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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Crappy Choruses & Horrible Hymns redux
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welsh dragon
Shipmate
# 3249
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by bobthemagicviking:
Was at a wedding last summer where Dear Lord and Father of mankind was sung. Had to restain myself from laughing at the irony of the words at a wedding
Is lovely hymn. Specially the bit about dropping thy still dews of quietness & etc.
But I also heard it, I think for the first time, at a wedding. A wedding where the groom had previously badly jilted the bride,and then decided belatedly to patch things up with her. Hence it seemed pretty inappropriate to be singing
quote:
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Forgive our foolish ways...
- a bit too close a comment on the behaviour of the bridegroom (to whom I had taken something of a disliking by this stage...)
Posts: 5352 | From: ebay | Registered: Aug 2002
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Newman's Own
Shipmate
# 420
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Posted
Does anyone remember, during the film "Priest," the sequence where the congregation is singing a horrid song about the Israelites? (I cannot recall the lyrics in any detail.) It was a wonderful example of the worst in hymnody. I don't recall ever hearing it elsewhere (thanking God for small blessings). Was it an actual worship song, or one composed entirely for that film?
Now, with my favourite thread having stimulated some far away memories, I shall reveal a hymn I heard once - at a pentecostal service, where the lady who'd dragged me there had done so because she thought I 'had demons.' An attractive young couple, clearly from the States though I would know which part, sang a sort of 'folk rock' song, of which the following words remain in my memory. (No, I have not been drinking.)
The Lord Jesus, he done done,
The Lord Jesus, he done done,
The Lord Jesus, he done done,
He done done what He said He'd do.
The verses all were "He done (done whatever, it changed with each), he done done, etc."
Done done?!
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Cheers,
Elizabeth
“History as Revelation is seldom very revealing, and histories of holiness are full of holes.” - Dermot Quinn
Posts: 6740 | From: Library or pub | Registered: Jun 2001
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Sooty Puss
Shipmate
# 4155
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Posted
I can't stand that 'I want to be a blooming tree' song either. Another cringe-worthy Doug Horley song is this one:
Hands, hands, finger, thumbs
We can lift to praise You
Hands, hands fingers, thumbs
We can lift to praise.
Hands, hands, fingers thumbs
We can lift to praise You
Jump front, jump back, yeah!
We were made to praise.
Admittedly it's a children's song with lots of actions. Not the sort of thing to sing in a hospital service. . . particularly when you get the line:
Got some feet a-made to dance
Let's use them now when we've got the chance . . .
Sorry Doug Horley, you have written some nice choruses in the past. this one aint one of them
![[Projectile]](graemlins/puke2.gif)
Posts: 108 | From: SUSPENDED | Registered: Feb 2003
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Wm Duncan
Buoy tender
# 3021
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Posted
About "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind":
The hymn is taken from some of the later verses of a long-ish poem by John Greenleaf Whitter. Whittier, a Quaker, wrote "The Brewing of Soma", favoring the "still small voice of calm" religion over intoxicated, ecstatic, elaborate rite.
I've thought the hymnals should include all the verses -- until a gay friend objected to the opening line, "The fagots blazed ...". ![[Two face]](graemlins/scot_twoface.gif)
Wm Duncan
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I have overcome a fiercely anti-Catholic upbringing in order to attend Mass simply and solely to escape Protestant guitars. Why am I here? Who gave these nice Catholics guitars?
-- Annie Dillard
Posts: 1193 | From: about 30 km above the Juan de Fuca plate | Registered: Jul 2002
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Pyx_e
Quixotic Tilter
# 57
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Posted
amen
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It is better to be Kind than right.
Posts: 9778 | From: The Dark Tower | Registered: May 2001
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Amos
Shipmate
# 44
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Posted
'Flamed' that should be, not 'blazed' ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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At the end of the day we face our Maker alongside Jesus--ken
Posts: 7667 | From: Summerisle | Registered: May 2001
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Wesley S Chappell
Shipmate
# 4186
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Posted
I remember speaking to a Welshman at a party about Handel's Messiah. I asked him which bit he liked best and he said 'We Like Sheep'.
Needless to say we all cracked up. ![[Killing me]](graemlins/killingme.gif)
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ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking.
Posts: 477 | From: London | Registered: Feb 2003
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Wm Duncan
Buoy tender
# 3021
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Posted
Somehow, I picture Monty Pythonesque choreography to that one ("We like sheep.")
