Church Music

This is a song based on Ps 71 by Ian Roberts who is English and published through Kevin Mayhew, but otherwise I can find nothing about him on the net.  The song is in this collection if you need it. This must have been used a long time ago because I only vaguely remember it but it is a fine tune.

This is another ancient MIDI file of mine put through Pro Tools.

 For you have been our hope O Lord,

Our confidence from old.

Our rock, our refuge, fortress strong

Where we can always go.

We will ever praise you,

Worship and proclaim your mighty works and power.

For your faithfulness and your great love for us

We’ll sing and shout for joy.

We are those you have redeemed,

We put our trust in you.

Sov’reign Lord you’ve made us yours forever,

Sov’reign Lord you care.

All through the night, your light is shining on us,

Throughout our days you’re there.

© Kevin Mayhew 1999.

I’m still going through my miscellaneous file of songs not from As One Voice and this is another handwritten and scarcely legible relic. This is a song by Marsha J Stevens-Pino that we must have sang once or twice and I hope it was a reflection of some sort because I can’t think of a liturgical use for this song. This is not my idea of a good song for Mass, but it obviously pushes buttons for some people and good luck to them. Sheet music is available here in Eb. It also can be purchased here.

This is an astonishing choral version and this is a more usual C&W version. There are countless versions on You Tube if you want to listen to them, well that’s your look out.

Verse 1

You said You’d come and share all my sorrows,

You said You’d be there for all my tomorrows;

I came so close to sending You away,

But just like You promised You came there to stay;

I just had to pray!

 

Chorus

And Jesus said, “Come to the water, stand by My side,

I know you are thirsty, you won’t be denied;

I felt ev’ry teardrop when in darkness you cried,

And I strove to remind you that for those tears I died.”

 

Verse 2

Your goodness so great I can’t understand,

And, dear Lord, I know that all this was planned;

I know You’re here now, and always will be,

Your love loosed my chains and in You I’m free;

But Jesus, why me?

 

Chorus

 

Verse 3

Jesus, I give You my heart and my soul,

I know that without God I’d never be whole;

Savior, You opened all the right doors,

And I thank You and praise You from earth’s humble shores;

Take me, I’m Yours.

 

Chorus

© Lexicon Music 1969.

A great song by Michael Mangan for your next Christmas pageant. It is noticeable for the ability to get “gold, frankincense and myrrh” to scan! This is another of Michael’s songs available on Sing Your Joy. It is also available in the “This is the Time” collection that is available here and here (where there is a sample to listen to).

Verse 1

See the bright star shining in the sky,

Could this finally be the promised sign?

This may be the one, this may be the King,

This may be the Lord of Light of whom the prophets sing…

Chorus

And we follow the Christmas star as it leads us on our way,

Lighting up our journey of faith.

And we follow the Christmas star as it takes us to the place,

Where we will see our Saviour and God, face to face.

Verse 2

See the little baby lying there.

These gifts we bring: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Gold for He is King, Frankincense for God,

Myrrh for He will give his life to save all on this earth…

Chorus

Verse 3

We must take this joy to everyone,

Spreading news of Jesus, God’s own Son.

We have seen his star telling of his birth.

He has come as Saviour to all nations of the earth…

Refrain

© Litmus Publications 1995.

This is a useful song by Rita Baloche for situations you might use a Vene Sancte.  It’s a highly syncopated modern chant if you like. It works as a hushed song until “Like a living stream.” We got it out of The Source: New Songs, a collection I was blogging and then forgot – I’ll get back to it sometime. Just repeat it until the liturgical movement requires you to stop.

You can hear a sample of a MIDI backing and purchase it here. The chords are available here as well, although they put in in F and the music I have is in D. The only way I know to get the music is to buy the book which can be purchased online here, but I’m sure is available elsewhere.

Pour Your Holy Spirit upon me,
Let Your presence fill me up;
Make my life a flowing river
Of Your everlasting love.

Like a living stream
Flowing from Your mighty ocean;
Purify in me
My desire and my devotion;
Make my life a flowing river
Of Your everlasting love.

© Integrity’s Hosanna! Music 1998.

I really should do a more Frank Andersen songs and I’ll get around to it at some stage. This is a quiet a reverent Eucharist song that still gets listed from time to time. It looks like you have to contact Father Andersen directly to buy his music.

My backing is at 90 bpm.

This is My Body, take now and share!
Deep in the memory of My own prayer.

This is My Blood, come drink and live!
In all completeness this power I give.

You are My People, My chosen friends,
Come share the Spirit My Father sends.

And hold within you, in constant hope,
My peaceful presence, gift of My heart!

© Frank Andersen msc

This song is by Louise Ruspini. It is a gathering tune of Unitarian origin and I have a crumpled hand written copy. I gather it is in the Unitarian hymnal “Singing the Living Tradition” that you can buy from Amazon.

It reminds me of the choruses we sang at Sunday school in the 60s.

These are the lyrics I found on the net.

