Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Jazz Psalms

Psalm 89: The Sky Belongs to You

I wanted to feel like I had accomplished something last week, so Friday afternoon I recorded a quick demo of a new Psalm setting. (And then promptly didn’t have time to post it…)

The lyrics are the work of Michael Morgan and were written for the Timeless Psalter to the tune of TOULON. While that tune’s rugged beauty portrays the regal aspects of Psalm 89:1-8 well, I thought there was room for a more gentle interpretation of the Psalm and Michael’s metrical version of it.

Working in a jazz ballad style allowed the tenderness I was hoping for and also gave me lots of room to move harmonically. I love how the key of C quickly turns into a winding path that eventually leads to a chorus in E. No F#. Wait…Bb? And then back to C. And yet for all the twists and turns, it remains quite singable.

1. For all your loving acts, O Lord, I sing;
my mouth will shout your faithfulness and care;
and heaven’s grateful host will honor bring
to you, who wondrous gifts so freely share.

2. What other god of earth and sky can boast
the great and awesome blessings you afford?
What other mighty one among the host
deserves such praise that we should call him “Lord?”

The sky belongs to you, the earth, and all
that fill its fertile lands from shore to shore.
Your arm with strength will lift us when we fall,
and righteousness endure for evermore.

3. Send down true justice from your lofty throne,
and all-infusive light shine on our ways,
for only by your will such joy we own,
and for your gracious favor give you praise!

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 87: Glorious Things

I collaborated with Michael Morgan many times before his death in 2022. Not long before he died, he sent me a collection of new Psalm settings he had written after the publication of his collection of all 150 Psalms, Psalter for Christian Worship. I have received permission from his estate to continue to write music for his Psalm settings; I like the idea of keeping his memory and work alive after his death.

In this latest collaboration, I used a setting of Psalm 87 that he wrote for Emily Brink. That made my work even more special, as Emily is a long-time friend.

Psalm 87 is a beautiful and surprising prophecy of how God will draw all nations to the holy city of Zion. Long-time enemies like Babylon and Philistia will miraculously be welcomed into God’s family. Psalm 87 goes so far as to say that God loves these outsiders enough to fudge the royal registry: “This one was born in Zion.” This is a lovely reminder that God’s understanding of insiders and outsiders has always been more gracious than ours. Michael Morgan captures this as “generations to be numbered, sons and daughters yet unborn” are “future heirs of Israel.” Beautiful.

I matched these hopeful, expansive lyrics with a buoyant melody in 3/4 whose tempo marking is “bright and regal.” It can be sung as a four-part hymn (Michael was an organist) or as a folk-ish praise song (I’m a guitarist). In the demo above, I’ve combined both of these, creating a style that has a bit of a Celtic or even Medieval flair.

1. Zion, fair and glorious city,
sanctuary, grand and sure,
where God’s chosen dwell in splendor,
ever sheltered and secure.

Glorious things of you are spoken;
Jacob’s halls no more excel.
On your holy mount are cherished
future heirs of Israel.

2. Generations to be numbered,
sons and daughters yet unborn
rise to greet their God in wonder,
looking to the sunlit morn. Chorus

3. Singers raise their songs of gladness;
dancers leap with joy anew;
Through the seasons everchanging
all our springs are found in you! Chorus

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 32: When I Kept Silent

Not more than a few weeks after I completed a song based upon Psalm 32, my long-time lyrical collaborator, Doug Gay, sent me a beautiful rendering of the same Psalm. “Well,” I thought, “you can never get enough of Psalm 32.”

Whereas “Blessed Is the One” has an almost Middle Eastern groove, “When I Kept Silent” is an understated Celtic ballad.

Give a listen to both versions and let me know what you think. Is there one you like better as a listener? One you’d be more likely to use in your congregation? Do you hear different nuances of Psalm 32’s message in the two songs?

1. Happy are all those whose sins are removed.
Blessed are all souls at home in God’s love.
Happy are all folk whose conscience is clear.
Blessed are all those whose hearts are sincere.

When I kept silent I wasted away,
burdened by guilt every night, every day.
When I acknowledged my sin to the Lord,
I was forgiven, I was restored.

2. Come then, you faithful, and pray now to God
when trouble rises all round like a flood.
God is your shelter and your hiding place.
God will surround you with strength and with grace.

3. God says, “I’ll teach you the ways you should choose.”
God says, “I’ll show you the paths you should use.
Walk in my wisdom, my joy will be yours.
Trust me and follow, my mercy is sure.”

Categories
Demos FAWM 2025 Quirky Rock and/or Roll

Tip of the Iceberg

I’ve had the idea of writing a love song about the tip of the iceberg for years. But FAWM 2025 finally gave me the kick in the bummock I needed to finish it.*

Discerning listeners will note overtones of They Might Be Giants’ “Don’t Let’s Start.” Indeed, TMBG have been a big influence on me. Mostly, it’s just a fun song that I could bang out quickly.

And that’s what FAWM is all about: 14 songs in 28 days. Over the years, FAWM has taught me to write quickly, reserving initial judgment. There’s always a chance to go back and edit a song–or even throw it in the rubbish–but you can’t do anything with a song you haven’t written. Ditto for the recording process. I could spend weeks on each demo I record, but instead I work ten times as quickly as most people and learn ten times as many valuable lessons that I can apply to “real” recordings.

But maybe I’m just trying to validate a kind of stupid idea. Your call.

1. Oh, Valentine, I just can’t hide
all the passion that I have inside me.
It makes me sigh–I don’t know why.
How do you woo me when you don’t even seem to try?

