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Bob Dylan: Peace In The Valley (Thomas A. Dorsey)

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Well, I’m tired and so weary
But I must go along
Till the lord comes and calls, calls me away, oh yeah
Well the morning’s so bright
And the Lamb is the light
And the night, night is as black as the sea, oh yes.

(There will be peace in the valley for me, some day)

“Peace in the Valley” is a 1937 song written by Thomas A. Dorsey, originally for Mahalia Jackson. The song became a hit in 1951 for Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys, reaching No. 7 on the Country & Western Best Seller chart. It was among the first gospel recordings to sell one million copies. Foley’s version was a 2006 entry into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.
~Wikipedia

–

Important recordings of ‘Peace In The Valley’ include the Red Foley version that established the song, Elvis Presley’s 1957 single, and Johnny Cash’s 1969 recording, which was included on the massively successful album “Johnny Cash At San Quentin”.
Other recordings of note are those by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and the Original Five Blind Boys of Mississippi. By the time Dylan came to perform the song in 1989 he would surely have known all of the above recordings.
~Derek Barker (The Songs He didn’t Write)

Red Foley:

Elvis Presley:

Johnny Cash (from his famous “San Quentin concert”):




Bob Dylan

This song made its first appearance when it was tried out, along with many other covers,
during rehearsals for Dylan’s 1989 summer tour of Europe. The song was only played once
on the tour on June 13, 1989 in Fréjus, France. ‘Peace In The Valley’ was rehearsed again
in 1990 but not played on the tour that followed.
The performance from Fréjus, France (June 13, 1989), which was beautifully played with
clear and sincere vocals..
~Derek Barker (The songs he didn’t write)

There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
(There’ll be no sadness, no sorrow, no trouble, trouble I see)
There will be peace in the valley for me.

Well the bear will be gentle
And the wolf will be tame
And the lion shall lay down, by the lamb, oh yes
And the beasts from the wild
Shall be led by a child
And I’ll be changed, changed from this creature that I am, oh yes.

(There will be peace in the valley for me, some day)
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
(There’ll be no sadness, no sorrow, oh my Lordy, no trouble, trouble I see)
There will be peace in the valley for me, [for me]

Dylan has only played it once live:

Les Arènes
Frejus, France
13 June 1989

  • Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
  • G. E. Smith (guitar)
  • Tony Garnier (bass)
  • Christopher Parker (drums)




Check out:

-Egil

9 thoughts on “Bob Dylan: Peace In The Valley (Thomas A. Dorsey)”

  1. I love this song. Heard it all my life. Love hearing Dylan sing it. I had hreard all the others you mention sing it before. Love the harmonica. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Grew up on this song. Hearing Dylan singing it is just as if I were being awarded for loving to hear them both.

  4. Some day, in a perfect world, some of these sensational but never-released versions of songs by Bob will become available for us average folks. I hope!

      1. I have always felt that the rehearsal version is superior to the Frejus recording and yet Frejus is the one that gets shared. People should hear the rehearsal version.

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