The Louvin Brothers

The Christian Life (1958)

One for Sunday. There is a complicated relationship between some country and bluegrass singers and God. On the one hand, they are often loyal espousers of the word of the Lord as written in that there Bible but, then again, there is a long history of womanising and drinking hard liquor, at least amongst some of the better known artists. An example of this dichotomy can be found in the case of the wonderful Louvin Brothers, who's repertoire was full of songs attacking sinfulness, assuring us of Satan's presence in the world and calling us to serve God. At the same time, Ira and Charlie Louvin had a life-long tempestuous relationship not only with one another but the world in general, with a particular closeness to drinking and touch of violence. What's so great about two blokes with the voices of angels but some darkness inside is that they merely reflect the condition of most of us in this world, just struggling to be more than we can be and weighed down by the force of our own weakness. These brothers were up there with the best that American music and music in general could ever offer. Gram Parsons was a big fan of The Louvin Brothers and brought this song to The Byrds during his brief sojourn with the band. You can find it on The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) but go back to the source and enjoy.