{"id":16186,"date":"2013-04-14T15:19:03","date_gmt":"2013-04-14T23:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=16186"},"modified":"2013-04-14T15:19:03","modified_gmt":"2013-04-14T23:19:03","slug":"on-sunday-listen-to-colin-stetsons-cover-of-what-are-they-doing-in-heaven-today-featuring-bon-ivers-justin-vernon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2013-04\/on-sunday-listen-to-colin-stetsons-cover-of-what-are-they-doing-in-heaven-today-featuring-bon-ivers-justin-vernon\/","title":{"rendered":"On Sunday: Listen to Colin Stetson’s Cover of “What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?” Featuring Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"colinstetsonpress\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We wrote the other day<\/a> about Canadian sax colossus Colin Stetson<\/strong> and the imminent release of his new album New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light<\/strong>, the final segment of his New History Warfare<\/strong> trilogy of recordings on Constellation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Today’s particular highlight (it is Sunday after all) from the new album is\u00a0the soulful cover of\u00a0 Washington Phillips’<\/strong> gospel tune What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?\u00a0<\/strong><\/em> <\/strong>featuring only Stetson’s<\/strong> circular-sax and the vocals of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon<\/strong>.\u00a0 While Phillips’<\/strong> songs have been oft-covered (by Ry Cooder, Gillian Welch, Ralph Stanley,<\/strong> Will Oldham<\/strong>, etc.), we had not heard this song before.\u00a0 Sounds heavenly to our ears.\u00a0 After the song are Phillips’ original lyrics, which have been redacted for Stetson’s cover.<\/p>\n

And for more Sunday feel, check out at bottom the video released by Stetson’s<\/strong> camp this week in which Justin Vernon<\/strong> sings (at 1:36 in the video) the beautiful opening track of the album, And in Truth<\/strong><\/em>. You can order and read more about Stetson and the new album HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Colin Stetson–What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?<\/strong><\/p>\n

09 What Are They Doing In Heaven Today_<\/a><\/p>\n

What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“What are they doing in heaven today?
\nI don’t know boy
\nBut it’s my biz to say it and sing about it<\/p>\n

Chorus:
\nWhat are they doing in heaven today,
\nWhere sin and sorrow are all done away?
\nPeace abounds like a river, they say.
\nWhat are they doing there now?<\/p>\n

I’m thinking of friends whom I used to know,
\nWho lived and suffered in this world below
\nBut they’ve gone off to heaven, but I want to know
\nWhat are they doing there now?<\/p>\n

Oh, what are they doing in heaven today,
\nWhere sin and sorrow are all done away?
\nPeace abounds like a river, they say.
\nBut what are they doing there now?
\n
\n<\/em>There’s some whose hearts were burdened with care
\nThey paid for their moment to fighting and tears
\nBut they clung to the Cross with trembling and fear
\nBut what are they doing there now?<\/p>\n

(chorus)<\/p>\n

And there’s some whose bodies were full of disease
\nPhysicians and doctors couldn’t give them much ease
\nBut they suffered ’til death brought a final release
\nBut what are they doing there now?<\/p>\n

(chorus)<\/p>\n

There’s some who were poor and often despised
\nThey looked up to heaven with tear-blinded eyes
\nWhile people were heedless and deaf to their cries
\nBut what are they doing there now?”<\/p>\n