Folk Hymns Needed...

Subject: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: ReformedRocker
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 11:38 AM

Grace and peace,

          ReformedRocker here (it's a name with 2 meanings; I recently gave up rock and roll because it was bad for me, and I am a Reformed Baptist singer/songwriter).

    I would like to talk to anyone who plays acoustic music in traditional or at least folk-style settings in church. I would like to hear about your experiences, successes, failures, resistance (if any) from church folks, and your methods of arranging hymns for folk-style playing.

    *****PLEASE NOTE*****

    I have NOTHING against those who like rock, or Contemporary Christian music; I have simply made the choice to not play that kind of music because of some bad experiences I have had. (I am only mentioning this because I got blasted in a few chat rooms for saying that I did not care to play modern Christian rock.)

Maranatha,

ReformedRocker

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 12:27 PM

Dear Reformed:

I've done this over the years, and have enjoyed it enormously. Some of the songs that I've done that have been well received in churches are:

I Went Down In The Valley To Pray
Angel Band
The Old Account Was Settled
In The Garden
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
This Train Is Bound For Glory
How Much Do I owe Him?
Old Rugged Cross

These last five years, I've been singing with a quartet, but I still sing on my own, and as it turns out will be singing alone this Sunday.
I'll be doing three or four songs from the list above, and a couple that I've written.

You should find a warm reception.

If you want any more imput, you can PM me.

Jerry

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Nathan in Texas
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 12:49 PM

Just about any hymn can be performed in a "folk" style. I get a real good response in the restaurant where I play whenever I play hymns on my autoharp. Most hymns are in the folk tradition, in that they were written by "amateurs". I also play occasionally at church and have always had a positive reception.

Some I perform include:
"I Stand Amazed in the Presence"
"I Am Resolved"
"Nothing but the Blood"
"At the Cross"
"Down At the Cross"
"He Leadeth Me"
"Jesus Loves Me"
"God Leads Us Along"
"Leaning on the Everlasting Arms"
"The Lily of the Valley" (same folk melody as "Little Old Log Cabin in Lane" "Little Joe the Wrangler" etc., etc.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 01:12 PM

Good Choices, Nathan: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, He Leadeth Me and Jesus Loves Me are all songs that are familiar. I also do In The Cross, which is well known in many churches, white and black.

Jerry

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Burke
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 02:39 PM

Folk hymns come up a lot. Put hymn in the filter box at the top of the threads page & refresh for 6 months or a year. Then do the same for gospel, spiritual or psalm.

The are lots of links to online sources in
this thread

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Jeanie
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 05:34 PM

For songs and arrangements in traditional Irish and Scots style, the band Eden's Bridge have some excellent material. They have just produced a songbook, too, with arrangements for all the songs that are on their CDs. Their drummer is Terl Bryant (of Psalm Drummers and Iona).

Details of the book, CDs and some song lyrics are on their website:
http://www.edensbridge.co.uk

- jeanie

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From:
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 06:26 PM

Hi RR,

I play fairly regularly for worship or other church programs. Some of my favorites are "I am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger," What Wondrous Love is This,"   "Lord Whose Love in Humble Service,"
"Tell Them I'm a Child of God," and "Were You There." You can find many arrangements if you check the hymnals of the major denominations for chorded hymns. The Lutheran Book of Worship, With One Voice, and This Far by Faith are three resources that you can get from Augsburg Fortress http://www.augsburgfortress.org/index.asp
Only some hymns are chorded. You might find a Lutheran (ELCA) congregation nearby, and ask the pastor or musician to show you these books. She/he is bound to have some of them,

There is also a newer praise hymnal from Augsburg Fortress, but I don't have one on my shelf yet.

Another resource from them is a holy communion worship setting call "Of the Land and Season." The sung part of the worship order are set to traditional american folk tunes. There are also two newly composed hymns in that idiom. You would have to adapt the service for your church, or just lift out the songs. I should be honest and tell you that my husband and I put that service together.

