Last week I finished an arrangement of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You” for use in my church. How dare I mess with Beethoven, you ask? Indeed. A few years back I decided that I could no longer bear to hear praise bands butcher Beethoven’s fine tune. And since it had already been adapted for the hymnal, I thought I’d arrange something that would work for praise band. Since then I’ve written a lead sheet, a piano accompaniment, and string parts. You can find the piano music at my main website for a short time, and the demo you can find right here.
Category: Demos
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My Arms Are Open Wide
Back in 1990 there was a singer in Pittsburgh whose name I can’t remember who sang a lot of public school assemblies raising awareness about teen suicide. Because she couldn’t present an explicitly Christian message, she was looking for songs that offered a message of hope without being preachy. So I wrote the song My Arms Are Open Wide. 18 years later, I’m still wondering why she didn’t end up using it. This thing is a hit! All it needs now is a hit maker–a singer who can bring it to life. Carrie Underwood, where are you when I need you?
At Church of the Servant the theme verse of this year’s Girls’ Club is Micah 6:8. They found a few songs that worked pretty well (PsH 293, Schmit), but none that fit like a glove. And you know I can’t leave well enough alone, so I took it upon myself to compose my own by the end of the day. I like how it turned out. It’s simple to sing or play, and more importantly it turns the verses into a prayer. Sung justice scriptures often sound so heavy handed, so I like the way these lyrics convey a sense of aspiration rather than obligation. Listen to the MP3 or print off the PDF and take it to the nearest piano for a careful read-through.
In my ongoing attempt to win enough song contests to retire from my day job, I just completed a new song called “Christ Shall Reign.” This contest is sponsored by the National Federation of Catholic Youth Workers. If my song is chosen it will be the theme song of this year’s National Catholic Youth Conference. You can read the official contest rules if you’re interested. Hey, wait a minute. The rules don’t say anything about money. Drat! I guess this one will just have to be for the love of the game.
As I prepared this blog post I stumbled across another person who is entering a song into the contest. So now, my dear readers, you can judge for yourselves who should win this contest: the gentlemen at Oddwalk, or yours truly (MP3, PDF). May the best man win! (Feel free to inundate my competitor’s blog with smack talk comments.)
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This Is the Way
I just finished my 34th song with lyricist Colin Gordon-Farleigh. It’s a ballad called “This Is the Way.” If you know any Broadway musical producers, call them and tell them I’ve got their next hit. Listen to the MP3 or download the PDF file.
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Our Father – rough excerpt
Update 10/1/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.
Here is another rough cut from my proposed CD of rock and/or roll. It’s called “Our Father.” If you guessed that it’s based on the Lord’s Prayer, you’re correct. This won’t generally be a religious CD, but I couldn’t resist including this one.
Once I finish the global songbook I’ve been working on for the CICW, I want to start recording a CD. Yeah, that’s right, a real CD, with songs, shrink wrap, and everything. A CD chock full of all my rock and roll hits. (As rock and roll as a 41 year old man can muster.) My plan is to post rough drafts of some of the songs here at my music blog so I can get feedback early on from all of you. The first of the batch is “Walking the Wire.” Like I said, this is just a rough mix of part of the song, but I’d love to hear what you think.
This was a long, sad week at Church of the Servant, as one of our members died unexpectedly. As I planned music for the memorial service, it brought me back to a memorial service I led when I first began music ministry. “We Worship You” is a song I wrote in memory of Chuck Rosemeyer that continues to express for me the lament and trust of Job 1:21–“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
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P&W Greatest Hits
Paul Ryan at the CICW is editing a songbook of Praise and Worship songs to be published by Faith Alive. He asked me to make suggestions for songs that could be added to the collection. Below is a short list of songs that I think are the best of the genre, but which don’t often get included in Top 100 lists. You can hear a quick demo of each song by downloading this MP3 file. (Watch out, it’s 25 megs!)
THE CREAM (praise songs that I stand behind musically and theologically–it’s a short list!)
Amazing Love – Graham Kendrick
I know it’s a bit dated, but I think it’s a solid song theologically and could have some musical longevity.
Give Thanks to the Lord – John H. Morton
I picked this up from a weird song collection from Lorenz. This song is joyful, but not trite.
Holy Lord – Steve Bell
I’ve used this at COS for our “Guitarchestra” day. It’s a nice combination of upbeat folk and liturgical text.
I Will Hide Your Word Inside My Heart – Paul Field
Paul Field has a great kids praise CD. This is one we’ve used at COS frequently. I stack this guy up against fellow Brit Keith Getty any day.
Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer – Becker/Getty
Speaking of Getty, here’s one that bears his trademark Celtic feel, but it hasn’t been overplayed on radio and in congregations.
Kadosh – Elisheva Shamron
Don’t know anything about the composer, but a Dutch student introduced me to the song and I love it. It’s mesmerizing.
Nearer than Before – Jim Crowan
I’ve used this over and over, and it always works. It’s got a classic melody in the lines of Seek Ye First, and the words have a simple sincerity.
Purify My Heart – Jeff Nelson
You probably know this one. I think it’s better than the “other” Purify My Heart. It makes a great confession song.
Ready My Heart – Lois Shuford
I love this song! Shuford is virtually unknown, but this song is a gem. And where else can you find a true Advent song in the P&W repertoire?
Restore My Soul – Andi Rozier
The first part is based on the tune “The Water Is Wide.” Great song of confession and dedication.
Salvation Belongs to Our God – Adrian Howard and Pat Turner
I think this one is under-rated. I wrote a new arrangement for the New Testament Songbook to bring out the classic rock anthem feel that I hear in it. It was getting overplayed 10 years ago, but I think it’s ready for a revival.
The First Place – Matthew Westerholm
I would stack this up against anything by Getty or Tomlin. It’s a fantastic song. Added bonus: serious Reformed theology.
Throw Down Your Crowns – Glenn Kaiser
The singer from Rez Band did an acoustic worship album. I’ve always like this one. It may need some finessing with the piano arrangement to make it work in a hymnal context, but I think it’s worth considering.
What the Lord Has Done in Me – Reuben Morgan
I don’t know that he meant to do this but he wrote a really good baptismal song. We used it at COS a few weeks ago during the confession on a baptism Sunday, with confession readings scattered throughout.
SONGS I’VE USED TO GOOD EFFECT
Build Your Fire – Eltzroth: nothing earth-shaking, but it’s a good dedication song along the lines of “In My Life Lord Be Glorified.”
I Will Sing Praise
Psalm-like language in a rockin’ package.
My Soul Finds Rest – Dan McGowan
This was extracted from a choral anthem. I’ve used the chorus (My soul finds rest) as a sung response with a reading from Psalm 72 (?). It’s kind of the pop answer to the Taize chorus.
Omega
They used to use this at the close of every student-led Sunday Eve P&W service at Northwestern, like “My Friends” is used at LOFT. It’s simple, but it never really ends, which lends it well to repeated singing.