Last week I stumbled onto a recent video upload from The Marksmen of the old hymn “Take My Hand Precious Lord” written by Thomas A. Dorsey. I enjoyed it so much that I pointed folks to it in one of my recent videos.
I grew up singing the song in church. I’ve always loved mournful songs so it was one of my favorites. I remember one time the choir was singing it and I was very moved as I thought of a cousin who had been through some terrible times and it didn’t seem like there was no way out for her. She was certainly tired, weak, and worn from the hard times.
I didn’t know the history of the song until Corie and Katie filmed it back in 2014 at the Lufty Baptist Church. You can find several sites online telling the heartbreaking story of Dorsey losing his wife and infant son and then being inspired to write the beautiful hymn.
After listening to The Marksmen I wondered if I’d ever shared the video of Paul and Granny singing the song here on the blog. Paul uploaded the video of them in November of 2024.
A quick search of the archives showed I had not.
I hope you enjoyed Granny and Paul. Here’s a portion of what Paul said in the description of the video.
“Granny suggested that we sing this song. It’s a great song. Pap really liked the song and sometimes sang it by himself. It’s one of few songs I know that people routinely sing to two different beats. Pap, and most others that I’ve heard, sang the song to a waltz beat (as Granny and I sang it in this video), but I’ve also heard several folks sing it to a straight march beat, including the great Doc Watson.
According to Wikipedia, Thomas A Dorsey wrote the lyrics and adapted the melody way back in the 1930’s, and the first recording was released about 5 months before Pap was born, in 1937.
This song was recorded by Red Foley, Elvis Pressley, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Merle Haggard, Ernie Ford, Jim Reeves, and many other famous singers. It is said to have been MLK, Jr.’s favorite hymn. It was even performed recently by Beyonce. 🙂
Dorsey adapted the melody of a hymn called “Maitland,” and the history of that melody is somewhat complicated, but it seems to have been created sometime in the mid 1800’s, though the source of the melody is unclear.
Sadly, Dorsey wrote the lyrics during a prolonged bereavement after losing both his wife and infant son during childbirth in 1932. I think the song was on Granny’s mind because her last remaining sibling, her brother William “Lucky” Jenkins is currently in the hospital with a fractured hip and two broken vertebrae from a fall. The broken vertebrae, ironically, are very similar to the injury that happened to Dr. Earle Wheeler last month, shortly before he went on to be with the Lord.
Uncle Lucky is doing some better and is supposed to be transferred to a rehab center sometime today (Monday). The reason I think Granny wanted to sing the song because of Uncle Lucky is that after the second take, she mentioned that we could go sing it to him in the hospital. We didn’t sing it for him, but we did go see him and take him some food, since he doesn’t want to eat the hospital food. 🙂 I think this song is a song of great comfort. We all reach that point of having to cross over sooner or later, and knowing that the Lord will be there to receive us is what matters most in this life. “
Uncle Lucky never fully recovered from his fall and passed away in January of 2025.
Dr. Earle Wheeler that Paul mentions was part of The Marksmen for most of his life. His son Mark continues the group since his passing. When Pap and his brother Ray were traveling around the tri-state area singing gospel music they often played at the same venue as The Marksmen.
I find it interesting and comforting that my interest in The Marksmen’s recent upload of the old Dorsey song lead me back to Granny and Paul where there was a written connection to The Marksmen.
I’ve heard people say those sort of occurrences are coincidences. I’ve heard other folks say they are God winks. I much prefer the latter.
Tipper
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Paul will forever cherish memories of him & Granny singing. I know you cherish their videos, precious for sure. Pray for your days ahead of missing her. Im almost 80 & still wish I could talk with Mother one more time.; feel the same about my husband who has been gone almost 10 years. Hope you cook Granny’s canned green beans for her birthday party!
I have always enjoyed this hymn, thank you for sharing your thoughts about it. Pal and Granny singing it was very special! I enjoy reading your blog daily, Tipper, thank you!
I used to lead the congregation at church in song and we sang this very often such a beautiful song. God always will lead us if we just obey his will and follow him! Thanks for sharing. I love how Granny was willing to sing no matter how bad she felt. Love your family such an inspiration. Watch your shows everyday.
So good to hear Granny Wilson sing. She and Paul did a beautiful job. Puts a lump in my throat. Still praying for all of you.❤️
Beautiful singing by Paul and Granny. Such sweet voices! Thanks for sharing❣️
I just hope You know what an encouragement your family is. Daily. Thank You.
As I said in my comment on the video that song is my daily prayer. I find myself singing it throughout the day. Whenever things seem out of control, I reach to the one who controls it all. He never fails me!
“Take my hand precious Lord” oh the power of those five words, and he’s there for us, all we’ve got to do is accept, love, and depend on our precious savior!! I so enjoyed sweet Granny and Paul’s beautiful singing. One of my favorite hymns. I am familiar with all of the sayings from yesterday’s post and back to the “grannyisms” when I read the one about not harming a dogwood tree it took my memory back to when I was a child. My daddy had gone across the pasture to cut some firewood. There was a dogwood tree growing right next to an oak tree and he decided to cut them both. He was using his big bow saw and he said that bow bucked off the dogwood right into his thigh. I remember him managing to get in the truck
and getting back to the house. The wound was awful but he refused to go the hospital, and told mama to grab some kerosene and whatever she could use for bandages and with me being the eldest, I helped her get him bandaged up. He healed up so quickly. I’m being “long winded” but he had a lifetime of instruction from his god fearing mama, my precious grandma. He told mama “I’ve never cut a dogwood, nor will I ever harm another one; that’s why I cut my leg” Easter is fast approaching, and the dogwoods used to be blooming everywhere, but down here in coastal MS they have about gone the way of the native chestnut trees up y’all’s way. A virus or blight has wiped them out. Thank you for praying for me; my broken shoulder is gradually healing. I have to see my Orthopedic Dr and get some fresh X-rays March 11. I continue to pray for you all and all of the acorns. Everything is popping out early for springtime down our way; even our famous azaleas. Here’s to the first of day of March and warmer days ahead!! Love and happiness to you all!
