I'm Getting Ready to Meet the Saints!

Monday is a good day to think about going home! For those who read my blog at all, you are aware that songs have always been a big part of my life. The other day I happened upon some photos on the web of old broken down houses and it immediately reminded me of the song I’ve heard since I was a kid. It was written by the late Stuart Hamblen, “This Old House”. The song is about leaving here and going to heaven. This got me to thinking about Stuart Hamblin and his story because I knew he had previously been a very worldly man before his conversion. Therefore, you can see how some of these blogs get put together because it started with the photos which reminded me of the song which led me to the story about Stuart Hamblen.

This abbreviated information about the life and times of Stuart Hamblen was taken from http://members.aol.com/HamblenMC/SH_Bio.html, a website devoted to his memory. Stuart Hamblen - October 20, 1908 to March 8, 1989 Born October 20th, 1908, in Kellyville, Texas, the son of a traveling Methodist preacher, Stuart Hamblen's career as a Country Western Gospel singer, composer and radio-movie personality was simple... it was destiny. It all began in 1926 on radio KAYO in Abilene, Texas, where he became radio broadcasting's first singing cowboy. In 1929, he won a talent contest in Dallas, Texas and with the $100 cash prize in hand, he headed for Camden, New Jersey, to the Victor Talking Machine Company to seek his fortune. Recording four songs for the forerunner of RCA Victor, Stuart then set out for Hollywood, California, where he auditioned at KFI and went on the air as "Cowboy Joe". He also became a member of the original "Beverly Hillbillies", radio's first spectacularly popular western singing group.

In 1931, and for 21 years thereafter, Stuart stayed on top of the popularity charts on the West Coast with his radio programs. He also appeared in numerous motion pictures with stars like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and John Wayne. During his long span on radio Stuart composed western songs many of which are still being recorded today. Later he wrote some of his greatest Christian song classics. His most recognized song is “It Is No Secret” and its original manuscript is buried in the cornerstone of one of the Copyright Buildings of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. This song has been translated into over 50 languages around the world and was the first song to 'cross-over' becoming #1 in Gospel and Country and Pop categories and started the trend for ballad style gospel songs. “This Old House” was awarded 1954 Song of the Year, and was the number one song hit in seven countries at the same time. He ended up writing over 200 songs many of which have been recorded by a wide variety of artists from country gospel and quartets to choral and symphonic arrangements

In 1949, Stuart, the hard drinking party guy attended a prayer meeting in Los Angeles where a young man named Billy Graham was preaching. After a remarkable conversion experience he gave up his radio and film work and publicly announced he was devoting his life to Christ. Married to his wife, Suzy, for over 55 years, Stuart lived with her on their horse ranch where he produced his weekly nationally syndicated "Cowboy Church of the Air" program.

"WHEN YOU SEE ME FALL ASLEEP, SAY AMEN BUT DON'T YOU WEEP. I'VE GOT SO MANY MILLION YEARS THAT I CAN'T COUNT THEM." -Stuart Hamblen

Stuart Hamblen held a teaching degree from Murray State Teachers College, Abilene, Texas. A movie star cornered Stuart at a party one night and remarked how he found Stuart’s new-found religious zeal hard to believe. But during that conversation with the actor, Stuart remarked off-handedly, "Well, it's no secret what God can do." As Stuart was leaving the actor's house that evening, the actor walked up to him and told him he should write a song about the comment he had made. That chance remark from John Wayne led to that remarkable song, a tune that provided a Top 10 country hit not only for Hamblen, but also proved successful for Red Foley with the Andrews Sisters, Jo Stafford, and Bill Kenny and the Song Spinners. Later, Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires recorded it and it became one of their best-known Gospel hits.

And now for the song that got me going on all this stuff, “This Old House”.

This old house once knew my children

This old house once knew my wife

This old house was home and shelter

as we fought the storms of life

This old house once rang with laughter

This old house heard many shouts
Now she trembles in the darkness

when the lightnin' walks about

Chorus: Ain't gonna need this house no longer

Ain't gonna need this house no more

Ain't got time to fix the shingles

Ain't got time to fix the floor

Ain't got time to oil the hinges

Nor to mend the window pane

Ain't gonna need this house no longer

I'm getting ready to meet the saints

This old house is getting shaky

This old house is getting old

This old house lets in the rain

and This old house lets in the cold

On my knees I'm getting chilly

But I feel no fear or pain '

Cause I see an angel peeking through

A broken window pane

Chorus: Ain't gonna need this house no longer

Ain't gonna need this house no more

Ain't got time to fix the shingles

Ain't got time to fix the floor

Ain't got time to oil the hinges

Nor to mend the window pane

Ain't gonna need this house no longer

I'm getting ready to meet the saints

Now my old hound dog lies asleeping

He don't know I'm gonna leave

Else he'd wake up by the fireplace

And he'd sit there, howl and grieve

But my hunting days are over

I aint gonna hunt the 'coon no more

Gabriel done brought in chariot

When the wind blew down the door

Chorus: Ain't gonna need this house no longer

Ain't gonna need this house no more

Ain't got time to fix the shingles

Ain't got time to fix the floor

Ain't got time to oil the hinges

Nor to mend the window pane

Ain't gonna need this house no longer

I'm getting ready to meet the saints

Have a wonderful week. ......More later.