![[Snigger]](graemlins/snigger.gif)
Wm Duncan
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I have overcome a fiercely anti-Catholic upbringing in order to attend Mass simply and solely to escape Protestant guitars. Why am I here? Who gave these nice Catholics guitars?
-- Annie Dillard
Posts: 1193 | From: about 30 km above the Juan de Fuca plate | Registered: Jul 2002
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GordonThePenguin
Shipmate
# 2106
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Posted
I recall a quotation attributed to Sir Thomas Beecham, who while conducting a rehearsal of Messiah stopped during "All we like sheep" and said:
"Gentlemen, a little more regret and a little less relish, please!"
Posts: 401 | From: Heidelberg | Registered: Jan 2002
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
My response to "All we like sheep" is "exactly how do sheep wee?"
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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Sauerkraut
Shipmate
# 3112
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Posted
Being as this thread hasn't had a post in almost two weeks, I propose this little ditty that replaced the The Verse before the reading of the Gospel.
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch him
And say that we love him
Open our ears Lord
Help us to listen
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus
Of couse, this is replacing
Alleluia!
Lord to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal Life.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
which is Peter's confession with a few Alleluias! thrown in. The "Open my eyes Lord" is the type of "Jesus is my boyfriend" music I despise. ![[Mad]](angryfire.gif)
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We want not an amalgam or compromise, but both things at the top of their energy; love and wrath both burning. Christianity got over the difficulty of combining furious opposites, by keeping them both, and keeping them both furious.--G.K. Chesterton
Posts: 196 | From: The middle of the US | Registered: Jul 2002
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Grits
Compassionate fundamentalist
# 4169
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Posted
Thank you for this thread. I'm new, and I have laughed myself silly. We sang "Bind Us Together" at church last night, and I remember thinking it was hard to sing engagingly, if nothing else.
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Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and shut it when I've said enough. Amen.
Posts: 8419 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: Feb 2003
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Newman's Own
Shipmate
# 420
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Posted
I never remember hearing this except in a university (1972 or so), and it can never have its impact without hearing the dreadful tune, but I well remember when the Great Amen was replaced with, "And the Lord said let it be, and the Lord said let it be, Amen, all is well, let it be."
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Cheers,
Elizabeth
“History as Revelation is seldom very revealing, and histories of holiness are full of holes.” - Dermot Quinn
Posts: 6740 | From: Library or pub | Registered: Jun 2001
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Gill H
Shipmate
# 68
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Posted
Good grief - I hoped 'open our eyes' had died a merciful death years ago. The odd thing is that people usually sing it with their eyes closed ...
Maybe this is also the place to mention last Sunday. We had a visiting children's worker who was, on the whole, superb. After several songs aimed at children, he got us singing a song which he claimed was particularly helpful to non-churchgoers as they already knew it. It was the Savage Garden song 'Truly Madly Deeply'.
As I'm a singer and I knew the song, I found it fun and soon had some nice harmonies and improvs going, but the words didn't really come over as a worship song. (Can't imagine telling Jesus 'I wanna bathe with you in the sea' - although coincidentally there was a baptism that morning! And 'until the sky falls down on me'? Even Revelation didn't predict that!)
For non-singers the words were not easy to fit in, and a large number of visitors that morning didn't look like they would have heard of the song. It might have worked better as background music for something else, perhaps.
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*sigh* We can’t all be Alan Cresswell.
- Lyda Rose
Posts: 9313 | From: London | Registered: May 2001
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
I have experienced worship leaders who actually get cross with you if they have tried to get you all to join in with some 'up-to-date' chorus and you have trouble with it. Their attitude is that you should find this easy and enjoyable, whether or not you do.
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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Gill H
Shipmate
# 68
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Posted
This is perhaps another thread - but what you find 'easy to pick up' is conditioned by what you listen to a lot. Some worship leaders need to be told that not everyone has grown up listening to the same music!
Plus, I've noticed a difference between what men and women find easy to sing and to follow. Many men in the Redman/Delirious style don't sing exact notes, and the melody sort of dithers around several notes. In my church at least, men seem to find that easier to sing along with than women, who tend to sing exact notes.
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*sigh* We can’t all be Alan Cresswell.
