All God’s Children: Songs From The British Jesus Rock Revolution 1967-1974

First-ever overview of the UK element of the late 60s/early 70s “Jesus movement”. Incorporates the scene’s gospel beat beginnings, the hippie-era Christian rock / folk groups and the movement’s influence on mainstream secular bands.

During the late 60s and early 70s, the restless, questing nature of the Woodstock generation and the horrors of Vietnam saw the pop scene add a new spiritual element. Many young people embraced Christianity, viewing Jesus as the prototypal long-haired hippie, persecuted by the establishment of the day while dispensing peace and love to a troubled, cynical world.

The American branch of the Jesus movement effectively started in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, but there was also a parallel development in the UK that slowly evolved from beat groups performing in church coffee-bars.

By 1971, leading British Xian rock band Out Of Darkness were appearing at notorious countercultural gathering Phun City, while Glastonbury introduced a “Jesus tent” that offered Christian revellers mass and holy communion twice a day.

All God’s Children assembles the best of the British Christian acts, including such respected names as Out Of Darkness (and their earlier incarnation, garage R&B act The Pilgrims), Parchment, Whispers Of Truth and Judy MacKenzie.

It also features the secular alongside the sacred, including the likes of Strawbs, Moody Blues, Amazing Blondel, John Kongos and Medicine Head – bands who, though theologically shyer than their more overtly Christian contemporaries, all wrote songs with a strong spiritual message.

A 3CD, four-hour set, All God’s Children – which takes its name from the gorgeous Kinks’ ballad, naturally included herein – is a fascinating look at an under-documented phenomenon and unexpected by-product of the hippie era.

DISC ONE

1 PRELUDE (incorporating HE IS MY GOD) – Salamander

2 ON SOLID ROCK – Out Of Darkness

3 JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT – Bourbon Street Mission

4 SON OF GOD – Parchment

5 WINTER SONG – Lindisfarne

6 COUNTRY ROAD – Unicorn

7 HELP ME JESUS – Paul Brett’s Sage

8 MINSTREL’S SONG – Moody Blues

9 GOSPEL SONG – Gordon Giltrap

10 JESUS COME BACK – Ramases

11 JESUS MY LIFE – Quintessence

12 LORD AND MASTER – Heron

13 MARY AND JOSEPH – Richard Thompson

14 PRAYER – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

15 REALITY – Whispers Of Truth

16 THANK YOU LORD – The Pilgrims

17 JESUS WAS A CROSS MAKER – The Hollies

18 LORD OF THE AGES – Magna Carta

DISC TWO

1 THE MAN WHO CALLED HIMSELF JESUS – Strawbs

2 THE TRAVELLER – Clifford T. Ward

3 JESUS WAS A CARPENTER – The Johnstons

4 JOB’S TEARS – The Incredible String Band

5 SAFETY IN GOD ALONE – Amazing Blondel

6 TO BE A PILGRIM – Gerald Moore

7 JESUS IS COMING AGAIN – All Things New

8 HEAVEN IN MY VIEW – Kevin Coyne

9 WHO CARES – Gerry Rafferty

10 JESUS – Wil Malone

11 SWEET FIRE – Graham Kendrick

12 DEAR JESUS – Prelude

13 MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN – Fairport Convention

14 TIME OF THE LAST PERSECUTION – Bill Fay

15 MY GOD – Jethro Tull

16 STORIES OF JESUS – Clive Palmer

17 FIRST TIME I WENT TO CHURCH – Nigel Goodwin

DISC THREE

1 WOODSTOCK – Matthews Southern Comfort

2 CLEAR WHITE LIGHT – Wishful Thinking

3 SONGS OF PRAISE – Roy Wood

4 I MUST SEE JESUS FOR MYSELF – Help Yourself

5 CHRIST ONE – Quiet World

6 HALLELUJAH – Stray

7 LOVE’S A WAY – Bill Nelson

8 IS IT TODAY, LORD? – Strawbs

9 GETHSEMANE, AGAIN – Al Stewart

10 HEAVEN HEATH – Mellow Candle

11 NEW SONG – Judy MacKenzie

12 LORD UP ABOVE – Nirvana

13 HALLELUJAH SANG THE PEOPLE – Bruce Spelman

14 THREE CROSSES – Roger and Jan

15 CHILD OF JESUS – Phillip Goodhand-Tait

16 HIS GUIDING HAND – Medicine Head

17 THE SERPENT – Genesis

18 JESUS CRISTO – Fickle Pickle

19 FAMILY OF MAN – John Pantry

20 COME ON DOWN JESUS – John Kongos

21 WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN – Pentangle

22 GOD’S CHILDREN – The Kinks