1 Enter, rejoice, and come in. Enter, rejoice, and come in.
Today will be a joyful day; enter, rejoice, and come in.

2 Open your ears to the song. Open your ears to the song.
Today will be a joyful day; enter, rejoice, and come in.

3 Open your hearts ev’ryone. Open your hearts ev’ryone.
Today will be a joyful day; enter, rejoice, and come in.

4 Don’t be afraid of some change. Don’t be afraid of some
change. Today will be a joyful day; enter, rejoice, and come in.

5 Enter, rejoice, and come in. Enter, rejoice, and come in.
Today will be a joyful day; enter, rejoice, and come in.

Interestingly these are not the lyrics we sang in a Catholic church. We sang:

1 Enter, rejoice, and come in. Enter, rejoice, and come in.
Today will be a joyful day; enter, rejoice, and come in.

2 Lift up your hearts to the Lord…

 

3 Open your hearts to all men… (or everyone)

 

4 Sing alleluia…

© Louise Ruspini 1992.

This is from the Songs for Mass collection by Keryn Morehu and Dianne Simmons and you can buy it at their website.

I actually find this song rather hard and we sing it with the timings smoothed out a little. My backing is, however, as written. It is also laid back jazz and probably unsuitable except to learn the tune.

Chorus

Eat this bread

Drink this wine

Remember that I love you

Eat this bread

Drink this wine you are mine

Eat this bread

Drink this wine

Remember that I love you

I am with you ’til the end of time.

Verse 1

This meal is one of love

Share it with Me

My body given up to save you all

This meal is one of love

Share it with Me

Take this cup of blood and hear My call

Chorus

Verse 2

Come to Me for I will give you pardon

Call my name and by you side I’ll be

Come to Me in this meal we share together

Through me you will know eternity

Chorus

© Keryn Morehu & Diane Simmons 2001.

I don’t think we sang this Kevin Bates song very often but it is very pretty. It was probably too creative.

I can’t see that it is still available at his site but you could always ask him.

1. I dream the grace of waterfalls,

I dream the mountain’s majesty.

I dream the sea and love the life it holds.

I dream of grace and beauty for all my friends.

Are there people who will dream my dream

Before my dreamtime ends?

 

2. My breath is nature’s harmony,

My breath is spirits blowing free.

My family of creatures knows my sound,

And I breathe my grace and beauty in all my friends.

Are there people who can breathe with me

The sounds my spirit sings?

 

3. Imagine graceful waterfall.

Imagine mountain’s majesty.

Imagine all the life that’s in the sea.

And you’ve only just begun to know my mystery.

Are you ready to explore my dream

Whatever it may be?

 

4. And when your spirit’s broken down,

And life has no more majesty.

And the many lives I dreamed cannot be free.

Can you still be grace and beauty and free my friends?

Are you ready to create with me

Until my dreamtime ends?

 

5. I remember well the grace you bring,

The power of your love for me.

I remember all the lives that you set free,

I remember well the way you speak my mystery.

Are you ready now to come with me

Until my dream goes free.

© Kevin Bates SM

When we don’t use Frank Andersen’s song of this name we use John Foley’s and it is really a very good song that everyone participates in for singing. There is a sample to listen to at OCP where you can buy the sheet music as well. You can hear the whole song here. There are some interesting versions on YouTube: one with harmonica, one with karoake reverb, a choir and an assembly. None of them really capture being in a group going for the crescendo, which I suggest you do.

My backing is a render of a strange MIDI file I don’t even remember making* that has an awful lot of tracks going on but should be adequate to learn the song in the unlikely event you don’t already know it.

1. O let all who thirst,
let them come to the water.
And let all who have nothing,
let them come to the Lord:
without money, without price.
Why should you pay the price,
except for the Lord?

2. And let all who seek,
let them come to the water.
And let all who have nothing,
let them come to the Lord:
without money, without strife.
Why should you spend your life,
except for the Lord?

3. And let all who toil,
let them come to the water.
And let all who are weary,
let them come to the Lord:
all who labor, without rest.
How can your soul find rest,
except for the Lord?

4. And let all the poor,
let them come to the water,
Bring the ones who are laden,
bring them all to the Lord:
bring the children without might.
Easy the load and light:
come to the Lord.

© John Foley SJ 1978.

* It is possible I did not make it, of course, but it sounds to me like I’ve entered a lot of notes manually and then added it to a MIDI based on a BIAB file.

This gathering song by Michael Mangan probably really is just for children this time. It is also available in the Sing Your Joy collection. There are two claps in the first line of the verses after “called” and “Lord” and a bar of clapping between the verse and chorus.

 Chorus

Come together let’s celebrate, sing a joyful song.

We are part of one family and God’s love for us is so strong.

Verse 1

Baptised we are called, as children of the Lord.

Gathering here to worship and adore.

Chorus

Verse 2

Calling us by name, different yet the same,

Gathering here to praise God’s holy name.

Chorus

Verse 3

Blest with such great things, we come to praise and sing,

Gathering here with thanks for what God brings.

Chorus

© Litmus Productions 1993.

Here is a render of a very busy MIDI file I did last millenium for this song: