[78-L] FW: Just a Closer Walk With Thee

[David Lennick]

The mid 1800s, according to this:

http://www.answers.com/topic/just-a-closer-walk-with-thee-vocal-classical-work

Just a Closer Walk With Thee is a popular spiritual whose words and music come 
from anonymous sources. The melody is taken from a folk song, Closer Walk, 
which probably dates to the early nineteenth century and likely from the 
southern United States. The title and text of Just a Closer Walk With Thee are 
drawn from the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7: "We walk by faith, not 
by sight." There are four verses to the song, though the refrain (second 
verse), which begins with the title words, is repeated twice, the first time 
after the third verse and once more after the fifth. The melody is sentimental 
and will appeal to those with a taste for folk-ish styles of gospel music. It 
comes in four phrases, the second and third starting higher than the last, the 
final one closing the melodic contour with a firm sense of resolution and 
triumph. The melody repeats throughout the song, much in the manner of those in 
other famous spirituals, such as He's Got the Whole World in His Hands and When 
the Saints Go Marching In. The text speaks of human weakness and asks Jesus for 
strength via "just a closer walk with thee." ~ Robert Cummings, Rovi

Read more: 
http://www.answers.com/topic/just-a-closer-walk-with-thee-vocal-classical-work#ixzz2KVLIV448

dl

On 2/10/2013 8:54 AM, Julian Vein wrote:
> On 10/02/13 12:51, Thomas Stern wrote:
>> Forwarding this query from the ballad list - I think folks on 78 or ARSC
>> list may have the answer.
>>    What is the earliest recording?
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Best wishes, Thomas.
>>
>>    -----Original Message-----
>> From: Fredamhran at aol.com [mailto:Fredamhran at aol.com]
>> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 6:21 AM
>> To: ballad-l at list.indiana.edu
>> Subject: Just a Closer Walk With Thee
>>
>>
>> I wonder if anyone can resolve a dispute that's about to erupt on another
>> message board.
>>
>> Someone there says that the spiritual Just A Closer Walk With Thee was
>> written in 1939. However, gut feeling suggests to me that, while it might
>> have been first copyrighted then, the song goes back way before then.
>>
>> Would anybody know who's right?
>>
>> Many thanks,
>>
>> Fred McCormick.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Composer shown as "W.S.Stevenson at
> http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0094458
>
>          Julian Vein
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