I hope you're flying your flag today, I sure am!!!
JD
Note - I've gone thru and attempted to note the lyrics altho I've yet to find the actual lyrics posted. I find I appreciate songs much more when the lyrics are clear to me. It also helps to know a bit about the background of writers like Iris DeMent, which may allow you at times to relate their thought process and thus the lyrics with their personal experiences. This is my take on the lyrics:
There’s A Whole Lot of Heaven – Iris DeMent
There’s a lot of people talking bout getting in a glory land way
They’re walking straight and narrow cause they’re trying to get to heaven some day
But I’ve been saved by the love of the people who’re living right here
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in the spirit of fear
We don’t got a prophet who can tell us what the future’s gonna hold
We only got each other and the love we carry in our soul
‘Cause this world’s full of trouble, exactly what was never quite clear
There’s still a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
If ya go back in terms of diamonds and fears
You can have your sweet souls if ya want ‘em, they make you so dear
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
This life that we’re living is like a ship that don’t wanna be sailed
I’m awake this morning thinking I could buckle ‘neath the weight of my own fears
It’s a pain, it’s a strain, it’s a struggle that I burst of fears
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
If ya pull back the curtain, those diamonds appear
You could have your sweet soul, we really love it ‘cause you make it so dear
I think a whole lot of heaven is shining, I think a whole lot of heaven is shining
I think a whole lot of heaven is shining in this river of tears
PS - I purchased a copy of Iris's "Sing The Delta" CD March 2013, which includes a version of "There's A Whole Lotta Heaven". This set of lyrics was scanned from the CD liner notes. You should be able to click this image for a larger, readable version. If you prefer a text version you can find an updated version toward the bottom of the comments.
9 comments:
Thanks a lot for posting this. It's hard to believe that the lyrics to this song are so difficult to find online.
I'm still not certain about what exactly she's singing at a few points in the song, but you've definitely done a better job at transcribing that I could have.
there's a whole lot of heaven
iris de ment
(iris de ment)
{transatlantic sessions vol. 3}
0:00 (intro)
0:19 << there's a lotta people talkin' 'bout gettin' in "the glory land way"*
0:28 they're walkin' strait 'n' narrow cuz they're try'n to get t' heaven some day
0:36 but i' been saved by the love o' the people who are livin' right here
0:45 there's a whole lotta heaven shinin' in this river of tears >>
0:54 we don't got a prophet here who'd tell us what the future's gonna hold
1:03 we've only got each other, an' the love we carry in our souls
1:12 now, this world's full o' trouble, when the fam'ly walk is never quite clear
1:20 there's still a whole lotta heaven shinin' in this river of tears
1:29 there's a whole lotta heaven shinin' in this river of tears
1:38 an' if y' pull back the curtain those diamonds appear
1:46 you can have your streets o' gold if y' want 'em-- an' your mansions so dear
1:55 i'll take the whole lotta heaven that's shinin' in this river o' tears
2:05 (instrumental: verse pattern: << to >>)
2:40 this life that we're livin's like a ship that don't wanna be steered
2:49 sometimes i wait in bed the mornin' thinkin' i could buckle with each wave o' my own fears
2:57 oh, it's a pain, it's a strain, it's a struggle, but i persevere
3:06 cuz there's a whole lotta heaven that's shinin' in this river o' tears
3:15 there's a whole lotta heaven shinin' in this river of tears
3:24 'n' if y' pull down the curtain those diamonds appear
3:33 you can have your streets o' gold - if y' really want 'em - an' your mansions so dear
3:42 but, i'll take the whole lotta heaven that's shinin'...
3:46 i'll take the whole lotta heaven that's shinin'...
3:51 i'd take the whole lotta heaven that's shinin'... in this river of tears
4:07 (end)
=====notes==============================================================
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0c8q0nTzQ8
american co-producer jerry douglas (dobro) and european counterpart
aly bain (fiddle) assembled a special array of over 25 major acoustic
country and celtic traditionalists from nashville, ireland and
scotland to perform what has been hailed by critics as "a unique
insight into the sheer joy of making music" and "the greatest
backporch shows ever."
transatlantic sessions 3 was recorded in strathgarry house near
killicrankie in the perthshire highlands, scotland (about an hour
and a half north of edinburgh) during august of 2007 and was aired
over english, irish and scottish television as part of a six program
series on the fridays fron sept 14 through friday october 19 at
8:30-9:00pm on bbc 4 (as well as bbc scotland and rte, local time.)
