RUMINATOR UNPLUGGED

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Mooers and Chewers of the Word of God. Welcome to the first issue of RUMINATIN' ROD'S RECORD REVIEW.

This is a new feature that we are adding to the new Ruminator Website that you can access by typing in

http://www.ruminators.net/

For the first review...I thought that I would review a project near and dear to my heart...a CD that I recorded.

Say hello to Elvis' 5th cousin...twice removed on his mamma's side...Cousin Vinnie. (See the first picture)

This year...for my 59th birthday...a brother by the name of Shane "The Ear" Atkinson allowed me to come into his recording studio...and do something that I have been wanting to do for a loooooooooong time. That would be to record songs that I have written over the years...just so I could have record of them.

These tunes were recorded for the most part in one take (maybe an occasional retake)...with the flat notes, pitchy breaks, missed chords, forgotten words...with all the warts, mistakes, blunders left in to get the feel of how it really is...real. On a couple of the songs...I could not find my capo...and on others...allergies/sinus drainage was kicking in...and after about 3 straight hour of singing and playing...I was just worn out...BUT boy did I have some fun. Shane was gracious...and polished here and there...but again...I wanted this to be a collection of real songs...sung in real time...unplugged.

NOTE: These are my EXCUSES in case you ever get a chance to hear this project.


The songs range from the first song that I ever wrote after I became a Christian to the latest recording of the bluesy sounding Galatians Chapter 5 called FREE AT LAST (with a Tip O Da Hat to THE LOST DOGS. There is a little bit of country...a little bit of rock and roll...and some mellow stuff.

NOTE: In this Post Modern world...praise and worship music tends to elevate "vertical" (music sung directly to the Lord) music and looks down the nose at "horizontal" music (music sung to the people). This music can be labeled...VERTIZONTAL or HORTICAL. Oh by the way...say hello to my little friend the hippo head. Ya shoulda seen the ribs...yum yum. (just kidding about those ribs)

The bulk of these songs were birth during a moment in history on the time-space continuum called THE JESUS MOVEMENT...during the 70's. They were exhibited in public at churches, universities, girls reform schools, army bases, in fields at festivals, at town squares during block parties, etc. A lot of the creative juices were flowing when I was with a band called HOSANNA (consisting of me, Tom Rutherford on drums and Mark Webster on bass guitar). These were songs of passion, simple songs of declarations of faith, songs of encouragement, and songs of love to my Saviour.

My heartbeat is that these recordings would bless someone, encourage someone, give hope in a hopeless situation, make someone laugh and smile, and draw someone into the presence of the Lord...and most of all...bless the Father.


Here is a thumbnail sketch of each song...to give ya an idea of why they were written.

NOTE: The picture of me as one of the Blues Brothers (take your pick on which one)...reminds me that..."We're on a mission from God."

1. THE JESUS SONG

This was written in the fall of 1970... after Brenda (my wife) led me to the Lord. It is a happy little ditty...that I wrote before people convinced me that you could not rock and roll and love the Lord. It has a campfire...sing along type feel to it.

2. THE BALLAD OF VINNIE (I Use To Rock and Roll)

I wrote this song after I saw Andy Kaufman transform himself from his foreign man character into Elvis. I started doing the same thing as I transformed from Rodney...into Elvis' 5th cousin...twice removed on his mamma's side...Vinnie. The song is bout the salvation of Vinnie. It is a nice little rocker...with a nice little ending.

3. I'VE SEEN WHAT GOD CAN DO

A little country flavored song about how I have seen what God can do in people's lives.

4. ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?

A song of encouragement to live what you believe...because others are reading you like a a book.. the Bible...and you may be the only real Christian that they see. Watch out for smudged and dirty pages.

5. DON'T YOU KNOW

A song written from my perspective of turning my back on the Lord...and eventually coming back. My Prodigal Son phase...when I was down eating with the pigs...while all the time...I could have turned back anytime I wanted...because He was waiting for me.