- Lyda Rose
Posts: 9313 | From: London | Registered: May 2001
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ej
Shipmate
# 2259
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Posted
Gill H,
I couldn't agree more with you... In my experience it's the Hillsongs hysteria that keeps causing trouble... Worship leaders (why they insist on being called worship leaders when all they do is song leading is another issue I won't go into here!) trot off to the Hillsongs conference, get immersed in professionally performed music and come back and try to re-enact it with an untrained and/or unwilling congregation - with predictable results... And I'm sick of leaders who chastise a congregation (albeit jokingly) for not clapping/singing/jumping/crying like they do at *** or ###
So much of what is produced by the Hillsongs machine tends to lend itself to performance pieces (assumingly to assist in selling CDs ![[Devil]](graemlins/devil.gif) ) that it's impossible to get into as an average punter... Ignoring the triteness of the words..
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For my next trick I shall turn this water into funk...
...a little breathing-space...
Posts: 426 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Jan 2002
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
Contrast this with the way John Bell is able to introduce the Iona music (which often has deep meaning in the words, but simple melodies) and is able to get an average congregation singing unaccompanied in 3or 4 part harmony at one sitting!
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460
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Posted
Bet he couldn't do it with ours.
We're not an average congregation. Not when it comes to singing at any rate.
Not only is the singing more out of tune thtn any other of the (I suppose 30-odd) churches I've attended more than once or twice, or the other 4 or 5 I've been a member of; it is an outlier - there is a gap in badness between us and the next worst.
I have no idea whay this is. Maybe God has a message for us. I wonder what it is?
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Ken
L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.
Posts: 39579 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2002
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
Bet he could. Very few people can't sing in tune. It's about motivation, and the fact that anyone who isn't of recording quality tends to get told they "can't sing" in our society. So they don't.
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460
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Posted
I'd like to see someone try it with our lot.
Actually I would, after all these years it is getting tedious.
Of course I can't sing myself - but I just belt it out now. Get some funny looks, but most people don't seem to notice or are too polite to stare ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Even the so-called choir are less skillful than the average person in other congregations I've been in.
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Ken
L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.
Posts: 39579 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2002
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multipara
Shipmate
# 2918
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Posted
Ken, that sounds VERY Catholic (note upper-case) to me !!
Posts: 4985 | From: new south wales | Registered: Jun 2002
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Duo Seraphim*
Sea lawyer
# 3251
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by multipara:
Ken, that sounds VERY Catholic (note upper-case) to me !!
multipara and I recently sang at the Jubilee Mass for six Sisters of Mercy, under the resolute direction of Madame la Directrice.
Madame chose the Propers of the Mass, the motet "Ad Te Levavi" by Palestrina and the ordinary of the Mass the Missa "Orbis Factor" by de Victoria.
He was unable to prevail on the subject of the hymns and the Psalm. The hymns were "The Galilee Song" ("We draw our boats up to the shore") and the usual suspects "Here I am Lord" and "Micah's Theme" together with the "Suscipe of Blessed Catherine McAuley". The music for the last led Madame to transpose it up three tones into something approaching the usual female range and adding a descant, so that the sopranos actually had a chance of joining in.
The Order was thrilled and they all sang along lustily - so who am I to be a musical snob?
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2^8, eight bits to a byte
Posts: 3967 | From: Sydney Australia | Registered: Aug 2002
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Janine
The Endless Simmer
# 3337
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Posted
The "Worship Music Lite", like some of the Hillsongs stuff - and much of the "pop" Christian music about now - Chuck Swindoll calls "7-11 music", after the 7-11 chain of convenience stores.
(You know, the kind of place where you get a couple gallons of gasoline for the car and a Coke for yourself. Then you leave quickly before the next robber comes in to stick the place up.)
Anyway, that's what I call them now, too, "7-11 songs". Seven words repeated eleven times.
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I'm a Fundagelical Evangimentalist. What are you?
Take Me Home * My Heart * An hour with Rich Mullins *
Posts: 13788 | From: Below the Bible Belt | Registered: Sep 2002
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Rev per Minute
Shipmate
# 69
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Karl - Liberal Backslider:
Bet he could. Very few people can't sing in tune. It's about motivation, and the fact that anyone who isn't of recording quality tends to get told they "can't sing" in our society. So they don't.
Not exactly in the tone of this thread, but I agree with KLS. I have terrible trouble getting my wife to sing, because she is convinced that she can't.