There is another African American oriented hymnal called Songs of Zion, that I think is published by Abingdon. There is a similar hymnal for the Roman Catholic folks called Lead Me Guide Me.
I use both, along with This Far by Faith, to find spirituals and other hymns. Also, youth oriented Christian songbooks, and Vacation Bible songbooks are good resources.

The main thing ifor me is that in public worship we want to employ the most excellent music. There are certainly excellent hymns in the folk and folk/idiom tradition, but IMHO there are some that are not of high quality. I would think that your pastor or other church leader could be a resource for checking out a song text in terms of its theological suitablility in your tradition. It really is fun to look closely at songs/hymns like this. And I know that I have a few personal favorites that I probablyh wouldn't choose for public worship.

I don't know what your musical training includes. I usually get my husband or another church musician to chord hymns for me, or check my chords if I do it myself. It's important to make sure your chords match the pianists if you're playing together. Some popularly used hymn settings don't lend themselves to guitar--the chords change too quickly, or are too exotic. But often a hymns chordal accompianment can be simplified if it is to be play on the guitar, perhaps also with melody instruments.

Some issues we've run into have to do with supporting congregational song. Do you use amplification? Is the guitar or some other instrument presenting the melody clearly?

I hope this helps. If you would like more suggestions for material, let me know.

Beth

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: reggie miles
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 07:22 PM

There's some great stuff on an recording by Blind Willie McTell put out by Atlantic Records called Atlanta Twelve String. I've had great responses doing these songs, When The Pearly Gates Unfold, I've Got To Cross That River Jordan, Ain't It Grand To Live A Christian, (I changed the words on this one to create an alternative to that ever popular Mama Don't Allow), You Just As Well Get Ready Cuz You Got To Die, all are on this recording by Willie and more along with a whole selection of, well let's just call them, songs from the other side.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 08:00 PM

This may or may not be what you're lookin' for but I've always likes the Byrds version of "I Like the Christain Life", Emmy Lou Harris's version of "Satans Jeweled Crown" and of course "I'll Fly Away" which is actually in some Catholic hymn books if I am not mistaken.

But, maybe overplayed, but Fred McDowell's version of "Amazing Grace". Wow!

Bobert

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Genie
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 08:33 PM

Maranatha, I've done a good bit of this over the years, and has been said, most any song can be done in "folk" style.  Among others, I do:

Peace In the Valley
Put Your Hand In The Hand
I'll Fly Away
Keep On the Sunnyside
His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Sweet Hour of Prayer
One Day At A Time
Abide With Me
In The Garden
On The Wings Of A Dove
The Man In The Middle
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Tbe Lord Of The Dance
Down By The Riverside

and, of course, many folk Christmas carols
such as:
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
'Twas In The Moon Of Wintertime (The Huron Carol)
What Child Is This?
The Friendly Beasts
Go Tell It On The Mountain
Virgin Mary
Mary, Did You Know?  (new, but "folky")
Silent Night/Stille Nacht (which was specifically composed for the guitar)
I Wonder As I Wander

and a Christmas folk song I wrote called "Raise Your Voices In The Song" (in another thread).

I haven't found congregations unresponsive except, to some extent, one.  My sister's church in Rancho Bernardo has what looks like a rock band set up behind the pulpit.  They never use hymnals or sing the older  hymns (as far as I know), except for throwing a few older Christmas carols in on Christmas Eve.  Basically, they do only praise songs, and they all have pretty much the same beat (kind of a soft rock, pop beat with a strong back beat).  This church has seemed to be unresponsive to anything that doesn't fit the 'mold," whether it be Gospel, classical, traditional hymns, or folk.   (In true imitation rock'n'roll fashion, when my sister and I sang my folky carol at that church, the sound guy turned my guitar up so loud you could hardly hear the words of the song -- not typical of either folk or country or  Gospel.)

Anyway, good on ya for doing the music that you feel moved to do!

Genie

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 09:42 PM

Weekly. All kinds. PM me for details.

