Church Music

This is another David Haas song, but this one I have played over and over and over.  I think it is good but massive repetition dulls the senses. I know I don’t like the long high D note at the start of the verses, which has been the start of many a crash and burn.  For some reason we have never bothered to bring it down a little, perhaps because bringing it down to F will cause alarm for lazy guitarists like me.

It can be purchased at GIA.

I like this church choir’s version. I’ve never done it this slowly but they keep it together nicely and there is a tasty horn section off camera. You’ve got to check out this wild organ version.  I’m not sure if it’s brilliant or suitable for a merry go round.

Refrain

To be your bread now, be your wine now,
Lord, come and change us to be a sign of your love.
Blest and broken, poured and flowing,
gift that you gave us, to be your body once again.

Verse 1

We come to your table with our lives as they are.
Heal us Lord, for we are broken; make us one again.

Refrain

Verse 2

Lord, we stumble through the darkness of night.
Lead us, now, O Lord, we follow; bring us home to you.

Refrain

Verse 3

Give us the bread and wine that bring us to life.
Feed us, and we’ll never hunger, never thirst again.

Refrain

© David Haas 1981,1982.

This David Haas song uses the vine metaphor from John 15, and so has liturgical use when that comes up in the readings, although it is one of Haas’s songs that we have never used.   A lovely restful tune but watch the differing melody lines in the verses.  The version in AOV Guitar has the second bar of intro stay on A/D rather than going back to D, which would make more sense.  I was not brave and went with replacing the D chord there and wherever else that pattern came up.

The text is available here.

This is nice version by a spirited trio + piano.  I suspect this is the original complete with a sappy picture and it is reasonably pleasant as these recordings go.

It can be purchased at GIA.

This is Marty Haugen’s setting of a nineteenth century text by Henry Alford.  I’ve never sung it but it strikes me as well done. Looking for information on this tune once again gave me lists of posts full of anger against Haugen. Listen to this organ and voice version and try to see any reason for the vitriol. Even the original is at worst harmless and certainly traditional sounding.  Even the NLMB approve the song, so Marty Haugen must have true art in his tune.

It can purchased at GIA.

Verse 1

We walk by faith, and not by sight;
no gracious words we hear
of him who spoke as none e’er spoke,
but we believe him near.

Verse 2

We may not touch his hands and side,
nor follow where he trod,
yet in his promise we rejoice,
and cry “My Lord and God!”

Verse 3

Help then, O Lord, our unbelief,
and may our faith abound
to call on you when you are near,
and seek where you are found:

Verse 4

that when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are
in full and endless sight.

Rpt Verse 1

This is Chris Robinson’s song from Isaiah and is a normal sounding song in the snippet on AOV. I gather he is Australian and this is from a collection of advent songs.

I myself have always heard it as a Russian style song for some reason. I’ve also played it so many times I no longer know if is is good song, but people do get into it and sing enthusiastically.

Refrain

A voice in the wilderness calls to prepare,

For we are standing on the edge of changes.

Across the desert sand and the mountain high,

The Lord is coming, make your way.

Verse 1

I will hear what the Lord will say,

A voice of peace for all his people,

His voice is never far for those who know

His glory dwelling in our land.

Refrain

Verse 2

Faithfulness and mercy have met,

Peace and justice have embraced here.

Faithfulness shall spring from the earth

And justice look down from the sky.

Refrain

Verse 3

The Lord our God will make us grow,

And earth will bring its fruit in all its splendor.

Justice marches on before he comes

And peace will follow in his way.

Refrain

© Chris Robinson 1990.

I don’t have to do No 7 in The Source New Songs, because it is “Come, Now is the Time to Worship” and I’ve already done that in AOV NG.

This is a song by Sue Howson from the 90s and quite nice it is but I have no idea how it is really supposed to go – I think it is a power ballad.  The phrasing is not easy but give it a go and see what you think. I’m not sure we really need to see “the marks of sacrifice.”

Create in me a pure heart that’s Yours forever

Yielded and steadfast, secure in Your love.

Restore to me joy in belonging to You.

Make me Yours, Lord, make me Yours,

I long to be devoted to You.

 

Oh may my life be one that’s willing to live for You,

Bearing the marks of sacrifice,

Living to die, laying all down for Your name.

Make me Yours, Lord, make me Yours,

I long to be devoted to You.

© Daybreak Music 1995.

A traditional South African tune beloved of choirs everywhere.  My daughter wandered in when I was making the backing because she recognised it from her choir days.  This choir is pretty good even if the clip misses the beginning. There is full sheet music courtesy of Willow Creek here.

In  my backing the two parts are again at opposite sides of the stereo mix. I wait until the main vocal line is established before bringing in the second line for clarity’s sake. Best sung without backing or just percussion I think.

Freedom is coming,   (O Freedom etc)

Freedom is coming,

Freedom is coming,

O Yes I know                           

Freedom is coming,

Freedom is coming,

Freedom is coming,

O Yes I know           (O Yes I know etc)

O Yes I know

O Yes I know

O Yes I know

O Yes I know

O Yes I know

O Yes I know

O Yes I know

© Utrych Publishing

This is, obviously, a Eucharist song from Christopher Walker.  We’ve never used it, probably because of the 4/4, 3/8, 2/4, 4/4 time shifting going on. You can get an idea of how this works from the snippet at AOV. Once this is mastered it actually is quite a pleasant tune and even has a Christmas version.  Because of the pauses, the song isolates the word “shed”.  I think this sounds odd for Australian males who are fixated on their sheds.

It was a dog to get into BIAB and I finally managed with a combination of time and tempo changes that I think did the trick. It ended up with a faux medieval style.