Last year at Greenbelt I went to a singing tutor session, where the tutor got a crowd of us singing three different songs in four-part harmony in about an hour. I came back thinking "if that's what she can do in an hour...". (The session made it into the Songs of Praise from Greenbelt as well)
I tend to sing in crowds of many thousands - rugby, see!
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"Allons-y!" "Geronimo!" "Oh, for God's sake!" The Day of the Doctor
At the end of the day, we face our Maker alongside Jesus. RIP ken
Posts: 2696 | From: my desk (if I can find the keyboard under this mess) | Registered: May 2001
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busyknitter
Shipmate
# 2501
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Posted
Horrible experience at church this morning. We sang "Over the mountains and the sea", which I happen to like in the right circumstances, but the worship team took it at the pace of a dirge. And for some reason the congregation was singing flat today. We're normally quite tuneful. BLEAHH!
There really is nothing worse than the local parish church worship team (2 guitars and an electronic keyboard, no bass, no drums and no-one under 40), trying to reproduce the effect of a stadium number from New Wine, Greenbelt or wherever.
the most painful example of this hazard that I've come across recently is - You are the sovereign, "I am". This song needs a BIG SOUND and should not be attempted by teh fainthearted.
Moving into confessional mode.......
There is one song that I know is supposed to be a total cringe, but I actually quite like it and that's the Lord's prayer sung to Auld Lang Syne a la Cliff Richard. We use it quite a lot at church
BK
Posts: 903 | From: The Wool Basket | Registered: Mar 2002
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Og: Thread Killer
Ship's token CN Mennonite
# 3200
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Posted
I love 4 part harmony. Too bad many of the choruses assume:
- People prefer to sing the melody
- All women sing soprano
- All men have a limited range and prefer to mumble rather then sing
- Emotion comes from volume, not texture
Our church sings great harmony when we use the hymnal, but the choruses are just a wash as far as harmony is concerned. I try, but most people who don't sing tenor or soparano mumble rather then sing.
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I wish I was seeking justice loving mercy and walking humbly but... "Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st."
Posts: 5025 | From: Toronto | Registered: Aug 2002
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
Or else you get something like the Mission Praise hymnbook which has tried to turn choruses into hymns by adding an apology for harmonies arranged by someone called Fudge (appropriate! )
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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splendid
Apprentice
# 4123
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Posted
Its interesting whats being said about popping off to Hillsongs to learn how to 'do' worship - I'm currently doing a worship course at a church in brighton, led by a few more known worship leaders in the UK, when addressing the fact that thier church is 1000 strong and others (represented by those attending) maybe (most likely) are a lot smaller they make sure they emphasise that not everything will work in the smaller scale, yes God is the same but as you say its different when faced with 100 people to when faced with 1000, obviously the musical ability of the band makes a big difference, if the drummer can't keep a beat its not worth trying something like 'you are the sovereign I am' and if the guitarist can't keep to 6/8 its not worth trying 'All my days' or 'Before the throne of God above'
anyway the whole point of this post was to encourage you that the more public worship leaders that I have encountered do place a big emphasis on the fact that churches/worship bands/people are different and what works for one place won't always work in another...and its about learning how to adapt and work together...
I hope that makes sense and isn't too rambly! Oh and pls excuse the typos!
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"Run, John run. The law commands, but gives neither feet nor hands. Better news the gospel brings, it bids me fly and gives me wings."
John Bunyan
Posts: 10 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2003
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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by busyknitter:
There really is nothing worse than the local parish church worship team (2 guitars and an electronic keyboard, no bass, no drums and no-one under 40), trying to reproduce the effect of a stadium number from New Wine, Greenbelt or wherever.
At least you have a worship band.
As far as I can tell I think I'm probably the most musically able member of our congregation - and I'm not joking ![[Help]](graemlins/help.gif) As far as the men are concerned I'm almost the least bad singer
The less said about the Cliff matter the better. Some things are too horrid to contemplate. If you persist in liking the song I'll have to come over and sing at you
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Ken
L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.
Posts: 39579 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2002
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busyknitter
Shipmate
# 2501
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ken
As far as I can tell I think I'm probably the most musically able member of our congregation - and I'm not joking As far as the men are concerned I'm almost the least bad singer
Oh my, that's bad ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
quote:
The less said about the Cliff matter the better. Some things are too horrid to contemplate. If you persist in liking the song I'll have to come over and sing at you
The Cliff connection aside, what's so awful about the song? You can't fault the lyrics. And I've seen you belting out Auld Lang Syne at enough New Year parties to know that the tune doesn't repel you. I think it's anti-Cliff snobbery. When I was 12 it was compulsory to hold a similar attitude towards anything by Abba. When I was 16 you had to hate Chic. You're just trying to make me bow to peer pressure.
