Church Music

I have already covered the next two songs on the record by Paul Gurr, Carmelite, Come As You Are.

“Mary’s Song” by Peter Gagen confused me when Emma noted it’s use in her parish, but Sam tracked down it’s origin on this album. I blogged it here. There is a Yahweh alert.

“Eucharist” by Leo Watt has been reborn as “Take This Bread and Cup of Wine”, which I blogged here. It is now available from Willow, which I suppose means Leo retrieved the copyright from Spectrum. Well done.

“Quiet and Still” is based on Psalm 139 and written by Bruce Dynan. It is a sung prayer and the music is lovely. I can’t find the sheet music for sale anywhere, so the second hand market may be an option.

1 If I sing to the heavens, you are there.

If I speak to the wounded, you are there.

If I call to the sunrise, you call to me, quiet and still.

2 With my words high and mighty, you are there.

With my song low and hurting, you are there.

For the ways that you know me outnumber the sands themselves.

3 If the night should surround me are you there?

Is this night but the stillness of your hands?

If I should lose my own word in the womb quiet and still…

Are you there? [key change]

4 In the ringing of the heavens you are there?

in the singing and the sounding you are there.

In the voice of a child in the word of a friend,

Quiet and still. Quiet and still.

© 1986 Spectrum

In the eighties Father Paul Gurr was quite the phenomenon in Australian Catholic music. His cassettes of music, usually written by Brian Boniwell, were suprisingly successful. I have often seen some of the songs he sang attributed him rather than the relevant songwriter and on some collections finding Boniwell’s name required considerable effort.

Father Gurr appears to be still active in the priesthood having recently left Queensland to return to Victoria.

I was recently lucky enough to pick up some out of print collections from Kay’s Books and Music, including the book, Come As You Are. The title track became famous and it’s writer, Deidre Browne rightly acknowledged. I blogged that song here.

This Paul Gurr album has songs written by Browne, Bruce Dynan, Peter Gagen and Leo Watt. Even though it is out of print, it is a source for some obscure Australian hymns and I will look at the ones I haven’t covered from other sources.

This is Gurr’s version of “Come As You Are” typically, and mistakenly, attributed to him. While he is an aquired taste, his sentimental Irish priest singing style was popular nonetheless.

“Morning Sound” was written by Bruce Dynan and is a sung prayer based on Psalm 9-10. I quite like this, but Gurr would have been better sticking to the music as written. Speaking of which, the bridge goes 4/4, 4/4, 5/4, 4/4, 2/4, 3/4, 3/4 and modulates all over the place. Dynan knew his stuff because it works really well.

1 All my days, I give you thanks, word and song I sing to you.

Rich your love, when mine is poor, all my days.

End of day, end of night, in the morning sound I hear

A word and song, young and new, all my days.

2 Have I seen the crying poor? In my need have I not heard

Their word and song once young and new? Have I heard?

In their fading voice I hear a word a song that calls me near

And the morning sound is there, all my days.

Bridge

Nothing can keep you distant, Lord,

Open my eyes, all my days.

3 All my days I give you thanks, rich and poor I sing to you.

All the morning sounds I hear, all my days.

Word and song of morning free, so your love has been with me.

Now in love my song is free, all my days.

Coda

Nothing can keep you distant, Lord,

Open my eyes all my days.

© 1986 Spectrum Publications.

You may be able to buy Father Gurr on CD at Spectrum, but I-Tunes download is suggested there. He is also on Spotify.

As for the sheet music, second hand is your best option, or track down elderly music ministers. I can’t find this song on One Licence. I usually suggest contacting the songwriter, but can find no way to do that.

This is the final song in the 2024 EP, Streams in the Wasteland, from emmanuelworship. It is by Madeleine Luciani and Chiara Leeds.

The chords charts are at Emmanuel.

1 Where can my love go? There’s no one else but You.
Where can my love go? There’s no one else but You.
CHORUS
I’m all caught up, I’m all for You – You,
Are all that I want, all that I will need.
The one above, the one that I seek.
You’re love, it’s grip is strong – You,
Never let go, I’m never alone, oh
I found my place now I call you home.
TURNAROUND
And I’m all caught up, I’m all caught up for you.

2 Life can be madness, Your love remains the same.
The world offers madness, but with You I’ve found my place.
BRIDGE
You’re more than a feeling now that I know your love.
I just can’t get enough,
all caught up, I’m all caught up for you.

© 2023 Emmanuel Worship

It’s great to see passionate young people ministering to each other, supported by their local Brisbane Archdiocese. Michael noted the whole Ignite conference video and that shows the youth rally context for the songs.

This an emmanuelworship song called, “Homecoming” from their EP Streams in the Wasteland.

It suits its origin from a youth rally and may find a place in schools. I’m looking for songs that might suit liturgy as well, and the Prodigal Son is the obvious one for this song.

This was written by Madeleine Luciani and Liam Desic. The chord charts are at emmanuel.

I’ve wondered lost, without my senses, away from love, starved and lonely.

Could only look for my own glory, to fill myself, my greed took over me.

PRE-CHORUS

Don’t wanna be divided from you, I only wanna be back with you.

CHORUS

This – is – this is my homecoming.

This – is – this is my homecoming.

This is my homecoming.

