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And Saul and I

from The Biblical Record [album] by John Harvey

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Description
The composition’s lyric combines a third-person and first-person narrative, both taken from the Acts of the Apostle, describing the conversion of the Apostle Paul. The former provides a documentary account of his road to Damascus encounter with Christ; the latter represents Paul’s testimony to the same at Jerusalem, during his trial before the Jews. The two accounts are remarkably alike. The distinctions are chiefly those of perspective which, in turn, reflect the different audiences being addressed.

The composition is divided into four sections, following the episodes suggested by the Acts 9 account. They are as follows: first, the reputation of Saul (Paul’s pre-conversion name) and his persecution of Christians; secondly, his conversion and blinding; thirdly, Ananias’s vision; and, finally, the meeting of Saul and Ananias, and Saul’s/Paul’s commission, restoration of sight, and baptism.

The lyric interleaves the two scriptures. Corresponding phrases follow one another in sequence. Some phrases are repeated for emphasis and, occasionally, earlier ones are integrated with the later ones in order to give either clarity or substance to the narrative. Where the same phrase occurs in both, it is heard overlaid.

The percussive accompaniment is derived, variously, from the sounds of the turntable’s tone-arm being dropped onto the record’s surface, as well as from static and scratches which are looped and overlaid. Their function is to furnish the narrative with a sense of forward movement, imperative, and menace. The sounds contributing to the penultimate section were treated through modulators to create a languid and reflective interval between the accounts of Saul’s/Paul’s conversion and commission.

Lyric
And Saul
and I
yet breathing out threatenings

And Saul
and I
yet breathing out threatenings

persecuted this way
persecuted this way
Unto the death
Unto the death

and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord
persecuted this way
binding and delivering into prisons
disciples of the Lord
both men and women

And Saul
and I
yet breathing out threatenings

And Saul
and I
yet breathing out threatenings

went unto the high priest
As also the high priest
doth bear me witness
doth bear me witness
And desired of him letters to Damascus
to the synagogues
to the synagogues
and all the estate of the elders
from whom also I received letters, unto the brethren,
and went to Damascus
and went to Damascus
that if he found any of this way
this way
to bring them which were there
this way
whether they were men or women
and went to Damascus
bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished
bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished
he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem

And Saul
and I
yet breathing out threatenings

And Saul
and I
yet breathing out threatenings



And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus
and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon
about noon
noon

and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven
suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice
And I fell unto the ground
saying unto him
saying unto him
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And I answered
Who art thou, Lord?
Who art thou, Lord?

And the Lord said
I am Jesus
I am Jesus
of Nazareth
And he said unto me
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
I am Jesus
I am Jesus
of Nazareth
whom thou persecutest
whom thou persecutest
it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks

And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid
but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me
And he trembling and astonished said
And I said
And he trembling and astonished said
And I said
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
What shall I do, Lord?
What shall I do, Lord?
And the Lord said unto him
And the Lord said unto
Me
Arise, and go into
Arise, and go into
The city
Damascus
and it shall be told thee
and it shall be told thee
and there it shall be told thee of all things
which are appointed
what thou must do
for thee to do

And when I could not see for the glory of that light
And when I could not see for the glory of that light
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless
hearing a voice, but seeing no man
hearing a voice, but seeing no man



And Saul arose from the earth
and when his eyes were opened
he saw no man
being led by the hand of them that were with me
being led by the hand of them that were with me
I came into
Damascus
but they led him by the hand
and brought him into
Damascus
And he was three days without sight
And he was three days without sight
and neither did eat nor drink

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias
And one
Ananias
Ananias
a devout man according to the law
having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there
and to him said the Lord in a vision
and to him said the Lord in a vision
Ananias
Ananias
Ananias
Ananias
And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord
And the Lord said unto him
Arise, and go into the street
which is called Straight
which is called Straight
and enquire in the house of Judas
for one called
Saul, of Tarsus
Saul, of Tarsus
for, behold, he prayeth
for, behold, he prayeth
And hath seen in a vision a man named
Ananias
Ananias

coming in
and putting his hand on him
that he might receive his sight

Then
Ananias
Ananias
answered
Lord, I have heard by many
of this man
how much evil he hath done to thy saints
at Jerusalem
(binding and delivering into prisons)
And here he hath authority from the chief priests
(And desired of him letters to Damascus)
to bind all that call on thy name
But the Lord said unto him
Go thy way
for he is a chosen vessel unto me
to bear my name before the Gentiles
and kings
and the children of Israel
For I will shew him how great things
he must suffer for my name's sake



And Ananias went his way
and entered into the house
and putting his hands on him said
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me
Brother Saul
Brother Saul
receive thy sight
Brother Saul
Brother Saul
receive thy sight
the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way
(this way)
as thou camest
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will
hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight
and see that Just One
and see that Just One
and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth
and be filled with the Holy Ghost
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men
of what thou hast seen and heard
And the same hour I looked up upon him
And the same hour I looked up upon him
And immediately there fell from his eyes
as it had been scales
scales
and he received sight forthwith
and arose
and was baptized.


Biblical Text
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

Biblical Reference
Acts 9.1–18; 22.4–14.

credits

from The Biblical Record [album], released July 19, 2019

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John Harvey Ceredigion, UK

I’m a practitioner and historian of sound art and visual art, and Emeritus Professor of Art at the School of Art, Aberystwyth University, UK. My research field is the sonic and visual culture of religion. I explore the sonic articulations of the Christian religion by engaging visual, textual, and audible sources, theological and cultural ideas, and systemic and audiovisualogical processes. ... more

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