You're Gonna Need That Pure Religion

In 1961, ethnomusicologist Harry Oster recorded the itinerant preacher and street singer Reverend Pearly Brown (1915–1986) in Macon, Georgia. Blind from birth, Brown had a musical style that was influenced by recordings and music of Blind Willie Johnson. His repertory was composed of gospel, blues, country, and spirituals, which he sometimes called “slave songs.” This collection reissues the original 1961 recording and closes with four tracks recorded by Arhoolie founder Chris Strachwitz in 1974.

Track Listing

101	God Don't Never Change	Reverend Pearly Brown	03:02
102	Just a Closer Walk with Thee	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:52
103	You're Gonna Need That Pure Religion	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:30
104	Savior, Don't You Pass Me By	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:12
105	Motherless Children	Reverend Pearly Brown	01:45
106	Oh What a Morning	Reverend Pearly Brown	03:19
107	I Must See Jesus	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:15
108	Nobody's Fault but Mine	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:17
109	I Know It Was the Blood	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:46
110	By and By (I'm Gonna See the King)	Reverend Pearly Brown	01:31
111	Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning (1)	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:01
112	If I Never See You Anymore	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:15
113	Ninety-Nine and a Half Won't Do	Reverend Pearly Brown	01:34
114	It's a Mean Old World	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:26
115	The Great Speckled Bird	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:43
116	Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning (2)	Reverend Pearly Brown	04:16
117	You Gotta Move	Reverend Pearly Brown	04:36
118	I'm on My Way to the Canaan Land	Reverend Pearly Brown	06:49
119	Good By	Reverend Pearly Brown	05:08
120	What a Morning	Reverend Pearly Brown	02:34