And now Jenny Burton visits us live, discussing in depth her new EP, New World. The timing is perfect for this four-song approach to a new and changing world hopefully post pandemic. Listen to the entire album and hear Jenny regale us with thoughts and stories on the making of this powerful musical approach to the coming changes in all of our futures. Guaranteed to lift your thoughts and minds and take us into a far more positive world.
Scattershot Symphony is presented by Watchfire Music. Learn more about this episode at their website watchfiremusic.com
Join our email list and tell us what you think!
To access all of the episodes in our podcast, please subscribe to Watchfire Music’s Theater Of The Imagination Subscription Series. Unlock all of the episodes and experience so much more!
- Learn More here: https://bit.ly/theater-of-the-imagination-info
- Or, if you’re ready to subscribe, subscribe here: https://bit.ly/subscribe-to-theater-of-the-imagination
And now Jenny Burton visits us live, discussing in depth her new EP, New World. The timing is perfect for this four-song approach to a new and changing world hopefully post pandemic. Listen to the entire album and hear Jenny regale us with thoughts and stories on the making of this powerful musical approach to the coming changes in all of our futures. Guaranteed to lift your thoughts and minds and take us into a far more positive world.
Scattershot Symphony is presented by Watchfire Music. Learn more about this episode at their website watchfiremusic.com
Join our email list and tell us what you think!
To access all of the episodes in our podcast, please subscribe to Watchfire Music’s Theater Of The Imagination Subscription Series. Unlock all of the episodes and experience so much more!
- Learn More here: https://bit.ly/theater-of-the-imagination-info
- Or, if you’re ready to subscribe, subscribe here: https://bit.ly/subscribe-to-theater-of-the-imagination
Scattershot Symphony #12
New World Interview With Jenny Burton
Welcome to:
Scattershot Symphony
The Music of Peter Link
(That’s me.)
People ask me, “Why “Symphony? You’re not a classical composer.” Well, Wikipedia defines “Symphony” as: an extended musical composition most often written by composers for orchestra – often presented in several movements.
And so, I bring you the music of a lifetime of composition – often presented in several movements. That’s the nature of these podcasts – a scattershot look at a lifetime of music …
So, strap on them headphones.
We’re 90% music with just a smattering of commentary.
So for god sakes,
(Crowd)
Turn it up!
This week being the twelfth episode of this podcast, I prefer to let the music do the talkin’. However, if you need to know more about me, please visit Wikipedia.com – Peter Link.
This episode is entitled
“New World Interview”
With Guest Artist, Jenny Burton
Recently Jenny released a new album EP through Watchfire Music entitled New World. The concept behind this album was to lift thought through music away from the downward pull of the world’s pandemic and all of its further negative ramifications. It’s simply a four song journey into positive thinking, and its four songs are taken from a lifetime of inspirational singing that has sustained and advanced Jenny’s career as first an 80s top of the charts Dance Music artist with Atlantic Records, and then as a most successful R&B artist and Inspirational presence or another 3 decades.
For 10 years with the Jenny Burton Experience, she lit up the stages of both New York City and the East Coast with an act that featured not only her, but also the cream of the crop of New York studio session singers at the time. Selling out for 10 years every Thursday night at one of NY’s top clubs, the Jenny Burton Experience also went on to being the first Gospel vocal group to headline in Atlantic City … at Resorts International.
Jenny Burton - welcome to Scattershot Symphony. You’ve been a powerful presence for us episode after episode. Working with you all these years has been one of the great joys of my life, so I’m excited to introduce you, live, to our Scattershot listeners around the world.
Jenny
(Fairly short opening remarks)
HELLO EVERYBODY
IT’S SO NICE TO BE INVITED TO TALK ABOUT MY NEW CD.
PETER, I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT YOUR PODCASTS, AND ALSO THAT THEY’RE REACHING SUCH FAR OFF PLACES AROUND THE GLOBE.
