My song of prayer for these days of remembrance. I'll be singing it at the Remembrance Day service, not because I especially wanted to have it heard, but they were looking for "something different" and couldn't find a soloist, and then even the usual choir anthem was looking unlikely since so many choir members will be away - and so I stuck my neck out. Later another soloist came forward, and I tried to back out, but no, they wanted both.
I hope it works out alright. I am always drawn to the borderlines, the places where controversy brews, and I fear negative reactions to my explorations. All I've heard is positive, even when I thought certain people might be offended, but still I wonder. Are they just being polite? Maybe some are thinking, "That Laura, she's always pushing her way into every community function with one of her songs." And what about my ideas? What do they really think?
Narrow Way
© 2006 Laura Herman
O, God, help us
find that narrow way.
Where we honour those who died
and stand by the veteran's side
but never glorify the battle day:
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way.
Where we heed the call to serve
and convictions steel our nerve
but yet where evil will not be obeyed:
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way.
Where we cannot close our eyes
to the horrors and the lies
but still our hearts are soft enough to pray:
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way.
Where our world is once again at war
and we doubt the hope we knew before
help us stand our guard;
help us name the sin;
help us work for peace,
but not give in:
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way;
help us find that narrow way.
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solstice letter
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2 comments:
I can hear the influence of that song-writing workshop you took this summer. I think the rhymes give it a good lilt, make it smoother for the ear. So, what kind of equipment did you record this on? And did you multi-track yourself for the harmonies? Chive and I were singing along.
Thanks, madcap! Yep, that's me on the harmonies. I faded in the volume on the baritone track entries to soften my growl.
It's a PC-based recording, using Cubase SE (their entry-level version, still much too complicated for me at times). I have an M-Audio Delta 24/96 sound card, and a small mixing board that I use mostly as a pre-amp for the mic. I used to think I needed the board for multi-tracking (but never seemed to find the right setup for it), but then I found some setting for the sound card that makes it cooperate very well with Cubase (can't remember what that was, exactly), so now I just monitor with headphones directly off the sound card (mono, unfortunately). Clear as mud? Same here. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I tear my hair, but I've got lots of that to spare.
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