The Ballad of Birmingham (JerryMoore cover)
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Music by JerryMoore
Poem by Dudley Randall
Performed & Recorded by Kevin Haden
(P) 2012 all rights reserved
Free download for private use only
I wanted to post a special song for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, so I recorded JerryMoore’s setting of the Dudley Randall poem “The Ballad of Birmingham”. The poem eulogizes four young girls who died in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.
Dr. King gave a Eulogy for three of the four girls on September 18, 1963.
I heard JerryMoore’s setting of the poem for the first time a few weeks ago. It had such an impact on me. Works like this ensure that we’ll never forget the importance of Dr. King’s message.
Please listen and share on this very special day.
Dr. King. Champion of Peace. Happy Birthday.
K
#1 by Connie on January 16, 2012 - 9:47 pm
What a very moving and fitting tribute to Dr King. We must never forget what a difference he made in the lives of so many people.
#2 by Jerry Moore on February 10, 2012 - 3:33 am
Kevin – I love your cover of the song – your singing and arrangement are great. I hope many people will get to hear it. Thank you – I will share it. I was really curious to hear what you would do w/ the ending – I fought w/ myself about how to end it – wether to have the mother screaming the “baby where are you” – how much emotion to express – to in a sense exploit but I kept remembering the family. I felt like you did it perfectly – telling the story expressing the emotions in a way that tells the story -you built up to the ending so perfectly telling the story – I was surprised that you basic(ly)took the same road for the ending.
For years I was unable to sing the song and recently because of the Freedom Riders film (PBS American Experience if you haven’t seen it there’s a lnk on my site) I’ve sung it a couple of times where the riders have been honored. I’m going to search out more of your music and singing. I hope to hear from you. I’ve been trying to find brother Randall’s wife also.
GOD Bless
jerry