The Sleeve:
The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
“DENNIS SCOTT or Uncle “D” as he is known to children across Western Canada was born and raised in London, England, where he trained as a teacher. In 1968 he emigrated to Canada and continued to follow his chosen profession. However, God was moving in his life and his spiritual activities increased to the point, where, in 1973 when Scripture Union was ready to appoint a field representative, Dennis felt primed for the task. His ten years of teaching took him to all grades from 1 to 12, and therefore he is equally happy with children both young and old.
Fully committed to the two-fold aim of Scripture Union, “To encourage all ages to read God’s Word and to carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to boys and girls”, he maintains a busy schedule of children’s meetings called “Adventure Weeks”, in any church that invites him, runs summer beach and park missions, and adds Sunday School Teacher’s Seminars, whenever possible. The demand for this type of ministry is reflected in his schedule which is always full, two years ahead.
Dennis took up Ventriloquism when he joined Scripture Union. “Charlie”, was his first “friend”, and with his impish character and quick wit, he soon became a favourite with the boys and girls. “Sheila”, soon followed and became she was much shyer and quieter, she amplified the characteristics of her more flamboyant brother, but she struck a mutual chord with those children who are themselves of a quiet nature.
“Together,” says Uncle ‘D’, “we form a team, and we really hope that you will enjoy and learn from this record.”
Personal Review:
Once more I dive into the realm of Christian ventriloquism – it seems to be a place I venture to quite often, with many artists, Geraldine Ragan, Beverly Massegee and Bill Salisbury – to name a few. Though, Dennis Scott is considered to be a semi-local artists, as he resides in Canada, and released this album in Canada, he is originally from London, England.
Anyways, the album opens with the story “The City That Ran Out of Water” and the two ventriloquist dolls, Charlie and Sheila (who both sound the same), talking to each other, then Uncle “D” comes in to tell a story, and he also sounds like the two, just more British – oh, and people are eating their cats and dogs. Though, Dennis can really do all the different voices, and you know what, I’m really getting into this story. Oh, then then comes a song sung by Dennis “Some One Laughed” and well, the singing is almost as strange as Rolf Harris. Though, when he sings as Charlie, it’s a little different – I’m kind of afraid to hear him sing as Sheila. Here it comes though – and it is exactly like the previous verse. Then we go back to Dennis singing as himself, I prefer the ventriloquism as opposed to the singing, then comes the song “Come Listen to My Tale” which is basically a sung introduction to the next story, “Jonah – The Man Who Disobeyed God” – and basically, it’s the story of Jonah and the whale, oh, and hey God turned around and made a huge fish to eat Jonah – then he got coughed up by the whale onto a beach. Then comes the song “I Don’t Want to Be a Jonah” – and ‘swallowed by a whale‘ – no joke, that is the opening line. It comes by and goes quickly, next comes the song “Bill and His Four Friends” – and no Bill is not in the bible, and Dennis made up the name, Bill is the unnamed paralyzed boy in the bible, oh, and when they got to the house to see Jesus with Bill on his bed, because he was paralyzed – then they made a hole in Jesus’s roof and they lowered Bill into the room. Oh, Bill was a sinner who couldn’t get into Heaven, and he didn’t Jesus was Jesus. Then Jesus healed Bill – YOU ARE HEALED! We then continue onto the story “Jesus and the Storm” – and his disciples get scared during a storm, and they wake up Jesus and make him stop the storm. The A-Side ends with the song “With Christ in the Vessel” – which is basically the story, but this time it is sung.
The B-Side immediately goes right into the song “Hundreds and Thousands” sung by Dennis and Charlie, I find Sheila doesn’t really have much to say on this album, though, it must be hard to be a ventriloquist for two dummies at once. So it makes sense. Then comes “Achan’s Story” – and you know, Sheila talks and I can’t understand her. Oh, and while they are attacking the city of Jericho – in the story – Achan goes against Joshua’s orders from God and steals a bunch of stuff from Jericho. “Boy it must be jolly hard to have someone watching you all the time” – Charlie. Then comes the song “Grumblers” after Charlie ‘grumbles‘ about God. Can I make this my cellphone ringtone? Because I really like this song. Though, I’m now confused as to how Charlie and Sheila sang together… it happened though. After that comes the story “The Brass Snake” – and well, the people in the wilderness, who were used as slaves by an Egyptian pharaoh – and Moses comes in to free the people from Egypt into the desert. It’s about people grumbling about food and water, and giving Moses crap. Seems like Moses’ people are a big ol’ whiny bunch – so God sent them snakes. People get bitten, and God tells Moses to make a brass snake to help the people. Oh, then comes the song “Come Leave Your House in Grumbling Street” – and what is with all this talk about grumbling? Dennis spells a bunch of things, and it’s hard to follow, but then Dennis explains it all, and Charlie and Sheila join in when he goes to sing the song all over again. Then Charlie and Sheila go on about how God should get rid of all the grumblers, and then Dennis tells a story to change their minds – “The Boy Who Came Back” is the next story, anyways, so it’s about this guy who leaves his family to become rich and stuff, but loses all of his money, so he goes about eating pig food and sleeping with pigs, and he finally decides to go back to his family. The album ends with the song “You Can’t Stop God from Loving You” – and once more Dennis sings a song, and I still prefer his ventriloquism over his vocalization on these tracks – even as Charlie and Sheila.
Interesting Facts:
None.
Track Listing:
A1 – Story 1 – The City That Ran Out of Food
A2 – Some One Laughed
A3 – Come Listen to My Tale
A4 – Story 2 – Jonah – The Man Who Disobeyed God
A5 – I Don’t Want to Be a Jonah
A6 – Story 3 – Bill and His Four Friends
A7 – Story 4 – Jesus and the Storm
A8 – With Christ in the Vessel
B1 – Hundreds and Thousands
B2 – Story 1 – Achan’s Story
B3 – Grumblers
B4 – Story 2 – The Brass Snake
B5 – Come Leave Your House in Grumbling Street
B6 – Story 3 – The Boy Who Came Back
B7 – You Can’t Stop God from Loving You
Label:
Ru-Len Records
Catalog Number:
RS-76369
Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Accompaniment by Ethel Huber
Other Albums I Own by Dennis Scott:
None.
Released:
1975
