Esther Lee – “Where Glory Began”
Today is a special post, not only is it my 15 years of being on WordPress, but it is also my 500th posting on here. The site sure has come a long way from it’s modest start on Blogspot on November 1st, 2011. Sure, along the way I’ve had some hiccups (images not loading, site breaking repeatedly, etc.) and have taken a few years off, but I decided to come back in and get back to doing what I love, listening to records, showing the covers to the world and most importantly, keeping the memory of often forgotten records alive.
Now, this album, with me has it’s own story beyond Esther’s story, as this is technically, my second copy of this album and that is because an acquaintance of mine had my original copy, forgot it was mine and ended up selling it. Which was a real bummer, so I set out to find another copy and two years ago on October 22, 2024 I was able to re-add it to my collection, therefore making today an almost complete trifecta – 15 years on WordPress, 500 records and two years of owning this album.
Now, to understand the cover photo, because a lot of people find it unnerving and leaves them with an uneasy feeling you have to understand Esther’s story. Esther Lee had an illness, in the notes that are enclosed in the album (see above) there is no mention of what it is that she exactly had other than it left her body ravaged, mentioning in one of the notes that she lost her vision due to the medications she was given, but through the trials set before her, she was given the gift of song (among other things, books, television scripts, children’s stories and unique design inventions) – some research online does state that her illness was the result of untreated rheumatoid arthritis. She was only able to move her thumb on her right hand, and was completely bedridden, but despite this, she did not let that stop her from recording this album. Though her voice is untrained, she has no backing band or instruments, and the recording was done with a simple tape recorder – Esther’s gift lives on many years later.
The A-Side opens with the song “Floatsome Driftwood” – it’s softly sung, and delivers beautifully these emotionally deep lyrics, and I know that a lot of people believe the first ten minutes of this album are what matter most, but I believe that the whole album is important. “She Said Goodbye” comes next, and it is a song that Esther wrote most certainly about her own demise, but she doesn’t sing it with fear, but rather she welcomes death as she knows soon she will be healed in the hands of the Lord. “Dust on Your Picture Frame” comes next, and I think it’s a song she wrote for her husband, James, and it’s another emotional, deep and powerful song. She does not let her emotions break her up on this song, she continues to sing beautifully. “Materialistic Man” comes next, she does sing this one a bit more upbeat, and I do feel she could’ve gone so far as a Gospel singer, she was a talented songwriter and untrained on vocals she may have been, but her God-given talent shines through. “I Know It’s Love” comes next, and at this point the album kind of changes from it’s direction of self-reflective songs, to more Christian based Gospel songs, and I know a lot of people I’ve read their reviews and opinions on this album usually dismiss this part of the album, but I have to ask if they understood that this is where Esther found her comfort as she knew her passing was coming. “His Crimson Blood” comes next, and it’s another one of those songs that she sings a bit quicker than the rests, sounding a bit more upbeat. The A-Side closes out with “The Joy Came Down” – and I think it’s super neat. It’s a shorter, uptempo song and it’s a nice way to close out the A-Side.
“Oh Glory Hallelujah” opens the B-Side, and it’s another one of those songs that I feel if she had been able to record this under different circumstances, in a proper sound studio with a backing band it would’ve been a real hit of a song. “Jesus is the Christ” follows next, and Esther dials it back a notch or two to deliver another softly sung Gospel song, it’s a nice song and a beautifully written song. “Your Rugged Cross” follows next, and we continue with another softly sung Gospel song, but that doesn’t stop Esther from getting those high notes on this one. “Jesus of Blue Galilee” and once more, we continue the softly sung Gospel with Esther’s beautiful high notes, and it really is truly a special album. “The King is Come” continues the album, and you know, with how this album was recorded and the lack of a backing band, sometimes you don’t realize that you’re even on the next song, they just flow through. Esther gets some high notes and faster paced vocal parts on the chorus, delivering another beautiful Gospel song. “Go Into the World” closes out the album, and we keep up with the same style of singing, and Esther gets a few more high notes on this song before delivering that final one.
From what I can find, Esther Lee passed away on May 4th, 1979 and had also released a single. Thank you Esther for the gift that you have left us.
Catalog Number:
42769
Credits:
Produced by the Ministering Carpenter
Recorded at Ye Old Garage Studio
Sung by Esther Lee of Palm Springs
Released:
1975
Find it on Discogs