I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO EACH ONE. THOUGH I’VE KNOWN YOU FOR MANY YEARS, THERE ARE STILL SONGS THAT I’VE NEVER HEARD BEFORE.
Peter
So let’s jump right to it. Your new album starts with a song that seems to fit well into our world today. Let’s pretend, for a moment, that I didn’t write it. And let me ask you, “what’s a Turnaround Time?”
And what does that have to do with what’s going on in our world today?
Jenny
I THINK THE PANDEMIC OFFER US A VERY LONG RE-SET BUTTON.
WE CAN ALL SPECULATE, ON ALL THE REASONS WHY IT’S HAPPENED, ON A HUMAN LEVEL OR EVEN A METAPHYSICAL LEVEL, BUT AS AN ARTIST, IT’S NOT MY JOB TO PREACH.
WHATEVER WE THINK ARE THE REASONS WHY, WE’VE BEEN GIVEN A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, TO SIT WITH OURSELVES, TO FIGURE A BUNCH OF THINGS OUT. I REMIND MYSELF OF THIS EVERYDAY.
MY BIGGEST QUESTION AND GOAL IS, WILL I BE A BETTER PERSON WHEN IT’S OVER, AND HOW CAN I GO ABOUT ASSURING THAT HAPPENS? THAT BRINGS US TO THIS TURN AROUND TIME SONG.
WHEN YOU TURN THINGS AROUND, IT USUALLY DOESN’T WORK TO GO BACKWARDS. WE’LL NEVER GET THINGS BACK TOTALLY TO WHAT THEY USE TO BE. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO GO BACK, TO WHAT DIDN’T WORK ANYWAY!
AS A SINGER FOR INSTANCE, I LEARNED NOT TO FORCE THE PERFECT DUPLICATION OF A PERFORMANCE. I ALWAYS KNEW THE STRUCTURE THAT I NEEDED TO HONOR, BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT SOMETHING NEW AND WONDERFUL COULD HAPPEN IF IDIDN’T FORCE SOMETHING FROM A PAST PERFORMANCE TO HAPPEN.
TURING ANYTHING AROUND IS HARD. IT TAKES A LOT OF CLARITY, COMMITMENT AND COURAGE TO RE-SET. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT, FOR THAT RE-SET TO ENCOMPASS THE BIG PICTURE, BECAUSE HUMANITY IS BEING CHALLENGED TO DO IT ALL TOGETHER THIS TIME.
WE’RE ALL FEELING A SENSE OF RELAXATION WITH SPRING AND SUMMER HAVING ARRIVED. THE GOVERNMENT IS RELAXING SOME OF THE HAVE TO SAFETY STANDARDS AROUND COVID, BUT THE REASON FOR THE RE-SET IS STILL LURKING THERE.
WHAT IS STILL LURKING? IT’S YOU, AND ME. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO WE EACH NEED TO TURN AROUND?
ALL THE POTENTIAL THAT EVER WAS, IS STILL THERE.
CAN WE BEGIN THAT CLIMB AGAIN? CAN WE REALLY TURN IT AROUND? IT’S TIME.
