A while ago I posted about my favorite music ever written in praise of (mostly the) Christian god. Consider this part two.

Blind Willie Johnson (1897 – 1945), an almost preacher who picked up a cigar box guitar as a child, decided the life of the bluesman was preferable to a life of the cloth. Although he left behind god’s calling, his music was infused with faith, the cross, and revelation (for example, John the Revelator was one of his go-to hymns).

As I’ve stated before, I love gospel and praise music. The lyrics don’t affect me; it’s the melody, the emotion, and cadence. Most blues music is strictly secular (despite being played by a hugely religious demographic), but Blind Willie Johnson bucked that trend. Below is my favorite Blind Willie song, “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning,” and it’s chock full of explicit references to his lord and savior. Behold:

Also don’t forget to check out a more contemporary recording by the Tedeschi Trucks Band (song #1 in a 3 song set. The other songs are by Elmore James and Bob Dylan):