Church Music

This is a traditional African melody that we have sung with the original text.

It wasn’t easy.

A snippet is available to listen to at AOV.

You can hear a childrens’ choir do it here, but I’m not sure this qualifies as just a children’s song.

We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
Oo we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
Oo we are marching in the light of God.

Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Oo siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Oo siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.

PS  I’m blogging from Tokyo so I can’t answer e-mails this week.

Gerry Holmes wrote this song which has a Christmas version and a Baptism version. Listen at AOV for an excerpt.

Refrain

We welcome you little baby, into our family life.

Come now, gentle and frail, and we will hold you tight.

Verse 1

Each Christmas morn he comes to us

And we must let him in.

How can it be, so long ago

There was no room within?

Refrain

Verse 2

Amidst the wrappings torn and toss’d

We hear a little cry,

And if we look, with caring hands

We find a lonely child.

Refrain

Verse 3

Around this world this Christmas day

A million babes will come

And with each tear, they’ll share this day

With Mary’s little son.

Refrain

Baptism verses

Verse 1

A new boy/girl comes to join the fun

And we must let her/him in.

How can it be, for Mary’s babe

There was no room within?

Verse 2

Amidst the noises all around

We hear a little cry,

And if we stop and look awhile

We’ll find a little child.

Verse 3

Around the world this special day

A million babes will come,

And with tear, they’ll share this day

With Mary’s little son.

© Gerry Holmes

Another children’s song, this time by Carey Landry. I prefer this to his more general work and you can hear a bit of it at AOV.

Chorus

God has made us a family, and together we will grow in love.

God has made us a family, and together we will grow in love.

Verse 1

O yes! We need one another, as together we grow in love;

And we will forgive one another, as together we grow in love.

Chorus

Verse 2

Together we will hear God’s word as we learn to grow in love;

Together we will pray as one, as we learn to grow in love.

Chorus

Verse 3

We will reach out to those in need as we learn to grow in love,

To those who are lonely and hurting, as we learn to grow in love.

Chorus

© Carey Landry and NALR 1986.

This is the start of a run of children’s songs in As One Voice Vol 2. Written by Alicia Rowe and Sally Wolf it bounces along joyfully and is a lot of fun. A sample is available for listening at AOV and a different version can be heard at OCP.

Verse 1

Love somersaults through the sky,

Paddles the sea in boats.

If you can’t find it, look up! Look up!

Love is so light it floats!

Refrain

In the beginning was love;

Love never comes to an end;

And the love, the love was God.

Let it begin again!

In the beginning was love:

A light across the sea.

And the love – the love was God.

Let it begin with me.

Verse 2

Love whispers around the world,

Like a contagious song.

If you can hear it, sing out! Sing out!

Others will sing along!

Refrain

Verse 3

Love tiptoes inside the heart;

It will not wake your sleep.

But if you feel it, jump up! Jump up!

Hold out your hands and leap!

Refrain

© Alicia Rowe and Sally Wolf 1980.

A Taize chant by Jacques Berthier. AOV has the text in ten more languages. Listen to an excerpt at AOV. To listen to the whole thing on YouTube you will have to put up with an ad and irritating transitions. It is also available in Japanese, German, and Catalan to hear on YouTube.

My backing has just the main tune and is at 80 bpm.

 In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful,

In the Lord I will rejoice!

Look to God, do not be afraid,

Lift up your voices, the Lord is near;

Lift up your voice, the Lord is near.

© Ateliers Et Presses De Taizé

This is a Seekers-like children’s song from Monica Brown. There is a very brief sample at AOV to listen to – a longer one is available at her Emmaus site. It is suggested as a song for first Eucharist and that makes sense.

My backing is at 105 bpm.

Chorus

You can speak from your heart to me, my Jesus,

You can say anything you’d like to say to me.

And I will speak from my heart to you, my Jesus,

And say to you whatever I’d like to say.

Verse 1

Jesus, you have called me near and I’m so happy to come.

I know when you see my face it brings a smile to you.

Chorus

Verse 2

I know why you share with me this special bread of life.

It’s because you want to be with me as closely as you can.

Chorus

© Monica Brown and Emmaus Productions 1986.

This is another gentle song, this time by Graham Kendrick. It could used for healing or prayer services and even could be a communion hymn. There is an excerpt to hear at AOV.

This version is really really slow. This version is just guitar and voice – he appears to have taken it up to D.

My backing is at 82bpm.

 O Lord, your tenderness melting all my bitterness.

O Lord, I receive your love.

O Lord, your loveliness changing all my ugliness,

O Lord, I receive your love.

O Lord, I receive your love.

O Lord, I receive your love.

© Kingsway’s Thankyou Music 1986.

A sweet gentle song by Erica Marshall, it is suggested for marriages and dedications but would be a good entrance when a quieter mood was needed. You can go to AOV to hear a little of the song.

My backing does not have the “freely” feeling suggested, that you can hear when Erica sings it I’m afraid.

Verse 1

All of our life we will travel a journey,

Called into love by the heart of the Son.

Believing this way, we will walk with him only

For he is our joy, our peace, our true delight.

Refrain

With you, Lord, we’ll know the way,

For you are the light of our day.

Your strength in out need,

Forgiveness and freedom:

Let us trust in the Lord!

Verse 2

Sorrow will come as we travel our journey,

Broken, yet blessed in the breaking we are.

And when we are grown we belong to him only

For he is our joy, our peace, our true delight.

Refrain

Verse 3

Happiness shared as we travel our journey,

Invites us to live in the heart of the Son.

Together we walk as we follow him only

For he is our joy, our peace, our true delight.

Refrain

© Erica Marshall 1988.

I did some backings for Keith Duke tunes when I was doing As One Voice: the Next Generation last year.  Aldo in Italy uses Keith Duke chants to accompany prayer and asked for one of Cadfan’s Blessing. You can hear it done properly here. I did my best to work it out on my faithful ukelele and transfer it to BIAB.

My backing has none of the subtlety that the human player provides, but for what it’s worth this is my approximate version. I’d fade it out before the end as there seems to be a couple of stray notes that shouldn’t be there and it is too long anyway.

This is Psalm 98 set as a four part round by Phil Porter and Elaine Kirkland. The extract at AOV will give you the idea.

O Sing to God a new song,

O sing to God all the earth.

Proclaim God’s salvation from day to day,

and bless God’s name.

© Phil Porter and Elaine Kirkland 1992.