Gospel Music and Baseball

Gospel Music and baseball. Wow, those are four words I never thought I would use together in one sentence!

Fellow blogger, Max, writes the Powerpop blog, which he describes as an eclectic collection of pop culture. He is a baseball fan too and introduced me to Sister Wynona Carr. In 1952, she wrote and recorded a song called The Ball Game, also known as Life is a Ballgame. The song appears on her Dragnet for Jesus album and it is also in the Jackie Robinson movie 42.

Life is like baseball is a theme that has been around for a while. Wynona pitches the metaphor with her amazing voice and lots of soul.

Some History

According to Britannica, “gospel music is rooted in the religious revivals of the 19th century, which developed in different directions within the white (European American) and Black (African American) communities of the United States. Over the decades, both the white and black traditions have been disseminated through song publishing, concerts, recordings, and radio and television broadcasts of religious services. In the later 20th century, gospel music developed into a popular commercial genre, with artists touring worldwide.”

Here is a condensed history: white gospel music was influenced by organ music and harmonies infused with country music elements. Black gospel is more traditionally influenced by ragtime, blues, and jazz. Lyrics came from Biblical teachings and traditional hymnals, derived from the singing of Psalms.

Max writes, “Sister Wynona Carr started her musical career in gospel, forming the Carr Singers around 1945. She later signed with Specialty Records, where she recorded around twenty gospel tracks between 1949 and 1954, including this song. Despite its initial success, Carr moved to popular music in the mid-1950s, exploring R&B and rock and roll genres. She was influenced by Sister Rosetta Tharpe in bringing in jazz, gospel, and blues influences.” Rosetta Tharpe also introduced gospel into nightclubs and concert theaters.

Love that Soul

One of the most recognizable names in the early years of gospel music is the Reverend C.L. Franklin of Detroit, father of soul music singer Aretha Franklin. He produced over 70 albums of his sermons and choir after WWII. And who doesn’t know the incredible talent of Mahalia Jackson?

Currently, Billboard rates CeCe Winans as the top gospel artist, with Maverick City Music coming in second. To me, the gospel music of the 40s and 50s is the best!

Life is a ball game
Bein’ played each day
Life is a ball game
Everybody can play

Yes you know, Jesus standing at the home plate
He is waiting for you there
You know, the life is a ball game
But you’ve got to play it fast

The first base is temptation
You know the second base is sin
The third base tribulation
If you pass, you can make it in

Old man Solomon is the umpire
And Satan’s pitchin’ a game
He’ll do his best, strike you out
He playin’ just the same

You know, Daniel’s up to bat first
You know, he pray three times a day
Yes, Satan pitched him a fast ball
But he hit it anyway

Yes, you know, Joe is up to bat next
Satan’s struck him in every way
But Joe hit a home run
And he came on in that day

“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57