HAWKINS, IN
A 19th century Mennonite hymn has reached #1 on the Billboard charts this week after it appeared in a particularly memorable scene of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things.
“I never thought I’d see the day when ‘Come, ye sinners, poor and needy’ would rise to the top of the pop charts, but stranger things have happened,” said choir conductor Anne Loeppky. “Funny thing is it was never really a big hit to begin with.”
‘Come, ye sinners, poor and needy’ had a rather niche following upon its initial release, which makes its recent popularity even more surprising.
“I could see 606 charting again. Or maybe ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’ or something,” said Loeppky. “But this one really caught me off guard. Kids are already trying to get their hands on the vintage 1969 Mennonite Hymnal.”
The hymn is now being played on radio stations between the current hits by SZA and Tate McRae.
“You know, I’m just glad to see the young people take an interest in our hymns,” said Loeppky. “I’m guessing even our churches will start singing hymns again.”
New paperback copies of the Voices Together hymnal have already been printed with Millie Bobbie Brown on the cover.
(Photo credit: Don DeBold/CC/modified)