The Preservation Hall Jazz Band usually performs nightly at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, and tours around the world over 150 days a year. Hurricane Katrina, however, forced Preservation Hall to close through the fall and winter of 2005, and the building remained shut until April 2006. The band continued to tour while the hall was closed.
Art dealer Larry Borenstein opened an art gallery in a building he called Associated Artists Studio in 1961. This evolved into Preservation Hall. A young tuba player, Allan Jaffe, ran the hall and organized tours for the musicians who often performed there, naming the band after the venue. The late Allan Jaffe was often in the Preservation Hall band; his son string bass player Ben Jaffe often is now.
The group has been touring the United States for more than 25 years. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band seek to preserve music evolved in New Orleans, and to bring it to contemporary audiences.
In 2006, the band was awarded the National Medal of Arts.
Current members include: Lucien Barbarin (trombone), Mark Braud (trumpet), Frank Demond (trombone), Charlie Gabriel (clarinet & saxophone), Ben Jaffe (bass & tuba), Leroy Jones (trumpet), Joseph Lastie, Jr (drums), Carl Le Blanc (banjo), Freddie Lonzo (trombone), Clint Maedgen (vocalist & saxophone), Rickie Monie (piano), Walter Payton (bass), Shannon Powell (drums), Mari Watanabe (piano)
A partial listing of the musicians who have played under the Preservation Hall Jazz Band name includes:
* Kid Thomas Valentine - trumpeter
* Punch Miller - trumpeter
* De De Pierce - trumpeter
* Percy Humphrey - trumpeter
* Kid Sheik Colar - trumpeter
* Louis Nelson - trombonist
* Jim Robinson - trombonist
* Frank Demond - trombonist
* George Lewis - clarinetist
* Albert Burbank - clarinetist
* Willie Humphrey - clarinetist
* Raymond Burke - clarinetist
* Joseph Rochambeau - pianist
* Billie Pierce - pianist
* "Sweet Emma" Barrett - pianist
* Jeanette Kimball - pianist
* Sing Miller - pianist
* Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau - bass
* Narvin Kimball - banjo
* Emanuel Sayles - banjo
* Josiah "Cie" Frazier - drums
* Walter Payton - bass
* Clint Maedgen - saxophone, clarinet, vocals
* Shannon Powell - drums
Precious Lord
Preservation Hall Jazz Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired
I am weak
I am warm
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
When my way grows drear'
Precious Lord, linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home
When the darkness appears, and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
Let the river, where I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home
The lyrics to the song Precious Lord by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band are a prayer for strength and guidance in times of hardship and struggle. The first stanza presents the plea to be led on and stood up on weary and weak legs, while the next stanza is a request for help in the darkest of times. The repeated phrase "take my hand, precious lord, lead me home" expresses the need for assistance and comfort from a higher power.
The third stanza acknowledges the inevitability of death, and the need for support and guidance in that moment. The image of standing in a river and having one's feet guided speaks to a sense of being lost and in need of direction. The chorus, "take my hand, precious lord, lead me home," is repeated, becoming a refrain throughout the song. The repetition serves to emphasize the need for help and the urgency of the request.
Overall, the song expresses a deep sense of faith in a higher power and a recognition of the need for divine guidance in times of struggle and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Precious Lord, take my hand
Oh dear Lord, I implore you to hold my hand in yours
Lead me on, let me stand
Guide me forward and help me stand steadfast in my faith
I am tired
I am weary and require your strength to keep moving forward
I am weak
I am frail and could falter without your support
I am worn
I am exhausted and fatigued from the struggle
Through the storm, through the night
Despite the hardships and the darkness that pervades the path ahead
Lead me on to the light
Take me towards the light and the goodness that I strive towards
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home
Dear Lord, hold my hand and safely guide me towards my eternal home
When my way grows drear'
When I encounter difficult and depressing times in my journey
Precious Lord, linger near
Please stay close by my side and offer me comfort and guidance
When my life is almost gone
When I near the end of my earthly life
Hear my cry, hear my call
Listen to my plea and answer my call for help
Hold my hand lest I fall
Please keep me from stumbling or losing my way
When the darkness appears, and the night draws near
When life becomes dark and ominous, and death looms nearby
And the day is past and gone
As the day comes to an end and the sun sets on my life
Let the river, where I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand
May the river of life that surrounds me offer me direction and support, and may you hold my hand through it all
Take my hand, precious lord, lead me home
Dear Lord, in your loving and supportive embrace, lead me to my heavenly home
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas A. Dorsey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L.V the Truth
on Rattlin' Bones
The lyrics of Preservation Hall Jazz Band's "Rattlin' Bones" is a spooky tale about the supernatural phenomena that takes place in St. Josephine, a part of New Orleans. The opening lines of the song act as a warning to those who might wish to visit the place as it is plagued with rattling bones that make a frightening sound. The singer suggests that the sound is not coming from any ordinary source, but from the bones of the dead who have risen from the grave and started walking around.
As the song progresses, the singer presents himself as a witness to the terrifying events that take place in the graveyard. He admits that initially, he did not believe in the stories about the rattling bones. However, after spending a night in the cemetery out of a dare, he saw the horrifying sight of the dead rising from their graves. The chorus is an ominous warning to those who might venture near the St. Josephine graveyard, with the rattling bones creeping up behind the headstones, effectively sealing the fate of any curious visitors.
Edit: Others argue that a deeper meaning hides between the lines. It has been said that homosexuality was a heavy taboo around the turn of the century. Evidence shows that the occasional (sexual) encounter was not uncommon in graveyards, at night. Many young men sought hidden corners of the city so they could get their "bones rattled." Hotels were reserved for "Socially Acceptable" Folks. So if you didn't want to see anyone's bones getting rattled, it's best to visit a graveyard during appropriate visiting hours.