Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show (song)

"Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" is a song written and recorded by Neil Diamond which appeared as the opening track on the eponymous album. Released as a single in early 1969, it hit number 22 on the U.S. pop singles chart.

History

The song tells the story of Brother Love, an evangelist who travels from town to town preaching. In the middle of the song, Diamond gives a sermon in typical evangelical style.

Some evangelical groups in the American South encouraged the boycotting of this song and of Diamond as they thought that this song denigrated and insulted evangelists and the evangelical movement. When Diamond explained in an interview that it was, contrary to their understanding of it, a celebration of Gospel music and the evangelical style of preaching and worship, the controversy subsided.

The original 45 mix of the title cut differs from the album version. Aside from being in mono, extra reverb is used throughout the whole song. Neil Diamond's voice was overdubbed onto the lead vocal, creating a harmony. A tubular bell part were added following the phrase "Take my hand in yours...". The fade-out of the song is longer, with a louder horn section and a rattling tambourine part. All of Diamond's CD compilations have used the album mix.

The New Rolling Stone Album Guide calls "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" "genuinely demented."^[3]

In 1969, Peggy Lee sang a cover version of the song on her Grammy-awarded album Is That All There Is?.

Dolly Parton has performed the song on numerous occasions, including on her 1976-77 variety show, as during her 1983 concert at London's Dominion Theatre, which was later broadcoast as the TV special Dolly in London.

David Spade lip-synched, and then sang the song while imitating Neil Diamond in his 1999 film Lost & Found.

Country group The Wright Brothers Band did a cover version of the song, changing "Take my hand in yours" to "Take my hand, dear Lord."

References

↑ "Neil Diamond – Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show". 45cat. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
↑ "Neil Diamond – Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
↑ Brackett, N., ed. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 233. ISBN 9780743201698.

Neil Diamond singles discography

Singles 1960s	1962 "You Are My Love at Last" "I'm Afraid" 1963 "At Night" 1966 "Solitary Man" "Cherry, Cherry" "I Got the Feelin' (Oh No No)" 1967 "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" "Thank the Lord for the Night Time" "Kentucky Woman" "Some Day Baby" 1968 "New Orleans" "Red Red Wine" "Brooklyn Roads" "Two-Bit Manchild" "Shilo" "Sunday Sun" 1969 "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" "Sweet Caroline" "Holly Holy"

Singles 1970s	1970 "Shilo" "Until It's Time for You to Go" "Soolaimon" "And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind" "Solitary Man" "Cracklin' Rosie" "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" "Do It" 1971 "I Am... I Said" "Done Too Soon" "I'm a Believer" "Stones" 1972 "Song Sung Blue" "Play Me" "Walk on Water" 1973 "Cherry, Cherry" "The Long Way Home" "The Last Thing on My Mind" "Be" 1974 "Skybird" "Longfellow Serenade" 1975 "Morningside" "I've Been This Way Before" "The Last Picasso" 1976 "If You Know What I Mean" "Don't Think... Feel" "Beautiful Noise" 1977 "Stargazer" "Lady-Oh" "Desiree" 1978 "God Only Knows" "Let Me Take You In My Arms Again" "I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight" "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" "The Dancing Bumble Bee / Bumble Boogie" 1979 "Forever in Blue Jeans" "Say Maybe" "The American Popular Song" "September Morn"

Singles 1980s	1980 "That Kind" "The Good Lord Loves You" "Dancing in the Street" "Love on the Rocks" 1981 "Hello Again" "America" "Yesterday's Songs" 1982 "On the Way to the Sky" "Be Mine Tonight" "Rainy Day Song" "Heartlight" 1983 "I'm Alive" "Turn Around"

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