Church Music

I was singing this as a Presbyterian teenager and I still get to sing it at Mass as a grumpy old Catholic.  It is based on John 13:34-5 and is listed as having an unknown author. I’ve noticed that some people sing it twice, some sing the second part twice and some sing the first part twice. You may also note that my miscellaneous pile has a loose grasp of the alphabet.

This is a Carpenters style version. If you can find an old version of Scripture in Song Volume one it is number 12.

For some of these old songs I have taken an old MIDI file that I made on Band in a Box V1 for Windows on a steam driven computer in the Jurassic period and just run it through ProTools to tart it up a bit.

A new commandment I give unto you,
that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you love one another as I have loved you.
By this shall all men know you are My disciples,
if you have love one to another.
By this shall all men know you are My disciples,
if you have love one to another. (Rpt)

This is another of Monica Brown’s lovely mantras. It is from the “Holy Ground” collection and is available here.

 My soul is longing for You, my God.

My soul is longing for You.

You, my God, and I, the one,

The one who yearns for You.

© Monica Brown, 1991.

This is a song by Father Frank Andersen that we use every Good Friday. I recommend it highly. You can hear it done here. I suspect you’ll have to contact Fr Andersen directly to get a copy.

Chorus

My people… my people! What have I done to you?

or in what way have I offended you?

Answer me: answer me!

Verse 1

I led you safely out of Egypt.

I led you safely through the sea.

I led you safely into freedom,

but you have nailed Me to a tree.

Chorus

Verse 2

I opened up the sea before you.

I opened up this Promised land.

I opened up my arms to hold you,

but you have nailed them to a tree.

Chorus

Verse 3

I raised you to the heights of glory.

I raised your head and held you high.

I raised a vine that would be fruitful,

but you have raised Me up to die.

Refrain

© Fr. Frank Andersen msc & Chevalier Music

Dan Schutte wrote this version of the Exsultet for 2 cantors and choir/assembly, which makes a change from the usual solo settings. You can purchase the music here. With the refrain and the leisurely pace you’d want the assembly to sit down as it will take some considerable time.

The first part of each verse is sung by a male cantor as a free chant and the last two lines (in bold print) in time by a second cantor/female (soprano or alto). That will reduce the chance of boredom from the one voice and the assembly gets to do the refrain.

Now BIAB can’t do free chanting so I regularised the notes as best I could.

Refrain

Most holy night, most blessed of nights,

When Christ broke the chains of the darkness!

God’s mighty love is stronger than death.

Christ our Light shines forever!

Verse 1

Rejoice O children of the earth and holy ones of heav’n above!

Be glad this blessed night and join creation’s song!

Rejoice and sing, O Mother Church! The Saviour’s glory shines on you.

O let this holy place resound with joyful songs of praise!

Let ev’ry tear be wiped away. Let ev’ry sorrow fade,

For Jesus the Christ has risen from the grave.

Refrain

Verse 2

For truly it is right and just that on this night we sing with joy

to praise and thank the unseen God and Jesus Christ the Son.

The power of this holy night dispels the darkness of our shame,

for Christ has saved us with his blood and ransomed us from death.

O happy fault of Adam’s sin! O blessed day of grace

which gained for us a Saviour, Christ the Lord.

Refrain

Verse 3

For this is the Passover feast of God when Christ the blessed Lamb is slain,

whose holy blood has marked our homes and sheltered us from death.

This holy night makes all things new, our hearts resored to holiness,

washed clean of every stain of sin and bathed in heaven’s light.

How wonderful your care for us! How boundless is your love!

To ransom a slave you gave away your son.

Refrain

Verse 4

Creator of the heav’nly lights, we sing to you with grateful hearts.

Receive this off’ring of our praise, our evening song of joy.

Accept from us this Easter flame that joins all the stars of night

to guide the journey of our feet and lead us with its light.

For Jesus Christ , the Morning Star whose light will never fade,

has shattered the night to bring his endless day!

Refrain

© Daniel Schutte, 1998, published by OCP Publications.

This song was written by Jesse Hairston and first popularised by Harry Belafonte. We’ve used it for Christmas, especially for the early mass on Christmas eve.

