Saturday, November 3, 2012

Raise Your Hands

Raise Your Hands
Lyric ©2011 Colin Gordon-Farleigh
Music ©2012 Stephen G Brown
 


So this is a long one, with more characters than most of my stories.  Here's how it happened.  I started writing a hymn on the piano perhaps back in 2010 or so.  Although I liked the music, I just couldn't come up with any lyrics.  "As we humbly bow before you" was all I could do.  So I wrote to my friend Greg Scheer, asking for advice.  Greg is a fantastic composer and an even better person.  You should visit his sight and at least get to know him through his music and musings.

Well Greg said "Why don't you ask my friend Colin if he would write something".  I was familiar with Colin Gordon-Farleigh through the songs he and Greg have written together and Greg posts on his music blog.  I wrote off to Colin asking if he would be interested, and to my immense pleasure, he agreed.  Shortly thereafter I had lyrics to my hymn, so I put the whole thing together, and before you know it, Colin had it published on his site.

Here is where Raise Your Hands beings: Colin wrote back with lyrics, and asked me to put music to it.  Being the putz that I am, I started, but never got it finished.  I think part of the reason is that I had written a song called Raise Your Hands just a few days earlier, and it just kind of freeked me out.  But I also had a bit of time away from writing due to other pressing matters in my life.  I've had this nagging guilt for the past year.  Then last week Colin wrote to me and asked if I'd ever gotten it done.  "No, but I'll do it by next weekend".  Earlier this week I started over entirely with a more folky-tune on the guitar.  But being unsure how Colin felt about that sort of music, I dug back in and finished up the original.  And so, without further ado:

Raise Your Hands
Lyric ©2011 Colin Gordon-Farleigh
Music ©2012 Stephen G Brown



Friday, March 9, 2012

Forest for the Trees

Forest for the Trees
© 2011 Stephen Brown



Like the forest for the trees
Can't distinguish which of these
My soul for the sin, but He's
Washing me within
Can't stay up on my knees
So I fall down on my face
Before him

Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah

David is chosen to be king
Giving his heart to the Lord, never ashamed to sing
The praises to our God he brings
Like incense on an altar
But David is known to falter
This king is not the one we need, we need a savior

Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah

Only man can atone for man's great sin
Jesus is God and man within
A body broken, on a tree He's pinned
Blood poured on the ground
Therein salvation's found
Salvation.  Hallellujah.

Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah
Glory Hallelujah



Sunday, February 19, 2012

Psalm 23

Psalm 23
© 2012 Stephen Brown



My shepherd is the Lord my God
I shall not be in need
He makes me lie down and take my rest
In fields that are so green

He leads me by the quiet streams
And He restores my soul
He guides my path to righteousness
For His name’s sake, oh oh.

You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing

Even though I walk through the valley
of death, I have no fear
Lord you're with me, and my comfort
Is Your staff and Your shield

You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing

INSTRUMENTAL

You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing
And my cup is overflowing

Lord I know Your goodness, Your lovingkindness
Will follow me for all of my days,
I know Your goodness, Your lovingkindness
Will follow me for all of my days,

And I will dwell in Your house
And I will dwell in Your house
And I will dwell in Your house
And I will dwell in Your house forever