I’m still blogging the prayer and praise songs in Spirit and Song Vol 1, which mean songs for the assembly are less frequent. This song from Martin Smith is a good example. You can sing along with the chorus but the verses are too syncopated for group use and the bridge is not going to work at mass. It’s great for a P&W service though.
The text is at spiritandsong where the sheet music can be purchased for download.
This is a song for solo devotional use by Tom Booth.
The text is here (scroll down) and I don’t feel comfortable with it at all – do I really give permission? Is that the same as accepting unmerited grace – I don’t know. You can hear it at this site.
My backing hasn’t quite got the correct unhurried vibe.
I like this song by Bob Hudson, even though I reservations about the need to use the word “thyself.” It is based on James 4:10 but the author of James did not speak Elizabethan English. It really needs the two groups of singers to be effective.
David asked about this song by Jodi Page Clark. It is a few collections including “Singing the Faith” and the “Celebration Hymnal”.
The text is here. I don’t have the music so I thought it would be fun to figure it out. It has some sort of weird timing and even now I’m not sure I’ve got it right. I was trying to follow the track at small church music which I figure should be accurate. For what it is worth, here is an approximate backing and I hope it doesn’t confuse anyone further.
This version has a more regular timing and smooths things out, but since I don’t have the sheet music I don’t know who is right.
This is another Rich Mullins song and having criticised “Awesome God” I have to say this is a pretty good rock song and the lyrics make some sort of coherent sense this time. It is let down by a stodgy uninventive bridge but apart from that it’s great. It’s very much a solo vehicle but I suppose an assembly could sing along with the chorus.
The text is here. You can purchase the sheet music for download at musicnotes, but the chords appear to be all over the net.
Somehow I’ve never blogged Fr Frank Andersen’s “Trinity Song”. That link has contact details so you can buy all of Andersen’s sheet music and I would recommend you do so immediately as they are a bargain. His books are worth finding as well and just for interest this is an article he wrote in the Swag as a response to an article by Cardinal Pell in the previous issue – It is worth the time to read the Pell article and the response from Andersen.
The text is here and it is an obvious song for this Sunday, Trinity Sunday. Like most of this man’s songs it is simple, singable and heart felt.
This is a nice solo version if you ignore the sound quality and the “tru-oo-oo-oo at the end of each verse.
This church has all sorts of harmony lines going as well as the same variation on the last word of the verses.
This version is a fairly free C&W version with a touch of the Roy Orbison’s about it.
This is a P&W song that actually praises God in a singable fashion. It was written by Twila Paris and the text is available at spiritandsong where the sheet music can be purchased for download. You can also hear a snippet of Tom Booth’s version of the song there.
My backing goes a bit Irish:
This is Twila Paris singing the song in concert in the 80s, after an instrumental preamble.
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.