Turnaround Time
Music and Lyrics by Peter Link
Oh
Oh time to turn it around
It’s a turn around time
Oh time to turn it around
It’s a turn around time
Feel it comin’
Yes it’s comin’
Feel it comin’
Yes it’s comin’ now
Now that the time is turning
Oh now that the passion’s burning
Oh now’s when the new beginning begins again
Feel it comin’ comin’ on
Now that we’re all through clappin’
It’s time to make things happen
Now is the time when we can win again
Back to the mountain top
Gonna get back
Back to that special feeling
Back to the place where we call home
Look out world we’re comin’ back
Time to turn it around
It’s a turn around time
Oh time to turn it around
It’s a turn around time
Gonna turn it around
Gonna step right up
An’ we’re comin’ on strong
Gonna cut it clear cut
On the cutting edge
Yeah the feeling is great
When we get back home
Gonna celebrate
Yes it all comes down
To a single stroke
Gonna rock it on out
Cause we’re goin’ for broke
Give it all you got
Gonna climb up higher
Yeah we’re gonna get hot
Cause the sky’s on fire
It’s a time to turn it around
Time again to turn it around
Turn around it’s time we turn
It’s a turn around time
It’s a time to turn it around
Time again to turn it around
Turn around it’s time we turn
It’s a turn around turn around time
Oh baby it’s a turn around time
It’s a turn around time
Now’s your turn
Let your passions burn
It’s a turn around turn around time
Peter
Your new album of four songs contains a song that has had many different iterations during our various travels. Not only is it on the JBX album, but it was performed time and time again for the corporate meetings of many Fortune 500 companies as well as a raft of other functions. Tell us a little about that.
Jenny
STEP INTO THE DAWN HAS HAD MANY LIVES! IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS. MANY TIMES WHEN I SANG IT FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIALS, SOME OF THE LYRICS WOULD HAVE CHANGED. AGAIN I SAY, SOME OF THE LYRICS! OFTEN THE NEW LYRIC WOULD BE SO VERY CLOSE TO A VERSION I’D SUNG BEFORE, I’D GET MIXED UP.
BOY, DID I HAVE TO DRILL THOSE NEW LYRICS INTO MY HEAD BECAUSE THE OLD ONES HAD SET UP HOUSEKEEPING IN MY BRAIN. THAT WAS ALWAYS A FUN CHALLENGE! NOT!!!
STEP INTO THE DAWN IS ABOUT MAKING THAT DECISION TO START ANEW. THE WORK TO BE DONE STILL LIES AHEAD. STEP INTO THE DAWN IS ABOUT THE PROMISE OF A NEW DAY, A NEW YOU. THERE’S POWER IN MAKING A DECISION TO CHANGE.
IT’S LIKE FILLING UP OUR LUNGS WITH A NEW DEEP BREATH.
Step Into the Dawn
Music and Lyrics by Peter Link
All through the night
We've been fighting the battle
What lies ahead
Is still dangerous yet sublime
Cause here at first light
Though the night lingers on
There is hope in the air
There are great expectations inside of us
We ain't gonna let no kinda nothin'
Stop us now
Here comes the dawnin'
Here comes the future
Here comes tomorrow
Here comes the sun
Once we cross that line before us
Once we risk the great unknown
Once we step into the future
Then we'll face it
The moment of truth
A time in the light
All at once there's a whole new challenge
All at once the world gets tougher
All at once we'll lift our eyes up
Stand up rise up
Take a deep breath
Step into the dawn
Step into the dawn
Roll on world a new day's comin'
So get ready
Get ready
Reach into the mornin' sun
Take that power and carry it on
Step into the dawn
Jump into the new day
Once we are free
From the shadows behind us
Once we step in
To the light in our life
Then comes the hour
We'll be free from the dream
We will see the unseen
We will lift up our eyes to the sun
We ain't gonna let no kinda nothin' stop us now
Take on the challenge
Pick up the gauntlet
Face the music
Ready to roll
Once we cross that line before us
Once we risk the great unknown
Once we step into the future
Then we'll face it
The moment of truth
A time in the light
All at once there's a whole new challenge
All at once the world gets tougher
All at once we'll lift our eyes up
Stand up rise up
Take a deep breath
Step into the dawn
Step into the dawn
Roll on world a new day's comin'
So get ready
Get ready
Reach into the mornin' sun
Take that power and carry it on
Step into the dawn
No limits
No limits
We're up with the risin' sun
Roll on world
A new day's dawnin'
No limits
No limits
Just reach into the mornin' sun
Take that power and carry it on
Step into the dawn
Step into the dawn
Here comes a new day
Here comes the future
Here comes tomorrow
Here comes the sun
Take on the challenge
Pick up the gauntlet
Get it together
Ready to roll
Ready to roll
Here comes the sun
So stand up
Rise up
Step into the dawn!
