Lyr Req/Add: What Will I Leave? (Si Kahn)

Subject: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:30 PM

Can anyone help me find these lyrics and an mp3?
Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer do it. Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: Peace
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:35 PM

What is the song title?

Do you have any lyrics other than the quotation from Si Khan?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: Peace
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:36 PM

"What will I leave behind
When I am gone?
Who will carry on?
What will I leave behind?" — Si Kahn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:37 PM

"What Will I leave" is the song title and part of the chorus but I can't seem to find lyrics. Any help will be appreciated.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: Peace
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:39 PM

I shall try.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT WILL I LEAVE (Si Kahn)
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:49 PM

This is one of my favorite songs in the world. I have sung it at many memorial services - including my grandmother's. I'm sure it's slightly different in the original; I'm typing it as I sing it.

Si recorded this on his album I'll Be There, and John McCutcheon has also recorded it. One day I hope to.

Dan Schatz



What Will I Leave
(Si Kahn)

Late in the evening as light slips away
And we silently gather together
Searching the faces of those who are here
For the ones who have left us forever

Chorus:
What will I leave, what will I leave?
What will I leave behind?
When I am gone, who'll carry on?
What will I leave behind?

Who will remember the words of the brave
Who have lifted us higher and higher?
Who will remember the lives they have paid
For a time lived too close to the fire?

Chorus

Where are the one who caught flame in the night
Warmed by the fires of devotion?
Who measure their lives by the truth in the light
They are burning like lamps on the ocean.

Chorus

The hearts are the ones who inherit your lives
And rest in the truth you have spoken.
Memory will echo the trust that you kept
And like you, it will never be broken.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: Peace
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:53 PM

Beautiful. Thank you, Dan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: Beer
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 09:56 PM

I would dearly love to hear the melody to this.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 10:48 PM

Many thanks, Dan and Peace.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: What will I leave Behind? Si Kahn
From: Peace
Date: 06 Oct 07 - 10:54 PM

Sorry Guest. I'd meant to say you're welcome. (Too much aluminium over the years . . . .)

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: What Will I Leave Behind? (Si Kahn)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Oct 07 - 08:45 PM

Refresh!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: What Will I Leave Behind? (Si Kahn)
From: GUEST,Lilywhite McLenin
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 09:49 AM

Thanks for the lyrics - I downloaded a copy of the mp3 from amazon uk from a Live In Holland album. I have a copy of the lyrics that match that recording which I will share later, but my old ears are not as sensitive as they should be and would love to know what chords you players use if you sing this song. I started with a kinda D, A and G progression but when I play it back. Yuck! I am trying to learn this song as a favour to a sick friend. Any clues sisters and bothers?

L McLenin.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: WHAT WILL I LEAVE (Si Kahn)
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 10:32 AM

Quite the time capsule to revisit old threads like this. I've since recorded this song on my "Song and the Sigh" CD. Now, I do the song the way I learned it from John McCutcheon 25 years ago (!), which is not exactly the way Si sings it.

His words are closer to:

WHAT WILL I LEAVE

Words and music
by Si Kahn


Late in the evening as light fades away
In silence we gather together
Searching the faces of those who are here
For those who have left us forever

    What will I leave
    What will I leave
    What will I leave behind
    When I am gone
    Who'll carry on
    What will I leave behind

Where are the ones who caught flame in the night
Fired up by the heat of devotion
Measuring their lives by the light of the truth
They burned like a lamp on the ocean

Who will remember the words of the brave
That lifted us higher and higher
Who will remember the price that they paid
For lives lived too close to the fire

Hearts of the ones who inherit your lives
Will rest in the truth you have spoken
Memory will echo the trust that you kept
Like you it will never be broken


John's (and therefore my) melody differ a bit from Si's original as well, although Si has always been very gracious about that.

In D, chords to go with Si's version would be more or less:


D                      A          Bm
Late in the evening as light fades away
   G          D          A7
In silence we gather together
D                      A             Bm
Searching the faces of those who are here
    G             D         A7-D
For those who have left us forever
   
    D
    What will I leave
    G
    What will I leave
    d                   A7
    What will I leave behind
    D
    When I am gone
    G
    Who'll carry on
    D                A7-D
    What will I leave behind

I think. I'm pulling this out of my, er, hat, and Si may vary it a bit more than I remember. Plus different browsers render spacing differently, so yo'll have to listen for the chord changes. There's a brief excerpt of my version on CDBaby - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/danschatz2 - you can listen to, but again it's a bit different from Si's.

Good luck!

