a hymn on hymns

1. in this hymn that I will write
inverted may each line be
much further on, the subject put
to hinder, thus the clarity.

2. one wonders why onto the end
of each line verbs are placeth
precarious they hang and I
am fearful they may falleth.

3. It, of course, is because the verb
of all words altered may be
a humble -eth or -oth be put
to make it rightly rhymey.

4. each word as written I can read
but who its meaning guesseth?
though schooling doth I have and more
I can’t, and I confesseth.

sar 2011

Inspired by The King Of Love My Shepherd Is

Another Day

1. Another day. It’s not my prayer
That I should merely live,
To serve my saviour is my care
With every breath he gives.
Another day, a day of grace,
Another day to seek his face*,
Soon his glory we’ll see.

2. Another day, my knowledge small,
These earthly eyes see dim.
But it’s enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with him.
The darkest room he leads me through
Is one to him that isn’t new,
Soon his glory we’ll see.

If life be long, I will be glad!
If life be short, should I be sad?
Another day!
To live, to die is gain!
Each day that’s lived is one to serve,
Each night steps closer to the Lord.
Another day! Soon we will see! 

3. Come Jesus! You I long to meet
My eyes to finally see,
For if your work on earth is sweet
What will your glory be?
Wrapped in wonder, at your side
Clothed in white, a radiant bride
Soon your glory we’ll see.

sar 2011, from Baxter ‘Lord it belongs not to my care’

* Got to lose the grace/face rhyme. Cliche city!

hypocrisy

I've been planning to write this post for the last month but haven't, cause it's a bit embarrassing. So, consequently, I haven't posted much at all. But time to end the silence.

I've been working on some hymn rewrites. In the past I've blogged passionately on how terrible it is to mess with someone else's work... and now I've done it. And to Wesley of all writers - who explicitly wrote that he didn't want anyone altering his words.

So come on. Condemn me.

Since he's long dead, legally I've not done anything wrong. But ethically? Does 200 years make a difference? And does motive matter? I'm trying to get (a version of) this particular hymn sung again. Because of its meter and language it won't be popular without a reworking. And I've given it a drastic one. Over 50% of the lines are mine.

Anyway. Tell me what you think. Am I a hypocrite? And can you pick apart the patchwork (without looking up the original) and guess which lines are mine and which are Wesley's?

Love Divine

O Love divine, what have you done!
My Lord, how can this be?
How could the ever living Son
Give up his life for me?
Nails through his hands, sword through his side
How could our God immortal die?
God instead of me!

Behold him, all as you pass by,
The Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your maker die,
And ask “What can this mean?”
Come feel with me his blood applied
Now guilt is gone, wrath satisfied
God instead of me!

Love divine, in my place
God of wonders, God of grace
God instead of me.
Love divine, bore my shame
no more guilt, no more blame
God instead of me
God instead of me

Then let us sit beneath His cross,
And catch the healing stream:
All things for Him account as loss,
We give our hearts to Him:
Of nothing think or speak beside,
My Lord, my maker, crucified!
God instead of me!

Beyond Horizons

1. Beyond horizons faith can see

Into a distant land

Across the ocean waits for me

My home, my promised land

My eyes look only on today

But faith can see a world away

2. The faithful old of long ago

Glimpsed from afar her shores

They longed for her as for a home

That they had known before

So faithfully their footsteps trod

Still searching for the land of God

Chorus:

Beyond horizons, across the oceans

Faith sees more than life today

By faith we know that a land is waiting

Where all tears are wiped away

So today we take our cross and bare

All things for joy will meet us there.

Beyond horizons.

3. Beyond horizons Jesus saw

A land of pure delight

And for its sake he gave up all

For us in sacrifice

In faith he knew that God would save

His soul, his body from the grave.

sar 2011

you will fit in this square box, yes you will!

I feel like an overbearing parent forcing a thuggish son to do ballet.

I'm meant to be writing a song on faith.

The song doesn't want to be about faith. It's determined to be about heaven. I'm determined that it be about faith.

Who will win?

My guess, neither of us.

command my heart (version 2, draft 1)

I wrote a version of this a few years ago. Never went anywhere. Half the lines were bad and it was a dud meter. I've now re-metered it and replaced most of the lines.

It's an adventure in alliteration. Trouble is, the feature sound - C - is very harsh. Not one you'd want repeated too often. There's also lots of Ws and Rs and Ls which aren't particularly desirable either. And the ending is lame.

But anyway, we're aiming to write 20 songs in the next little while in the hope that one is a keeper, so...

Command My Heart

1. Command my heart, oh Lord my God
direct my stubborn will
Catch every restive thought and deed
and call them all to you.

You speak the sky alive with stars 

One word the storm is still
So speak, command me, oh my God
and turn my heart to you.