But please don't sing at me. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
BK
Posts: 903 | From: The Wool Basket | Registered: Mar 2002
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Royal Peculiar
Shipmate
# 3159
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Posted
Welcome Splendid! Do you play an instrument?
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Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde
Posts: 405 | From: Barking, London | Registered: Aug 2002
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Og: Thread Killer
Ship's token CN Mennonite
# 3200
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Posted
Welcome Splendid
[gentle request]Splendid could you please use punctuation and such? My eyes bugged out reading your post and I've got 20/15 vision. It's tough to read your post which has much good to say. Thanks.[/gentle request]
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I wish I was seeking justice loving mercy and walking humbly but... "Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st."
Posts: 5025 | From: Toronto | Registered: Aug 2002
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ptarmigan
Shipmate
# 138
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sauerkraut:
...
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch him
And say that we love him
Open our ears Lord
Help us to listen
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus
...
When I was at a church which sung this regularly, I always imagine a divine response along the following lines:
"Open your own bloody eyes you stupid wimp. Why on earth do you think I gave you eye muscles if I wanted you to sit back passively and ask me to open them. Take a bit of responsibility for your own spiritual life."
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All shall be well. And all shall be well. And all manner of things shall be well. (Julian of Norwich)
Posts: 1080 | From: UK - Midlands | Registered: May 2001
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TonyK
Host Emeritus
# 35
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Posted
Welcome aboard, Splendid (what a great name!), and thanks for your first post.
Could I add the usual hostly reminder to check the '10 Commandments' (from the blue band on the left) and to read the introduction to each board when you first go in to it .... though I'm sure you will have done this already!
Look around, enjoy yourself - and don't hestitate to ask questions if you don't understand.
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Yours aye ... TonyK
Posts: 2717 | From: Gloucestershire | Registered: May 2001
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splendid
Apprentice
# 4123
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Posted
Thanks for the warm welcome, I will endevour to make my posts a bit more readable!
I do play an instrument, well two actually, I play the guitar (very basically!) and I also sing (play my vocal chords??!!), I sing with the worship bands at church, but play my guitar more at home on my own. I occasionally lead worship, so I might use the guitar when thinking about what songs I'll use etc..
With regards to cheesey worship songs, there are so many I could mention, but one that got me recently (I think its been revived from the 70's ) is:
"from the rising of the sun
to the going down of the same
the Lord's name,
is to be praised"
then it goes on to 'praise ye the lord' or something, anyway there are some pretty terrible actions that go with it (at my church anyway)
Although to be fair we've only sung it once in the past 6 months and that was enough for the next 10 years I feel! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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"Run, John run. The law commands, but gives neither feet nor hands. Better news the gospel brings, it bids me fly and gives me wings."
John Bunyan
Posts: 10 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2003
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busyknitter
Shipmate
# 2501
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Posted
ooh yes, that one is horrid. Welcome Splendid, hope you enjoy youself on the ship. You'll find that it is a very easy place to hang out even if, like me, RL is so very busy that you can only post on a fairly ad hoc basis.
Of course, context is all with children's songs. On one hand a song can be thoroughly charming, being lisped by a group of eager little ones all doing their best with the actions. On the other it can be an excrutiatingly embarrassing experience for the majority of the congregation - the elderly, teenagers, anyone with inhibitions about doing actions (ie most English people).
I've just remembered something that happened when my older son had his service of thanksgiving for his birth.
When the vicar came to talk me through the service, he also asked what songs or hymns I liked. In my naivety, I assumed he was just making conversation as that is how the question came across. And for some reason I said "Wide, wide is the ocean". Now I quite like this song in a quaint nostalgic sort of way. But it doesn';t hold any great significance for me and I can't think why i mentioned it at the time.
picture the scene. I'm standing up at the front of church cradling my firstborn son, having just prayed really important prayers for him and me. What happened next is that our vicar announces WWITO saying that this is the song that I'd specially chosen to mark the occasion. And we all had to sing it. And do the actions.
If the ground could have swallowed me up.........
