Musical piece by
Gavin Bryars. Based around a
tape loop of
found sound - a
tramp singing the
refrain "Jesus' blood never failed me yet / there's one thing I know / for he loves me so".
Strings and
woodwind slowly
seep into the piece, which is quite
mesmerising and astoundingly
sad. Bryars notes that he was moved to begin the work after leaving the
tape loop playing for a while, and
discovering people
weeping as a result. The work is indeed this
powerful,
IMHO.
Originally composed in 1971, released in a more substantial form in 1975, and then reworked in 1993 with additional vocals by Tom Waits (who has described the original as his "favourite recording"). Look for the 1993 CD in the classical section of a good record shop.