Introduction:
“If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side” is a gospel song performed by Elvis Presley, featured on his 1967 album How Great Thou Art. Written by gospel songwriter Henry Slaughter, the track reflects Presley’s deep connection to spiritual music, which played a significant role throughout his career. This particular song underscores the artist’s reliance on faith, gratitude, and the spiritual guidance he felt was essential to navigating life’s challenges.
The recording took place during the September 1966 sessions at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. These sessions were notable for producing some of Elvis’s most acclaimed gospel work, including the Grammy-winning title track of the album. The production team, led by Felton Jarvis, collaborated with Presley’s trusted musicians to create a rich, heartfelt sound that complements the song’s reflective and uplifting themes.
The How Great Thou Art album itself marked a shift in Presley’s music, showcasing his vocal versatility and his ability to convey profound emotion. “If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side” stands out for its lively rhythm, gospel harmonies, and the fervent passion Presley brought to the performance. The song also aligns with Elvis’s public expressions of his faith, which were often intertwined with his music.
This track is part of a broader legacy that highlights Presley’s contributions to gospel music, a genre he credited with shaping his artistic foundation. The song continues to resonate with fans as an example of Elvis’s ability to infuse personal sincerity into his work, creating music that bridges the sacred and the popular.
Video:
Lyrics:
“If The Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side”
If the Lord wasn’t walking by my side
When I was drifting (when I was drifting on the sea of a despair)
and I was wandering (I was wandering if Jehovah’s up there)
When Jesus found me,(Jesus found me in my sinful life)
he heard me praying (he heard me praying on my knees at night)
Now I’m singing (Now I’m singing this happy song)
because I’m happy (because I’m happy as I go along)
And I don’t know (I don’t know) just what I’d do
If the Lord wasn’t walking by my side
What would I do, (What would I do when a tear fills my eyes)
what would I do (What would I do when it’s my time to die)
Well I’d be lonely, discouraged
Burdened on the way
If the Lord wasn’t walking by my side every dayI’d be so friendless (I’d be friendless all alone and blue)
and I’d be helpless (I’d be helpless, wouldn’t know what to do)
And I don’t know (I don’t know) just what I’d do
If the Lord wasn’t walking by my side
(What would I do) What would I do when the tears fill my eyes
(What would I do) What would I do when it’s my time to die
(I’d be lonely, discouraged, burdened on the way)
If the Lord wasn’t walking by my side every day
I’d be so friendless, (I’d be friendless all alone and blue)
I’d be so helpless (I’d be helpless, wouldn’t know what to do)
And I don’t know (I don’t know) just what I’d do
If the Lord wasn’t walking by my side every day
If the Lord (wasn’t walking) wasn’t walking by my side
(wasn’t walking by my side)