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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 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 (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 (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
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
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 (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
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. I Am Here in the Heart of God
Artist: Erin McGaughan, arranged by Chanda Rule Lyrics: "I am here in the heart of God, God is here in the heart of me, like the wave in the water and the water in the wave." Full lyrics can be found here Type: Echo Notes: The mystical indwelling of God in all things and all things in God. Celebratory relishing of presence. Finding Home
Artist: Annie Zylstra Lyrics: "Finding home in all that is unknown, release what is gone" Type: Multiple parts, or can sing unison Notes: I came across this song at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was my theme for weeks. A haunting song for times of uncertainty. |
 This work by Alison Casella Brookins is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. AuthorAlison ArchivesCategories
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