Three More Road Tested Valley Songs

Here are the final three songs that I've played with a congregation. Two old classics and One great unknown. The two classics ("swing low sweet chariot" and "in the sweet by and by") are of the "can't wait for God to whisk me up to heaven" variety if like me your theologically NT Wrightish on these issues I've written a post on why I still sing these songs even though they may not perfectly fit my theology. When I play these songs I like to play a song like "I will be your friend" I came across it on a kids CD to me it sounded like a song written right after reading Matthew 25. I wrote to Guy Davis's management to get permission to play it in church.

Swing low, Sweet Chariot

I (G)looked over Jordan and (C)what did I (G)see?
(G)Commin' for to carry me (D)home
(G)There was a band of angels, a-(C)commin' after (G)me
(G)Commin' for to (D)carry me (G)home

CHORUS
Swing low, sweet chariot
Commin' for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Commin' for to carry me home

I'm sometimes up, and I'm sometimes down
Comin' for to carry me home
But but I know my soul is heavenly bound
Comin' for to carry me home

CHORUS

If you get there before I do
Comin' for to carry me home
Tell all my friends that I'm a-comin' too
Comin' for to carry me home

Swing low, sweet chariot
Commin' for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Commin' for to carry me home
And now they're commin' for to carry me home

© Traditional – Johnny Cash arrangement

In the Sweet By and By

(G)There's a land that is (C)fairer than (G)day
And by faith we can see it a(D7)far
For the (G)Father waits (C)over the (G)way
To prepare us a (D7)dwelling place (G)there

CHORUS
In the (D7)sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful (G)shore
In the (G7)sweet by and (C)by
We shall (G)meet on that (D7)beautiful (G)shore

We shall sing on that beautiful shore
the melodious songs of the blest
And our spirits shall sorrow no more
not a sigh for the blessing of rest.

CHORUS

To our bountiful Father above
We will offer the tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
and the blessings that hallow our days.


© Traditional – arrangement Mars Hill Band

I Will Be Your Friend — Guy Davis

(C)If you’ve got troubles And you need a helpin’ hand,
(F)If you’ve got troubles And you need a helpin’ (C)hand,
(Am7)If you’ve got (G7)troubles And you (C)need a helpin’ (F)hand,
Come to (C)me, I will (G)be your (C)friend.

CHORUS
(G)I will be your (C)friend,(C7) (F)I will be your (C)friend.
(Am7)If you’ve got (G7)troubles, And you (C)need a helpin’ (F)hand,
Come to (C)me, I will (G)be your (C)friend.

If you are hungry And you’ve got no place to stay,
If you are hungry And you’ve got no place to stay,
If you are hungry And you’ve got no place to stay,
Come to me, I will be your friend.

I will be your friend (oh Lordy!), I will be your friend.
If you are hungry And you’ve got no place to stay,
Come to me, I will be your friend.

If you are lonely And you’ve got nobody to love(have mercy!),
If you are lonely And you’ve got no one to love,
If you are lonely And you’ve got nobody to love,
Come to me, I will be your friend.

I will be your friend, I will be your friend.
If you are lonely And you need somebody to love,
Come to me, I will be your friend.

"I Will Be Your Friend"
Words & Music by Guy Davis

I play this in E. Most congregations can't sing as low as Guy.

The Joy of Gioia - Valley Songs

10 years ago I would have told you that congregational singing is a complete waste of time. Paul Gioia is the man who single handedly changed my mind about this. I've deliberately not included all of the song in the posts because Paul is a friend and it'd be great if he received some album and sheet music sales from this.