Posts: 903 | From: The Wool Basket | Registered: Mar 2002
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Mrs Smith - nee Lady G
Shipmate
# 3746
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Posted
Personally, I dislike just about everything written by Graham Kendrick. There's something about some of the rhymes and the tunes that is akin to nails on a blackboard for me.
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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." (Unknown)
Posts: 854 | From: Central London innit | Registered: Dec 2002
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splendid
Apprentice
# 4123
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Posted
Grahame Kendrick can be a bit cringe worthy, I agree, but some of his stuff is amamzing - On the Bloodstained ground for example.
On this course (see previous post) I'm doing Grahame did a session on the content of our worship, and it was amazing - this guy is so deep and really encouraged us as worship leaders to get back to what worship is really about - giving glory to God for what HE has done, and for who HE is.
Although there is a place in worship to reflect on how we are feeling - the 'I' songs, we need to make sure the focus is on God and not on us.
This, in a nut shell is what Grahame and friends were talking about, and although it was a sleepy saturday afternoon I really learnt a lot from him.
So now, when a fellow worship leader anounces we're singing 'Jesus put this song into our hearts' I cringe less, because I know grahame is moving on and hopefully will never write another song like this again!!!
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"Run, John run. The law commands, but gives neither feet nor hands. Better news the gospel brings, it bids me fly and gives me wings."
John Bunyan
Posts: 10 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2003
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Sauerkraut
Shipmate
# 3112
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Posted
You know, if my church would get its act together, I would never have to post on this thread again. Here I am, resurecting the dead after Easter, with more examples of poor hymnody and bad songwriting.
quote:
God sent his Son, they call Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon;
An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives
Because He lives I can face tomorow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He hold the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives
I shall stop here due to copyright laws. There are two things wrong with this hymn. First, someone got the bright idea that this should be our hymn of praise. I have no problem with replacing the hymn of praise (our ruberics allow for such), but it better be as good theologically and musically as the Gloria. There are very good hymns within our hymnal as replacements. But no, we had to get untrinitarian garbage from the Baptists (it could be the Pentecostals or non-denominationalists for all I care, a good Lutheran will still blame it on the Baptists), or, more specifically, the Gaithers. Yuck. Secondly, this stufff sounds like it comes out of a Baptist hymnal. Lutheran hymnody sounds like traditional Catholic hymnody. This song sounds like the organ needs to be played with vibratto galore. This is American spiritual; stuff that is just outside our tradition that, when brought in, sound weird and is distracting to everyone. We all look at each other and ask what the heck our pastors were thinking. ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Oh yes, "Open our eyes Lord" still replaced Peter's confession. You would think we would set the claptrap aside for Easter Sunday.
Our next selection is "To God Be the Glory". This is found in neither hymnal. We are using this as a communion hymn. For those who don't know, here is the first verse and chorus, keeping in mind copyright considerations.
quote:
To God be the glory
Great things He hath done,
So loved He the world
That he gave us his Son.
Who yielded His life
An attonement for sin
And opened the lifegate
That all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the father
through Jesus the Son
And give Him the glory
Great things He hath done.
The meter is 3/4. It is being played on an organ. Um bah bah! Um bah bah! You could have played the Sonata Da Circo (Circus Sonata) by PDQ Bach and I wouldn't have known the difference. This is very distracting while trying to take communion. Add to it the wonderous songs "God is so Good" and "Alleluia", two more songs that try hard to say nothing, and you liturgy has sunk to a new low. Handel's "Halleluia Chorus" could not recessitate this musical-liturgical nightmare of an Easter service. I tried. I direct that handbell chior and, knowing my church's tendencies toward crappy music and cut up liturgy, I desperately fought the tide by choosing music that is within the bounds of Lutheran Hymnody. I have failed. I will make one last gasp with Beethoven's Ode to Joy (Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee). I am fighting a loosing cause. ![[brick wall]](graemlins/brick_wall.gif)
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We want not an amalgam or compromise, but both things at the top of their energy; love and wrath both burning. Christianity got over the difficulty of combining furious opposites, by keeping them both, and keeping them both furious.--G.K. Chesterton
Posts: 196 | From: The middle of the US | Registered: Jul 2002
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splendid
Apprentice
# 4123
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Posted
Did any one else sing "He has risen" by Noel Richards on Easter Sunday?? Is there some un written law that says churches can only sing this song on Easter Sunday??
