Remembering the Late Tom T. Hall's "Jesus and Me"

Country Music Hall of Fame legend Tom T. Hall died on Friday, August 20th. He was 85. Hall was nicknamed "The Storyteller." Hall has also been known as a top-notched songwriter, some of the songs he had written included "Harper Valley P.T.A." which became a major crossover smash for Jeanie C. Riley, "DJ For a Day" by Jimmy C. Newman and Alan Jackson's "Itty Bitty." His songs have been recorded by the likes of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, and Loretta Lynn. 

Some of Hall's own hits include "That's How I Got To Memphis,", Homecoming," and "(Old Dogs, Children, and) Watermelon Wine," "A Week in a Country Jail," "I Love," "Country Is", "I Care," and many more. Hall was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and was a Grand Ole Opry member since 1971. Rolling Stone included the Olive Hill, Kentucky native on their '100 Greatest Songwriters' list. 

One of Hall's signature is "Me and Jesus." The song, released in 1972, reached number 8 on the Billboard Country Chart and also made it to number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Though the song tends to domesticate the Christian faith into something individualistic, "Me and Jesus" speaks of the importance of relating to our Lord on a personal level. 

Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin'
Me and Jesus, got it all worked out
Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin'
We don't need anybody to tell us what it's all about

I know a man, who once was a sinner
I know a man, who once was a drunk
And I know a man, who once was a looser
He went out one day and made an alter out of a stump

Jesus brought me through all of my troubles
Jesus brought me through all of my trials
Jesus brought me through all of my heartaches
And I know that Jesus ain't gonna' forsake me now

Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin'
Me and Jesus, got it all worked out
Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin'
We don't need anybody to tell us what it's all about

We can't afford any fancy preachin'
We can't afford any fancy church
We can't afford any fancy singin'
You know Jesus got a lot of poor people out doin' his work

Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin'
Me and Jesus, got it all worked out
Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin'
We don't need anybody to tell us what it's all about 

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