Last Year ...

... was different than the year before!

Well admittedly, put like this it doesn't sound like a profound truth in need to be spelled out explicitly. But it makes for a great, great song! It was recorded by the Lane Relation Singers of Philadelphia some time in 1969 (or shortly before). In any case we have it on their Songbird LP # 214 which was announced as a new release in August 1969. (They had been with Peacock's Songbird label before that, from around 1967 onwards and their name appears in a Peacock-Songbird ad from Oct. '68.)

The Lane Relation Singers are another gospel family group about which it's hard to find out anything of substance. The did a 45 for HOB and then recorded for Arctic. Finally they ended up at Songbird, and their 1969 LP is their debut album (and as it seems, their only one). The group was composed of Ida Ida Lane Agard (called »Mother«, founder and manager of the group, probably the lady standing to the left on the group photo), Chris Flowers (baritone), Mike McFadden (female lead singer), Sissy and Mozelle (backing vocals). The back cover of the LP also mentions the pianist Leonard. (No family names for the last- mentioned persons are known.)

The only one among the group to be fairly known is Chris Flowers, for he was formerly part of The Holy Wonders and The Highway Q.C.s. He also features (together with a certain »E. Flowers«) as composer of several songs from their LP. One of those songs, »Last Year«, is also credited to him. It not only fits today's occasion but is beautifully arranged, beautifully performed and, well, just so nice I've been hearing it all over recently. Chris Flowers does his part somewhat Conley-ish (or Redding-ish or Pickett-ish, if you like) as he peppers his lines with some look- a-here! and good-God! shouting - a traditional gospel element crept back here into gospel via Soul. Yet certainly the most striking of this song is the complex blend between lead voice and chorus which goes beyond harmonic intricacies and also involves the lyrics. This is no call-and-response here, rather something like two voices flowing along separately but constantly referring to and picking up on each other. A bit like in a fugue. I tried to show the patterns by way of below's transcript (don't know whether this renders the idea though). Anyhow, listen here and be taken away:

The Lane Relation Singers (feat. Chris Flowers on lead): »Last Year« from the Song Bird LP # 214 (1969):

* * *

* * *

       LAST YEAR
       last year
       LAST YEAR
       last year
   IT WAS DIFFERENT
               different than the year before
      THIS YEAR
      this year
  I KNOW HE BLESSED ME
      this year
  AND SHOWED ME
         showed me the way to go

      LAST YEAR
      last year
      LAST YEAR
      last year
  IT WAS DIFFERENT
              different than the year before
     THIS YEAR
     this year
  GOD HAS BLESSED ME
    this year
  AND SHOWED ME
         showed me the way to go

  HE TOLD ME TO PRAY
       Hallelujah
           FOR THE SICK
              Hallelujah
                AND HELP
                   Hallelujah
                      THE POOR
                          Hallelujah
                             YES HE DID
                             this is the way to go

  SAID IF YOU BENDS (??)
      Hallelujah
          AND PRAY
              Hallelujah
                  I SHOW
                     Hallelujah
                          YOU MORE
                              Hallelujah
                              this is the way to go

     LAST YEAR
     last year
     IT WAS LAST YEAR
     last year
  IT WAS DIFFERENT
             different than the year before
     BUT THIS YEAR
     this year

 GOD HAS BLESSED ME

     this year
 AND SHOWED ME
        showed me the way to go

  HE TOLD ME TO WALK
       Hallelujah
           UP RIGHT
               Hallelujah
                   AND KEEP HIS
                      Hallelujah
                          COMMANDMENTS
                               Hallelujah
                               this is the way to go

  HE SAID I
      Hallelujah
          GIVE YOU
               Hallelujah
                   POWER
                       Hallelujah
                            IN YOUR HAND
                                 Hallelujah
                                 this is the way to go

  YOU CAN TOUCH
       Hallelujah
            THE SICK
                  Hallelujah
                       AND THEY SHALL
                            Hallelujah
                                  BE HEALED
                                       Hallelujah
                                       this is the way to go

  HE SAID I'LL MAKE
        Hallelujah
             MY WORLD KNOW
                 Hallelujah
                     THAT MY POWER
                         Hallelujah
                              IS REAL
                                   Hallelujah
                                   this is the way to go

   HE SHOWED ME THE WAY
                He showed me the way
   YES HE DID
               showed me the way to go
   EARLY ONE MORNING
               He showed me the way
  GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY
               showed me the way to go
  ONE DAY ONE DAY
               He showed me the way
  I WAS WALKING ALONE
               showed me the way to go
  I HEARD A VOICE

               He showed me the way

  I SAW NO ONE
               showed me the way to go
  YOU KNOW THE VOICE I HEARD
               He showed me the way
  SOUND SO SWEET
               showed me the way to go
  IT MUST'VE BEEN JESUS
               He showed me the way
  TALKIN' TO ME
               showed me the way to go
  HE TOLD ME TO GO
               He showed me the way
  SHALL I GO WITH YOU
               showed me the way to go
  OPEN UP YOUR MOUTH
               He showed me the way
  AND I SPEAK FOR YOU
               showed me the way to go