~S~

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 05:41 AM

Over here in the UK we have quite a following for what has come to be known as "West Gallery" music. These are mainly anthems rather than hymns which were sung in churches before the modern idea of having an organ and a choir up front became the norm. The idea was that the choir and a band consiting of anyone who could play an instrument (and probably many who couldn't) would perform from the gallery BEHIND the congregation. This is a very practical system as people are much more likely to sing if there are powerful voices singing from the rear - it can work at some folk clubs too ! If the choir/band were going to perform on their own the congregation would be invited to "Turn round and face the music" - a phrase we still use today.

Hymns are a comparatively modern phenomena which was made possible by the fact that people like Nahum Tate and Isaac Watts produced metrical versions of psalms and other passages from the bible which provided the lyrics for many of the original compositions.

The US has a similiar system of early hymns (many based on texts by Watts etc) and a lot of these published in hymnals such as "Southern Harmony" and "The Sacred Harp" which also introduced "Shape Note" notation to enable tunes to be scored so that singers could use both standard musical notation or a simplified tonic soh-fah system. For further details try THIS LINK for Shape Note Singing and THIS LINK for West Gallery Music.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: banjoman
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 07:38 AM

Hi - Maggie & I have been singing & playing in church for many years and use acoustic guitar and/or five string banjo. Maggie also plays a mean concert recorder for reflective pieces.Some of our favourites are:=
Only a shadow
O Lord my god when I in awesome wonder
I saw the grass I saw the trees
Plus many more, although we usually try to fit the music to the gospel or scripture themes for that particular day or service.
The only adverse reaction I can recall was when one person informed me that the banjo was "an instrument of the devil " and should not be played in church.##

My reaction was, "why should the devil have all the good music" so I promptly reclaimed it for Jesus and have managed to adapt my/our style to almost any requested hymn.

My favourite non religious piece is one I heard many years ago called "do they play country music in heaven" making the point that if they don't, the singer will go and play somewhere else.

If you want to swap a few more tales, get in touch at [e-mail]

keep singing/playing

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From:
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 11:03 AM

A Beautiful Life (aka Life's Evening Sun) (Written in 1918 by William Golden)

All the Good Times (Written by Bob Pegg)

Check out this site for more:
http://www.christianguitar.org/praise/

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: MairSea
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 11:37 AM

From Hymns Old and New (New Anglican Edition)the following hymns have been written using traditional tunes by John L Bell and Graham Maule and have been used successfully in our local church.

Cloth for the Cradle (Tune: Wae's me for Prince Charlie)
Christ's is the World (A Touching Place) (Tune: Dream Angus)

Cry 'Freedom!' Words Michael Forster (Use tune: God rest ye Merry Gentlemen)

Not in the Book but used by us:
Christ in the Stranger's Guise (Tune: Leaving of Liverpool) JL Bell G Maule.

Hope these are of help to you.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: wilco
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 05:47 PM

Reformed Rocker:
       Great Query. Lots of material on the perma-threads.
      My experience is that there are many old hymnns that are almost universally familiar appreciated: Amazing Grace, In The Garden, I'll Fly away, etc.
       I like to do two or three songs, and then ask the audience if there is any old hymnn or gospel that they would like to hear, maybe something that they heard as children, or from their parents or grandparents. That really gets them going! Most of the time, here in the SE USA, one of our group knows enough of the melody or lyrics to play the requests.
      I like to contact the social director or music minister before-hand to get any requests from the audience. It gets them interested, and people will bring their kids and grandkids to "hear that old song daddy sang to me sixty years ago."

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Genie
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 07:51 PM

The UU Hymnal (Singing The Living Tradition) has a song "Though I May Speak With Bravest Fire" to the tune "The Water Is Wide." It's a paraphrase of th 13th Chapter of I Corinthians, and quite lovely.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Jim Krause
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 03:35 PM

I have performed such pieces as

• I Am A Pilgrim
  
• What a Friend We Have in Jesus
  
• In Christ There Is No East or West (the John Fahey arrangement)
  
• River of Jordan (Poplin Family)
  
• In The Sweet Bye and Bye (instrumental version) Although you might want to watch out with this one. Joe Hill wrote a parody on it and called it "Pie In The Sky."
  
