I buried
Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.
For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I
didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go
back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in
that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I
went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that
something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would
have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was
lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The
following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a
neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through
the curtained windows.
I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys.
Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could
reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head
they just seemed to fall into place: "Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me
on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm,
through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord,
lead me home."
The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I
learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from
God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring
power.
And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes
when He will take me and gently lead me home.
-Tommy Dorsey-
For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a band leader in the Thirties and Forties. Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted! Beautiful, isn't it?
Worth the reading, wasn't it? Think on the message for a while. Thought you might like to share this, I just did.
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