Gospel Blues

Are You Listening - Jimmie Bratcher ℗&© Ain’t Skeert Tunes 2010 From the Album Exchange

Let It Be Love Jimmie Bratcher ℗&© Ain’t Skeert Tunes 2010 Verse She fell on her face, in her wedding gown Her life’s a disgrace, lying there on the ground But she don't need, you putting her down, no no But a hand to lift her up, to higher ground But what will it be judgment or mercy why don't you let it be Chorus, Let it be love, love, love, love never fails Let it be love, love, love, love never fails Verse I see them everywhere, walking down the street I feel the pain in their eyes, I hear the moaning cries With more bills than dollars, no credit, no cash The stress is real, real, real the hurt won't pass So what will it be, judgment or mercy why don't you let it be Chorus Let it be love, love, love, love never fails Let it be love, love, love, love never fails Never, never, never, fails, no, no Chorus, Let it be love, love, love, love, love, love never fails No, Let it be love, let it be love, love never fails No, let it be love, let it be love, love never fails Love never fails, never, never, never fails Never fails

God Screams Jimmie Bratcher ©&℗ 2011 Ain’t Skeert Tunes Verse 1 It didn’t matter there was no room, didn’t matter about the stall All that mattered was the promise; He would come and save us all And nothing could stop Him now the time had come It didn’t matter that the whole world, was all bound in chains It didn’t matter we all were, given to our sin The time now has come, The Prince of Peace is born And God Screams Verse 2 Quietly sleeping, she holds the newborn son She touches the face, of God’s righteous one She holds him in her arms, and He sleeps From the voice of a baby, with all of heavens power He’s come for the lonely, lost and devoured As only a baby will, make His presence known God screams Chorus, I am here, I’ll take your pain I’ve come to forgive, I’ll take the blame My love is here for all God screams I’ll take your broken heart, and make it new If you are poor I’ll be poor for you My love is here for all God screams Verse 3 On a hill far away nailed to a cross The earth grew still the sky grew dark The quiet cuts like a knife Chorus I am here, I’ll take your pain I’ve come to forgive, I’ll take the blame My love is here for all God Screams I’ll take your broken heart, and make it new If you are poor I’ll be poor for you My love is here for all God screams

Exchange - Jimmie Bratcher Jim Richards & Jimmie Bratcher ©&℗ 2011 Ain’t Skeert Tunes Verse 1 He drug a cross up the hill Laid Him down and he took the kill Buried him in a borrowed grave He rose on another day Verse 2 He took the rap and for my sin I’ll never feel that guilt again Broke the chain, set me free A sinner’s hell I won’t ever see, no, no, no no Chorus, One man hung, two men died, third man rose to righteous life Cursed the man on the tree death for Him life for me, death for Him life for me Verse 3 There He died sin for all, He made it right for all who call Beaten punished, bruised within, I take His life He takes my sin away Takes my sin away Chorus Verse 3 Down in death, He has gone, He stripped the devil Jesus won The earth shook the stone rolled away He has risen from the grave. Chorus,

Bad Religion Jimmie Bratcher & Jim Richards ℗ & © Ain’t Skeert Tunes 2005 Verse One Well I woke up this morning with a crazy vision And I thought it was heaven it was Bad Religion Well it messed up my mind and made me feel so mean It drove everybody crazy made them want to scream Well my words they cut sharp like a deep incision I was killing my friends with my Bad Religion Verse Two Well now who’s that talking on my television Some mean old preacher with his Bad Religion Why’s he yelling and screaming getting red in the face Oh he better be careful he might pop a vein No matter what he says I don’t feel forgiven Somebody help him please he got some Bad Religion Verse Three Been fussing and fighting praying all night I argued I screamed I just had to be right All beat up and run down I was ready to quit I met a man named Jesus who ended my fit Oh He told me about love and I made a decision And my old man died with my Bad Religion Bad Religion, boy that stuff will mess you up bad Watch out

