HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.


I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.


"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.


I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.


Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.


I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.



- Words by Civilla D. Martin, 1905
- Music Charles H. Gabriel, 1905

Civilla Martin wrote:
"Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle, true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle's reply was simple: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" was the outcome of that experience."
The next day she mailed the poem to Charles Gabriel, who supplied the music.
Singer Ethel Waters so loved this song that she used its name as the title for her autobiography.

NWF said:

funkpill said:

AMEN speak tha truth

theAudience said:

I would love to hear Prince do a rendition of her Walk Over God's Heaven.

Her two double albums on the Columbia Gospel Series are amazing... especially nr one.

"Flowers & Feathers and they all is exactly right!"

funkpill said:

Eddie Campbell. Type in soulwalking.co.uk Then, go down to the bottom of the page where it sats "find any word" and type in "Eddie & Ernie" and you'll take u my dad's page. It'll tell u all about it.

I'm supriced that Tccd ain't here where the hell are you, boy?

HamsterHuey said:

Prince is very gospel oriented. The cut "For You" is evident of this. I think he really started to showcase his gospel influence first on "Do Me, Baby". His screams are STRAIGHT gospel. You can hear that in MANY old time gospel songs. Sometimes, members in the same group will try to out scream each other. That's actually part of the song! I remember when P first started showcasing this in his songs, I dug it tremendously. Cuz I knew what P was doing. I admired him for hollering in his stuff. No one in pop music was doing that. It was just another element that P had that no one else was even touching on. It really made P stand out from the rest. His gospel influence is at it's strongest on his 1999 album. That album is ...hard. On so many different levels. His delivery, his phrasing, the tonal varieties that he uses on cuts like "Free", "International Lover", "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore" are all gospel in music and vocal stylings. Prince screams so much on this album. It was like it was some kind of spiritual awakening and freedom of some sort.

blackguitaristz said:

Yeah...I just check it out....
Their names do sound familiar....
I have to check my collection & see if I have
anything by them....Thanks for the info...

funkpill said:

You're welcome!

blackguitaristz said:

Another Prince song that is straight gospel is "God". Love that song, the way he screams on that tune is something to recognize.

psychodelicide said:

Definately. So is "Adore". I just didn't mention those cuz I wanted to focus on 1999 era. Yep.

Welcome To My Z Cult

blackguitaristz said:

I agree w/you 100% BG as always .

Praise & Worship. A lot of gospel music now is not annoited. the reason for gospel music was to fight spiritual warfare, alot of these gospel artist now are not real annoited gospel artist who sings strickly 4 the purpose of being delivered from the evil darkness of this world.
[Edited 3/11/05 16:43pm]

Yeah...it'z a great form of spiritual expressionz for sure- and i don't fink one even has 2 be particularly 'religious' in order 2 be touched by it...I mean music is such a way 2 be in touch with one'z soul, and you know when you're gettin in2 it or you experience someone or people really truly gettin in2 it- it'z such a warm physical feelin you get...2 profound 2 describe.

Give Fred Hammond & Radical For Christ a listen!!!
My favorites are "Give Me A Clean Heart", "When we Praise", and
"You Are The living Word" from the CD PURPOSE BY DESIGN.
GGD:penguin:

GGDeVille said:

Where is my penguin?

blackguitaristz said:

I know that now, but did not know it back in 1984 and could not pinpoint what he was doing with his voice. It's the part that drew me in; the way he used his voice, of course in combination with that electronic rock thing.
I love the way he used to cross over genres, something he does not really do anymore, except maybe on songs like One Nite Alone, which I think is hauntingly beautiful.