Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American musician and actor with a career tha… Read Full Bio ↴Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American musician and actor with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs.

Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942, he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army and became a major star of CBS Radio. In the 1960s, he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". Ives was also a popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s. His film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as the role of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s.

Where He Leads Me
Burl Ives Lyrics

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I can hear my Savior calling
I can hear my Savior calling
I can hear my Savior calling
Take thy cross and follow, follow me

Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow

I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way

I'll go with Him through the judgment
I'll go with Him through the judgment
I'll go with Him through the judgment
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way

Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow
I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way

I'll go with Him through the garden
I'll go with Him through the garden
I'll go with Him through the garden
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way

Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow
I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way

He will give me grace and glory
He will give me grace and glory
He will give me grace and glory
And go with me, with me all the way

Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow
Where He leads me, I will follow
I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Burl Ives's song "Where He Leads Me" express a deep sense of devotion and willingness to follow one's savior. The singer hears their savior calling and urging them to take up their cross and follow. This call is repeated several times in the song, emphasizing the importance and urgency of this message.

The lyrics speak of going with the savior through different phases, such as the judgment and the garden. These references are symbolic of the trials and challenges one may face in life. The singer expresses that they are willing to go through these difficult times alongside their savior, showing unwavering loyalty and trust.

The refrain "Where He leads me, I will follow" is repeated throughout the song, reinforcing the singer's commitment to follow their savior's guidance wherever it may lead. They are not only willing to follow, but they also express their determination to go "all the way" with Him. This signifies a strong conviction to remain faithful and steadfast in their beliefs and actions.

Overall, the song "Where He Leads Me" carries a powerful message of devotion, trust, and an unwavering commitment to follow one's savior through all circumstances.

Where He Leads MeBurl Ives Lyrics

Where He Leads Me
Burl Ives Lyrics