Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music

Subject: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 11:17 AM

Skiffle, jugband, oldtime-- any perky, celebratory music for Lent?

Our Saturday night acoustic service's music always struggles to find the kind of music that works for us the rest of the church year. But Sundays within the Lenten period are actually NOT part of Lent-- they are sort of like a celebratory feast breaking Lent, each week, and the Sat. night service is the vigil of that Sunday AM "feast," so our service should anticipate and join the celebration.

So these "penitiential" seasons are a real stretch for us-- most of the available music is quite minor and dark! (We have the same problem in Advent.)

Any ideas? Especially ideas I can HEAR?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:25 PM

I don't know that there is any upbeat leanten music. I think that most take the view that even though the sundays are feast days, they are solem feast days.

Perhaps you should write some.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:48 PM

Guest,

Gotcha. The only things solemn about our Sat. service are the Eucharist and prayers. The music contrasts with this and points up the solemnity without making it all smarmy and precious. Keeps a balance of attention between smarm and joy.

I had thought of writing-- none are coming, although I will often edit texts to work for us and add new verses, if the tune is right and the text is close.

~S~

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 12:51 PM

Also, to clarify my request further, I'm looking not for songs that repeat what will be told in the gospel lesson for the week, but which respond to the lesson with a celebration of the good news in it. Songs not mired in how sinful we are-- very Lenty-- but that look at how we overcome.

~S~

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: MMario
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 01:09 PM

Hey wys - I went a-lookin' and found a music site that was discussing Lenten music - and they said that using Easter hymns were not inappropriate during Lent as "every Sunday is a little Easter"

See 'I need thee Every Hour' at cyber hymnal...might work.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 03:16 PM

How about some general songs dealing with praise or peace, but with no special Lenten message? Surely they are appropriate all the time.

I think that a church service should offer a variety of moods. I remember going to church one day after a friend's death. Every song was happy. To me, they sounded idiotically happy. I said to myself, "What is this, a fairground?" I felt very much alone that day.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 03:51 PM

being a bog trotting Catholic it escapes me what is joyous about Lent...but O Sacred Head Surrounded has a great tune...one daywhen Iwas lost they hung him on the cross...oh come and mourn with me a while..well, sad tune but pretty...down by the riverside...mg

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 07:07 PM

Thanks.... been listening my way through Cyberhymnal for years on this one....

Leenia, I understand your point. We also do a lot of bluesy gospel and spirituals, not always happyhappy stuff... but right now I'm aiming for upbeat choices specifically, as a juxtaposition to the usual "Suffering Lent" mentality where it's about giving up things for Lent. Our approach is more like, what are you ADDING for Lent?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST,Anonny Mouse
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 09:51 PM

Lent is not a "celebratory" season even minus the Sundays in it tho Sundays are always resurrection services. "Hallelujahs" are suspended even on Sundays in Lent. A lot of the hymns, songs are in minor keys-but you could use something like "On Eagles Wings" which fits the season based on the psalm quoted for Jesus to jump off the temple-lest you dash your foot against a stone...eh? Thats a good tune not a dirge. Just a suggestion....

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: Hrothgar
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 04:47 AM

"Upbeat Lenten Music"

Oxymoron.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST,Dax
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 05:19 AM

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST,Dax
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 05:31 AM

I always hated the music of advent and lent. I think that music should be uplifting. I could never understand why the church spent so much time wailing about a death that occured 2000 years ago. Anyone can and will die. The life of Christ should be celebrated with joy! If his teachings are believed his death was his returning home. Yes, he suffered but so did everyone else murdered in such fashion buy the Romans. He had to die
in a very public display to prove his resurection. His death was only a tool! His teaching of love is what was important.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 05:56 AM

Wysy, what a good idea! I know you already cull from the southern gospel traditions- that's got to be a gold mine, there's so much richness there. If I think of anything further, I'll post it here!

