This is the second song called “Here I Am” and is 64 in As One Voice: The Next Generation. This one is by Tom Booth and in this case we are singing as God rather as ourselves as we were in Tony Alonso’s song. This is another quiet reflective song and is much easier to sing than its namesake. As a song about the presence of God in our midst, I see no reason it could not be used as a communion song.
The sheet music can be purchased for download at spiritandsong.
Refrain
Here I am, standing right beside you.
Here I am; do not be afraid.
Here I am, waiting like a lover.
I am here; here I am.
Verse 1.
Do not fear when the tempter calls you.
Do not fear even though you fall.
Do not fear, I have conquered evil.
Do not fear, never be afraid.
Refrain
Verse 2.
I am here in the face of ev’ry child.
I am here in ev’ry warm embrace.
I am here with tenderness and mercy.
Here I am; I am here.
Refrain
Verse 3.
I am here in the midst of ev’ry trial.
I am here in the face of despair.
I am here when pardoning your brother.
Here I am, I am here.
I’m doing this one out of order to have it ready in plenty of time for Easter Sunday. It is a great new song called “Jesus is Risen” by Monica O’Brien and Gina Ogilvie and is No 82 in AOV NG. I heard Gina sing it with a crowd of young people at their conference last September and it raised the roof. I’d recommend you listen to her version on the CD or the sample at AOV. I hope we get a chance to use it ourselves this year. I’ve tried to get the excitement into my backing that I heard when Gina played it.
Chorus
The stone has been rolled away and freedom is witnessed today.
This is the first of two songs named “Here I Am”, this one by Tony Alonso. It is No 63 in AOV NG.
It’s based on Ps 40 so it might come in handy, especially just as a refrain. Otherwise you will need a cantor for the three verses, each of which is different and challenging. If the music is challenging the lyrics are direct, simple and effective. Its relaxed style is a welcome relief after all these P&W songs and my backing tries to capture this.
GIA have provided the lyrics in this preview, and you can purchase the music for download here.
It’s also one of the few in the book I’ve played a lot, so I can offer more practical insights than usual. Firstly, it is somewhat miraculous, in that Michael Mangan has written roughly a million songs for schools (I know – I’ve had to play most of them) and they are somewhat restricted by their context, so much so, that we had thought he wrote them in a special language called manganese. But this song turned up that he wrote for the National Evangelisation Conference in Brisbane in 1999 and, once we learnt it properly (we thought), was the noisiest thing we did at church and a great recessional.
If possible I’d suggest you get his original arrangement and lyrics. The latest version loses the rush up the fretboard to the chorus and the transition back to the verse has been neutered. The international lyrics are less specific and less effective and Michael says he only does them outside Australia.
I’d also suggest that his version on the CD is much more quiet and polite than he sings it live and even that is still far too restrained -turn it up to eleven.
You can still have a lot of dynamics, though. We have vocals only for “With our hearts on” at the start of the chorus and really hit the “fire” with a crashing guitar chord. It also should stop suddenly at the end – my backing doesn’t stop as abruptly as we do it in church.
In my backing the chords are how we were taught them and I find on real sheet music the intervals are a little different. I can’t change now so I’ll keep playing it slightly wrong. These are the original lyrics by the way. Don’t forget the actions that go with the song.
Verse 1
We come from ancient dreamtime,
From the bush, or by the sea.
We come from a thousand city streets,
We are the rich and lowly,
We are the poor and strong,
We come to share this moment,
Gathering here, singing one song
Chorus
With our hearts on fire with the love of Jesus Hearts on fire, let’s spread the Word Hearts on fire, feel the Spirit blazing Hearts on fire Called to live the Good News in this land Setting hearts on fire, with our hearts on fire Setting hearts on fire
Verse 2
We long to live in freedom, we yearn for unity
We dream of justice, joy and peace
Spirit fill us with your power
Jesus help us live your call
O Creator give us wisdom
So we will be Good News for all
Chorus
Verse 3
We are the voice of Jesus
We are His hearts and hands
We are His body in our land
Stand up! Live the story
To all the world proclaim
Go out to all creation
Lighting the fire, fanning the flames
More Praise and Worship, this time from Hillsong, No 61 in AOV NG is “Hear Our Praises”, written by Reuben Morgan. It is simple – the sequence took only about 15 minutes on Band in a Box – memorable and pretty singable – only a few D’s to crack up on. It is also unadventurous, plain and bland but you just add your own inspiration and sing out loud. Instead of putting the repeat on the second chorus, I just repeated the verse as well – call me lazy, but the verse is no more nor less plain than the chorus so I figured it doesn’t matter, especially as I’m sure most people know this one already and Hillsong throw innumerable Hallelujah’s in their version, which you could sing as a third verse.
One nice thing about this run of P&W songs, is that most have lyrics on the net, so that means less typing for me.
You can purchase the sheet music for download at several sites on the net including musicnotes.
Verse 1
May our homes be filled with dancing
May our streets be filled with joy.
May injustice bow to Jesus
As the people turn to pray.
Chorus
From the mountains to the valleys
Hear our praises rise to You,
From the heavens to the nations
Hear our singing fill the air.
Verse 2
May a light shine in the darkness
As we walk before the cross
May Your glory fill the whole earth
As the water o’er seas.
No 60 is not noisy but fits the “slow song” paradigm of the P&W genre. It is “Healing Waters” by Chris Sprenger and Eric Thomasen.