• What Child Is This?
  
• The Cherry Tree Carol
  
• The Wexford Carol
  

These last two are from the Oxford Book of Carols.
Jim

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: bbc
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 03:37 PM

Duane D. & I hold up the folk end of things at our small, fairly fundamental Protestant church. Our choir director is a young school music teacher who mostly favors contemporary & rock music. We do a special, every now & then, accompanied by autoharp & either guitar or banjo. It is always well-received by the church body & many sing & clap along. Some things we have done are:

Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Going Up Home
Wings of a Dove
I am a Pilgrim
Deep Settled Peace
Through It All

Hopes this helps. It seems to us that a diversity in musical styles enriches the services. After all, people have different musical tastes as well as worship styles.

best from NY,

bbc

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: GUEST,Rhiannon
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 04:13 PM

Folk type hymns that stick in my mind, from recordings I have heard are:

I Will Guide Three (sung by Mal Waite);
St Patrick's Breastplate (sung by Steeleye Span);
Good Old Ways (I am not sure if this has been recorded but I know Tony and Pearl O'Neill sing it).

The Sally Army seem to have quite a few good ones too.

Rhiannon
>^..^<

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From:
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 04:35 PM

Hi Reformed Rocker!

I'm pastor of a Baptist church in the UK -mainstream, evangelical(website - www.roomfield.co.uk) and have been a folk singer / musician / dancer as well for 40 years since my teens. As well as organ and keyboards, We often use guitars, mandoline, bouzouki, accordion or melodion, various percussion, fiddle and pipes at various times in our worship - it all depends on what is being planned and who is available.

There has been an enormous resurgence of interest in Celtic spirituality in the UK in recent years and this has brought a tremendous gift of celtic and folk roots styles into worship.

The Northumbria Community is one of several groups at the heart of this (http://www.northumbriacommunity.org.uk/) They have revived such celtic classics as 'Be Thou My Vision' - which my wife and I lead in our church with Bouzouki, guitar and sometimes with a Northumbrian piper and a bochran player too. The community have material available including a setting of the Magnificat to the tune of 'The Wild Mountain Thyme' several original hymns and songs in celtic style and several more which 'borrow' classic folk tunes. The Iona Community in Scotland also have music in this genre.

We also host Folk dances (Barn Dances / Celidhes) at our church because (i) we are quite normal and (ii) we enjoy them and (iii) it brings our church into contact and dialogue with the wider community and (iv) because we think God is nice and He likes us to have fun.

Hope this is of interest - I'm delighted to see your post and warmly invite you and any others with this interest to e-mail me. My own Folk interest are mainly, but not exclusively English and Scottish / Irish celtic traditions.

Blessings!!

Glenn (Cannon)

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: GUEST,lardingo
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 06:03 PM

I don't really do folk hymns, but I can tell you that I get the best response from most congregations when I draw heavily from Albert E. Brumley songs.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 06:22 PM

These are the ones we do most often:

