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If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)
Artist: Rev. J.C. Burnett
Author: traditional
Label: Columbia
Year: 1927
Preacher from the Bible Belt, the first to record this allegory around a book of cards (see note). Reissued on Songsters & Saints Vol. 2, one of two double lp's that came with Paul Oliver's book Songsters & Saints and on old-time gospel box set Goodbye Babylon.
Covers:
T. Texas Tyler [as Deck Of Cards]
Stewart Family [as The Soldier's Prayerbook; turned it into a song]
Wink Martindale [still as a sermon]
Cowboy Copas [as Cowboy's Deck Of Cards]
Chiel Montagne [as Het Spel Kaarten, prior to the hit-version of his fellow Radio Veronica DJ (Cowboy) Gerard de Vries]
Cowboy Gerard [idem, n°2 NL]
Charlie Moore & Bill Napier [as A Soldier's Prayer]
Don Reno & Benny Martin [as A Soldier's Prayer In Vietnam]
Red Sovine [as Vietnam Deck Of Cards]
Frans Halsema [as De Training, football version of Het Spel Kaarten]
Oscar Harris [n°1 B as A Soldier's Prayer]
Bruce Low [hit GER as Das Kartenspiel]
Prince Far I [as Deck Of Cards]
Soft Boys [again as Deck Of Cards]
Günther Emmerlich [hit GER, crediting T. Texas Tyler and Gerard de Vries]
Moralistic song-cluster on a theme dating from 18th century Spain or even middle-aged English folk tradition. "Kitsch rules and lives forever" (Nick Tosches in his book Country). It's all about numerology and how one deck of cards matches with the calendar and Bible characters alike: 52 cards for every week in the year, 365 dots for every day, the ace is God, the 2 his Son, the 3 the Holy Trinity, the 4 the evangelists etc. Originally used as a real sermon, later as a mockery. Parodies on the theme: Ray Stevens ('59) [as High School Yearbook], Cowboy Copas ('63) [as Cowboy's Deck Of Cards], Ferlin Husky [as Hillbilly Deck Of Cards], Red Sovine [as The Vietnam's Deck Of Cards].
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)