O Jesu Christ (full piece: A Selection of the Passion of our Lord according to St. Luke) is an unidentified choir recording. It originates from the discography of English ambient musician James Leyland Kirby under the music project The Caretaker. The sample appears in the album Selected Memories from the Haunted Ballroom as Friends past reunited, and later re-appears in the works A stairway to the stars, Deleted scenes / Forgotten dreams, and Everywhere at the end of time. The samples most prominent use is its final appearance is Everywhere, in the final track of the album "R1 - Stage 6 Place in the World fades away".
Leads
The song has been confidently identified as coming from a poor English translation of the St. Luke Passion, BWV 246. The exact translation used has been identified as A Selection of the Passion of our Lord according to St. Luke, translated by Reverend A. Hastings Kelk, Ivor Atkins, and J. Michael Diack. The performance of the piece in its entirety appears in Deleted scenes / Forgotten dreams by the Caretaker (among another white label lost record), albeit distorted and reversed. The performance features a pianist, an organist, a bass, a tenor, a soprano, and a choir.
Leyland Kirby has stated the record currently resides in his parents house and was pressed under the Eroica Recording Services record label. This record label produced private and personal recordings at customer request. The performance, according to him, was a private recording with only 50 or so copies. It has been speculated the recording may be an acetate.
A very similar performance by the Milford Parish Church of the exact same translation was found in December 2020 by Bit-Ghost on the Caretaker discord server. This performance is very similar and close to the version used by Kirby, recorded on Easter 1966. However, it has three key differences: the main lead is an orchestra and not a piano, it is less abridged than the performance Kirby used, and it was pressed on Three Counties Recordings, not Eroica Recording Services. Furthermore, this rendition was debunked by Kirby himself, stating it is not the one he used, albeit very close.
It was formerly believed the song by the Guildford Cathedral Choir, although this lead was debunked upon learning the song was never in the choir's repertoire.
Record Tracklist
Side 1
- Lord, beholding Thy dread passion.
- Now the feast of unleaven'd bread drew high.
- To save our souls.
- And Jesus came out.
- Lead us not into temptation.
- And while He yet spake.
- Forgive us, Lord, our trespasses.
- Then Jesus said unto the chief priests.
- And the men that held Jesus.
- Prophesy, who is he?
- And many other things spake they.
- Art Thou the Christ?
- But He said unto them.
- Art Thou the Son of God?
- And He said unto them.
- What need we any further witnesses?
- And the whole company.
- We have found this Man.
- And Pilate asked Him.
- Christ, our Savior.
- And Pilate said.
- He stirreth up the nation.
- The lamb is dumb.
- And the chief priests.
Side 2:
- Away with this Man.
- And Pilate spake unto them.
- Crucify Him.
- And Pilate said the third time.
- And as they led Him away.
- And parting His garments among them.
- He hath saved others.
- And the soldiers also mocked Him.
- If Thou be King of Judah.
- And a superscription.
- O Sacred Head.
- One of the malefactors.
- And it was about the sixth hour.
- Dear Lord, beneath Thy Cross I bow.
- O Jesu Christ.
- It is finished.
Lyrics
O Jesu Christ
Thy cross doth call me
O Jesu Christ
Thy cross doth call me
For thou did'st give
Thy life for mine
Thou did'st give
Thy life, for mine
O Jesu Christ
Thy cross doth call me
For thou did'st give
Thy life for mine
Jesu Christ, Jesu Christ
O Jesu Christ
Thy cross doth call me
For thou did'st give thy life for mine
For thou, did'st give
Thy life, for mine
Thy sacred heart
For me is breaking
Thy Sacred Heart
Thy sacred heart
For me is breaking
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Gallery