6. FREE AT LAST

Sung in my persona of BLIND LEMON PLEDGE...a tasty blues groove with my harmonica in tow. You can tell you are a true blues singer...when you have more harmonicas than teeth. Based on Galatians 5 about freedom.

7. AIN'T IT GOOD

Hey...bad English...good thought. This is a rousing anthem about declaring the goodness of God in the land of the living. Ain't it good to be living...living for the Lord...ain't it good to be living...with living you're not bored.

8. END TIME BLUES (If You Don't Know Jesus)

The group Hosanna announced this song at the girls reform school...and one girl shouted out...
"Don't sing me no blues." We sang it anyway. It's about the Lord coming back and the comparison of the newspapers of the day...and the Bible...in reflection of the Lord coming back.

9. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

A little toe tapping ditty taken from Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit. Hmmmm...this could be the ultimate pitchy song. I cringe as I search for the notes....but I still find myself tapping my toes. Oh well...at least it is joyful.

10. JESUS I LOVE YOU

A simple love song to Jesus...without Him as my Saviour I'd never know where to start... and without Him as my Saviour I'd never be made whole.

11. WALKING DOWN THAT ROAD

A little more country flavor like chicken and dumplings on a Sunday Morn. It always amazed me that He knew that He was going to be crucified...but He kept on heading towards Jerusalem anyhow. He endured the cross...for the joy set before Him...and we were part of that joy.

12. THE MASTER OF MY LIFE

Hmmmm...disco meets funk? This was a frantic declaration of who is my Master.

13. WALKING ON THE WATER

A song of encouragement to keep your focus on Jesus and not the storms surrounding you. This has been reported to be my sister-in-law's (Shelby Williams) favorite song that I wrote. Rumor is that THE SOAP OPERA DIGEST ON THE OLD FAMILY BIBLE is her next favorite.. but that will be for another time.

14. YAHWEH OF ISRAEL

Another love song to My God...My Rock...the Saviour of my soul.

BONUS TRACKS

This year (August 2012) I went in the studio again and recorded four more songs with Shane Atkinson.  He refined these four songs a little bit more.  It is like an E.P. (extended play record) where there were four songs instead of a whole album.  I tagged them onto Ruminator Unplugged to hand out to a few people, but these four songs may have another album.  This E.P. is called MOOSIC TO SOOTHE DA SAVAGE BEEF.  Here's some insight into the songs.

1.  FREE AT LAST LIVE

This was recorded on April 15th 2012 at Springhouse Worship and Arts Center when after 23 years I was given the Sunday morning pulpit.  In honor of the occassion I was joined on stage with The Ruminator Choir (the Sunday School Class) with Steve Burkett on slide guitar and Shane Atkinson on tamborine.  It was a spirited version and a good time was had by all.

2.  THE JESUS GROOVE

This song was written in the 70's when I was with the band Hosanna (Tom Rutherford on drums, Mark Webster on bass, and me on guitar).  It was my attempt to be funky.

3.  THAT'S ALRIGHT JESUS

A little Thanx and Tip O Da Hat to Elvis with a rockabilly edge to it.  I took Elvis' first hit (That's Alright Little Mama by Arthur Boy Crudup) and added some Christian verses to it.

4.  PSALM 23 PLUS

I took the guitar riff from a song by Noel Paul Stookey (as much as I could figure out), sang the first part of Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd...) and then began to expand upon it with Isaiah 40:31, There Is A Name I Love To Hear, and Amazing Grace...all to the guitar riff.  Whenever I sing it there is a Spirit of peace and anointing over the song.


Well...there ya have it...the first review from RUMINATIN' ROD'S RECORD REVIEW. I hope that if you ever get a copy of this project...that this review will give you some insight into why it was recorded and you will enter in to the moment.

Future reviews will probably NOT be negative...because...I will be reviewing only records, CD's, 8-tracks, MP3s, etc...that I LIKE.

Today's project...I give 3 moo-moos for my performance...and 5 moo-moos for the passion.

See ya next time.

Love and RECORDED Kisses
Rodney "Spinning The MOOSIC" Boyd