I don't actually like the song all that much...so the fact that we only sing it once a year doesn't bother me, what does bother me is that you can guarentee it will be sung on Easter sunday......
Surely there are other songs.....we could at least sing it every other year for a bit of variation!
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"Run, John run. The law commands, but gives neither feet nor hands. Better news the gospel brings, it bids me fly and gives me wings."
John Bunyan
Posts: 10 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2003
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multipara
Shipmate
# 2918
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Posted
Perhaps you could put in a bid for "Christ the Lord is ris'n today" (Wesley) to the tune "Lyra Davidica". Easter just isn't Easter without that little beauty (unless you're Orthodox, of course!)
cheers,
m
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quod scripsi, scripsi
Posts: 4985 | From: new south wales | Registered: Jun 2002
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splendid
Apprentice
# 4123
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Posted
Is that the one that goes 'halleluja etc etc' if it is, then we did that one too!
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"Run, John run. The law commands, but gives neither feet nor hands. Better news the gospel brings, it bids me fly and gives me wings."
John Bunyan
Posts: 10 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2003
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Punkijellybean
Apprentice
# 4390
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Posted
Please warn me (a novice) about such threads in future- I have laughed and sung my way through 8 pages of posts and been thoroughly rebuked by my teenage son, who disapproves of such parental frivolity. Such BAD behaviour-tut, tut.
Nomination for weird song from 70's era is "So light up the fire, and let the flames burn": surely an arsonist's dream??!!
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Punkijellybean
Posts: 10 | From: London | Registered: Apr 2003
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TonyK
Host Emeritus
# 35
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Posted
Welcome aboard, Punkijellybean.
I would have thought that the Thread title might have been some form of warning!
May I in our usual hostly way draw your attention to the Ship's Ten Commandments (link in the blue bar on the left) and, if you haven't already done so, suggest that you read them?
Each Board has its own introduction as well.
Check the Boards out - they may have differing levels of appeal! - and contribute wherever you want.
As an apprentice on this great ship, you are given a virtual mop with which to swab the virtual decks - but 50 posts will gain you promotion to the rank of 'shipmate' when you can leave such chores to others! (I'm afraid though that your existing rank in the Army is not transferable . The only officers here are the hosts, the administrators, and, of course, our glorious Captain, Simon Jenkins!) )
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Yours aye ... TonyK
Posts: 2717 | From: Gloucestershire | Registered: May 2001
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Alliebellie
Shipmate
# 4383
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Posted
quote:
Because He lives I can face tomorow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He hold the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives
I am most familiar with this being sung at funerals (the whole song not just this bit), and have always found it just a bit bizzare!
I've really enjoyed the graze I've had through this thread, yep.. I have some of those same cringeworthy-song memories, and soooo glad to find others who share them.
(btw... yep, TonyK, I've read all the guff!!!)
love this place!!!
AB
Posts: 125 | From: Noo Zeeland | Registered: Apr 2003
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TonyK
Host Emeritus
# 35
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Alliebellie:
(btw... yep, TonyK, I've read all the guff!!!)
Glad to hear it, Alliebellie....
Nevertheless I would be neglecting my hostly duties if I didn't welcome you aboard as well!
We'll take the rest of my standard 'welcome' post as read then, shall we?
Have fun!
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Yours aye ... TonyK
Posts: 2717 | From: Gloucestershire | Registered: May 2001
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Alliebellie
Shipmate
# 4383
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Posted
Yes, I know it's not a naff hymn (at least I don't think so, but feel free to put me straight!), but I have never again been able to sing the hymn "And can it be" (Charles Wesley)with a straight face in the verse that goes quote:
"....I woke, the dungeion flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free;.....
ever since my friend leaned over one time we were in the middle of this verse and whispered "we call this the cyclist's lament"
Posts: 125 | From: Noo Zeeland | Registered: Apr 2003
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Panda
Shipmate
# 2951
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Alliebellie:
Yes, I know it's not a naff hymn (at least I don't think so, but feel free to put me straight!), but I have never again been able to sing the hymn "And can it be" (Charles Wesley)with a straight face in the verse that goes quote:
"....I woke, the dungeion flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free;.....
ever since my friend leaned over one time we were in the middle of this verse and whispered "we call this the cyclist's lament"
Thanks a bunch, Alliebellie - it'll never be the same for me either!
Posts: 1637 | From: North Wales | Registered: Jun 2002
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