I’m not sure an assembly would cope with the intervals here. The version on the CD is too saccharine for my cynical ears, but as previously noted, it might suit an American sensibility. It would benefit from a much more stripped back arrangement, I suspect, but I regrettably have largely followed the lead of the recorded version in my backing. You could try this piano instrumental for size.
Sheet music is available at audiblefaith. Lyrics and chords are here, but they don’t match the published ones – they might be better.
Verse 1
Lord, I’ve come to touch Your face
Just to feel Your warm embrace
Come descend, Lord, like a dove
Touch my heart with Your love for me, for me.
Chorus
Let Your healing waters flow in this place
Let Your healing waters flow in this place
You’re the giver of life giving new life
You’re the living Word of God
Let Your healing waters flow in this place
Let Your healing waters flow in this place
Mighty waves of power
Followed by Your grace
Let Your healing waters flow in this place
Verse 2 Standing in this place
Even now You’re giving grace
We have seen and we believe
It’s by faith that we receive
We receive
We are in a P&W run at the moment, which isn’t much use from a liturgical perspective but is allowing a fair bit of noise.
No 59 in As One Voice: the Next Generation is Tim Hughes and Ben Cantelon’s song “Happy Day”. Again this song has a very wide vocal range for a shouter and I can‘t see the crowds managing it – it remains a pop/rock song of some merit.
There is a lead sheet here but you can purchase to download a fuller version at musicnotes.
Verse 1: The greatest day in history, Death is beaten
You have rescued me
Sing it out Jesus is alive
The empty cross, The empty grave
Life eternal You have won the day
Shout it out Jesus is alive
He’s alive
Chorus: Oh happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away
Oh happy day, happy day
I’ll never be the same
Forever I am changed
Verse 2: When I stand, in that place
Free at last, meeting face to face
I am Yours Jesus You are mine
Endless joy, perfect peace
Earthly pain finally will cease
Celebrate Jesus is alive
He’s alive
Chorus
Bridge:
Oh what a glorious day
What a glorious way
That You have saved me
Oh what a glorious day
What a glorious name
58 in AOV NG is Matt Maher’s “Great Things.” More P&W with possibly too many lines telling God that it is his name we are shouting out loud. However in its context a fine song with the usual start low build up and freak out pattern. It gets fairly high (E) for this sort of song so might be hard to sing along to.
You can purchase the sheet music for download at spiritandsong.
My soul proclaims Your greatness, Lord
Rejoicing in my Saviour
Your mercy belongs to those who fear Your Son
His blessings You have given them forever
And holy is His name, holy is His name
You alone have done great things
I can’t boast of anything
Mighty one, and King of kings, Jesus
You alone have done great things
By Your living word in me
Mighty One, and King of kings, Jesus
My soul proclaims Your greatness, Lord
Rejoicing in my Saviour
Your mercy belongs to those who fear Your Son
His blessings You have given them forever
And holy is His name, holy is His name
You alone have done great things
I can’t boast of anything
Mighty one, and King of kings, Jesus
You alone have done great things
By Your living word in me
Mighty One, and King of kings, Jesus
And it’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
And it’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
And it’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out
You alone have done great things
I can’t boast of anything
Mighty one, and King of kings, Jesus
You alone have done great things
By Your living word in me
Mighty One, and King of kings, Jesus
And it’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out loud
It’s Your name we’re shouting out
Shouting out
I’m not sure what to make of “God of Wonders” by Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd, No57 in As One Voice: the Next Generation. It is another P&W song and the tune is insistent and memorable – I can’t get it out of the vacant spaces of my brain at the moment. Lyrically, I have issues with “God of wonders beyond our galaxy.” I’d be happier with beyond the corner shop to make sure no-one is thinking spatially about God. I know it is a Psalm (Ps 136) but I forgive the Psalmist his temporal frame – I’m not sure Byrd and Hindalong get the same privilege. They are, at least, experienced musicians with careers outside Christian music, which gives them brownie points from me – and Steve is a drummer, for which we forgive much.
There is a piano arrangement here that takes it from the key of G to Bb (?a good idea), but the official version can be purchased for download from spiritandsong.
Incidentally the composer’s version on the CD is another great pop song. The internet again informs me that this associated with Chris Tomlin who has good taste in pop songs I suppose. The clip is from a band called Third Day.
Lord of all creation
Of water, earth, and sky
The heavens are Your tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on High
God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy
Lord of heaven and earth (2X)
Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
And as I stumble through the darkness
I will call Your name by night
God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy
Lord of heaven and earth (2X)
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth (3X)
God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
Precious Lord, reveal Your heart to me
Father holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy, holy, holy
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth (6X)
Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth
Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
And when I stumble in the darkness
I will call Your Name by night
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares your majesty
You are holy, holy
Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
Precious Lord reveal Your heart to me
Father hold me, hold me
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy, holy, holy
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth
I've worked my way through the As One Voice books and other collections making backings on Band in a Box to help me (& you if you're interested) learn new songs for church. This is aimed at churches and musicians that own the collections but haven't exploited them fully. If you don't have them they are certainly worth buying. This site is educational, nonprofit and designed to enhance the commercial prospects of songwriters. This site does not distribute copyrighted sheet music.
Disclaimer
Any opinions expressed here are personal views and not the responsibility of any Church.
All music backings posted are created by myself and the intention is for them to be used to learn the songs. If any copyright holder wishes me to cease publicising and promoting their wares and directing people to where sheet music can be legally purchased please let me know.
Mason’s “Mass of Glory and Praise”
To access my backings for Paul Mason's mass go to Feb 2011 in the archive.
