Here’s a Grand Old Hymn submitted by loyal SFL reader Dan. Evidently the children in his church used to march around the room to this…peppy (yes, we’ll stick with that) tune. Once can only hope they did it on the 2 and 4.
The Assurance March. And by “March” they mean “Polka.”
[audio:http://www.stufffundieslike.com/audio/assurancemarch.mp3]
Do you have a Grand Old Hymn you’d like to share? Hurl it into the suggestion box.
When I saw the title, I didn’t think I knew that one. Then I listened to it, and it came back to me; I think I remember marching to it, too!
Ugh, now I have that song stuck in my head! Thanks a lot, Darrell!
The only way to get rid of it is to get someone else to listen to it. 😉
Why do so many of these songs sound like Scott Joplin minstrel numbers?
@Jordan – songs sound like Scott Joplin because many of the “hymns” were written at the turn of the century when the music world as a whole was experimenting with new chord progressions and sounds. So it is only fitting that many of these sounds worked their way into sacred music, too. As a whole, most fundy churches really don’t sing old hymns. They sing about 25 select hymns from the early 20th century, saved for something like “Holy, Holy, Holy” thrown in every other month or so. And most of the 25, are technically categorized as praise choruses eg. “It is well with my soul”, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
Rats–not Joplin, Al Jolson.
Ha. Polka. That’s great. At least Jordan didn’t say Janis.
I’ve played that song on piano for VBS and it never clicked that it’s a polka! I knew it didn’t sound much like Semper Fidelis. Add an accordion and an oom-pa-pa tuba and its true identity is revealed. It’s a fun song. Kids like it. I guess they don’t know they are supposed to like only P&W these days.
Wow, talk about memories with that one! Last time I heard that (I think) was a cassette tape of Jack Van Impe playing it on the accordion.
I totally remember this song from my childhood!
That’s not a hymn or a polka — it’s a football fight song from the 1920s. 😉
My church occasionally sings a song set to the tune of “Tipperary,” the World War I march. It’s surreal.
I remember banging this one out on the honky tonk Sunday school piano when I was in junior high . . . with octaves in the left hand yet!
Huh. I remember this one. Didn’t make the polka connection, either.
Arrg! Fundy rock and roll ;). Lucky for me that I have a copy of Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” to smooth my nerves.
This was a choir special at the church I grew up at, but they used a different title too. I’m doing the same thing too Jim but with Matisyahu instead 🙂
Victory in Jesus
every service, handshake song.
Sounds like a Lawrence Welk favorite. Uff da!
I just found this particular post (been catching up on some of the newer posting) and you know where I knew this song from? With totally different words?
AWANA.
It was the tune to the Chums (girls grades 3-4) theme song.
I was totally hoping I didn’t know this song, but I’ve sung this probably 500 times.
I have never heard this version , but I kind of like it (the song), but probably not for church.
Where can I get sheet music for this?