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 10:41 AM

Anyone who knows me will hear the tone of voice as I scream,
"DUHHHHHHHHHHHH! SANKEY Songs, stupid!!!!!"

SANKEY SONGS!

DUHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 06:03 PM

Being depressed during lent makes easter all the better.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 08:01 PM

Generally I find cheerful hymns very hard to take. So I suppose that would make them penitential, and so appropriate enough for Lent.

So if you don't count Sundays as part of Lent, WYSIWYG, does that mean if you've given up something for Lent you can forget about that on a Sunday? (Of course that would rule out those "happy" hymns too...)

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 09:55 PM

I don't give up things for Lent. I undertake things to add. For me it's a season of intense focus and reflection on my life in Christ.

Ours is a congregation of overcomers. Real Life is dreary enough. Sankey songs tend to describe some aspect of real life and the human condition, and then uplift it.

Sankey was a revivalist, and I guess so is our Sat. nite music-- encouragement to people who know the hard side of life well. Sunday AM is the more serious side of our parish. Funny, it's our Sat. group that has been growing. We don't sugarcoat... we just set a tone that life is really pretty wacky.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST,riverboat annie
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:08 PM

"upbeat lenten music"




boy, is that an oxymoron...

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST,ra
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:11 PM

play the fiddle tune "southwind"... Voila!

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:12 PM

ooops wrong thread

Subject: Lyr Add: THE PREACHER AND THE FLOOD (Joel Mabus)
From: GUEST,ra
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:34 PM

Ah well, here's one...


THE PREACHER AND THE FLOOD
By Joel Mabus

1. It's the story of an old hard-shell preacher, sanctified in the blood,
And about the time he had the year of the dreadful flood.
It rained for forty days and nights, 'til at last the dam gave way.
The preacher fell down on his knees and everybody heard him pray:

CHORUS 1: He said, "Lord, deliver me, deliver me from this flood.
Lord you know I'm sanctified, sanctified in the blood.
I been to the river and I been baptized.
Now I raise my hands to the heavenly skies
And say, 'Lord, deliver me, deliver me from the flood.' "

2. Now the preacher's sittin' on his old front porch, rockin' in his rockin' chair.
The water's rising step by step, licking at the very top stair.
A neighbor come by in a row boat, said "Preacher, better come with me!"
The preacher said, "You can save yourself, but the Lord will deliver me!

CHORUS 2: "The Lord will deliver me, deliver me from this flood.
Don't you know I'm sanctified, sanctified in the blood?
I been to the river and I been baptized.
Now I raise my hands to the heavenly skies
And say, 'Lord, deliver me, deliver me from the flood.' "

3. By and by that old river water come rolling in the preacher's door,
So the preacher he ran upstairs to his room on the second floor.
A Coast-Guard cutter come a-sailing by, said "Everybody get on board!"
The preacher stuck his head outside his window, said "I'm trusting in the Lord!" CHORUS 2

4. Now the preacher's sitting on his rooftop, hugging to his old smokestack.
The water's rising higher and higher. Things are looking mighty black.
Along come a police helicopter and they lowered down a line.
The preacher, he just waved 'em away, said, "Boys, I'm doing fine!" CHORUS 2

5. Now the preacher's standing at the Pearly Gates, his robe is a-dripping wet.
The preacher said to the heavenly king, he said, "There's something I don't get!
Lord, why didn't you save me? I put all my faith in you!"
God said, "I sent you two boats and a helicopter. What more could I do?"

CHORUS 3: The Lord will deliver you, deliver you from the flood,
But it'll be too late if you sit and wait for heavenly angels from above.
I'm here to tell you, sister and brother,
The Lord helps them that help one another,
And the Lord will deliver you, deliver you from the flood. Amen!
Deliver you from the flood - again,
Deliver you from the flood.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 10:25 AM

Well, below are some I found lurking in my own file that I had not considered for Lent-- I just liked to sing them-- but now I think I will! Many of them will already have been posted in Mudcat threads. Others might be at the Cyberhymnal. Some are from radio programs with sound archived online. Other sources/styles are listed also.

