It looks like the quieter songs from Gen Bryant are sung prayers from a place of despair and speak to the need for acceptance of God’s love and plan. This makes them good talking points for a teenage audience.
This is another song of that nature from her collection Send Us Out. It would need to be a solo I think.
My backing is made on BIAB from the piano sheet music in the whole collection. I currently use two BIAB setups. I have kept the 2021 version because I have that set up with J Bridge so I can use 32bit VST plugins for the melody lines. This backing was done on the 2023 setup where I am still getting used to the 64bit plugins. The guitar is a great example of how real the digitised backings in BIAB sound.
This is a prayer to God for when we feel far away by Gen Bryant. It is from the collection Send Us Out, where they suggest the parable of the prodigal son as a relevant scripture, which sounds about right.
There is sheet music for everyone in the band at Willow. The text is at her site.
My version is typical pads lead to guitar and the drums kick in for a slow burn p&w backing.
Her version keeps it more simple and her vocal has a Cranberries vibe.
This is a sung prayer for times of trouble, looking for guidance from God. It is by Gen Bryant and from her collection Send Us Out that I have been looking through.
It a gentle thoughtful piece for reflection.
It can bought as sheet music for many instruments at Willow.
This is my backing made on BIAB.
1 Speak into my darkness, speak into my soul.
When I’m overwhelmed and I have lost control.
Will you be the light that guides the way before me?
So, out of the shadows, I know I will stand strong.
Prechorus
Oh, I need your light. I need your peace.
So dwell within my heart so I may see.
Oh, I need your light. I need your peace.
So dwell within my heart so I may see.
Chorus
You are the light within me.
You’re showing me the way.
Help me to shine brighter.
Help me to shine brighter.
You are the light within me.
You’re showing me the way.
Help me to shine brighter
For the world surrounding me.
2 Fill me with compassion, fill me with belief.
I pray that I’m the first to love when others fail to see.
This is a song from Gen Bryant‘s collection Send Us Out that could be used as a reflection in a liturgy with social justice themes or as a prompt to reflection on inequality and loneliness. The reminder and the challenge is that we are the agents of change.
I’m working my way through Gen Bryant‘s collection Send Us Out, available at Willow. It is ideal for schools but some of the songs will work in parish situations.
This is a song of praise and a call to action. It is an acknowledgement that young people (OK and everyone else) have a voice and should use it – and get out and be active in their communities. There is a second vocal line so this might be best for soloist and choir.
The sheet music is available in single sheets in versions for the whole band as well at Willow. In the compiled book you get the very long piano sheet music for these songs and I suspect guitarists in performance will make their own chord charts, as none of the provided sheets are for a singing rhythm guitarist (ie chords over words).
I made a rousing backing, but I could not find the lyrics on her website this time.
Raise it up, raise it up (x3)
Come on, raise up your voice!
Our hearts have come alive, come alive!
Come on, raise up your voice!
Our hearts have come alive, come alive!
Chorus
Come on, raise up your voice! [Raise it up!x2]
Our hearts have come alive, come alive!
Come on, raise up your voice! [Raise it up!x2]
Our hearts have come alive, come alive!
1 You know our ev’ry breath. You know our hearts desire.
It’s your love alive in us; it’s your love that lifts us up.
Chorus
2 When darkness falls on us and fear is taking over,
We need your love alive in us: we need your love to lift us up.
This is a dance banger from Gen Bryant that could be used as a song of praise or for gathering at a school mass. It has lots of woo-oohs. It was written for the Catholic Youth Festival and is based on one of the Beatitudes.
The original published music for this Mass did not have an Alleluia. A kind correspondent last year sent me a beautifully printed version of music he transcribed from a hand written original sent to him by Paul Taylor.
The refrain uses the motif of the Memorial Acclamations:
Alleluia x5
The verses are chant – the first line pitching the notes as A until the last 3 notes go G, Bb, A and the second line again on A until G, F, F.
We happily use his mass every week and use the Celtic Alleluia instead, as did my last parish. I blogged the mass here.
I don’t know the status of the Alleluia but I figure it must be out there as I have received inquiries.
I've worked my way through the As One Voice books and other collections making backings on Band in a Box to help me (& you if you're interested) learn new songs for church. This is aimed at churches and musicians that own the collections but haven't exploited them fully. If you don't have them they are certainly worth buying. This site is educational, nonprofit and designed to enhance the commercial prospects of songwriters. This site does not distribute copyrighted sheet music.
Disclaimer
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.
Mason’s “Mass of Glory and Praise”
To access my backings for Paul Mason's mass go to Feb 2011 in the archive.