Peter
I have to leave our listeners with one last Step Into The Dawn anecdote. Back before the turn of the century, Jenny and I did countless Corporate Event shows called “Industrials.” Companies would gather their sales forces together at some exotic place around the world once a year for a three day meeting, and we would provide inspirational entertainment to get the gang rev’d up about new products and new company directions. I would always write a theme song for the meetings and Jenny would perform it. The song would often be the climax of the three day meeting and send the sales force out into the world inspired and itchin’ to sell.
These meetings were often multi-million dollar events — lavishly produced, very high tech and always very private. One thing I would never do was to put the company name or the product name into the song. The names would cheapen the impact.
Step Into The Dawn was the climactic song at the biggest, most expensive, and most lavishly produced roll out of a new product in the history of Industrials. It was the top of the mountain, but not a moment that was easy to brag upon. The company: Pfizer. The product: Viagra.
Jenny
Yeah, that was a big one!
Peter
OoooK, moving right along now …
Jenny, the third song on your album was always one of the many high moments in the many JBX performances over the years. I will always remember one man in the audience, standing, tears in his eyes, at the end of this song shouting “Hallelujah” over and over again as the crowd carried on and on in their applause.
Jenny, talk about the power of this song both relating to your own performance and also what you must have witnessed again and again over the years.
Jenny
FAITH. FAITH, IS THE STARTING POINT TO BELIEF AND THEN KNOWING.
I’M REMINDED OF A QUOTE I’VE KNOWN ALL MY LIFE - if we have faith, the size of a mustard seed, we can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for us.”
IN THE NEXT SONG YOU HAD A WONDERFUL WAY THAT YOU WROTE ABOUT HOW SIMPLE IT CAN BE TO PRACTICE HAVING FAITH. THE LYRIC IS A REMINDER THAT HAVING FAITH DOESN’T REQUIRE MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK IT DOES.
FOR INSTANCE YOU WROTE:
Faith requires
No magic no money
No mirror no maybes
No matches no makeup
No manual no medicine
Just faith
DOING THIS CD CAME OUT OF A DEEP STIRRING TO LIFT AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD AS WE MOVED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND TO OFFER SOME NEW HOPE AS WE HOPEFULLY EMERGE
WHILE DOING THE JENNY BURTON EXPERIENCE, WE GOT TO IMPART SOME BEAUTIFUL TRUTHS. TO STAND IN THE ROOM WITH THE AUDIENCE AFTER FAITH, SENSING HOW DEEPLY IT HAD TOUCH MANY OF THEM, WAS HUMBLING. IT WAS ALSO ALWAYS A REMINDER TO ME TO CHECK MY OWN FAITH BAROMETER.
THOUGH SOMETIMES I HAVE TO ADMIT
THAT MY FAITH HAS BEEN AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED.
EVEN SO, EVEN A LITTLE FAITH HAS ALWAYS PULLED ME THROUGH.
Faith
Music and Lyrics by Peter Link
Vocal Arrangement by Margaret Dorn
As I sit with my head in my hand
And fight for the way to break free
Knowing nothing around me has gone as planned
And now it is all up to me
When nothing is left to hold on to
And nowhere is there to turn
The fire consuming the spirit within me
Till nothing is left to burn
When out of the darkening shadows
A voice a whisper a sign
The simplest of answers
At the hardest of times
A light calling out to the blind
When all is lost
Have faith
Have faith
Faith can move the mountain
Faith can walk the sea
Faith can heal the heartache
Faith alone can comfort me
And in your trials of fire
Faith can see you through
Faith requires
No magic no money
No mirror no maybes
No matches no makeup
No manual no medicine
Just faith
So when nothing is left to hold on to
And nowhere is there to turn
When the fire's consuming the spirit
Within you
Till nothing is left to burn
When all seems lost
Have faith
Have faith
Faith can move the mountain
Faith can walk the sea
Faith can heal the heartache
Faith alone can comfort me
And in your trials of fire
Faith can see you through
Faith requires
No magic no money
No mirror no maybes
No matches no makeup
No manual no medicine
Just faith
Faith
Faith can heal you
And faith can comfort you
Faith will walk with you
There's no medicine just faith
Faith can heal you
And Faith can comfortable you
Faith will walk with you
There's no medicine just faith
Faith can heal you
And Faith can comfort you
Faith will walk with you
There's no medicine just faith
Faith can heal you
And faith can comfort you
Faith will walk with you
There’s no medicine just
Faith can move the mountain
Oh yeah!
