'Zipper Songs' we have known and sung...

Subject: 'Zipper Songs' we have known and sung...
From: sing4peace
Date: 21 Sep 09 - 04:14 PM

I thought it would be fun to start a new thread by sharing a "zipper" song I made up and to encourage you to share others you might have worked with.

A zipper song is a song where the bulk of the verse stays the same each time it is sung but with a different word inserted.

This being the International Day of Peace, I figured on sharing this one that I put together drawing heavily on a native american prayer about beauty.

PEACE BEFORE ME -

Peace before me -
Peace behind me -
Peace from above
and from below.
Peace to the left
and to the right of me
I live in peace wherever I go.

Love before me..

Light before me...

etc. etc.

Another example of a zipper song would be Jay Mankita's "Living Planet"

If all the world knew freedom now
and forever more -
freedom at the surface
and freedom at the core -
all the joy within my heart
would be so free to soar!
We're living on a living planet
circling a living star.
I don't know where we're going
but I know we're going far.
We can change the universe
Just by being who we are
we're living on a living planet
circling a living star.

If all the world knew justice now...

If all the world knew mercy now...

If all the world knew healing now..

If all the world were peaceful now...

etc.

This song has beautiful harmonies and can be found on recordings by Jay Mankita, Magpie, Pat Humphries and others.

Sooooooo....got any zipper songs you'd like to share?

Happy International Day of Peace to you all.

Your sister in everloving hope and song,
Joyce

Subject: RE: 'Zipper Songs' we have known and sung...
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 21 Sep 09 - 06:22 PM

Sing4Peace, you remind me of a favorite inspirational song, which I've heard once--count 'em, once--and immediately had in memory. And I've performed it once--count 'em, once--for an audience congregation, at a Mudcat gathering at Susan and Hardi's in Pennsylvania. It calls for active participation by the listeners in the chorus and the repetitive post-zip lines of the verse, and when they join well it's quite impressive.

Call Down a Blessing

Cho:
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down

Verse:
Beauty before me
Beauty behind me
Beauty within me
Call down
Beauty before me
Beauty behind me
Beauty within me
Call down

Cho:
And
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down a blessing
Call down

Truth before me, etc.

Cho

Brotherhood before me, etc.

Cho

Peace before me, etc.

Cho

Dave Oesterreich