2023 (c) & (p) Ain't Skeert Tunes - Jimmie Bratcher & Eric Stark For the past few years, I’ve been invited to be part of an event called “The Worship Wagon,” whose mission is to do a church service for the homeless and feed them all dinner. The venue is under a bridge at 1st & Grand Street in Kansas City, near the Missouri River. It was the people I met there that inspired this song. As I looked into their eyes, I could only imagine the pain they’ve experienced that brought them to this place. It was like their eyes were screaming at me, “What are you going to do about me?” Homelessness is a complex issue that needs a host of us working to find a solution and bring assistance to those who desire help in this community. The man in the song – who I named “Sinner”– has little hope or no hope left at all. He says, “I lost love for everyone a long time ago, and now I just won’t love anymore.” His heart is hardened and closed to the very thing that is the answer: to believe, receive and experience the love of God. Obviously, the organizers of The Worship Wagon and all the volunteers are there to show God’s love, yet love is still always a choice and has to be believed and received. My hope is that when all of us are shown the love of God, that love will break through our hardened hearts and allow us all to experience the love we were all created to know and experience. There is also another meaning to this song. It is a commission to all of us who are believers. We are the ones who know the cure (Jesus), and yet many times we hide in our stained-glass sanctuaries and we are not willing to show up in the messiness of others' chaos. We are the ones who know “The God of All Hope” and we are the ones commissioned to show His value and love to all that we meet. As you listen to “My Name Is Sinner,” I hope it inspires you to see people who need hope and then do your best to lovingly flood them with hope until their hardened hearts crack and the love and comfort that can only come from Jesus touches them. Romans 5:8 NKJV - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(2023 (c) & (p) Ain't Skeert Tunes - Eric Stark & Jimmie Bratcher Under a bridge on I-5 in Northern California, the 16-year-old sleeps. He’s looking for something and has no idea what it is. He’s left the warmth and provision of home and wanders, hoping to find whatever will fulfill the desires of his restless heart. That 16-year-old was me. I grew up in a wonderful home with loving parents and two older sisters. Yes, I am the baby and yes, I am the spoiled one. Growing up I had little respect for anything in my life, including our loving family. I thought I knew everything about everything when I knew nothing at all. It would take decades before I came to know the riches that were there in our home on 309 Grant Street in Liberty, Missouri, that I walked away from. Once I learned what I was really looking for, home would be what I longed for most. I know that many of us can’t go back home, yet we long for home in our hearts and I guess we will always carry those longings. Since we can’t go back, what can we do? My answer is this: I can create in my home NOW all of the love I felt in our home so long ago. I can create a home with the same atmosphere of love and safety that I felt at 309 Grant Street, and so can you! Eric: This one is a special one for us. We were having one of our weekly writing sessions and Jimmie said he had an idea for a song called “I Think I’ll Go Back Home” from the prodigal son story found in Luke chapter 15. At first, I was hesitant because I had already written a song using the parable as a framework. Jimmie said he wanted a song from the point of view of the younger son looking back and longing for the life he had in his father’s house. When we were finished with our session, I started thinking about what might be going through the mind of the young man remembering the love he knew but now felt he had lost. As I began ruminating on these thoughts, a song began to take shape. I knew a few facts about Jimmie’s younger days and tried to work them in so he could feel attached to the song. I contacted Jimmie and told him I may have a direction. He told me to go for it, so I wrote the song and recorded a demo so he could see what he thought. I was pleased when he said he liked it and wanted to put it on the record. One thing I do want to say is that I realize for many, looking back at their earlier days is a painful experience. I was fortunate enough to have had a wonderful, loving family and many great friends growing up. For me, looking back at the days in my father’s house elicits warm, happy memories. I understand how lucky I am and feel for those who didn’t have the experience I had. Looking back may be the last thing someone might want to do. This song is written from the perspective of the Prodigal Son and prodigals like Jimmie and myself. Luke 15:17-18 NLT – When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home, even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you.”

March 31, 2024, Happy Resurrection Day..! This song is one of the most important songs I have ever written. In it, I express my desire to see the day when we no longer learn war, love each other, and His peace rules our planet. After Jesus' Resurrection, He was Crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and His kingdom was established in heaven and on earth in the hearts of mankind who chose to receive Him. When He returns to earth, He will establish His government of peace on the earth. I look forward to that day! I hope you enjoy my song, “When Kingdom Comes.” PS: On May 3rd, at my 70th Birthday concert, for the first time, we will perform this song LIVE with all the musicians who played on the recording. I hope you can join us. PSS: This video was completed this morning by @shayesmith Custom Video.

“Don’t Bring That Evil Around Here?” Is the second single from my latest album, “Far Enough.” It’s an emotionally charged lament in response to the culture wars, and at the end of the song, there is a prayer for us all. Written by my friend, producer Eric Stark, the song is one of the most hard-hitting songs on the album. Eric also played lap steel on the song.

2023 (c) & (p) Eric Stark Music Eric: “Livin’ Here In Babylon” is a song of trust. It may not appear so at first glance, but what is trying to be communicated is that we must trust in the Lord above all earthly organizations and governments. Isaiah 9:6 tells us, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us, a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder.” In verse 7, it says, “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.” Many find themselves worried and distressed concerning how the government is being run and I understand that. Ultimately we all want good, honorable, trustworthy men and women in positions of authority. But I believe the Kingdom of God is higher than any of the governments of this world and the One to which every knee will bow. The Kingdom of God is not dependent on who is elected or not elected. When we pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven,” do we trust the Lord to do it? Can we trust and have peace? Jimmie: For me, this song is about standing, strong, and staying true in the midst of chaos and pain. When I look back at history, I am reminded of the horrors that so many governments have produced, then I look inward and question my own beliefs. I’ve been wrong so many times, thinking that if we only had the right people in power we could somehow bring peace to this planet. After all, it is a noble pursuit, right? I long for the time foretold when we beat our swords (our weapons) into plow shares, and a time when we no longer teach our children war. I dream about just what this planet will be like when corruption is banished and all power and authority are given to the only One who is able to correctly execute that authority. The One whose only motive is and always will be “love,” and His government is peace. Isaiah 9:7 – Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end.