When I was in Junior High School, I came across an old cassette tape that was a compilation of Heritage Singers Music songs and another group, which until now I couldn't identify. There was a song made popular by Johnny Cash, "A Thing Called Love." The soloist was a bass and the other voices became his background singers. I thought the guy singing the bass sounded like Ted Atwood of Heritage Singers, but I never found them singing this song.
One particular song that I want to tell you about had a catchy tune. Sung by a loud alto. The song talks about Mr. Simon, who always comes to church on a Sunday morning. He loves to be there on time. He loves to sing with the choir. He loves to pray. The perfect kind of church member. Towards the end of the song, Mr. Simon was compared to another character who was praying softly, crying out to God, "Lord, forgive me, I am a sinner."
So I have been searching all over for the lyrics of the song, even the song itself. But I was never successful, until last week when Duckduckgo gave me a YouTube link of Mr. Simon. It seems to me that the author of the song is Ken Medema, who is a blind American musician. After listening to Mr. Simon, although not sang by the alto that I used to listen to, it brought good memories of days gone by. I also wanted to know more about Ken Medema.
I searched YouTube for Ken Medema and found him performing for various audiences. He is a very talented musician. Humorous. But most of all, he can create a song for you right there and then. You can give him a base note and two words, and he will come up with a song. He can sit through a sermon and will have a closing song based on the contents of the sermon. Wow. Such talent. If you are reading this, I encourage you to look for his videos on YouTube.
Anyway, my purpose was to introduce Ken Medema's song, Mr. Simon. If you're interested in this song, look for it on YouTube and sing along with him. I listened to it and transcribed the lyrics and have shared it with several lyrics sites. Here are the lyrics.
Mr. Simon - by Ken Medema
Well there’s a man I really like for you to know
Mr. Simon is his name folks like him so
He’s got friends in all the nicest parts of town
His name is known all around
Every Sunday morning when the bells begin to ring
Mr. Simon’s at the church where he does his thing
He loves to join the lovelies who come to praise the Lord
And he loves to hear the people singing all in one accord
When Mr. Simon prays in church he’s always heard
You’ll note his every elegantly spoken word
Every time he gets the chance he prays out loud
He loves the church he loves the crowds
Every Sunday morning when the bells begin to ring
Mr. Simon’s at the church where he does his thing
He loves to join the lovelies who come to praise the Lord
And he loves to hear the people singing all in one accord
While Mr. Simon’s uttering his pious prayer
There’s one who sits in back and seems quite unaware
You’ll see him kneeling and softly crying
“Lord, I’m not good at all, Lord have mercy on me
Lord, I have sinned against you, Lord have mercy on me”
Say Simon did you see that man in church today
Kneeling weeping in the most peculiar way
Well yes I hear his reputation is not so fine
I’m glad his reputation isn’t mine
Every Sunday morning when the bells begin to ring
Mr. Simon’s at the church where he does his thing
He loves to join the lovelies who come to praise the Lord
And he loves to hear the people singing all in one accord
Two men walked into the church upon that Sunday morn
One left slightly wrinkled the other left reborn, reborn