In the collection, A Hundredfold: A Contemporary Folk Hymnal, I am back to the obscure with Neil Blunt’s song, “I Have Seen My America.”
I can’t see any situation where a song like this, whatever its merits, would be singable in a church service.
I don’t know how they meant it to go, so I just made a backing from the sheet music.
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Any opinions expressed here are personal views and not the responsibility of any Church.
All music backings posted are created by myself and the intention is for them to be used to learn the songs. If any copyright holder wishes me to cease publicising and promoting their wares and directing people to where sheet music can be legally purchased please let me know.
I think the magic of the folk mass music was that it didn’t need to be for just the mass. Which probably led to poor musical choices for the mass.
The preface for the Folk Hymnal for the Now Generation reads:
The folk hymnal… a compact and comprehensive volume designed for use in campus gatherings, youth groups, sing-alongs, rallies, camps, church schools, and the worship service as a companion to the regular church hymnal.
The music, set in comfortable keys, ranges from old historic folk melodies of many lands, through spirituals and contemporary gospel songs, to “composed folk.” The tunes are simple and singable. In fact, songs which are essentially soloistic or choral in style have been avoided, however popular they may be.
The texts have been selected for the positive nature, their comprehensibility, and their adherence to scriptural truth. A wide scope of subjects and themes is covered.
A basic keyboard harmonisation upon which free improvisation is recommended has been provided in most cases. However, the ideal accompaniment is guitar. Of course the addition of string bass and percussion at your discretion is appropriate too.
‘Sing”cerely, John W. Peterson