If any are wanted that you can't locate, PM or post and I will post them. (I have chords for a lot of these as well.)

~S~

Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed/At The Cross HYMN
Alleluia! Sing To Jesus! HYMN
All God's Children Got To Humble Down SPIRITUAL
All Praise To Thee, My God, This Night HYMN
Amazing Grace HYMN

Be Thou My Vision HYMN

Climbing Up On The Rough Side Of The Mountain HOPEFUL GOSPEL QUARTET (PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION)
Commune With Me MARANATHA PRAISE

Deep Down In My Heart SPIRITUAL OR BLACK GOSPEL
Done Found My Lost Sheep HOPEFUL GOSPEL QUARTET (PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION)
Do You Know Him? SISTER SHIRLEY, KENNEDY CTR MILLENIUM STAGE

Every Humble Knee Must Bow BLUEGRASS GOSPEL

Fields Of Clover JERRY RASMUSSEN

Going Over The Hill SISTER SHIRLEY, KENNEDY CTR MILLENIUM STAGE
Got Any Rivers? SOUTHERN GOSPEL

He Touched Me GAITHER SOUTHERN GOSPEL
He Washed My Eyes With Tears HYMN/SOUTHERN GOSPEL
How I Got Over SISTER SHIRLEY, KENNEDY CTR MILLENIUM STAGE

If Jesus Had To Pray BLACK GOSPEL, SINNER'S CROSSROADS ON WFMU
I Know The Lord Laid His Hands On Me SPIRITUAL
I'll Be Singing All The Time In My Mind SPIRITUAL
I'm Working On A Building BLUEGRASS GOSPEL
I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light HYMN

Jesus, The Light Of The World BLUES/BLACK GOSPEL, SINNER'S CROSSROADS ON WFMU
Just A Closer Walk With Thee HYMN

May My Heart Find Rest In Thee JERRY RASMUSSEN
Micah 6:8 MARANATHA PRAISE
My Soul Is A Witness For My Lord SPIRITUAL

One More Valley, One More Hill DOTTIE RAMBO SOUTHERN GOSPEL
Open Our Eyes, Lord PRAISE CHORUS

Peace Like A River PRAISE CHORUS
Peter JERRY RASMUSSEN
Purify My Heart MARANATHA PRAISE

Revive Us Again REVIVAL HYMN
Rock In A Weary Land SPIRITUAL
Rock Of Ages HYMN

Seek Ye First HYMN
Sinner, The Master Is Calling You BLACK GOSPEL, SINNER'S CROSSROADS ON WFMU
Stand The Storm SPIRITUAL

To Know You More MARANATHA PRAISE
Travel On BLACK GOSPEL, SINNER'S CROSSROADS ON WFMU
Trouble Soon Be Over HOPEFUL GOSPEL QUARTET (PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION)
Turn Your Radio On BLUEGRASS GOSPEL

You Hear The Lambs A-Crying SPIRITUAL

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: LadyJean
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 11:16 PM

"Gabriel's Message" which can be found in the Oxford Carol book, is, apparently, a lenten processional song, and decidedly upbeat:
Gabriel's message does away
Satan's curse and Satan's sway
Out of darkness comes our day
So behold
All the gates of heaven unfold.

Wonderous Love is upbeat, and I've heard it played during lent.

My sister and I spent Christmas with a family with a new baby named Gabriel. So, we were singing "Blow Gabriel Blow" from Cole Porter's "Anything Goes". His parents wanted to know if it was a spiritual.
My church has an Easter Vigil, with a candlelight procession. I defy anyone to keep a straight face through that procession. We can't hear each other, so we never know what we're supposed to be singing, and of course keeping the candle lit in the wind is a losing battle.

Subject: RE: Looking for Upbeat Lenten Music
From: mg
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 11:53 PM

HOW about oh sinner man..great tune...mg