Just beautiful!
Paul and Granny are beautiful! Grew up hearing this hymn.
So beautiful, it makes me cry. I am trying to hold all together. A precious memory in time. Everyone needs a helping hand.
Let there be peace on earth to all. Hopefully, we will all come together and realize, we are all on big family.✝️
Beautiful. Thank you Tipper. ♥️
I’ve been going back and listening to Granny and Paul sing some of the most beautiful hymns and this is one of my favorites. Of course, everything they sing just blesses my heart. Thank you.
That is one of my favorite old-timey religious songs I grew up hearing in the Old Regular Baptist Church. Another favorite is The Old Rugged Cross. I watched the video of Granny and Paul without the sound working on my computer. I enjoyed singing along as I read their lips and imagined the beautiful harmony they always created together.
Sunday Blessings Wilson Holler family and acorns and it is a blessing and precious to hear Granny and Paul singing again.
When I was a little girl my Granddaddy was a big fan of going to see the Marksman and Homeland Boys. I got my love of music as a baby and I don’t ever remember my Granddaddy going to church service, but always the singing. Especially outside. Thank you for sharing Tipper.
seeing granny again is a treasure. I needed her in my life. even if I never meant her
The song was beautiful and Paul is so sweet with Granny. Have a blessed day.
This is another hymn that has a lot of meaning or message for me. Now with my mind being like it is, after my daughter and wife’s deaths, another old hymn I like is “The Nail Scarred Hand.” One day at work after my daughter’s death, I was having a hard day, I couldn’t get her off my mind when out of the blue I remembered this song. I begin to try singing it to myself, it was just like God had reached down and picked me up. Ron mentioned “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art. “ I also like these songs. A coworker could sing “How Great Thou Art” with out any music and make you have goose bumps. Songs like these are the reason I do not like today’s so called religious music.
Hey Randy, the only words I have are, “We hold each other in our hearts.” Sometimes that doesn’t seem like much, when we want to reach out and touch. But it’s like that, our hearts toward God, and toward each other; what we have to hold onto. And music… Mom and Dad blew horns in the Salvation Army. Every song you listed, THAT’s what I hear, Mom’s coronet and Dad’s euphonium. I love it! I also like ALL music as long as it has a good message. That’s because as much as anything, that IS what folks are going to listen to, even if it’s rap which I DO have a challenge “catching up” to it. But if it has a good message, rap on! (though I have to admit I don’t keep up with the beat too well…). Oh, but to hear Mom & Dad blowing, A Mighty Fortress IS Our GOD! on their horns! Bless You Randy; and keep looking UP!
I like the individual, personal hymns because they can be sung when we are alone and are unconcerned about comparisons. What a blessing to know the Lord knows about pain, sorrow, struggle, grief and the whole human condition except guilt. As the bible says, “we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities..”. Sometimes our own words fail and a song or just saying to him, “You know” is the best we can do. There is a voiceless heartspeak that He knows. Behind the words of this song a meaning is ‘I need you’. We’ve all been there.
Absolutely beautiful!! One of my very favorite. My Mother used to sing it as she cooked and I love to sing it too! Great way to start the morning! Thank you Tipper and God Bless ya all!
Another beautiful song from Paul and Granny. I listened as the sun came up this morning and shined through my window. What a wonderful way to start the day! Thank you for sharing.
I grew up singing “Take My Hand Precious Lord.” The Baptist church I attended sang all the old hymns which I love. We all need the Lord to take us by the hand and lead us down the road of life. I don’t know how I would make it in this world without Him. I hope everyone has a blessed Sunday.
Wow is all I can say! Paul and Granny sang this so beautifully; and then I listened to Corie and Katie, and they were fantastic too! I loved all the information about the song. Maybe we will sing this today, as I am about to go to church myself this morning…so I wish everyone a blessed and joyous day.
Such a beautiful version.
We all need his hand. I don’t know how people live each day without Jesus.
amen
Absolutely beautiful and has always been my favorite hymn. What a blessing to have these videos of Granny. Thank you for sharing.
Good morning Tipper, Matt and Acorns. TY for the lovely song links. I had listened to Granny and Paul before and enjoyed gearing them again. Katie and Corie singing in the old church is my favorite. I had never heard of God Winks before.
Very beautiful Tipper. As I was reading this post I thought from time to time that it was Paul who had written it due to its historical background. I was reading some posts on Facebook that were originally posted several years ago concerning my mother, music, and growing up. My sister remembers my mother singing all the time while doing house work. I get my love of big band music from my mother because when I wad little she would play it on the radio all the time. And when Mitch Miller had his show on tv the whole family sang together, even my dad. When I was about 10 years old my father bought the family our first record player and along with it these LPs: The Golden Hits of the Platters, The Golden Hits of Hank Williams, and The 1812 Overture with Bolero on the flip side. Music has always been a big part of my life. It has defined me during different stages of it. There are some songs that when I hear it for the first time it hits a certain spot in my heart. My all time favorites are “Amazing Grace” and “How Great You Art.” The first because of His grace I am saved and the second because I use to sing it each Sunday morning while I was a deacon walking into Kawaiahao Church with the other deacons. Now I have another one. When I’m in my car driving I play “Red is the Rose” by your daughters. Such a beautiful song. Thank you and God bless.
Ron, my old time country Baptist Church started this mornings worship service by singing “How Great Thou Art.” Later in the service we sung “Victory In Jesus” and “Have Thine Own Way.”