Abide With Me
Ain't That Good News?
Are You Walking And A-Talking With The Lord?
Beautiful Home
Beautiful Life
Beautiful Stars
Blessed Assurance
Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord
Blest Be The Tie That Binds
Born Again
Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary
Chatter With The Angels
Deep River
Don't Forget The Bridge
Family Who Prays
Farther Along
Gideon's Band
God Don't Never Change
God Leads Us Along
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Green Pastures
He Was Waiting At The Altar
Heavenly Sunlight
Higher Ground
House Of Gold
I Am A Pilgrim
I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
I Heard About A Stone
I Love To Tell The Story
I Remember Dark Calvary
I Saw The Light
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me
I Went Down To The River To Pray
If You See My Savior
I'll Fly Away
I'm Using My Bible For A Road Map
In The Garden
In The Highways
In The Sweet By And By
I've Got A Home In That Rock
Jesus Died For Me
Jesus Is Whispering Now
Jewels
Joshua Fought The Battle Of Jericho
Just As I Am, Without One Plea
Keep On The Sunnyside
Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
Leave It There
Let God Abide
Let The Lower Lights Be Burning
Life's Railway To Heaven
Michael Row The Boat Ashore
My Jesus, I Love Thee
My Lord, What A Morning!
Nearer, My God, To Thee
Never Grow Old
Ninety And Nine
No Disappointment In Heaven
No, Not One!
Oh Glory, How Happy I Am
Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep
Oh, Why?
Old Rugged Cross
Old Ship Of Zion
One Morning In Jerusalem
Palms Of Victory
Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior
Paul And Silas
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Rescue The Perishing
Shall We Gather At The River?
Softly And Tenderly
Standing In The Need Of Prayer
Standing On The Promises
Step By Step
Sweet Hour Of Prayer
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Take Up Thy Cross
That's All Right
There Is A River
There'll Be No Dark Valley
Thirty Pieces Of Silver
To God Be The Glory
Twelve Gates To The City (Story Version)
Twelve Gates To The City (Trinity Version)
Wade In The Water
Weapon Of Prayer
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
When The Angel Rolled The Stone Away
When The World's On Fire
Where The Roses Never Fade
Whispering Hope
Will The Circle Be Unbroken?
Wings Of A Dove
Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up
You Can't Make Me Doubt Him

~Susan

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Nov 02 - 07:18 PM

There is another discussion site just for people doing these sorts of things in church. Please PM me if interested.

~Susan

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Jeanie
Date: 25 Nov 02 - 07:55 PM

Heard on BBC TV 'Songs of Praise' last Sunday: "The Old Grey Duck" (tune as sung by Brenda Wootton) with lyrics by Michael Mair: "When I Receive the Peace of Christ". The BBC website names the tune as "The Seven Joys of Mary", lyrics published in "Songs of God's People."

On the same programme back in the summer, Maddy Prior sang Charles Wesley's "Jesus the Name High Over All" to the tune "Lydia".

A lovely tune and song for Easter: "Now the Green Blade Rises" - Tune: Noel Nouvelet, a French carol. It's in "Baptist Praise & Worship".

"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" can be sung to the tune of "The Water is Wide".

- jeanie

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From:
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 08:21 PM

I am in the same boat that you are in with regards to being a reformed rocker. For what it's worth, here are the songs which I play, though, many of these songs are not hymns but are Christ-edifying and tell a short story of American History.

Who Is The Man - From the Puritans
When Jesus Wept - From the Colonials, William Billings, first American songwriter
'Twas In The Moon Of Wintertime - From French Jesuit priest missionary to the Huron Indians
How Firm A Foundation (Favorite of President's Jackson and T. Roosevelt)
*Poor Wayfaring Stranger - From the Great Awakening of the 1740s
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - From the Plantations, before the Civil War
*Joshua Fought The Battle Of Jericho - After the Civil War
*Jacob's Ladder - Campground meeting?
*He's Got The Whole World In His Hands - recent
*Michael, Row The Boat Ashore - From the Islands off of North Carolina
*Kum-Ba-Ya
When The Saints Go Marching In
*Down By The Riverside
*Mary Don't You Weep, Don't You Mourn
*Mary Wore Three Links Of Chain (also known as "Hold On")
*Rock Island Line
*Home In That Rock
*Come And Go With Me
Ninety-And-Nine
*Old-Time Religion
*No Hiding Place
Cowboy's Dream - Actually recited by a cowboy over another's grave when there was no parson on the frontier. (For a fascinating read, check out "Bible In Pocket, Gun In Hand" by Ross Peres, 1963, regarding frontier religion.)
Ghost Riders In The Sky - "Then cowboy change your way today or with us you will ride, tryin' to catch the devil's herd, across the endless skies."
Headin' For The Last Roundup
*Old-Time Religion
*Lonesome Valley - This is actually a misnomer, it says "You've got to walk it all alone, which can never be true for a Christian)
Royal Telephone