2. Command my heart, oh Lord my God
Ignite your spirit’s fire
Consume each worthless worldly lust
And capture my desire.

How could I long for any more
Your love can make me new
Command my heart, oh Lord my God
So I will long for you.

3. Command my heart, oh Lord my God
and draw me to your grace
two planks of wood, the arms of love
my rock, my resting place.

My feet unsteady, I will fall
But you are ever true
So hold, command me, oh my God
And turn my heart to you.

sar 2011

Simon of Samaria

This is the first song we've written for a new kids cd on the book of Acts. It was inspired by (the bible and) Studio 60.

Simon of Samaria


Simon of Samaria
was a sordid sorcerer
he wowed the city with his magic tricks.
And everybody watched, amazed
they gasped in wonder and proclaimed
"This Simon is the mighty power of God"

Then Philip came along and spoke
of Jesus, gave them life and hope
And Simon's tricks, they seemed a little thin.
To pull a rabbit from a hat
is cool but so much more than that -
Jesus died to set us free from sin.

Jesus, better than magic
Jesus, isn't a game
Jesus, better than magic
Cause he rose to life again.

Magic tricks and party games
had won him honour, wealth and fame
but shortly, Simon's sorcering days would end.
All his fans were much more wowed
by Jesus who they followed now
for Jesus died and rose to life again.


sar 2011

Listening to 'Undivided'

My copy came in the mail today. Our songs are first and last. I've not had a first or last song on an adult's cd before. Both dangerous positions. If the first song's a dud, no one will stay around for the rest of the cd and if any of the songs are really bad, the final song could never be heard!

Of the middle eight songs, my favourites are Michael Morrow's Lift Up Your Heads and Trevor Hodge's No Other Name.

Michael's brilliance is that he can take an obscure biblical image - the anthropomorphised gates of Psalm 24 - and make us not just understand it, but feel it. Completely non cliche. We hear the words and have a vivid picture in our minds. And so wonderfully joyful. Why would anyone be glum? Jesus has opened the gates of heaven.

Trevor Hodge's No Other Name is a different kind of song. A bit epic. But I find I'm wanting to keep on listening to it. Think it will work really well in church.

I think Undivided could be emu's best cd yet. I'll be listening for a while.

Anyone else got their copy?

wow!

Just listened to one of our songs from Emu's new cd which will be released next month. It sounds really good. Better than any of our stuff before. Can't wait to hear the whole album.

Come to twist next weekend for a taster.

If I was desperate I'd...

But I'm not.

So I won't.

God Departs in 'Never Alone'

Quite a few people have been concerned about this.  Some considerably so.  Let me clear it up.

Hi ****,

Thanks for singing our song.  I hope it worked okay with your congregation.

Others have also questioned what that line means.  I think it is most clearly understood if you consider it with the previous words:

'A creeping dread in every heart,
Lost in the world, now God departs."


When I wrote these lines, I had Luke 23:48 in my mind. 


 Luke 23:46-48
⁴⁶Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
 ⁴⁷The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." ⁴⁸When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.
 
The word 'lost' does not refer to Jesus but to us. Humanity. In crucifying the Son of God we were putting ourselves in a very lonely position.  We were trying to remove God (in Jesus) from the world.  And, in a very real way, we succeeded.  God was with us in the world and we caused his departure (not ultimately, of course).  The people standing around realized something of what they had done and beat their breasts. 


These lines were not meant as a comment on God abandoning Jesus or anything like that.  I simply meant that one moment God was physically with us in the world, and the next moment, he wasn't.


Is that okay?


Thanks for asking.  It's good to know that you are thinking about the words that you are singing.


In Christ,


Simone

This is how God shows his love

There's a place of healing
for the troubled soul
Where guilty burdens are released
and sinners are made whole.
A sight that ever comforts,
casting out our fears
The earth may fall, the cross stands tall
towering through the years.

This is how God shows his love-
See, his arms out wide?
See, forgiveness, mercy, love
Are flowing from his side?
This is how God shows his love-
it's written in his blood
God on high took flesh and died
He gave up all for us.

The guiltless for the guilty
him in place of me
His perfect record swapped with mine
that I might righteous be.
Away, all fear of judgement!
Away, all anxious tears!
The cross, our light, is shining bright
and will through all the years.

sar 2010

an easter song

I've been asked to write a kids Easter song - kind of in this style.

I've done easter songs before (like Easter Friday (here) and 1-2-3-4-5 (here)) but this one will be more ambitious.

I need an angle.  Anyone?

Vagueness and 'Mighty to Save'

A fun discussion is happening over here on Peter's blog.

A commenter said this:


“I’ve grown a bit tired of songs that are like a theological treatise and afraid of getting personal with God.”

