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