Word of Mouth Chorus - Parting Friends (with lyrics)

[phthisics]

This is from my favorite Sacred Harp CD and it's always been one of my favorites from that CD. Just one point about the imagery--when the song was written in the early 19th century, the "parting friends" of the song were unlikely to ever meet again in this life or to even get a letter. So it had an extra poignancy beyond that of the poignant Dust Bowl imagery of this clip. Props to the Amidons for singing it so true to the material.

[barbarasfdavis]

Peter and Mary Alice sing this deep Sacred Harp favorite in the best possible voice and style. When I moved from California to Tennessee, I sent this link to everyone. This is a magnificent rendition.

[orsonwellington]

This recording is found, iirc, on "Rivers of Delight" by the Word of Mouth Chorus. Kudos to the posters above who put together such a good combination of feel and musicianship. This sad old American song and the images of displacement are a little hard to watch, given the current situation in our society.

[memelvin1]

Awesome! Haunting and beautiful!

[Stavcol]

Mate I've so enjoyed your videos. They're brilliant, thank you so much for posting, entertaining and enlightening me!

[chissykim]

@Stavcol You're very welcome :)

[mh605]

What are these images of, and where did you find them? Who is the photographer?

[bulletinabible36]

@mh605 I could be totally wrong but looks like the pictures are from the dust bowl. At least one of them I recognize as being famous from that time.

[mh605]

Beautiful, haunting, touching.  The photos complement the song really well. Good work.

[peteramidon]

Who put this together? It is beautiful! The singers are Mary Alice Amidon (my wife, who was then Mary Alice Copeland - it was recorded a few months before we married) and me, Peter Amidon.

[chissykim]

@peteramidon I put this together. The images and the hymn just seemed to fit so well together. You both have wonderful voices :) Is there any chance that the Word of Mouth Chorus will release another sacred harp album?

[angelsaiyan22]

I have to use this song for a school project for Scene Design at Morehead State. You're a life saver because the CD the teacher gave me didn't work.

[frankklaassen]

Very impressive. Gives me a sad feeling, we didn't chance.

[PLBrayfield]

Very beautiful and evocative. The pictures and the song are perfect together.