- First-ever overview of the UK element of the late 60s/early 70s “Jesus movement”.
- Incorporates the scene’s gospel beat beginnings, the hippie-era Christian rock/folk groups and the movement’s influence on mainstream secular bands.
During the late 60s and early 70s, the restless, questing nature of the Woodstock generation and the horrors of Vietnam saw the pop scene add a new spiritual element.
Many young people embraced Christianity, viewing Jesus as the prototypal long-haired hippie, persecuted by the establishment of the day while dispensing peace and love to a troubled, cynical world.
The American branch of the Jesus movement effectively started in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, but there was also a parallel development in the UK that slowly evolved from beat groups performing in church coffee-bars.
By 1971, leading British Xian rock band Out Of Darkness were appearing at notorious countercultural gathering Phun City, while Glastonbury introduced a “Jesus tent” that offered Christian revellers mass and holy communion twice a day.
‘All God’s Children’ assembles the best of the British Christian acts, including such respected names as Out Of Darkness (and their earlier incarnation, garage R&B act The Pilgrims), Parchment, Whispers Of Truth and Judy MacKenzie.
It also features the secular alongside the sacred, including the likes of Strawbs, Moody Blues, Amazing Blondel, John Kongos and Medicine Head – bands who, though theologically shyer than their more overtly Christian contemporaries, all wrote songs with a strong spiritual message.
A 3CD, four-hour set, ‘All God’s Children’ – which takes its name from the gorgeous Kinks’ ballad, naturally included herein – is a fascinating look at an under-documented phenomenon and unexpected by-product of the hippie era.
Track Listing:
DISC ONE
- PRELUDE (incorporating HE IS MY GOD) – Salamander
- ON SOLID ROCK – Out Of Darkness
- JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT – Bourbon Street Mission
- SON OF GOD – Parchment
- WINTER SONG – Lindisfarne
- COUNTRY ROAD – Unicorn
- HELP ME JESUS – Paul Brett’s Sage
- MINSTREL’S SONG – Moody Blues
- GOSPEL SONG – Gordon Giltrap
- JESUS COME BACK – Ramases
- JESUS MY LIFE – Quintessence
- LORD AND MASTER – Heron
- MARY AND JOSEPH – Richard Thompson
- PRAYER – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
- REALITY – Whispers Of Truth
- THANK YOU LORD – The Pilgrims
- JESUS WAS A CROSS MAKER – The Hollies
- LORD OF THE AGES – Magna Carta
DISC TWO
- THE MAN WHO CALLED HIMSELF JESUS – Strawbs
- THE TRAVELLER – Clifford T. Ward
- JESUS WAS A CARPENTER – The Johnstons
- JOB’S TEARS – The Incredible String Band
- SAFETY IN GOD ALONE – Amazing Blondel
- TO BE A PILGRIM – Gerald Moore
- JESUS IS COMING AGAIN – All Things New
- HEAVEN IN MY VIEW – Kevin Coyne
- WHO CARES – Gerry Rafferty
- JESUS – Wil Malone
- SWEET FIRE – Graham Kendrick
- DEAR JESUS – Prelude
- MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN – Fairport Convention
- TIME OF THE LAST PERSECUTION – Bill Fay
- MY GOD – Jethro Tull
- STORIES OF JESUS – Clive Palmer
- FIRST TIME I WENT TO CHURCH – Nigel Goodwin
DISC THREE
- WOODSTOCK – Matthews Southern Comfort
- CLEAR WHITE LIGHT – Wishful Thinking
- SONGS OF PRAISE – Roy Wood
- I MUST SEE JESUS FOR MYSELF – Help Yourself
- CHRIST ONE – Quiet World
- HALLELUJAH – Stray
- LOVE’S A WAY – Bill Nelson
- IS IT TODAY, LORD? – Strawbs
- GETHSEMANE, AGAIN – Al Stewart
- HEAVEN HEATH – Mellow Candle
- NEW SONG – Judy MacKenzie
- LORD UP ABOVE – Nirvana
- HALLELUJAH SANG THE PEOPLE – Bruce Spelman
- THREE CROSSES – Roger and Jan
- CHILD OF JESUS – Phillip Goodhand-Tait
- HIS GUIDING HAND – Medicine Head
- THE SERPENT – Genesis
- JESUS CRISTO – Fickle Pickle
- FAMILY OF MAN – John Pantry
- COME ON DOWN JESUS – John Kongos
- WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN – Pentangle
- GOD’S CHILDREN – The Kinks