This is my homecoming.

VERSE 2

My Father He is pleading for me, to come back to him wholeheartedly.

He offers ring and robe for me, my Father’s arms are wrapped around me.

BRIDGE Am

I’m coming home to the one who loves me,  to the one who has never left me.

I’m coming home the to one that I need  I’m coming home, I’m coming home

CHORUS (last time)

This – is – this is my homecoming x 2

© 2023 Emmanuel Worship

This is the next song from emmanuelworship’s EP Streams in the Desert.

This is a sung prayer of commitment, written by Chiara Leeds.

The chord chart is here.

VERSE
Here on this normal day, Lord don’t give me normal faith.
Let the distractions fade, come wake up my heart again. X2
PRE-CHORUS
I will give all I have to You.
I will give all I have to You.
CHORUS
For all of my days, Lord I give all of my praise
Though I am running on empty, you are my own fail-safe.
For all of my days, Spirit come blow me away.
In every moment remind Your way is the one that I crave.
VERSE x2
PRECHORUS
CHORUS
BRIDGE
In every trial, every need
You’ve gone before me, already working on my victory.
Change me here, move me now.
Don’t wanna stay stagnant, bring out a new work inside of me. X2
CHORUS
VERSE x2
PRE – CHORUS
© 2023 Emmanuel Worship

Before I embark on more hymnal archeology from the past, I want to look at what emmanuelworship have been up to. Since they only put up chord charts these days I won’t be making backings but you can play along with their clips to learn the songs.

They put out two EPs last year, the first being Streams in the Wasteland, followed by Rivers in the Desert. I see a theme.

The lead sheets for both EPs are at emmanuelworship.

Emmanuel are big on redemption arcs and this is one of those songs, so good for the disenchanted youth target audience. It was written by Dominic Dougherty, Liam Desic and Madeleine Luciani.

1 I found my song of praise when I was caught in chains was desperate,
for Your presence.
This modern world I’ve found can take a good soul down
but You walk, beside me.

Prechorus

I’ve seen a prison break before. I’ve seen the stonewalls fall around me.

When the freedom came, and the sins forgave,
and the lies were put to rest.
I’ve seen a prison break before.

Chorus
Living free, Living proof, the devil can’t hold me – cause Heaven has got me.
Living free, Living proof, the devil can’t hold me – cause Heaven has got me.

2 Caught up in hopelessness the mess of loneliness I’ve seen it, I’ve known it.
I’ll witness to my friends that his love never ends, believe it, I’ve lived it.

Prechorus, Chorus.

3 Oh and these iron chains will break when I sing praise to Jesus, to Jesus.
Go forth you’ve been set free, go now you will find peace in Jesus, in Jesus.

Prechorus, Chorus.

Last chorus

Living free, living proof, the devil can’t hold me – cause Heaven has got me. x2

Freedom is calling – for all those who are hungry.

We want revival – the gospel is now.

His name is Jesus.

© 2023 Emmanuel Worship

Coming back to the present, here is another great song from Queensland’s Erwin Cabucos with a clear liturgical purpose.

The sheet music can be purchased at Sheet Music Plus.

I slowed the tempo and changed the feel a little, but his text bears the weight of more time and we get to breathe. I added a couple of bridging chords at the end of the refrain.

1.	Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
	So, we set apart yet proclaim our faith 
	We are sent to bring God's peace to the world
	We bear this peace in the name of Christ
	He who lived with us, for our sins He died
	Rose from death for us He opens heaven's gates

Chorus:	Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord
		Live out the love to us Christ bestowed
		In our hearts we feel this love overflowed
		Unleash this love from the pages into life, for the world

2. 	Go forth and act as priests of Christ
	Respect and pray for all human life
	From the womb to the ward they're sanctified
	Go forth and act as prophets of the Word
	To the mansions, slums and the digital
	We proclaim God's salvation by our work (Chorus)

3. 	Go forth and act as Kings of Christ
	Care and protect the poor and oppressed
	Go and serve the needy in the community
	We received Him through the bread and wine
	He who gives us all everlasting life
	May we also receive Him through the vulnerable (Chorus)

© 2024 Erwin Cabucos

He has put up three versions on Youtube:

Entrance: Come to the Feast (Haugen) AOV 1/151

Psalm 67 (McKenna)

God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

Gifts: Bless Our Gifts (Grant) AOVD

Communion: All the Hungry, Come (Doherty)

Recessional: Send Us Out (Bryant) AOVD

Entrance: A Voice is Heard (O’Brien/Watts) AOV NG 2

Psalm 116 (McKenna)

Go out into all the world: and tell the good news.

Go out into all the world: and tell the good news.

Gifts: Blessed Be Our God  (McKenna) AOV NG 13

Communion: Table of Plenty (Schutte) AOV 2/20

Recessional: Be Hope (Bryant, Jorna, McNally, Madden)

Entrance: As a Fire is Meant for Burning  (Duck) GA 481

Psalm 39 (McKenna)

Lord, come to my aid!

Lord, come to my aid!

Gifts: The Cry of the Poor (Foley) AOV 1/83  

Communion:  To the Table We Are Called (O’Brien/Harvey) AOVD

Recessional: Send Down the Fire (Haugen) AOV 2/164