Peter
Why is this next song your closing song? What does it say to the believer, the agnostic, the atheist? Why is it a classic?
Jenny
HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS WAS WRITTEN IN 1927. IT’S A TRADITIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUAL.
PETER, YOU WROTE A NEW SECTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SONG THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT NOT ONLY OF MY NEW WORLD ALBUM, BUT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS PODCAST.
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
Additional Music and Lyrics by Peter Link
And now at last
We come to the beginning
Standing on the threshold
Of a new revelation
Ready at the waiting
As the world it goes on spinning
Now comes the moment
Of such high expectation
Knowing what we have to do
And stepping forth to do it
It all comes down to me and you
And the will to get to it
And let's remember this people
As the time draws near
There is one clear beam of truth
That will help us persevere
And the truth's comin' out at last
Yes the truth's comin' out in the world
Oh yeah the truth's comin' out
Through the people
Lemme tell ya' 'bout it
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the very life within us
In His hands
He's got the essence of each moment
In His hands
He holds the light of tomorrow
In His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got you and me brother in His hands,
He's got you and me sister in His hands
He's got the the little bitty baby in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the wind and the rain in His hands
He's got the earth and the sky in His hands
He's got the sun and the moon in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the young and the old in His hands
He's got the rich and the poor in His hands
He's got the soul of this nation in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the rivers and the mountains
In His hands
He's got control of the future
It's in His hands
He's got the power to make it happen
In His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the very life within us
In His hands
He's got the essence of each moment
In His hands
He holds the light of tomorrow
In His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
Stand on the mountain
Climb up to the sky
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole wide world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
Yeah we're gonna fly now
Climb up through the sky now
Yeah we're gonna fly now
Climb up through the sky now
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole wide world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands!
Peter
Amen. Now there’s a note to end upon. Jenny, your final comments?
Jenny
WELL, TO SUM IT UP:
AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOWEVER WE SLICE IT, WHETHER WE WANT TO KNOW THIS OR NOT, WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE AND A GREAT GIFT TO SING YOUR MUSIC ALL THESE YEARS!
Peter
Thank you, Jenny. Come back again.
So there ya’ have it. Scattershot Symphony. Episode 12. Next? Episode 13, Songs Of Love. Love comes in all flavors. Everything from romance to love of Family to Love of Life. Love makes the world go round. Get on board for the ride.
Also, please rate and subscribe …
Many thanks
to all the members of The Jenny Burton Experience and all the wondrous Studio Background singers who’ve appeared all these years in our music. Also Billy Cliff and John James for their solo support of Jenny on He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.
A very special thanks also to Stuart Barefoot, our Associate Producer for all your invaluable knowledge and good vibes.
And a posthumous thanks to Ludwig Van Beethoven for your opening 4 bars.
Julia
(over playout music)
This podcast is presented with loving care by the staff at Watchfire Music. If you liked what you heard, we got lots more where that came from. In the meantime, you can find the songs you just heard on watchfiremusic.com. There you can purchase the singles or albums and have access to all the lyrics. Also, there you will find all previous podcasts and future scheduling.
If you just became a Scattershot fan,
tell your friends and Stay tuned!