Gertrude Behanna – God Isn’t Dead!


Here is the “highly personal story” of Mrs. Gertrude Behanna, a story of alcohol, drug addiction, three broken marriages and attempted suicide. Just look at Gertrude, doesn’t she exude the aura of misbehavior and a youth gone wild?! But who am I to know. Maybe God healed her visage of all that was ugly and wrong and replaced it with the happiness pictured here. Besides, she must have been bad – just look at the syringe and tormented sillouette in the lower right hand corner of the sleeve. I haven’t listened to this whole story yet, but I have listened to enough to know that Gertrude was quite a card, and managed to entertain and crack her audience up numerous times.

24 Comments

  • canonical says:

    I made a mothers day card out of parts of that cover. Specifically, the tormented sillouette.

  • goatboy says:

    Ha Ha!
    You must have a very understanding mom!!

  • hcrink says:

    I’ve always loved this cover. Totally demonic.

  • Caterwauling says:

    i might be confusing this record with another one, but isn’t amy sedaris’s charater in strangers with candy party based on mrs. behanna?

  • Hmoore says:

    I have this record- it changed my life. Just kidding. But I do have it. Do you have any Jerry Falwell lps? They’re fun too.

  • goatboy says:

    No, no Falwell LPs, although I would think of picking some up if I came across them. Especially if they had covers nearly this amusing!

  • Hmoore says:

    I am new to this sight. I’ll have to get my 12 year old to teach me how to scan covers & then I can send over some samples. Got some strange ones.
    The scuzzier the junk stores the more likely to find them, for some reason.

  • alan says:

    i picked up this record in a thrift store in sacramento a few weeks ago along with another record by her called “women — be women!” which details how women should focus their lives on being wives and mothers. the cover isn’t as cool as this one, but features a rather unflattering drawing of our dear gert.

  • Lynette says:

    Hey- i want to hear or read this- does anyone know where I might find it? Thanks, Lynette

  • betty lammons says:

    Why are you making fun of something you don’t understand?

  • Martin says:

    my roomie back in the late 80’s used to like to que this up on one turntable and some ‘plinky plinky’ piano music from some horror movie on another and play them together… Was a great combo.

    I also liked to sample her on really bad mix tapes I was making for friends… especially the lines “I don’t need a psychiatrist, what I need is GOD!” and “A totally sick woman.”

    This album helped cure me of my catholic upbringing and to find my true atheist within.

  • Ian Horsy says:

    The funniest thing I found about this is all the comments from people who have no idea what Gert was talking about. Get a life you guys!

  • karaK says:

    READ THE BOOK! She was a filthy rich woman who had everything. One day a friend said to her that there is one thing you don’t have. Gertrude ask what that might be . Her friend replied, “Jesus!” She attempted to out-give-God. But the more she gave -the more she got.

  • Steve Allison says:

    would it be possible to get a cd of the recording of Gertrude Behanna’s speach on this lp

  • marvin purser says:

    This woman was one of the richest women in the world. She was married to Mr. Smith of Smith & Barney. Her son was the assistant Chaplain of Yale University. Gertrude was the firs woman to deliver an address to the student body of Yale. For this speech, given to conventions of 12,000-30,000, she got $10,000 every time and every time,she gave it all to AA’s. So some of you very immature hot shots making fun of this woman on this blog and totally out of context with the speech or her life, should be ashamed. I am sure you are now saying: “Oooh, I am so ashamed” with the same sarcasm I have been reading here. The last part of her life, she chose to live in a 800 sq ft house and take care of homeless women. Bunks were stacked in every room to make room and Gert slept on the floor. Now, when you can match that with your life as far as actually helping pull people back to life from their drunken stupors, then you write me another letter on your nice rich stationery about how you gave your life away make another life better.

  • clarence pellerin says:

    i have a casett tape of miss behanna detailing her life and conversion to christ. i’m just a old truck driver who has been there and done that ,i love this message and for anyone who cannot understand the genuine truth here and love this womem found in our beloveed creator is astounding to me. she is a magnificent example that no matter what we have or what wev’e done the time will come for accountability. life is so important because eternity is forever god bless gerd behanna.

  • John says:

    I was lucky enough to meet her twice, as a kid. My father had heard her speak and was able
    to get her to come speak in two different cities we lived in. Even as a kid, you knew she was special. I remember my mom getting on me for calling her Gert, but she told my mother, she had told me to. Marvin I didn’t know about the last years of her life, but doesn’t surprise me a bit. She was feisty, not at all glum.

  • My parents heard Gertrude Behanna at a Southern Baptist gathering. They bought this album home to me when I was about 12. I listened to it over and over and when it was left and the sun and warped, I cried. They took me to hear her in person and I shook her hand. She was the first Christian who shared a struggle, not total victory. The first Christian who revealed her flaws so others would deal with theirs. She was so wise, so deep and so brilliantly funny. She inspired me to work with alcoholics. With my friend Dave Stoop we created The Life Recovery Bible, a 12 Step Bible used by over 2,000,000 recovering addicts in prisons and churches all over the world. If it were not for Gertrude, it might have never been developed. Her most profound message to me was not to stop looking down on people, but to stop looking down on people who look down on people. This weekend, 2-27,28-2016, I will tell her story as I preach in the second fastest growing church in America, Northviewchurch.us. He impact on my life is profound. I am so grateful to have heard her and met her. Last weekend, a couple who have heard me speak of her life gave me a copy of The Late Liz, found in a thrift store. It is one of my most prized possessions. I want to be like her when I grow up.

  • Miranda C says:

    I once owned the God Isn’t Dead, album and appreciated the message Gert Behanna sent to those people who needed to hear her story of recovery. Fifty years later I need to hear her words and voice again. This time I am aware that I want what she had then. Recovery. Those who laugh and play with the words and wisdom shared by this woman have no idea of the wonders of her awakening. I’m happy that Gert’s CD is still available for those of us who need to hear the message of recovery.

  • Jane Simicek says:

    Somewhere she has a recording of one of her speeches. My favorite part was when she prayed for God to send her all the men who needed help. She said,, “He sent women!” It was so funny the way she said it. Also after her suicide,,,, something like… what it feels like to wake up and find out you cannot even die. I laughed and cried with her.. she was an old woman and I was in college. What a gal.

  • Jane Simicek says:

    oops. meant attempted suicide.

  • RAY says:

    Her story in her own words. https://youtu.be/zMNdF_d7F1g

  • Douglas Day says:

    Gert was one of the most wonderful persons I’ve ever known. I met her when we both lived in Twentynine Palms. Her generosity and personality were something to behold. Those of you with the negative comments should read her book “The Late Liz” written under her pen name Elizabeth Burns.

  • marvin purser says:

    The entire written speech is on line. Just type in her name and look for the link. It is not the same as listening to her voice, but the words are all there as she spoke them to me at the International Convention of Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ) in Dallas, Texas. When she finished, 10,000 jumped up and roared!

Leave a Reply