UU Hymnal Suggestions

Subject: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: Ref
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 06:53 PM

I searched the archives and found some earlier references, but nothing concentrated. I'd throw this open for any UU's or fellow travelers to make suggestions, criticisms, rants, or objections regarding the hymnal now promulgated by the UUA or any future effort. To kick it off, I'd like to point out how much I hate "Spirit of Life" because A. It's just a weepy dirge, and B. I hate having people presume I'd like it just because I'm UU. I'd also point out that they changed the words in "Light One Candle" from "We have come this far, always believing that justice..." to "Have we come this far..." which changes the whole meaning. Okay. Got that off my chest. Have at it.

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 09:34 PM

You've got me confused, Ref. I thought the current Unitarian Universalist hymnal was Singing the Living Tradition, published in 1993. Is there another titled Spirit of Life or are you talking about the song with that title? I like the words of the song, but I don't know that I've heard it.

I second your complaint about the UU tendency to change words of songs. Oftentimes, it reeks of the worst sort of Political Correctness. I have to say, however, that it's not as bad as the word-changing in some of the earlier UU hymnals I've seen. And I also have to say that it has introduced me to some wonderful songs I didn't know. I think Singing the Living Tradition is the most expensive hymnal I own - If I recall correctly, I paid thirty-seven bucks (long story - I asked the bookstore to check price, and she ordered one for me and I couldn't bring myself to refuse it). Shortly afterward, I found one at a thrift store for a buck, but my conscience got the best of me and I returned it to the church it had been stolen from.


I think the Unitarians would do well to make use of Worship in Song: A Friends Hymnal, and get out of the hymnal business.

-Joe, Roamin' Catholic, who feels very much at home with Unitarians-

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 10:17 PM

Tom Rapp's song "Prayers of Action" would be good in the UU hymnal, you wouldn't have to change a word.

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 10:29 PM

I've always liked the ones Unity Churches have done. I couldn't find a listing for just one hymnal for them, but I did find this Music Page which tells what they are doing, has some sound clips, which I have not listened to, yet, and, if you click on "lyric slides" on the left, there are powerpoint slides of some of the songs.

They end every service with "Let there be peace on earth" and I really love that. I also like their "I am walking in the Light."

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: GUEST,Dan Schatz on his laptop
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 11:10 PM

I guess I'm as well qualified to weigh in on this thread as anyone, since I'm a Unitarian Universalist Minister, have been a guest lecturer in a UU hymnody class and have even written a few papers on the subject. Singing the Living Tradition has some amazing material in it - I've been working with it professionally for over 10 years now and am still learning new songs. Some of them aren't the ones you're likely familiar with, either. Have you ever sung "I Walk the Unfrequented Road," "The Lone Wild Bird," "Just as Long as I Have breath" or "Do You Hear?" Amazing stuff!

The book does, of course, give us its moments of frustration. Sally Rogers's song "Love Will guide Us" is missing two verses, including an incredibly powerful one, so I have secured her permission to reprint the full words whenever I program it in a service. The Christmas carols, in hindsight, would have been better left unedited. The trouble, I think, was that in attempting to create a uniform editing principle, the hymbook commission missed the reasons we sing certain songs. Christmas carols, for most of us, are not about the details - few of us believe in the angels we sing about - they are about the tradition of singing.

Hymns are a living tradition (just as the title implies) and like folk songs, have always been modified to keep up with the times. If the language they use no longer has meaning for people, or offends too many people, the hymns die. Changing "Once to Every Man and Nation" to "Once to Every Soul and Nation" seems a small price to pay to keep alive such a marvelous song. But there are a few basic principles that should generally be applied:

The editor should err towards on the side of minimal change
The editor should avoid modifications that are idiosyncratic or completely change the meaning of the song
Changes should yield poetry that is as good or better than the original
Careful track should be kept of the number of changes in any given song - too many and the effort could fall apart
Songs like Christmas carols - which have meaning in the singing of familiar words and not the literal meaning of the words used - should be left alone if at all possible.

Some of these principles, incidentally, were developed out of folklore studies. Hymnody and folklore have much in common.

As far as certain songs, that's a matter of taste. I know that some congregations sing "Spirit of Life" nearly every Sunday, even though Carolyn McDade, the composer, wishes they wouldn't. For her, the song came out of a very specific situation and relates to a call to social justice work. In our congregation, we take care not to sing the same songs too often.

Well, I'm off for the weekend, folks. I'll be interested to see what becomes of this thread when I return!

Dan Schatz

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: frogprince
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 11:25 PM

Does the UU book include "Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound"? : )

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 01:32 PM

I was getting ready to suggest "A Wizard's Staff Has a Knob on the End" & "The Hedgehog Song" Until I realised that the thread title is not about the "Unseen University"

CHEERS
Nigel

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: Ref
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 07:19 PM

Yes, i'm referring to SLT the hymnal, or, as i prefer to call it, The Gray Book With All The Mistakes In It. Dan, I appreciate your input and can only hope that, next time around, you have a lead role in the editing! Personally, I think that care should be taken to consider the poor congregants who are going to use it. Greater (MUCH greater!) emphasis needs to go on providing melodies and allowing the option of harmonies. The prior hymnal had a lovely harmony arrangement of Morning Has Broken, but the new one decrees that the song be done in unison. How is this an improvement? I echo your problem with Love Will Guide Us and have spoken about it quite a bit, while pushing the full song. Someone also needs to let Nick Page (bless his heart!) know that triplets are an annoyance to many people and a needless complication for a lot of congregants. Another example of warped thinking is in the new adjunct that was published last year. They have a lovely piece based on the beautiful Sophia Lyon Phas reading "For So The Children Come." Good so far, but the editors suggest that a leader read the piece while the congregants sing the intervening chorus. The chorus is lovely, but NOT an easy read. It would make a lot mor sense for the congregation to read the piece together while a choir sings the refrain. One last bitch for this post. Why do we have room for the South African National Congress theme song and none for The Battle Hymn Of The Republic?

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 07:28 PM

Dictating no harmony is not the image I've ever had of what a UU is all about! Quite surprising...I've always been where one could choose on their own whether to sing harmony or not, as part of a congregation, I mean.

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: Ferrara
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 11:00 AM

Maybe they took out Battle Hymn of the Republic because war and battles are not PC? Sigh....

Dan, excellent comments. I agree with Ref ... too bad they didn't put you in charge of the new version.

Subject: RE: UU Hymnal Suggestions
From: Ref
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 03:19 PM

Well, of course you CAN just sing harmony, but they changed the arrangement so that the old parts don't quite fit with the melody, at least on that song. I know you're not really arguing with me, but it's a curious kind of PC that would embrace the African National Congress, which openly espoused violence, and not allow The Battle Hymn. I think a lot of folk songs would do well. Ochs' "When I'm Gone" would be a lovely addition.