A chant by Gregory Norbet from the Weston Priory. You can hear a sample here and the songbook is available here. Liturgical useful wherever the JBap readings come up it is nevertheless a long time since we have used this song.
My tattered old copy is not quite clear on how this song hangs together and I honestly have forgotten ever having played it, so I’ve just gone with what makes sense to me.
Chant is hard on BIAB, but country and western much easier, so imagine Johnny Cash singing it towards the end of his life.
Verse 1
There was a man named John the Baptist,
and here is his message:
Repent, for the kingdom of God is right at hand.
Refrain
Man cannot live on bread alone, [No-one can…]
but on ev’ry word that comes from the mouth of God.
For the time has come,
and the kingdom of God is right at hand.
Repent and believe the Good News.
Verse 2
This man John wore a garment of camel’s skin
with a leather rope ’round his waist.
All he ate was locusts and wild honey.
Refrain
Copyright © (1971), from the recording “Locusts and Wild Honey”,
The Benedictine Foundation of the State of Vermont, Inc.,
Weston Priory, Weston, Vermont.
www.westonpriory.org