2. Hey, Valentine, I have to confide:
I never thought I’d fall for the brainy type.
We were friends and that was grand
and that is all it was when all of this began.

I wanted love that was firm and lasting
and I didn’t know
if I was being stupid and just typecasting.
And then you showed me that

That was just the tip
of the iceberg.

2. I don’t know, maybe I thought you were cold,
but soon my heart was melting what I thought was frozen.
I don’t want to make the point too fine,
but sometimes it felt you showed me only 12.5

percent of the real you–were you leading me on?
Below the surface there was so much more,
and I loved what I saw.

When you showed me the tip
of the iceberg.

BRIDGE

Oh, Valentine, it was all a surprise.
now that I’ve seen below the surface I’m ready to take a dive.

*Iceberg joke.

Categories
Demos FAWM 2025 Jazz

Mysterium

I’ve been playing around with stacked fourths a lot lately. “Don’t we all, Greg?” You say. I certainly hope so; it’s great fun.

In this song, I combined the open, biting sound of a melody stacked in fourths on top of an ethereal bass groove. I think this tune’s a winner, but the demo is certainly not. I didn’t have muted trumpets and saxophones at my disposal, so I used the melodica–not exactly the king of jazz horns.

Categories
Demos FAWM 2025 Quirky Rock and/or Roll

It Could Have Been Worse

This song started when a single line popped into my head: “It could have been worse, but I’m not sure how.” Certainly a promising opening, right? As I played with it, “worse” rhymed with “hearse” and suddenly it turned into a song about a guy who has died, yet remains hopeful. What can I say? I go where the music leads.

If you love yourself some Ataris, this one’s for you.

1. It could have been worse,
but I’m not sure how.
We all arrived in a hearse
and they won’t let me out.

They said it’s all up from here,
but now I’m not so sure,
‘cause I’m gasping for air
and they’re shoveling dirt.

It’s been a year.
It’s all up from here.

I try to see things on the bright side
even when they’re looking bleak.
What’s the point in dramatizing
everything?

2. Things are looking up
even though I’m down.
I thought I’d had enough,
when it was just starting out.

But it’s not so bad.
(It’s also not so great.)
Maybe I should be sad,
but that can probably wait.

Chorus

3. As the crowd dispersed,
I realized
it was so well rehearsed
that nobody cried.

But it could have been worse
though I’m not sure why.
And even though it still hurts.
I’ll just give it some time.

Chorus

Categories
Church Congregational Songs FAWM 2025 Psalms

Psalm 29: The Voice of the Lord

Psalm 29 paints a picture of God and nature intertwined. But more than simply embodying God in the thunder and lightning, the psalm shows the world to be God’s very temple. While some theological frameworks paint the earth as fundamentally tainted by sin, to be left behind when we’re transported to heaven, Psalm 29 says that God’s presence makes the stuff of life sacred–blessed.

Psalm 29 begins with two “ascribe to the Lord” verses and ends with two verses of “the Lord is enthroned.” Between those bookends are seven “the voice of the Lord” statements. I stick close to this poetic form in my song.

Musically, this song is an easy-to-sing melody with fairly run-of-the-mill chords. But I’ve fleshed it out on this recording with all sorts of fun musical doodads: a section accompanied by four basses, interjections of arpeggiating guitars, and synthesized swamp gas.

  1. The voice of the Lord is on the waters.
    The voice of the Lord moves o’er the deep.
    The voice of the Lord resounds through the sky;
    thunders across the sea.

Ascribe to the Lord, all you creatures of heaven,
ascribe to the Lord all the glory and might.
Ascribe to the Lord all the splendor of his name
and worship the Lord on high.

  1. The voice of the Lord is filled with power.
    The forests fall down before their King.
    The voice of the Lord, the fiercest of joys,
    making the mountains leap. Chorus
  2. The voice of the Lord is like the lightning;
    it flashes across the desert sky.
    The earth has become the temple of God.
    “Glory!” the people cry. Chorus
  3. The Lord is enthroned above the water.
    The Lord is enthroned upon the sky.
    The voice of the Lord, it hallows the earth;
    blesses all humankind. Chorus
Categories
FAWM 2025 Jazz

Fourth Fiddle

I had an idea for a breezy jazz tune a while back, but the bridge had been eluding me. That is, until a few days ago. The title of the song is, of course, a play on the phrase, “second fiddle”–except that this tune is built on fourths. (And there’s no fiddle.)

I’m sorry I didn’t have time to do more with the recording. It’s just a quick sketch using Band-in-a-Box and my guitar. It gets the point across, but not much more. I’m eager to try it out with some live musicians at some point in the future. For now, enjoy this little musical bon bon!

Categories
Demos FAWM 2025 Jazz Quirky

That Mr. Jazz

Shortly after Cindy Prince heard my music for her lyrics “Only Good Vibes,” she sent me a message: “Do you do jazz?” Clearly, in the short time we’ve known each other, she’s learned that I can’t resist a challenge! Yes, I do jazz. And I had a ton of fun working with her song, “That Mr. Jazz.”

Categories
Demos electronic FAWM 2025 Quirky Rock and/or Roll

Only Good Vibes

Now for something completely different…

I decided to (kind of) take part in FAWM 2025. That is, I’m not committing to writing all 14 songs (or the ensuant mania required to complete that task). However, I’m dipping in and out, contributing when I can.

The other day, I came across a cool lyric by Cindy Prince that was in need of music. I pounded out a dance ditty in about two hours, start to finish. I quite like how it turned out!