One Man Mormon Blues Band: Music

• MP3 short clip, hi-fi play (broadband)
• MP3 short clip, lo-fi play (modem)

This story is also recounted in the New Testament, although I embellish it a little with lines such as 'queen of Galilee" and a story line that includes having Joseph ask her Father for her hand. Romantic, don't you think? However it actually happened, I suppose people have speculated for over 2000 years now about how Joseph must have felt about the situation.

This tune comes from a song I learned years ago in High School called "Once I Knew A Pretty Girl". The title is also the opening line for both versions, the folk song and "Joseph's Dream". The original song was about a cruel young woman who spurned a young man, only to try and lure him back after a change of heart. Then he has the satisfaction of spurning her in return. My version ends on a happier note.

The original song was probably what was called a "broadside ballad", a song printed upon a single sheet of paper and sold in the streets for a few pennies. Publishing broadside ballads was a common practice in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, like CD's and iPod downloads are in our day. Many of these songs were of poor quality, but became famous because of the availability of the words and music. This one has probably been refined and improved on through passage in the folk idiom. Now I have distorted it once again.

Once I knew a pretty girl
I loved her as my life
I'd gladly give my heart and hand
To make her my wife
Ooooooh to make her my wife

I went to see her Father
Task if he'd agree
That I could marry Mary
The queen of Galilee
Ooooooh The queen of Galilee

We were betrothed
I loved her oh so mild
When she sent word to me that
She was with child
Ooooooh She was with child

Now I am a just man
No desire to be unkind
But how could I wed one
With a child that isn't mine
Ooooooh with a child that is not mine

Oh I fell into a dream
And an angel appeared to me
Fear not to take Mary
As a wife unto thee
Ooooooh as a wife unto thee

She shall bring forth a son
To save us from our sins
That the prophecy can be fulfilled
he is born of a virgin
Ooooooh He is born of a virgin

With joy I then arose
I pledged my heart and hand
As an angel of the Lord
Did appear and command
Ooooooh I pledged my heart and hand