ALISON CASELLA BROOKINS
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Music

Get Up and Go

2/18/2023

 
Get Up and Go
Artist: Alison Casella Brookins
Lyrics: (below)
Type: Unison refrain, call/response verses
Notes: Starting note A. Upbeat sending song. There should probably be clapping.

Refrain
You gotta get up and go
out of this place
Get up,
go out and live
2x


Verse 1
Leader: Your God came that you might have life
All: Get up, go out and live

Leader: So full of light that you just can’t hide
All: Get up, go out and live

refrain

Verse 2
Leader: Won’t be easy, you’re gonna be scared
All: Get up, go out and live
Leader: Look around there’s hope out there
All: Get up, go out and live

refrain
Verse 3
Leader: Take a step and raise your voice
All: Get up, go out and live
Leader: Don’t hafta be perfect to sing ‘n rejoice
All: Get up, go out and live

Be Right Here

2/18/2023

 
Be Right Here
Artist: Alison Casella Brookins
Lyrics: Here; right here; be right here
Type: Unison, Loose round
Notes: Starting note C#. This one is good with a drone, or a Shruti box. Can be sung in unison, or layered, either precisely as demonstrated in the recording, or loosely with a drone accompaniment, with each person singing the words repeatedly, coming in whenever they want, creating a tapestry of sound. A good song to sing before prayer or before a practice like confession. Encourages us to ground and center ourselves here and now.

Welcome to the Arms of God

2/18/2023

 
Welcome to the Arms of God
Artist: Alison Casella Brookins
Lyrics: 
Welcome to the arms of God
Welcome to the hands of Christ
Sing welcome to the Spirit she is coming even now
Welcome, welcome home
Type: Round, Unison
Notes: Starting note: C. Simple welcome song, sung to each other.


​

Who Will Set Us Free?

2/18/2023

 
​Who Will Set Us Free?
Artist: Father Bernardo Maria Perez and Francisco Feliciano
Lyrics: "Who will set us free? Jesus, we're waiting for you. You said you'd be coming. Don't let our hope be futile." Full lyrics can be found here.

Type: Echo
Notes: This is a "Yo Jesus! Keep your promise! Do something!" It's a petitionary prayer that actually expects an answer, asking for what it needs without hesitation. I love the strong, ringing notes of the last line.

Til the Moon is No More

2/18/2023

 
Til the Moon is No More  (In the recording she sings the song, then teaches how to teach the song)
Artist: Angela Morris
Lyrics: Adapted from Psalm 72:6-7. "Roll down like rain, water the earth. Shower the world in justice and peace, from now til the moon is no more."
Type: Unison
Notes: Love a good minor key. Also love drones! This is a good one for petitionary prayer.

Thank You For This Day, Spirit

2/18/2023

 
Thank You For This Day, Spirit (Rhythmic, Loose)
Artist: from the Native American Church Movement
​Lyrics: "Thank you for this day, Spirit, this healing day." Full lyrics can be found here.
Type: Unison
Notes: I learned this at a tempo somewhere between the above rhythmic/loose recordings; rhythmic enough that it can be sung in a group, but with all the stretching of notes you want. When I first heard this I thought it was tacky, but then I found myself singing it all week, and it popped into my head whenever I felt gratitude—often before I consciously realized I was grateful, I would be singing this. Now it's one of my favorites.

Stone by Stone

2/18/2023

 
Stone by Stone
Artist
: Taya Mâ
Lyrics: "Stone by stone, tear by tear, we release and create right here. What is gone, we build upon"
Type: Unison
Notes: Simple, repetitive. I like that it doesn't come to a musical ending, that you just keep going and going—just like the work of building and releasing.

One Foot/Lead With Love

2/18/2023

 
One Foot/Lead With Love
Artist: Melanie DeMore
Lyrics: "You gotta put one one foot in front of the other, and lead with love"
Type: Echo verses, unison chorus
Notes: For whenever you need power to persevere. Rhythmic, good for singing on Zoom, marching song.

Lay Me Low

2/18/2023

 
Lay Me Low (link to teaching video)
Artist: Shaker text, music by Daniel Schwandt 
Lyrics: "Lay me low where the Lord can find me...hold me...bless me..."
Type: Unison or echo
Notes: Love this one. For times when we need a reminder that the lowest places are exactly where God is most present. Often use this one at Longest Night, Good Friday, etc.

In This Circle

2/18/2023

 
In This Circle
Artist: Joan McMillan 
Lyrics: "In this body no fear, in this body safety, in this body greatest happiness, in this body deep peace. In this circle/family/city/country/world..."
Type: Unison
Notes: Woof this song hits me in the gut, in the best of ways. Starting with "in this body," and drawing the circle larger and larger, this trauma-informed song embodies the necessity of safety in our own bodies to be able to offer safety to others. I use this song in my own prayers all the time, and I've used it as a congregational prayer.
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    This work by Alison Casella Brookins is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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