General William Booth Enters into Heaven, a song

The lyrics for this song are adapted from a poem by an obscure but pretty fascinating American Poet named Vachel Lindsay.  It's the last track on my most recent album.  I wrote it more than 10 years ago, as kind of a musical experiment.  The experiment was only marginally successful, but Vachel Lindsay's original text has some vivid and arresting imagery in it.  Here it is in a new arrangement and recording that I did this fall.




Booth led boldly with his big bass drum
The saints smiled gravely and they said he’s come
Walking lepers followed, rank on rank
Lurching bravoes from the ditches dank
Drabs from the alleyways and drug fiends pale
Minds still passion ridden, soul powers frail
Vermin-eaten saints, with mouldy breath
Unwashed legions with the ways of Death
Are you wash in the Blood of the Lamb

Every slum had sent its half a score
The round world over, Booth had groaned for more
Every banner that the wide world flies
Bloomed in glory and transcendent dyes
Loons with trumpets blowed a blare, blare blare
On, on upward through that golden air
Big-voiced lasses made their banjos bang
Tranced, fanatical they shrieked and sang:
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb
Made clean, by the great I AM
Are you part of the promise made to Father Abraham
Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb
When the saints go marching in that promised Land
Will you be a part of that Holy Band, Are you washed ....?

Jesus came out from the courthouse door
Stretched his hands above the passing poor
Booth saw not but led his queer ones there
Round and round the mighty courthouse square
Then in an instant all that blear review
Marched on spotless clad in raiment new
The lame were straitened, withered limbs uncurled
And blind eyes opened on a new, sweet world
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb
Made clean, by the great I AM
Are you part of the promise made to Father Abraham
Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb
When the saints go marching in that promised Land
Will you be a part of that Holy Band, Are you washed ....?

And when Booth halted by the curb for prayer
He saw his master thru the flag filled air
Christ came gently with a robe and crown
For Booth the soldier while the throng knelt down
He saw King Jesus, they were face to face
And he knelt there weeping in that Holy Place

Drabs and vixens in a flash made whole
Gone was the weasel-head the snout the jowl
Sages and sibyls now, and athletes clean
Rulers of empires and forests green
The hosts were sandaled and their wings were fire
But their noise played havoc with the angel choir
O shout salvation it was good to see
Kings and rulers by the lamb made free
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb
Made clean, by the great I AM
Are you part of the promise made to Father Abraham
Are you washed in the Blood of the Lamb
When the saints go marching in that promised Land
Will you be a part of that Holy Band, Are you washed ....?