Some ask, “why?” – but around here, we ask, “why not?” So, more Jerry Lee Lewis. From, apparently, a 1971 performance, it’s Jerry Lee — on guitar, no less — performing the hymn Where He Leads Me. Click here to go to YouTube or play below.

What a singer, eh? Truly galvanizing.

Now, things being the way they are, we have to make some kind of Dylan connection. So here goes.

Listen to this clip, if you care to, of an interview with Jerry Lee, from the 1970s, where he is being asked about where his religiousity and love of gospel music comes from. He responds with a fairly long digression on how religious denominations, and even the concept of religion as such, have no direct bearing on salvation. Here’s some quotes:

People of every church are going to be in heaven, brother. Upbringing’s got nothing to do with it, or what church you believe in. I knew that’s what you were referring to — I thought I’d just go ahead and get into it.

[...]

… As a matter of fact, there’s no such a word as religion in the Bible. You’ll not even find that word in the Bible. Salvation, you’ll find.

Compare this, if you would, to Bob Dylan’s attitude to religion, as a concept. There is, for instance, his 1979 interview with Bruce Heiman, where he says, “Well, Christ is no religion. We’re not talking about religion … Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.” There is also his 2007 interview with Jann Wenner, where he says, among other things: “Corporations are religions. It depends what you talk about with a religion … Anything is a religion. [...] Religion is something that is mostly outward appearance. Faith is a different thing.”

Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis: spiritual brothers? Well, make of it whatever you like. All I know is that they both can sing and play some pretty great rhythm and blues, and some pretty great gospel, when they feel like it. Long life to them both.

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