All the selections with a * I learned from the Mel Bay Publication: "Mel Bay's Complete Folk Guitar" by Jerry Silverman. In addition, go to www.ccel.org (Chrisitan Classics Electric Library) and there is a facsimile edition of the Southern Harmony from the 1830's. A fantastic resource. In addition, Mel Bay Publishing puts out a book called "Complete Gospel Guitar" by Duck Baker. Mel Bay has quite a few other hymn collections; also, Burl Ives has two volumes of very well sung Hymns "Songs I Sang In Sunday School", etc.

In addition, I am not sure if you are familiar with a song called "House Carpenter" but, the lyrics veil a Christian warning about leaving Jesus to pursue the things of the world which drown men in perdition.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 02:44 AM

Maddy Prior and the Tim Laycock band whose name has just escaped me, (Carnival???) have a whole cassette of Folk Praise which contains folky settings of many hymns, and hymn settings of many folk tunes, the most notable being '29th May' - started life as a dance tune, became a morris tune, is now better known as 'Royal Oak' and is the tune for 'All things bright and beautiful'.

LTS

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Abuwood
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 11:27 AM

Something modern and a bit different which I have sung in church a few times is You are there by Brian Bedford. On Artisan Dancing with words CD.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 01:37 PM

About every Spring the Pastor of our American Baptist Church here in coastal Maine invites me to provide music for the Easter "Sonrise" Service on a nearby island in Casco Bay.

I used to be really active in the Church; served as a Deacon, did a lot with the Music Ministry, Bible Study, considered a "call" to the Ministry etc... but now it's about once or twice a year, including the Island on Easter Morning.

But that's another story...

What I usually offer is "Morning Has Broken" on fife or flute; lately my low G black walnut "Gilead" flute.

This year I also did "Battle Hymn of the Republic" on Military Bb Fife in recognition of our Nation's struggle against international terrorism, and the conflict in Iraq - which I suspect is about as far as I'd better go with that here.

Other popular flute tunes are "Nearer My God to Thee" and of course "Amazing Grace", which makes a good Hymn to end things up on.

I see one of my old favorites, "Old Ship of Zion" mentioned above; we had quite a thread on that going here some time ago - check the DTDB and see if it is still there.   Although it has appeared in various Hymnals and publications over the years in various incarnations, it seems to have a long "folk" tradition on it's own, particularly among the Southern Slaves back before the "War of Rebellion".

For the old and nearly obligatory Campfire sing-along song "KumByeah", I developed an alternative set of lyrics (which I haven't played in years, as I recall) so I guess they kind of bombed with the public, but I used to like playing & singing it when no one else was around.
'Cept God, of course.

"Kum-bye-yah, my Lord; kum-bye-yah;(X3; you know the drill)
...Dear Lord.. Kum-bye-yah.

Father Y'ehovah; KBY;
God of Abraham; KBY
Eternal, Everlasting One; KBY;
(etc.)

Only Begotten Son; KBY;
Bread of Eternal Life; KBY; (alternatively; "Lamb of God")
Sweet Lord Jesus (or "Yeshuah"); KBY
(etc.)

(If guitar; break from a quiet finger-picking and really "wham it" a couple of licks, like thunder from an oncoming storm to bridge)

Holy Spirit; KBY!
Fire of Pentecost; KBY;
Breath of Eternal Life; KBY;

(Now ease back to a soft, gentle, reverent pick and lower voice for final):

Triune God; KBY
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; KBY;
Mighty, Everlasting One; KBY;
Oh, Lord; Come by here...


Feel free to use it if you like - I don't any more.
If you bless someone with it, I for one would be tickled pink.

FWIW
UJ in ME

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: GUEST,Mary V.
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 12:08 AM

This is such an interesting discussion.
Thanks to all of you for the wonderful lists
of songs....
My favorite song that I am doing right now..
is off of June Carter Cash'..Press On..C.D.
The song is called..
Bear' me up on wings of angels..
I can hear the choir singing...