*****special note*************************************************
while the AUDIO version of "there's a whole lot of heaven" was
released on transatlantic sessions 3, vol. 1 [track 13] in december
of 2007...
the VIDEO version of iris de ment was incredulously left on the
cutting room floor-- that is to say, not seen as any part of the
original broadcasts-- and was only rescued as one of three bonus
tracks on the 2DVD version of transatlantic sessions 3, "complete"
(vol. 1 and vol. 2), that was finally released in february 2008!
******************************************************************
the players...
iris de ment vocal, guitar
bruce molsky fiddle
jerry douglas dobro (& co-producer)
phil cunningham accordion
todd parks upright bass
russ barenberg guitar
* factoid: "{i'm in} the glory land way" [or sometimes 'glory-land']
is an "olde-tyme" gospel tune recorded as early as 1938 by joseph
emmett mainer, and was originally released by bluebird records in
january of that year. it has since been covered by many others over
the last sixty years, including bill monroe & his bluegrass boys, and
carl smith.
the glory land way
i'm [A] in the way, the [D] bright and shining [A] way,
i'm in the glory-land [E] way. (( glory-land way ))
[A] telling the world that [D] Jesus saves to- [A] day,
yes, i'm in the [E] glory-land [A] way.
[D] i'm in the glory-land [A] way (( glory-land way ))
i'm in the glory-land [E] way (( glory-land way ))
[A] heaven is nearer and the [D] way grows [A] clearer,
for i'm in the [E] glory-land [A] way.
[A] onward i go, re- [D] joicing in His [A] love;
i'm in the glory-land [E] way. (( glory-land way ))
[A] soon i shall see Him [D] in that home a- [A] bove,
for i'm in the [E] glory-land [A] way.
[D] i'm in the glory-land [A] way (( glory-land way ))
i'm in the glory-land [E] way (( glory-land way ))
[A] heaven is nearer and the [D] way grows [A] clearer,
for i'm in the [E] glory-land [A] way.
[A] listen to the call, the [D] gospel call to- [A] day
get in the glory land [E] way (( glory-land way ))
[A] wanderers, come home, o, [D] hasten to o- [A] bey
for i'm in the [E] glory land [A] way
[D] i'm in the glory-land [A] way (( glory-land way ))
i'm in the glory-land [E] way (( glory-land way ))
[A] heaven is nearer and the [D] way grows [A] clearer,
for i'm in the [E] glory-land [A] way.
=====
bio: iris de ment was born on january 5, 1961 just outside of
paragould, arkansas, the youngest of patrick de ment and his second
wife, flora mae. (pat's fourteenth child, and flora mae's eighth!)
I hear 'river of tears' not 'spirit of fear' at the end of the the first verse.
Thanks for your comment Chris.
If you read the dann walsh comments above he provides the correct lyrics to the song.
JD
WHOLE LOTTA HEAVEN – Iris Dement
There’s a lot of people talking about getting in a Gloryland way
They’re walking straight and narrow because they’re trying to get to heaven some day
But I’ve been saved by the love of the people who are living right here
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
We don’t got a prophet who would tell us what the future’s gonna hold
But we got each other and the love we carry in our souls
Though this world’s full of trouble and the path we walk is never quite clear
There’s still a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
If you pull back the curtain those diamonds appear
You can have your streets of gold if you want them, and your mansions so dear
I think a whole lot of heaven is shining in this river of tears
This life that we’re living is like a ship that don’t wanna be steered
Sometimes I wake up in the morning thinking I could buckle beneath the weight of my own fears
It’s a pain, it’s a strain, it’s a struggle, but I persevere
Because there’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
There’s a whole lot of heaven shining in this river of tears
If you pull back the curtain those diamonds appear
You can have your streets of gold if you really want them, and your mansions so dear
But I think a whole lot of heaven is shining in this river of tears, I think a whole lot of heaven is shining, I think a whole lot of heaven is shining in this river of tears
Thank you for providing these lyrics!
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