Refrain

Bread for the world broken; wine for us all shed;

Word in flesh spoken:

God in love made manifest, God in love made manifest.

Verse 1

Love on the road that’s lonely, love in our minds as guide,

Love speaking words of wisdom, love walking by our side.

Refrain

Verse 2

Love on our lips to praise him, love in our eyes to care,

Love on our hands for healing, love in ours hearts to share.

Refrain

Verse 3

Love feeds our starving brother, love heals our sister’s pain,

Love is a light in darkness, love soon will rise again.

Refrain

Verse 4

Love redeems all creation, love is the only way,

Love is our song forever, so with the world we say:

Final refrain

You are the love broken; Yours is the blood shed;

You are the word spoken:

You are love made manifest, you are love made manifest.

 

Christmas Version

Love has come down from heaven, love blessing all the earth,

Love of our God given, love here in human birth.

 

Love in the eyes of shepherds, love in the Virgin’s joy,

Love in a lowly stable, love for a holy boy.

 

Love on my lips to praise him, love in my eyes to care,

Love on his hands for healing, love in his heart to share.

 

Love redeems all creation, love is the only way,

Love is our song forever, so with the world we say:

© Christopher Walker 1981.

Addendum 3/12/24

Chris Welch suggested Chris Brunelle’s take on Chris Walker’s song was worth a listen.

It certainly is:

Gregory Norbet’s gentle song has to cope with a recitation in the middle.  I’m never sure how this sort of thing is meant to be timed so good luck. It is a beautiful thought from the story of Ruth and would be a great, if rather intense, wedding song (minus the recitation – stick the vows in there instead!)  You can listen to a nice choir sing it here.

Sung

Wherever you go, I shall go.
Wherever you live, so shall I live.
Your people will be my people,
And your God will be my God too.

Wherever you die, I shall die.
And there shall I be buried beside you.
We will be together forever;
And our love will be the gift of our lives.

Spoken
I want to say something to all of you
Who have become a part
Of the fabric of my life.

The color and texture
Which you have brought into my being
Have become a song,
And I want to sing it forever.

There is an energy in us
Which makes things happen
When the paths of other persons
touch ours.
And we have to be there
And let it happen.

When the time
Of our particular sunset comes
Our thing, our accomplishment
Won’t really matter a great deal.

But the clarity and care
With which we have loved others
Will speak with vitality
Of the great gift of life
We have been for each other.

Sung

Wherever you go, I shall go.
Wherever you live, so shall I live.
Your people will be my people,
And your God will be my God too.

Wherever you die, I shall die.
And there shall I be buried beside you.
We will be together forever;
And our love will be the gift of our lives.

We will be together forever;
And our love will be the gift of our lives.

Copyright © 1972
The Benedictine Foundation of the State of Vermont, Inc.,
Weston Priory, Weston, Vermont.

www.westonpriory.org

This is Bob Hurd’s song, but I gather the verses that are usually sung are by Michael Downey. You can hear the original version here. The quality of the recording is not great but the noble simplicity of this version is wonderful. This is another song I have played so often, it is hard to know anymore if it has merit, but any song that acknowledges Jesus as stranger has my vote.

It can purchased for download at OCP.

It is a risk having the same tune for the verse and chorus, but it seems to work. The revised verses make it a much more generally applicable communion song but I quite like the first original verse, although we never sing it.

Refrain

In the breaking of the bread

We have known Him; we have been fed.

Jesus the stranger, Jesus the Lord,

Be our companion, be our hope.

Verse 1

Bread for the journey, strength for our years,

Manna of ages of struggle and tears.

Cup of salvation, fruit of the land,

Bless and receive now, the work of our hands.

Refrain

Verse 2

Bread of the promise, people of hope,

Wine of compassion, life for the world.

Gathered at table, joined as one body.

Sealed in the spirit, sent by the Word.

Refrain

Original verses:

Once I was helpless, sad and confused;

Darkness surrounded me, courage removed.

And then I saw him by my side.

Carry my burden, open my eyes.

 

There is no sorrow, pain or woe,

There is no suffering he did not know,

He did not waver, he did not bend.

He is the victor. he is my friend.

© Bob Hurd 1984, revised text Bob Hurd and Michael Downey 1987.

This is another very popular choice of liturgists over the years at our church. It is by Dan Schutte and in 6/4 time so is hard to do on BIAB. It gets around a certain singsongyness by having a third verse, which is a bridge that blends into half a verse and a fourth verse that is also half a verse long.  That said, we rarely get past the first two verses anyway.

I don’t think it is his best tune (and I love Dan Schutte music usually) but perhaps repetition has dulled my senses. If it is done like a dirge it is sadly funny when our tears are “turned into dancing” and it sounds as if dancing is the last thing anyone wants to do.

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

Listen to it here in the original or here for a full on treatment in a mass. I hope my backing has the easy swaying rhythm suggested.  I’ve put the melody and the descant at opposite sides of the stereo mix to assist with learning the parts.

Verse 1

Awake from your slumber! Arise from your sleep!
A new day is dawning for all those who weep.
The people in darkness have seen a great light.
The Lord of our longing has conquered the night.

Refrain
Let us build the city of God.
May our tears be turned into dancing!
For the Lord, our light and our love,
has turned the night into day!

Verse 2

We are sons of the morning; we are daughters of day.
The One who has loved us has brightened our way.
The Lord of all kindness has called us to be
a light for his people to set their hearts free.

Refrain

Verse 3
God is light; in him there is no darkness.
Let us walk in his light, his children, one and all.
O comfort my people; make gentle your words.
Proclaim to my city the day of her birth.

Refrain

Verse 4
O city of gladness, now lift up your voice!
Proclaim the good tidings that all may rejoice!

© Daniel Schutte 1981.