Dan

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT WILL I LEAVE (Si Kahn)
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 06:12 PM

Dan and others thanks for this I nknew there must be a minor chord in there somewhere. The lyrics I am working to are:

What Will I Leave
(Si Kahn)
Late in the evening as light fades away
In silence we gather together
Searching the faces of those who are near For those who have left us forever
Chorus:
What will I leave, what will I leave? What will I leave behind?
When I am gone, who'll carry on? What will I leave behind?

Where are the ones who caught flame in the night
Fired up by the heat of devotion?
Who measure their lives by the light of the Truth
They burn like a lamp on the ocean.
Chorus

Who will remember the words of the brave
That lifted us higher and higher?
Who will remember the price that they paid
For lives lived too close to the fire?
Chorus

The hearts of the ones who inherit your lives
Will rest in the truth you have spoken.
Memory will echo the trust that you kept
Like you, it will never be broken.
Chorus

Thaks for your time and effort

L McLenin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: What Will I Leave Behind? (Si Kahn)
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 18 Jun 12 - 10:02 PM

Definitely a B minor, when you're in D. Play around a bit and you'll find the spots.

Dan

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT WILL I LEAVE (Si Kahn)
From: GUEST,Mara Levine
Date: 24 Aug 12 - 02:31 PM

Lyrics as sung by Si Kahn
C Si Kahn Joe Hill music


WHAT WILL I LEAVE
(Si Kahn)
As recorded by Si Kahn on "I'll Be There" (1989)

Late in the evenin' as light fades away,
In silence we gather together,
Searching the faces of those who are here
For those who have left us forever.

CHORUS: What will I leave? What will I leave?
What will I leave behind?
When I am gone, who'll carry on?
What will I leave behind?

Where are the ones who caught flame in the night
Fired up by the heat of devotion
Measuring their lives by the light of the truth
They burn like a lamp on the ocean. CHORUS

Who will remember the words of the brave
That lifted us higher and higher?
Who will remember the price that they paid
For life lived too close to the fire? CHORUS

Hearts of the ones who inherit your lives
Will rest in the truth you have spoken.
Mem'ry will echo the trust that you kept
Like you, it will never be broken. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: What Will I Leave Behind? (Si Kahn)
From: GUEST,Sally Potter
Date: 25 Jul 15 - 08:56 PM

An incredible song - on many levels.

Second Opinion, a trio from Lansing, MI recorded a version. Email me at [e-mail] to receive a copy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: What Will I Leave Behind? (Si Kahn)
From: Janie
Date: 26 Jul 15 - 04:30 AM

Recording by Si Kahn

What Will I Leave

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT WILL I LEAVE BEHIND (Sherrill Brown)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Jul 20 - 12:29 PM

Si Kahn consistently called his song WHAT WILL I LEAVE, not WHAT WILL I LEAVE BEHIND. He recorded it on 3 albums: "I'll Be There: Songs for Jobs with Justice" by Si Kahn and Trapezoid (1989); "In My Heart: A Retrospective" (1994); and "Aragon Mill: The Bluegrass Sessions" by Si Kahn and the Looping Brothers (2013). Each of those is a new recording, not just a reissue of an old one. Evidently Si wanted the title to distinguish his song from this older country gospel song from which it is obviously derived. Unfortunately, it seems that many people who have learned Si's words have disregarded the nuance of his title. I hope this thread will correct that.

You can hear the following recording on YouTube.


WHAT WILL I LEAVE BEHIND
Words and music by Sherrill Brown, ©1958.
As recorded by the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover on "What Will I Leave Behind" (2005)

1. After I leave for worlds unknown
Over the borderline,
Never again on earth to roam,
What will I leave behind?

CHORUS: Leave behind, yes, leave behind,
What will I leave behind?
After I leave for worlds unknown,
What will I leave behind?

2. Will I be missed by those I love,
Or have I been unkind?
Have I been true to God above?
What will I leave behind? CHORUS

3. This is my prayer, O Lord, today:
Let me be wholly Thine.
When I am called from earth away,
Let heaven then be mine. CHORUS


According to Hymnary.net, the above song was published in the hymnal "Brighter Day" (1959) as well as 3 later hymnals.

Spotify also has recordings by:
Doofus on "What Did We Leave Behind" (1998)
Country Joe McDonald on "www.countryjoe.com" (2000)
The Rahming Brothers on "What Will I Leave Behind" (2006)
The Chestnut Grove Quartet on "What Love" (2010)

A different song with the same title is sung by:
Martin Rodriguez on "Distortions of the Truth" (2011)