A Taize chant by Jacques Berthier available in twelve languages in the AOV version. You can hear it here.
My backing is at 76 bpm.
Bless the Lord my soul, and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me into life.
© Ateliers Et Presses De Taizé
Sr Marianne Misetich wrote this charming advent song that I assume is aimed at children as in this clip.
Listen to a sample at AOV here.
My backing’s tempo is 102 and the intro was made up by Band in a Box.
Verse 1
We’re waiting for Jesus like Mary,
We’re waiting for Jesus the Lord.Refrain
Come down, Lord Jesus!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
The whole world is waiting for Love,
The whole world is waiting for Love.Verse 2
We’re laying a manger for Mary,
A manger for Jesus the Lord.Refrain
Verse 3
We’re making it lovely for Mary,
So lovely for Jesus the Lord.Refrain
© Marianne Misetich SNJM 1977.
This carol didn’t make the cut in AOV 1 and turns up here. There are more verses and variations on the net but these are the lyrics in AOV.
Hear it get the full symphonic treatment here. Andrea Bocelli’s version is here.
After those, my backing is not entirely serious as everyone knows how to sing this already.
Verse 1
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.Refrain
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!Verse 2
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
Say what may the tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?Refrain
Verse 3
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.Refrain
This is a gentle chant by Monica Brown. This is a sample.
Gather us, O God.
Body, spirit, soul and mind.
Gather us, O God.
One in union now with you.
© Monica Brown and Emmaus Productions 1991.
A traditionally styled hymn, but written in the 80s, with words by Anthony Kelly and music by Christopher Willcock. Listen to the sample at AOV to get the idea.
This was the official hymn for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Australia in 1986.
My backing is all fake brass and organ.
1. Lord of life and Lord of nations,
Giving peace, you make us one,
Heart of flesh for heart of stone,
Break the walls of all divisions.
Your Kingdom come with this its sign:
Our song, this prayer: let peace now reign!
2. Lengths of love beyond all measure,
Heights of love which now do call,
Breadth of love as room for all,
Depths of love where hides the treasure:
Through Christ, our Way, we find true peace,
A world made whole in God’s embrace.
3. Visions new and ancient dreaming,
See the love beyond all death;
New the heavens new the earth,
Promise of the Kingdom coming.
Through Christ, the wounds of all this world.
In God’s own peace will then be healed.
© Anthony Kelly CSSR and Christopher Willcock SJ 1986.
A song for the prayer of the faithful from Nicaragua arranged and with English words by John Bell of the Wild Goose Resource Group. You can here an excerpt in Spanish at AOV.
1. For the world and all its people
we address our prayers to God.
Refrain
Confidently, all can worship
in the presence of the Lord.
2. All the powerless, the hungry,
are most precious to their God.
3. For the poor God has a purpose,
for the desperate, a word.
4. Christ is here and Christ is stronger
than the strength of sin or sword.
5. God will fill the earth with justice
when our will and his accord.
©WGRG, Iona Community, 1990.
http://www.iona.org.uk/wgrg_home.php
This is a song I hadn’t heard of until a request for a backing came in today.
What is truly remarkable is that Band in a Box figured the chords out and knowing that makes it fairly easy to pick the notes out and then arrange them on BIAB until the sound is something like the recording and then you have a backing. It still took an hour or so to do, but it is Anzac Day in Australia today and I had the day off. It is obviously easier if you have the sheet music already and if you intend to use this you should go to GIA and buy the sheet music.
This is the Youtube video that I listened to get the tune. I had to ignore the embellishments from the singer and my notes are likely to be approximate.
My backing is 64 bpm and I left the extra bar that builds up to the last chorus in situ.
Refrain
We will drink the cup.
We will win the fight.
We will stand against the darkness of the night.
We will run the race
And see God’s face,
And build the Kingdom of love.
Verse 1
Do not fear for I am with you.
Be still and know that I am God.
Refrain
Verse 2
You will run and not grow weary,
For I your God will be your strength.
Refrain
Verse 3
We are the Church, we are the Body.
We are God’s great work of art.
Refrain
And build the Kingdom of love.
© 1991 GIA
We are in a run of social justice songs in the second volume of As One Voice. This is by Sydney Carter. The sample at AOV lets you know the folk styling required and also the freedom with phrasing that is used.
This is a nice choral arrangement. I’m not sure about this bar band version.
My backing is at 75 bpm and much less ambitious.
1.
When I needed a neighbour
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a neighbour
Were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won’t matter
Were you there?2.
I was hungry and thirsty …
3.
I was cold, I was naked …
4.
When I needed a shelter …
5.
When I needed a healer …6.
When they put me in prison…
7.
Wherever you travel
I’ll be there, I’ll be there.
Wherever you travel
I’ll be there.
And the creed and the colour
And the name won’t matter
I’ll be there.
© Stainer and Bell 1965.
I’ve had a request for a backing for this Lamb of God. We used to use this Mass but I don’t think it has been updated. The Lamb of God doesn’t change though and this is a backing I made last millennium for it. We usually brought this mass down two semitones but this is the original key.
This is another text by Shirley Erena Murray set to an older piece of music, this time by John Hughes. The sample at AOV demonstrates the traditional sounding tune with a radical message. Use it if you can’t sing “Who Will Speak?”
Verse 1
Sing a song for peace and justice,
Speak for those who cannot speak!
Claim the world for peace and justice:
Let the strong support the weak.
Refrain
Light a candle in the darkness;
Hope and freedom must not die!
Hope and freedom must not die!
Verse 2
You who live in happy places,
Who can laugh and speak and sing,
Listen for the other voices
Mute with fear and suffering.
Refrain
Verse 3
Thousands cry in nameless prisons,
Plead with powers who hold the key:
Plead that human rights be honoured,
That the innocent go free.
Refrain
Words © Shirley Erena Murray
NB Shirley Erena Murray’s work may be accessed here at Hope Publishing and may be printed as a one off copy. Absolutely no alterations are to be made to the text. Any other use requires permission from the author.
