Church Music

This setting of Ps 34 is by John Foley. It can be purchased for download at OCP.

We sing it a lot and frequently largely acapella and also even slower than written.  Try it some time. The verses being a little faster than the refrain is a difficult trick to pull off and risks causing an acceleration in tempo over the course of the song. The original can be heard here. This version keeps the tempo the same but adds gorgeous spanish guitar. Actually Youtube has a lot of pretty good versions to listen to, which is most unusual.

Refrain
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.

Verse 1

I will bless the Lord at all times,
with praise ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord,
who will hear the cry of the poor.

Refrain

Verse 2

Let the lowly hear and be glad:
the Lord listens to their pleas;
and to hearts broken, God is near,
who will hear the cry of the poor.

Refrain

Verse 3

Ev’ry spirit crushed, God will save;
will be ransom for their lives;
will be safe shelter for their fears,
and will hear the cry of the poor.

Refrain

Verse 4

We proclaim your greatness, O God,
your praise ever in our mouth;
ev’ry face brightened in your light,
for you hear the cry of the poor.

Refrain

© John Foley and NALR 1978.

I’ve always liked this one, another of the high rotation songs at our church. Although a Trisha Watts piece it is less strange than her usual songs (ie normal rhythm, stays in the same key) but still a good song. I always thought it should have been sung by the Psychedelic Furs.

It turns up in wedding repertoires which might be a tad confusing since the voice is of God. This also makes the song completely unacceptable these days. I’m sure we’ll keep using it.

I’ll put up two backings.  One is ancient BBW v1 material, and since that has the melody line a more recent backing without the melody to sing along to.

Verse 1

I am here with you by your side,

Sheltering your heart from the night.

Refrain

Wherever you go, whatever you do,

I’ll be always loving you.

Verse 2

Let me love the world through your heart,

Let me heal your wounds with my touch.

Refrain

Bridge

I will be your God your comforter.

I will hold you close in my heart.

Verse 3

Let me see the world through your eyes,

Let forgiveness shine through your smile.

Refrain

© Willow Connection 1987.

Another insanely popular song, this time by Marty Haugen. Even countless repetition has not dulled its appeal, which is odd because it has a long chorus and short verses.  I suspect the dynamics keep the interest going and the simple moving lyrics do the trick. This church does a nice version. The music is essentially 2/2 so don’t go trying 4/4 it will drive you crazy.

The text is available here. You can buy it at GIA.

This Dan Schutte song has been right up there in popularity with our liturgists over the years. It has held up well to repeated use but runs the risk of becoming a joke when sung without enthusiasm – you should not sing ‘Yahweh’s people dance for joy” as a dirge – it is painful to behold. This version isn’t a dirge at least and has an interesting set of comments that give a depressing snapshot of some narrow minded responses to church songs. There are more than the usual amount of very average versions on Youtube if you wish to seek them out but you might prefer the original, with more horns and flutes than you can shake a baton at here. (It dates from 1972 so give them a break.)

NB Yahweh directive warning – see the new text here.

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

To prevent any chance of not being joyful in my backing I take the speed up just a little to 150.

Refrain

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountains high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing alleluia.

Verse 1

Yahweh’s people dance for joy.

O come before the Lord,

and play for him on glad tambourines,

and let your trumpet sound.

Refrain

Verse 2

Rise, O children, from your sleep;

your Savior now has come.

He has turned your sorrow to joy

and filled your soul with song.

Refrain

Verse 3

Glad my soul for I have seen

the glory of the Lord.

The trumpet sounds; the dead shall be raised.

I know my Savior lives.

Refrain

© Daniel Schutte 1972.

I don’t know what to make of this Bernadette Farrell song based on a passage from John’s gospel. Listen to it here. It is going to be diabolical to keep things together with some very long notes in this slow song, even if you unearth the soprano and the tenor et al to take it into the spectacular round. (NB the tempo is meant to be 54 according to the online preview – my guitar version of AOV does not mention this.)  Have a look at the music at OCP (pdf not printable) and you may agree that it is a seriously strange piece of music.

I have not attempted anything like that with my backing – just following the music. I suspect this piece is for professionals – ie don’t try this at home.

Refrain

Do not be afraid for I am with you.

I

Walk while you have the light or the dark will overtake you.

II

Those who walk in the dark do not know where they are going.

III

While you still have the light , believe in the light…

and you will be-

IV

-come children of light.

© Bernadette Farrell 1977, 1981, 1991.

This is a famous old hymn from the 1800s, words by Henry Lyle, tune by John Goss.  I think this is the one Mr Bean sings (sort of) when he goes to church. [On checking, no it isn’t – but it shares the allelulia] A proper cathedral choir sings it here. This is a more forceful version with organ, choir, assembly and brass giving it the full wallop. The words seem to vary enormously from site to site – I’ve stuck with the version in AOV but it appears out of step with many others.

Alas BIAB and church organ are not a happy combination so my backing is, well, basic. This unadorned organ version might (well, just is) be a better backing.

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To his feet Thy tribute bring!
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore his praise should sing:

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King!

Praise him for His grace and favour,
To his children in distress!
Praise him still the same for ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless!

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.

Father-like, he tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame he knows.
In his hands he gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes,

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows.

Angels, help us to adore Him;
You behold him face to face:
Sun and moon, bow down before him;
In his holy dwelling place,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.

I was looking for a setting of Ps 103 for this weekend and after listening to some less than impressive songs came across this one by Tom Booth, which I felt had a good feeling to it. You can hear his version here. It can be purchased at OCP.

My version aspires to his easy laid back approach. I managed to get the chords using Band in a Box’s interpretive skills, which are usually haphazard but in this case were pretty much spot on.  I still sent off for a second hand Spiritandsong Vol 2 on Abebooks which arrived today and made a few minor corrections from that.

Refrain
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is slow to anger
and rich in compassion.
The Lord is kind and merciful.

Verse 1

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
forgetting not his benefits,
forgetting not his benefits.

Refrain

Verse 2

As the heavens are above the earth,
great is God’s kindness towards us.
As the east is far from the west,
he has put our sin from us,
he has put our sin away from us.

Refrain x2 (key change)

The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.

© Tom Booth 2004.

First things first; if you have never heard this Christopher Walker song go here and have a listen. I invite comments from anyone who has heard this six part round in action, it must be wild. The Palm Sunday version has 8 parts! After the round there is a six part harmony alleluia. The stated speed of 132 is just too much – try ~120.

My backing is just church organ and I stop after the sixth part because there is no way I can do a six part round on BIAB. If you are game learn each section and give it a go.

 I

No more weeping, joy has come into the world, he is risen.

II

Do not fear, Jesus has conquered, he is risen from the dead.

III

Jesus, lives, the Lord of Lords fills the world with his glory,

He is risen from the dead, in joyfulness we greet the risen Lord, [singing]

IV

The Lord is calling his disciples to send us out into the world,

For we love him, we believe him, and we’ll follow him, ’til we rise with him. [The]

V

Sing him praise all of our days, blessings on him forever.

Sing him praise all of our days

for his name is Wonder Counsellor so

VI

Glory in the highest heav’ns!

Coda

Alleluia!

© Christopher Walker 1983,1984.

I’ll miss Bob Dufford’s mass that we did to death over the years.  At least we can still sing this very popular song of his, a setting of Psalm 98.

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

Cantus Mundi collates a few versions here but none are really “brisk, bouncy” and at 176 bpm, which is fairly galloping. The original is about right speed wise, but the singing does not match the song – it needs to be much more forceful and enthusiastic.

Refrain:
All the ends of the earth, all you creatures of the sea,
Lift up your eyes to the wonders of the Lord.
For the Lord of the earth, the Master of the sea,
has come with justice for the world.

Verse 1

Break into song at the deeds of the Lord,
the wonders God has done in ev’ry age.

Refrain

Verse 2

Heaven and earth shall rejoice in your might;
ev’ry heart, ev’ry nation call you Lord.

Refrain

Verse 3

The Lord has made salvation known,
faithful to the promises of old.
Let the ends of the earth, let the sea and all it holds
make music before our God!

Refrain

© Robert Dufford and New Dawn Music1981

This song has been our Gospel Acclamation for Lent since forever. It can seem stodgy so a light touch and handle with care.  It is by local boy Brian Boniwell.

Refrain

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!

Rpt

Verse

No-one lives on bread alone but on every word

that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Glory to our God!

Refrain x1

© Brian Boniwell