Verse 1
Long time ago in Bethlehem,
So the Holy Bible say,
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ,
Was born on Christmas day,

Chorus
Hark, now hear the angels sing,
A new King born today,
And man will live forevermore,
Because of Christmas day.
Trumpets sound and angels sing,
Listen to what they say,
That man will live forevermore,
Because of Christmas day.

Verse 2
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
They saw a bright new shining star,
They heard a choir sing,
The music seemed to come from afar,

Verse 3
Now, Joseph and his wife, Mary,
Come to Bethlehem that night,
They found no place to born she child,
Not a single room was in sight.

Chorus

Verse 4
By and by, they find a little nook,
In a stable all forlorn,
And in a manger cold and dark,
Mary’s little boy was born!

Verse 1
Chorus 

© 1956 Bourne Co.

Christopher Walker’s setting of this ancient blessing. You can hear a sample and buy the sheet music here.

May God bless and keep you,

May God’s face smile on you:

May God be kind to you and give you peace.

© Christopher Walker 1988, 1989, 1990, published by OCP Publications.

I’ve been having trouble with the audioplayer so I’ve switched to a different one. It doesn’t seem to work properly either but it has successfully stripped off all the audioplayer tags so for now on there will just be the link to the backing to click, until I figure it all out.

* I’ve switched back, but now the audiofiles don’t work in Firefox but do in Internet Explorer – I’m not sure if this a Flash problem, a Firefox Problem or a WP problem.

I’m still working through the music in the miscellaneous folder, which inevitably means revisiting liturgies from when my children were at school. This is a Michael Mangan advent song. You can hear a sample and buy the sheet music here.

Chorus

Mary said, “Yes, yes, yes! My Lord Your way is best!”

Mary said, “Yes, yes, yes! Your way is best!”

Verse 1

Gabriel appeared, a message to proclaim:

“Do not be afraid for you are blessed today!”

Chorus

Verse 2

“You will have a child, He’s the chosen One.

Jesus is His name and He will be God’s Son.”

Chorus

Verse 3

Mary wondered how, “How can this be true?”

Gabriel explained, “There’s nothing God can’t do!”

Chorus

Verse 4

Mary trusted God, she always obeyed,

We must do the same, so like her we can say,

Last Chorus

Oh we say, “Yes, yes, yes! My Lord Your way is best!”

Oh we say, “Yes, yes, yes! Your way is best!”

© Litmus Publications, 1995.

I don’t remember ever singing this song with words by Luke Connaughton to a traditional tune, Cresswell, but I find a made a MIDI for it in the 1990s so I suppose I must have.

You can hear it on bells here and on church organ here.

1. Love is His word, Love is His way,

Feasting with all, fasting alone,

Living and dying, rising again

 Love only love is His way.

Chorus

Richer than gold is the love of my Lord.

Better than splendour and wealth.

2. Love is His way, love is His mark,

Sharing His last Passover feast.

Christ at the table, host to the twelve Love,

only love, is His mark.

3. Love is his mark, love is His sign,

Bread for our strength, wine for our joy,

This is my body, this is my blood

Love, only love is His sign.

4. Love is His sign, love is His news,

Do this He said Lest you forget

All my deep sorrow, all my dear blood,

Love, only love, is His news.

5. Love is His news, Love is His name,

We are His own, chosen and called,

 Family, brethren, cousins and kin.

Love, only love is His name.

6. Love is His name, love is His law,

Hear His command, all who are His,

Love one another, I have loved you

Love, only love, is His law.

7. Love is His law, Love is His word,

Love of the Lord, Father, and Word,

Love of the Spirit, God ever one,

Love, only love, is His word.

 

© McCrimmon Publishing

This is a Eucharist chant by Michael Herry fms. This chant says about all that needs to be said. If you go here and scroll to the bottom of the page you will find an MP3 and the sheet music. For some reason the version I have in in G, but the downloadable version from the Marists is in Ab.

Lord, we come to your table.

Lord, we hear your word.

Lord, you are our bread of life,

and we the Body of Christ.

© Michael Herry fms, 1996.