I hear this all the time.  Mostly I say nothing.  Not this time.  Here's what I wrote. 


Any song that sings like a theological treatise is probably just a bad song. But I’d love to know what songs you put in this category. We sing stuff that is quite meaty… but also engaging and moving. I don’t think I’d want particular songs on my church playlist if they had the emotional impact of a text book. But maybe we are all different on this, and songs that I experience as moving leave my sister in the next pew cold.

The other question I have is about ‘getting personal with God’. What do you mean by this? Is it through confession of sin, telling God how much you love him, hearing about and feeling moved by God’s love for you, or something else? I don’t have a problem with any of these things – it is just worth exploring what it is that you want a congregational singing experience to give you. I was chatting with a friend the other day and realised that what she wanted from congregational singing was a feeling of nearness to God that could be achieved without the drudgery of daily bible reading and prayer and patience with her children. And I want this too. I’m human so the song that builds for the first 3/4 and then climaxes before finishing with a string of whispered sweet nothings appeals to me. There’s buzz in that. Is that what you mean by getting personal with God?

What do you think?

Awake! A Brand New Day

Always hard to write imperative songs.  This is draft one of my latest attempt.


Awake! A Brand New Day

Awake! A brand new day to serve
Arise! A day to give
For Christ our Lord gave all to us
And now our lives are his.
Arise! For grace it overflows
From us to all the world
Awake! The son has risen high
A brand new day to serve!

Awake! A brand new day to love
Arise! A day of grace
Be clothed in patience, gentleness
In kindness run the race.
My sister, precious in his sight
My brother, bought with blood
Awake! The son has risen high!
A brand new day to love!

Awake! A brand new day to praise
Arise and sing, proclaim
The wonders of his mighty love
The power of his name.
Arise, o church, in all the earth
Your hearts and voices raise,
Awake! The son has risen high
A brand new day to praise!

sar 2010

want to help emu test new songs?

from an emu email to supporters.

Emu is currently planning its next big release of congregational songs for later this year - and we need your help! We want to know what you think of the songs we are planning to publish and how well they would work in your church. This is going to happen in focus groups in Sydney (Gladesville) and Brisbane (Carina) on 1st March, and Oxford, UK on 12th March. We will give you access to the songs first - then you come along and sing and give feedback. Our numbers will be limited - so if you would like to attend, please reply to philip at emumusic.com, and include some information about yourself, eg. 'I run my church band', 'I really just love singing in church' etc., so that we can get a broad range of people coming along. If you are nowhere near those locations, there may still be a chance for you to have some input, so let us know.

If you've been reading for a while, you might recognise some of the lyrics.

oops. I think I've just written a ballad

So I've written this lyric and it has a few good lines... but it won't go anywhere because it refers directly to a couple of bible stories.  There's a verse on Moses and a verse on David then a chorus tying it together.

Why is it that with adult congregational music you can't retell bible stories without it sounding really naff?

I can do it in kids' songs, so why not in adults'? 

I blame you, churchgoer!  Why don't you want to sing ballads?

The Heavens Sing

The heavens sing of Christ
their praise resounds on earth below,
O heart arise, the tune of grace
is life unto my soul!

Lift up your voice
and join the angel's song
Oh heart, sing out!
The tune of grace revives my soul

When I was lost and far away
a tune came to my ears
a melody that turned my heart
and stilled my raging fears.

This grace it lifts me from despair
it's comfort when I weep,
and when I lie encased in death
it wakes me from my sleep.

So may I with the angels sing
of Christ, proclaim his word,
Until the tune of grace is heard
and sung in all the world.

sar 2009

I need more theology...

... if I'm going to come up with anything even remotely fresh.

As I've noted before, for congregational songwriting you need to think theologically not exegetically. Think exegesis and you'll come up with either a scripture in song ditty or a more significant song that a church might want to use once a decade. Neither are commercially viable.

But my doctrine tank is running low. Can anyone recommend something for me to read or listen to?

As sure as the morning

As sure as the morning
as certain as the day
there's comfort for the weary
hope for all who stray.
The father holds his arms out
and bids the sinner come
so come to him for mercy
find shelter in his love.

My sin drove the nails
my selfishness, my pride
were thorns upon his crown
the spear within his side.
And though I'm scarred by sin,
corrupted through and through,
the morning's surely coming
with mercy ever new.

As sure as the morning
we'll rise to meet new life,
redemption's price is paid
God's wrath is satisfied.
Now all is grace, each moment
is kindness undeserved
So I will live to thank him,
I'll live to praise my Lord.

sar 2009*

* Kind of 2009. It's a reworking of a song I wrote a couple of years ago that we couldn't make take off. New meter. New title line. New words. Hoping for better things this time.