My friend’s post reminded me this morning of JFK’s death anniversary today. He was in his mid-’40s at the time (1963). One thought lead to another, onto Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination (1968). He was not quite 40 then. Mahalia Jackson sang “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” at his funeral, and just days later, Nina Simone too sang the same. When Mahalia Jackson passed away (1972), Aretha Franklin too sang in her memory. Well, the other King – the King of Rock-n-Roll — also died young (early 40s).
From way back when I was in school, I remember listening to this when a senior student from high school sang it on stage. I liked it immensely at the time (but had no background knowledge of it), so I’d jotted down the entire hymn. Although the ladies have sung marvelously well, here is Elvis Presley singing it soulfully.
Words-n-Motion 