Why Do You Love Me?
Psalm 116

CHORUS
(F)Why do you love me (Bb)Even when I (C)hurt you?
(F)Why do you hold me (Bb)When I (C)cry?
(F)Why will you love me (Bb)Until the (C)end of (F)time? (Bb) (C)

(F)I… (Bb)love the (F)Lord… (Bb)for (F)he… has (Bb)heard my (C)voice
(Dm)I will (C7sus4)call on (F)him (Bb)as (F)long as (C)I (Dm)live (C7)
(F)Cords (Bb)of (F)death (Bb)en(F)tan…(Bb)gled (C)me
(Dm)I… (C7sus4)called on the (F)Lord: (Bb)Oh (F)Lord (C)save (F)me! (C7)

CHORUS

God has saved my soul from death
My feet from stumbling, my eyes from tears
That I may walk before the Lord
In the land of the living

CHORUS

How can I repay the Lord?
For all his goodness to me, to me.
I will honour my promise to God
Freed from my chains I’ll praise the Lord!

CHORUS

© Paul Gioia, 1986

Guitar Riff At The Start

F Bb C
----------15-13-------------------|-----------
-------13-------15-13-15-13-------|-15---17---
----14----------------------14----|-15---17---
-15----------------------------15-|-15---17---
----------------------------------|-13---15---
----------------------------------|-----------

No Turning Back

I have (C)decided to (F)follow (C)Jesus;
I have (F)decided to follow (C)Jesus;
I have (C)decided to (F)follow (Am)Jesus; (F)
No turning (C)back, (G)no turning (C)back.

Though I may stumble, I still will follow;
Though I may stumble, I still will follow;
Though I may stumble, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

© Traditional – Paul Gioia arrangement

Other Songs of Paul's I've already posted are Face Of The Humbled Poor and Some Great Day.

Dreaming Of Singing These One Day - Valley Songs

As requested here are three more Valley Songs. These are all songs I've never tried with a congregation but would love to one day. "Hard Times" doesn't mention God as such but to my mind beautifully captures what it would be like for God's Kingdom to break out on Earth. I love playing "Get Right With God" on a slide and it's not to hard work out. The Church I'm at has a Sun rise Easter service and I always wanted to start it with the song "I'm Free".

Hard Times Come Again No More

Verse 1:
Let us [F]pause in life's pleasures
And [Bb]count its many [F]tears
[Bb]While we [F]all sup [C]sorrow [C7]with the [F]poor
There's a [F]song that will linger
For[Bb]ever [C]in our [Dm]ears;
[Bb]Oh, [F]hard times, [C]come a[C7]gain no [F]more

Chorus:
'Tis the [F]song, the sigh of the [Bb]wea[F]ry
[F]Hard times, [Bb]hard [F]times,
[G9]Come a[G7]gain no [C]more
[C7]Many [F]days you have [C7]ling[Cm]ered
[Bb]around my [C]cabin [Dm]door
[Bb]Oh, [F]hard times, [C]come [C7]again no [F]more

Verse 2:
While we [F]seek mirth and beauty
And [Bb]music light and [F]gay,
[Bb]There are [F]frail forms [C]fainting [C7]at the [F]door
Though their [F]voices are silent,
Their [Bb]pleading [C]looks will [Dm]say
[Bb]Oh, [F]hard times, [C]come a[C7]gain no [F]more

Verse 3:
There's [F]pale drooping maiden
Who [Bb]toils her life [F]away,
[Bb]With a [F]worn heart, whose [C]better [C7]days are [F]o'er
Though her [F]voice would be merry,
'tis [Bb]sighing [C]all the [Dm]day,
[Bb]Oh, [F]hard times, [C]come a[C7]gain no [F]more

Verse 4:
'Tis a [F]sigh that is wafted
A[Bb]cross the troubled [F]wave
[Bb]Tis a [F]wail that is [C]heard up[C7]on the [F]shore
Tis a [F]dirge that is murmured
A[Bb]round the [C]lowly [Dm]grave
[Bb]Oh, [F]hard times, [C]come [C7]again no [F]more

Ending:
'Tis the [F]song, the sigh of the [Bb]wea[F]ry
[F]Hard times, [Bb]hard [F]times,
[G9]Come a[G7]gain no [C]more
[C7]Many [F]days you have [C7]ling[Cm]ered
[Bb]around my [C]cabin [Dm]door
[Bb]Oh, [F]hard times, [C]come [C7]again no [Bb]more [F]

