Church Music

This is a song by Rich Mullins that I have heard about for years but never actually heard until now. In Mullins’ sadly short life he wrote some pretty good songs, some of which come up soon, but I doubt this is one of them. Mullins’ songs haven’t been heard of where I have played and so I missed the debate on whether this song was suitable for liturgy because of its popularity with young people back in the nineties.

It wasn’t — it is a solo vehicle with far too many notes crammed together for an assembly (OK it’s meant to be call and response), the text is a scatter gun of images from all over the place and the chorus sounds like a hair metal singalong — but that makes it fine for some P&W settings. Stealing lines from Irving Berlin is one way to highlight a poorly written lyric if that was the intent, but I somehow doubt this song was tongue in cheek. I love rock music and think it can be used liturgically, but am not a fan of this style so I am probably biased against this song. This document tiptoes around the issue.

The text is at spiritandsong. You can buy an SATB version at sheetmusicplus but since this is a guitar song you probably don’t need more than the chords which are all over the net.

This clip shows Michael W. Smith just getting the crowd singing along the chorus and dispensing with the verse altogether.

This is the original with the call and response verse.

I’m blogging Spirit and Song Vol 1 and have got to the section called Prayer and Praise songs. That means that these songs are less likely to have a liturgical function and are more likely to be solo vehicles. If I skip a song that means I’ve already blogged it in the past.

Tom Booth‘s “Cry the Gospel” is a fine P&W song whose extreme syncopation in the refrain makes an assembly’s task difficult. A good indicator for me is that if I am entering an awful lot of 16th notes for the melody in BIAB, it is probably a song for solo voice. That said, it has a call and response refrain and so is obviously intended to be sung with a least a choir. You can hear his original, rather restrained, version here.

The text is at spiritandsong. The sheet music can be purchased for download at OCP.

This is a video of Tom Booth performing with a choir in a mass setting, where it looks a performance with the camera angle revealing no obvious participation from the assembly.

In a different setting outside of a mass, the song comes into its own as Booth teaches as he goes and gets the call and response going:

Entrance: All the Ends of the Earth (Dufford) AOV 1/76)

Psalm 47 (O’Brien)

God mounts his throne with shouts of joy;

A blare of trumpets for the Lord.

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

Communion: Bread Broken, Wine Shared (Horner) AOV 2/155

We Are Many Parts (Haugen) AOV 1/86

Thanksgiving: Holy Spirit Come (Mangan) AOV NG 67

Recessional: You Are Mine (Haas) AOV 2/2

I’ll have a short break from blogging.  I’ll be back in a week or so.

This is the last of the communion songs in Spirit & Song Vol 1.  It is written by Mark Friedman. It is simple and singable and worth considering.

The text is at spiritandsong and can be purchased in a collection at OCP. You can hear the original here.

My backing isn’t as gentle as suggested.

These kids are great:

These are enthusiastic at least.

I wouldn’t have thought of this text from Revelation as a communion song, but Ricky Manalo did and that’s all that matters.  It is a pretty and singable song.

The text is at spiritandsong where the sheet music can be purchased for download.

My backing adds the harmony line in the second repeat of the refrain.

This is a nice version:

This song by Dana Scallon should not work.  The verses are messy with lots of short notes, there are two key changes, and counter melodies from nowhere in the sixth verse if you last that long. But, it is a really catchy singalong and has room for guitar solos if you are that way inclined. I’d love to give it a try.

The text is at spiritandsong and you can hear a snippet and buy it in an collection at OCP.

This song comes in Bilingual, all Spanish and all English versions.  The words are by Bob Hurd, Pia Moriarty and Jaime Cortez with music by Bob Hurd in a Spanish style. Nice as the song is there is still the question of whether a song of this style can or should be done by an anglo assembly – I’m  not sure.

The text is at spiritandsong and you can hear a snippet and purchase the sheet music for download at OCP.

This is Bob Hurd giving a talk on the dangers of mistranslation before demonstrating the song.

This is a parish singing at a Spanish Mass.

This is a song by Marty Haugen based on Psalm 34. This is the rowdier setting in a gospel style. Every verse has subtle variations that will make a cantor pretty well essential.

The text is here. You can purchase the sheet music in a collection at GIA. The original version can be heard at Haugen’s MySpace Site.

My version is a bit of a mess but has some energy (and a fake horn section) at least.

Entrance: Morning has Broken (Farjeon) AOV 1/135

Psalm 66:

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Gifts: Isaiah 49 (Landry) AOV 1/89

Communion: Unless a Grain of Wheat (Farrell) AOV 1/35

A New Commandment (Unknown)

Thanksgiving: Jesus is Risen (O’Brien- Ogilvie) AOV NG 82

Recessional: Bring Forth the Kingdom (Haugen) AOV 2/4

This is another Eucharist song from Spirit & Song Vol 1, this time with lyrics by Tom Booth and T. Timothy Casey set by Tom Booth. This is another beautiful tune that makes me wonder if it is too complicated for an assembly. I’m often told I’m wrong about these things but time signature changes, variations in tune between verses and a contrasting bridge all make for a steep learning curve. You can hear the original here.

The text is at spiritandsong where the sheet music can be purchased for download.