A collective fronted by visionary violinist Matt Glaser, the Wayfaring Strangers present a bold, successful experiment in Americana. This all-star assemblage of players and singers, whose pedigrees extend across innumerable genres, first set out years ago to seek the heart of American music in a deft blend of modern and traditional styles. Their first album, Shifting Sands of Time, is the culmination of that search. On this stunning debut, Glaser's elusive dream of combining the high lonesome sound of bluegrass and mountain music with the soul and sophistication of late-night jazz is given a voice by some of the world's finest acoustic musicians. The end result is unprecedented not only in its intricacy, beauty, and striking interplay of styles but also in its organic purity. Never before has something so expansive on paper came out sounding so smooth and natural on disk.
History shows that change has been instigated only by those bold enough to reach into the unknown - to cross the lines and discover the hidden fruits of music's gray areas. But the will to initiate such an astonishing fusion is not enough: ability and ingenuity is essential. It is the caliber of Glaser's co-conspirators that lends such necessary continuity and clarity to Shifting Sands of Time. His long-time associate Andy Statman, on mandolin and clarinet, is the sparkplug of the Wayfaring Strangers - a musician so virtuosic in both sound and scope that he pushes the ensemble as a whole to new heights with his fiery inventions. His sweeping clarinet playing comes straight from the Klezmer tradition, with modal incantations and pained cries, while his mandolin work is fierce in its rhythmic attack. With Statman fanning the flames, banjo master Tony Trischka delivers some of his finest playing ever - a fascinating intersection of old-tyme drones, Earl Scruggs derived finger-picking, and Trischka's own melodic and chromatic approach. New York pianist Bruce Barth brings a rich harmonic palette and sensitive, tasteful phrasing to the group. Guitarist John McGann and bassist Jim Whitney are the rock of the Wayfaring Strangers, holding the rhythm firm yet supple under the vocalists' and soloists' ecstatic, evocative flights.
With the level of musical invention so high, only the best vocalists are capable of matching wits with Glaser and the Strangers. Shifting Sands of Time is blessed by a who's who of contemporary folk, bluegrass, and pop singers, giving grace and charisma to the project. Acclaimed folk singer and songwriter Lucy Kaplansky delivers knock-out performances on "Wayfaring Stranger" and "High on a Mountain." Dean Olsher, host of WNYC's "The Next Big Thing," called the latter track "one of the most transcendently beautiful pieces of music I've heard in a long time." Tim O'Brien revisits his swing-band roots with a bouncy "Blue and Lonesome." "Rank Stranger" is blessed with a resilient, moving performance by bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent. Jennifer Kimball, the Strangers' official full-time vocalist, invests each of her performances with the perfect blend of earthiness and wonder. Best known in pop and rock circles, Tracy Bonham delivers an impressively versatile interpretation of the classic spiritual "Working on a Building." Most memorable of all, though, is a stunning version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" featuring Ralph Stanley. A legend in bluegrass and mountain music, Stanley's impassioned performance is framed in shimmering piano, and subtle, eastern-influenced percussion. This cut illuminates the common ground between the modality of Ralph Stanley's mountain singing and the modality of modern jazz, to stunning effect.
New vistas, new directions. The Wayfaring Strangers deliver all they promise on their jaw-dropping debut Shifting Sands of Time. As noted bluegrass critic, songwriter, and musician Jon Weisberger writes, "Every once in a while, an album comes along that challenges our expectations, our assumptions about the way music is made. Not for those who demand that their music be comfortably predictable, Shifting Sands of Time is hauntingly new, like a dream mingling the past and the present, the known and the unknown into something that can touch our deepest emotions."
Wayfaring Stranger
The Wayfaring Strangers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Traveling through this world of woe
But there's no sickness, toil or danger
In that great world to which I go
I'm going there to see my Father
I'm going there no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep
But beautious fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep
I'm going there to see my Mother
She said she'd meet me when I come
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
I'm going there to see my Father
I'm going there no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
I'm only goin' over home
The song "Wayfaring Stranger" by The Wayfaring Strangers reflects on the journey of one's life and the hope of a better future beyond this earthly world. The song is a beautiful expression of the human longing for peace and the afterlife. The first verse talks about the singer being a "poor wayfaring stranger" who is traveling through a world of woe. The narration takes us to another world where there is no sickness, toil or danger, a world that the singer longs for.
In the second verse, the singer tells us that they are traveling to meet their Father and that they are no longer going to roam this world. The singer is going over Jordan, which is believed to symbolize death in Christianity. The verse expresses the hope and joy of meeting the Father in the afterlife.
The third verse acknowledges that the journey may not be easy, and they may face many difficulties, but the beauty of the fields of heaven lies ahead. The final verse expresses the singer's desire to see their Mother, who has promised to meet them when they come.
Overall, the song is about the journey of life, the hope of a better future beyond this world, and the joy of meeting family members in the afterlife.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a poor wayfaring stranger
I am a wanderer in this world with no real home or place.
Traveling through this world of woe
I navigate through this difficult world filled with sorrow and misery.
But there's no sickness, toil or danger
In the great world beyond this life, there is no pain, hardship or threat whatsoever.
In that great world to which I go
I hope to reach that blessed afterlife where life is boundless, free and peaceful.
I'm going there to see my Father
I yearn to meet my Maker, who loves and looks after me like a father.
I'm going there no more to roam
I aim to settle down in my heavenly abode and cease my traveling or wandering.
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm merely crossing the river that separates me from Paradise.
I'm only goin' over home
My true home is not here but in the world beyond this life, which I am eager to reach.
I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I realize that difficulties and challenges will come my way.
I know my way is rough and steep
I'm aware that the path to my eternal abode is not easy but full of hardships.
But beautious fields lie just before me
Yet, I'm also aware that paradise and its beauty await me ahead.
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep
In paradise, those who have been saved by God's grace will forever stay on guard to defend and cherish their redemption.
I'm going there to see my Mother
I look forward to reuniting with my loved ones who have passed away before me, including my beloved mother.
She said she'd meet me when I come
My mother promised to welcome me when I reach our heavenly home.
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm nearing the final stretch of my journey, crossing the river symbolizing the transition from this world to the next.
I'm only goin' over home
I'm almost at the doorstep of my eternal home, where I'll finally find rest and peace.
I'm going there to see my Father
My ultimate goal is to behold and be with my Lord and Savior, who is my eternal Father.
I'm going there no more to roam
I'm looking to settle down in that blessed abode, never to wander or roam again.
I'm only goin' over Jordan
The final leg of my journey is at hand, crossing over into the glorious paradise that awaits me.
I'm only goin' over home
My heart is set on my true home, where I'll find perfect joy, love, and peace forevermore.
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.