Old Time Religion
I’m working on a bunch of very difficult posts that require great care and support. I have many in the works, but none are ready to post, so I’m posting this to fill the time.
I was listening to some Christian music. I heard the song “Old Time Religion,” and was singing along. I have normally thought of the song as longing for the past when more people truly believed in Jesus and when churches actually honored Jesus. This time, it hit me differently. I don’t want religion. I want Jesus. Even the best religion doesn’t compare to a true, close relationship with Jesus. Religion isn’t necessarily wrong unless it is separated from Jesus, but my longing isn’t for religion. I started thinking about how I could improve the song’s lyrics.
Original Lyrics
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It is good enough for me
It was good for my old mother
It was good for my old mother
It was good for my old mother
And it’s good enough for me
It was good for the Hebrew children
It was good for the Hebrew children
It was good for the Hebrew children
And it’s good enough for me
It was good for Paul and Silas
It was good for Paul and Silas
It was good for Paul and Silas
And it’s good enough for me
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It is good enough for me
It was good for my old father
It was good for my old father
It was good for my old father
And it’s good enough for me
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It is good enough for me
It was good for the Hebrew children
It was good for the Hebrew children
It was good for the Hebrew children
And it’s good enough for me
I want that old time religion
I want that old time religion
I want that old time religion
It is good enough for me
New Lyrics
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
He’s better than I deserve
He was guidance for my mother
He was guidance for my mother
He was guidance for my mother
He’s better than we deserve
He was Lord of the Hebrew nation
He was Lord of the Hebrew nation
He was Lord of the Hebrew nation
He’s better than we deserve
He was help for Paul and Silas
He was help for Paul and Silas
He was help for Paul and Silas
He’s better than we deserve
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
He’s better than I deserve
He was a model for my father
He was a model for my father
He was a model for my father
He’s better than we deserve
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
Give me my Lord and Savior, Jesus
He’s better than I deserve
He was Lord of the Hebrew nation
He was Lord of the Hebrew nation
He was Lord of the Hebrew nation
He’s better than we deserve
I want my Lord and Savior, Jesus
I want my Lord and Savior, Jesus
I want my Lord and Savior, Jesus
He’s better than I deserve
I tried using AI to generate audio for the new lyrics. What I wanted was the same Willie Nelson version of the song, but with my lyrics, but I didn’t feel right using AI to change Willie’s voice, so I asked it to generically use my lyrics to make a country version to the tune of “Old Time Religion” using a male voice. The result doesn’t sound too much like “Old Time Religion” and the country is definitely too pop-style for my tastes, but I figured I’d include it for fun. I enjoyed the words, but the audio seems like it is trying too hard, kind of like many of the people asked to sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” but they embellish just a bit too much. I also couldn’t figure out how to download the song, so I played it on my computer and recorded with my phone, that worked well until my screen went to sleep and I tried to wake it, knocking the phone off and putting the microphone farther from the speakers than optimal. It isn’t what I hoped for, but it does let you hear the lyrics as a song.