"Glory Train: The Lost Sessions" - Boone, Pat
Album
U2 Related Content:
- "Thank You Billy Graham" (With Intro) - Pat Boon and Friends (with Introduction by Bono) (05:47)
Full Track Listing:
- Thank You Billy Graham
- Come and Take Me Home
- Bread Upon the Water
- New Kentucky Home
- Night Train
- Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
- Ways of the WOrld
- It Took a Carpenter
- Wrapped Up, Tied Up
- Wings of an Eagle
- Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?
- Good Time Charlie
- Glory Train
Background Information
Perhaps one of the odder releases that features Bono or U2, this 2005 album by Pat Boone featured a lead song titled “Thank You Billy Graham” which was advertised as an all-star tribute to preacher Billy Graham. And although he doesn’t participate in the song itself, the song, and the album opens with Bono speaking about Billy Graham as a lead in to the song. The opening sounds echoey for a reason, it was recorded outside of a studio. Bono appears in a video for the track and it appears he is sitting in someone’s home, near the water with birds flying by in the background. The remainder of the video shows the artists performing in split screen with photographs of Billy Graham throughout his career.
Bono’s introduction goes “At a time when religion seems so often to get in the way of God’s work, with it’s shopping mall sales pitch and it’s bumper sticker reductionism, I give thanks just for the sanity of Billy Graham, for that clear empathetic voice of his, and that Southern accent. Part poet, part preacher, a singer of the human spirit I’d say. Uh, I’d give thanks for Billy Graham. Thank you Billy Graham.”
Promotional copies of the song were also sent for promotion and featured the full version of the song, as well as a shortened “Radio Edit” which removed the introduction by Bono. The promotional CD came with a second disc which featured the video for the song in DVD format. Proceeds from the song and video were used to benefit Mercy Corps and the Samaritan’s Purse for Hurricane Katrina and Global Poverty Relief.
Boone was interviewed about the song and Bono’s involvement. Boone had recruited Bono at a Grammy after-party following U2’s wins at the 2001 Grammys. “ “I came up behind him and said, ‘I think it’s time Boone-o met Bono,’” Boone says. “And he said, ‘We met before. Our group was just getting started and you were on tour in England. We were introduced to you, and you were very nice and encouraging. It meant a great deal to us, but I don’t expect you to remember it.’ Honestly, I did not remember — but nobody knew his group at that time. When I asked if he’d be willing to participate in the Billy Graham tribute, he said in a flash, ‘I will. I admire him greatly.’” said Boone.
Liner Notes
Thank You Billy Graham:
Written by Pat Boone, Billy Dean, David Pack. Recorded by Pat Boone, Kenny Rogers, LeAnn Rimes, Michael MacDonald, Billy Dean, Jeffrey Osborne, Marty Stuart, David Pack, DC Talk, Mark Kibble, James Stoud, Vestal Goodman, Larry King, John Ford Coley, Andre Crouch, John Elefante, Lisa Bevil, Christ Church Choir. Introduction spoken by Bono.