I mentioned yesterday that I remembered most all of the songs from Godspell. That's because several of them are actually resettings of words that were already in use as hymns. This is an adaptation of a prayer by St. Richard of Chichester.
Day by Day
Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day
Godspell music is here. I have seen it set to other tunes, but can't seem to find one on the web.
This one is a German farmers' hymn translated into English by Jane M. Campbell.
All Good Gifts
We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land..
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand..
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain...
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain...
All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above
So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love...
We thank thee then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest, our life, our health, our food,
No gifts have we to offer for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts!
Are sent from Heaven above..
So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love.
Godspell music is here. The tune I first heard is here.
This last one has words by Clifford Bax. My high school choir did an especially fine arrangement of it. The italicised words were added for Godspell.
Turn back, O man
Forswear thy foolish ways
Old now is earth
And none may count her days
Da, da, da, da, da
Yet thou, her child
Whose head is crowned with flames
Still wilt not hear
Thine inner God proclaim
Turn back, O man (is your seat comfortable sir?) (mm, I like that)
Turn back, O man (is my seat comfortable sir?) (Handle with care)
Turn back, O man (can you take it?)
Forswear thy foolish ways
(See ya later I'm going to the front of the thee-ay-ter)
(Hold me while I slip into something more comfortable)
Earth might be fair
And all men glad and wise
Age after age their tragic empires rise
Da, da, da, da, da.
Built while they dream
And in that dreaming weep
Would man but wake
From out his haunted sleep
Turn back, O man...
Turn back, O man... (hard as a rock)
Turn back, O man...
Forswear thy foolish ways
Earth shall be fair
And all her people one
Nor till that hour
Shall God's whole will be done
Now, even now
Once more from earth to sky
Peals forth in joy
Man's old undaunted cry
Earth shall be fair
And all her people one.
1 comment:
I love the music from Godspell! My husband was in a production of it in high school (before I got there - he's two years older) and he sang "We Beseech Thee". I ended up performing "Day By Day" in a musical revue during my last year of high school; it is still one of my favourites.
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