It is the most beautiful song...
with all string instruments I
have ever heard.
Thanks from Mary

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: LadyJean
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 12:34 AM

John Roberts and Tony Barand have recorded some wonderful carols. I reccomend their Nowell series, and their recording of spring carols. Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band did a recording of Wesley's hymns (with a few others) called "Sing Lustily and With Good Courage" that is among my favorites.
"Warrenton", if you can find it, is a favorite of mine. I also love "Be Thou My Vision" I think The Chieftains recorded it. There is a Christian Celtic band, Ceidh Rain, but they play mostly original music, and I don't think they're very good.

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: GUEST,Robert Sprague
Date: 06 Feb 04 - 05:36 PM

Praise Him                               By Robert Sprague


Verse 2
(G)                                     (C7)                   (G)
I was once a stranger and didn't know the Lord
                                           (A7)                (D)
I hadn't read his gospel or listened to his word
(G)                                        (C7)                      (G)
I walked a path so sinful and filled with wicked ways
(G)                                                    (C7)          (D7) (G)
But his spirit came upon me now I praise Him every day

Chorus
(G)                                  (C7)          (G)
Praise Him praise Him every single day
                                              (A7)            (D7)
Raise his name in glory as I travel on my way
(G)                                        (C7)          (G)
Preach his holy message in every single town
                                           (C7)       (D7)    (G)
Till that day in glory when I shall wear a crown

Verse2

I did not want to hear about that man from Gallilee

How he healed the sick and he set the spirit free

He made the lame to walk and they threw the crutch away

Now His spirit is upon me and I praise him every day

Verse 3

Now Jesus is my savior and He's my shining light

I do my best to serve him every day and night

I help my fallen brethren on their weary way

Cause his spirit is upon me and I praise him every day

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: Padre
Date: 06 Feb 04 - 10:20 PM

If you can find a copy of the Dover reprint (reprinted 1964) of "Spiritual Folk-Songs of Early America" edited by George Pullen Jackson, there are 250 tunes and texts that may help you in your search.

Padre

Subject: RE: FOLK HYMNS NEEDED...
From: robinia
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 03:07 AM

Sharon Mountain Harmony (Folk Legacy, FSI-86) has some great songs on it too. LIke Blessed Quietness (has that been mentioned?) I've Been Listening, Climbing High Mountains . . . Lucy Simpson, who leads many of these, was at Pinewoods the year I was also there, and at meal times "her table" was a fount of lovely quiet folk hymns.

Subject: RE: Folk Hymns Needed...
From: sian, west wales
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 04:49 PM

Getting hard to find something not already mentioned but ... Near the Cross and Beautiful Isle of Somewhere? I understand that there are places in the States where All Through the Night and Suo Gan (sometimes recognized as the tune that runs through the film Empire of the Sun) are used as hymn tunes.

sian

Subject: RE: Folk Hymns Needed...
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 05:45 PM

Siân: Ar Hyd y Nos (all through the night) tune used for hymns in Wales as well. I can't remember all the words now (in work) but it starts

Though who rulest Earth & Heaven
Darkness & light
Who the day for toil has given
For rest the night...



or something like that


Nigel

Subject: RE: Folk Hymns Needed...
From: Callie2
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 12:40 AM

There are some good trad sounding English songs that can do the trick if you want secular hymns. John Tams seems to have rewritten a number of good ones including "Only Remembered" which has a great chorus and "Lay me Low", traditionally a Shaker Hymn.

There's also a fantastic song by Fred Small called "I Will Stand Fast" which could also be what you're looking for.

Subject: RE: Folk Hymns Needed...
From: GUEST,Lynda
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 12:55 AM

You might like to look at www.songsofpraise.com the songs are free for the taking and all have midis and sheet music as well as help for musical chords.   There are some great songs here and on linked sites.

PTL

Lynda