© Stepehen Foster

Get Right With God

G
I would risk the serpent's bite
I would dance around with seven
I would kiss the diamond back
If I knew it would get me to heaven

CHORUS
'Cause I (C)want to get right with (G)God
Yes, you (C)know you got to get right with (G)God

I would burn the soles of my feet
Burn the palms of both my hands
If I could learn and be complete
If I could walk righteously again

I would sleep on a bed of nails
'Till my back was torn and bleeding
In the deep darkness of Hell
The Damascus of my meeting

I asked God about his plan
To save us all from Satan's slaughter
If I give up one of my lambs
Will you take me as one of your daughters?

© Lucinda Williams

I'm Free

I'm (A)free
Praise the (D)Lord I'm (A)free
No longer (E)bound
No more (A)chains hol(D)ding (A)me
My soul is (D)resting
It's such a (A)blessing (D)I (A)see
Praise the Lord Halle(E)lujah I'm (A)free

© Traditional – arrangement Psalters

More Valley Songs

After Nathan Colquhoun's positive comments about my Valley Song collection I've been inspired to post some more songs. These are all road tested so enjoy.

Ain’t No Grave

CHORUS
There Ain’t no (G 8 bars)grave gonna hold my body down
There ain’t no (C 8 bars)grave gonna hold my body down (G)
When I hear the trumpet sound
Get up outa the ground
There ain’t no (D 8 bars)grave gonna hold my body down (G)

VERSE (G)
The Lord Himself from heaven
Descending with a shout
O glory Hallelujah
From the grave He'll call me out
Meet me Jesus meet me
Meet me in the middle of the air
When I go I'll sing and shout
For I'll be welcome there

© Traditional – arrangement Fret Not

I Saw The Light

I (A)wandered so aimless my heart filled with sin
(D)I wouldn't let my (A)dear Saviour in
(D)Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
(A)Praise the Lord (E)I saw the (A)light

CHORUS
(A)I saw the light I saw the light
(D)No more darkness (A)no more night
(D)Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight
(A)Praise the Lord (E)I saw the (A)light

Just like a blind man I wandered alone
Worries and fears I claimed for my own
Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight
Praise the Lord I saw the light

I was a fool to wander and astray
Straight is the gate and narrow the way
Now I have traded the wrong for the right
Praise the lord I saw the light

© Hank Williams – arrangement Dave Crowder

I want Jesus to walk with me

I want (Dm)Jesus to (A7)walk with (Dm)me
I want (F)Jesus to walk with (A7)me
All (Dm)along my pilgrim journey
I want (Dm)Jesus to (A7)walk with (Dm)me

In my trial, Lord, walk with me
In my trials, Lord, walk with me
When the shades of life are falling
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me

In my sorrow, Lord walk with me
In my sorrows, Lord walk with me
When my heart is aching
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me

In my troubles, Lord walk with me
In my troubles, Lord walk with me
When my life becomes a burden,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me

© Traditional – arrangement Mars Hill Band

Conservative Theology Or Conservative Liturgy

So which one do you have? If you are honest with yourself it's probably one or the other. This is often what anchors us in the faith. Radical ideas about liturgy (or Xn practices in general) are usually found in more theologically conservative churches and radical ideas about theology are usually found in more liturgically conservative churches. I grew up theologically conservative and liturgically liberal. As I age I'm becoming more theologically liberal, not for the sake of it I think that many of my ideas are just less orthodox than they used to be. Certainly not unusual for someone my age. But, as this happens I'm increasingly looking for patterns of life and liturgy (Xn practices) that I can use to help anchor me. I suspect that somewhere between practice and belief God hangs out. God's a pretty slippery sucker. As I try letting go of some theology in order to get a better hold of God I find myself needing some practice to hang on to. Maybe belief and practice are like the two side rails on a pathway. God is in the middle and if we just hang on to one we'll completely miss God we have to let go but we need the other rail for when we fall off the path again.

I'm Sorry I'm A Christian

Some great slam poetry.