secular songs of praise

**Laird** · Jul-30-2012, 8:45pm

Originally Posted by Astro

Rocky Mountain High ?sort of?

Oh, HECK YEAH!!!

Definitely confirmed that I wasn't alone, back in the 70s, in finding more signs of the numinous in the mountains than in a church.

**Laird** · Jul-30-2012, 9:09pm

How could I forget Poi Dog Pondering! Most of their second album, Living Like a Mountain, Thinking Like the Sea, would qualify.

**Laird** · Jul-30-2012, 9:23pm

This version misses the emotional uplift that comes through in the production of the studio version, but the lyrics are still transcendent.

**Wesley** · Jul-30-2012, 9:53pm

Ever seen the english lyrics to Guantanamera?

I am a truthful man
From where the palm tree grows
And before dying I want
To let out the verses of my soul

My verse is light green
And it is flaming red
My verse is a wounded stag
Who seeks refuge on the mountain

I grow a white rose
In July just as in January
For the honest friend
Who gives me his open hand

With the poor people of the earth
I want to cast my lot
The brook of the mountains
Gives me more pleasure than the sea

**billkilpatrick** · Jul-31-2012, 2:26am

when that brass line kicks in around 1:45 i just have to get up and move:

**Astro** · Jul-31-2012, 6:16am

Now there's a great one, billKP

Here's what I'd qualify for this thread on my list so far.

1. Wonderful World

2. Joy To The World

3. Ode To Joy

4. Rocky Mountain High

5. Sound Of Music

6. I Can See Clearly Now

**Astro** · Jul-31-2012, 6:26am

What about Bob Marley's

Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright ?

Its short, not really a grand scale, but it sure is sweet.

"Don't worry, about a thing,
'Cause every little things, gonna be all right.
Singin': "Don't worry, about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"

Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")

Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Singin': "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"

Rise up this mornin', ....( Repeat x 20 or 30 or until the white girls can't dance anymore)

**billkilpatrick** · Jul-31-2012, 6:50am

ha!

**granite** · Jul-31-2012, 10:01am

"What about Bob Marley's

Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright ?"

- Astro

Or what about "Three Little Birds"...Couldn't find a adequate video on this one.

Originally Posted by JeffD

Who are we praising, then?

Or what...G. Love and Special Sauce and their ode to the Blues....

**Laird** · Jul-31-2012, 10:46am

Originally Posted by granite

"What about Bob Marley's

Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright ?"

- Astro

Or what about "Three Little Birds"...Couldn't find a adequate video on this one.

Those are the same song.

**Laird** · Jul-31-2012, 11:05am

Originally Posted by Laird

Hey, how about "Best Feeling," by Keller Williams (performed here with the String Cheese Incident)?

Just realized the lyrics are hard to make out:

I woke to the world one morning
I did not really know what was going on
I didn't care about tomorrow
I worry when tomorrow comes
I went outside that night
Set the ole imagination a flight
For one second I, I felt like a kid on Christmas day
Feeling stops all if said in a word
I will explain if I may
I climbed up a tree that night
I sat up in the branches and I felt like a bird
It was the best feeling in the world
I felt so good that night that my soul, it seemed to fly around that night
As I flew that night
For one second I felt like a bird
Hangin' up in the air
Feelin' stops all
If I said in a word
The feeling to be without a care
Swam in the sea that night
Dove through the waves and I felt like a fish
It was the best feeling in the world
Felt so good that night
My soul it seemed to swim around that night
As I swam that night
For one second I
Felt like a fish
Cruising around in the sea,
The feeling stops all
If I said in a word
The feeling to be free

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/k/k...illiams/#share

**billkilpatrick** · Jul-31-2012, 3:48pm

here's a goodie

If all the days that come to pass
Are behind these walls
I’ll be left at the end of things
In a world kept small

Travel far from what i know
I’ll be swept away
I need to know
I can be lost and not afraid

We’re gonna trip the light
We’re gonna break the night
And we’ll see with new eyes
When we trip the light

Remember we’re lost together
Remember we’re the same
We hold the burning rhythm in our hearts
We hold the flame

We’re gonna trip the light
We’re gonna break the night
And we’ll see with new eyes
When we trip the light

We’re gonna trip the light
We’re gonna break the night
And we’ll see with new eyes
When we trip the light

I’ll find my way home
On the Western wind
To a place that was once my world
Back from where I’ve been

And in the morning light I’ll remember
As the sun will rise
We are all the glowing embers
Of a distant fire

We’re gonna trip the light
We’re gonna break the night
And we’ll see with new eyes
When we trip the light

Come on and trip the light
We’re gonna break the night
And we’ll see with new eyes
We’re gonna trip the light

We’re gonna trip the light
We’re gonna break the night
And we’ll see with new eyes
When we trip the light

Music: Garry Schyman ©
Lyrics: Alicia Lemke and Matt Harding ©

**brunello97** · Jul-31-2012, 6:52pm

A bit of praise for this thread for both its inspirational music and ability to shrug off the occasional theist critique.

I hope this effort sustains itself alongside all the "I wonder what Bill Monroe had for lunch on March 18th, 1938?" threads.

Mick

**hank** · Jul-31-2012, 7:37pm

Paul McCartney said it well, what's the matter with silly Love songs? No matter it's circumstance or form Love in all it's manifestations brings out the best in mankind and is well worth singing and writing songs about. Can there be a more powerful praise for anyone or anything than to love that person or thing.

**billkilpatrick** · Jul-31-2012, 8:27pm

songs of praise should be transcendental, i think - metaphysical. a "love song" can be a song of praise as well but it's very much a case of "not what you say but the way that you say it." i also think songs of praise should have grace - secular, humanistic grace - yes! - with simple lyrics, expressing deeper meaning in very few words.

(... and uncomplicated chord progressions and melodies so i can play 'em ...)

**hank** · Jul-31-2012, 9:27pm

True Love is the most transcendental phenomenon I am aware of in this metaphysical world. Physical infatuation and desire are often confused with love but genuine love has the power to transform this world and it's inhabitants in a way most can only dream of.

**billkilpatrick** · Aug-01-2012, 2:05am

true ... providing the chords aren't too complicated and i can play it ... (wriinkled smiley symbol)

**hank** · Aug-01-2012, 6:43am

I think you hit the target squarely with it's not unfamiliar words or chord progressions but how we sing it/play it. Isn't that our challenge to not just sing and play the notes but to sing and play them in a way that touches our listeners ability to love and find beauty in the world around us?

**hank** · Aug-01-2012, 7:05am

I guess that's a pretty tall order and why it only occurs to us occasionally. I'm glad most songs are about having fun and laughing at ourselves and the world around us.

**Randi Gormley** · Aug-01-2012, 8:14am

Has anyone mentioned Seals and Crofts "Summer Breeze" yet?

**Laird** · Aug-01-2012, 8:25am

Originally Posted by hank

Paul McCartney said it well, what's the matter with silly Love songs? No matter it's circumstance or form Love in all it's manifestations brings out the best in mankind and is well worth singing and writing songs about. Can there be a more powerful praise for anyone or anything than to love that person or thing.

Point well taken--but now I've got that darned song stuck in my head for the first time in thirty years!

**hank** · Aug-01-2012, 9:23am

Oh no! I sincerely apologize for that. I'm not crazy about the song and not sure why it came to mind. Most of what I'm trying to verbalize has already been said in countless ways. This thread also reminds me of how different we all are and makes me wonder if there is one universal way for musical transcendence at all. What gives goose bumps to some here has me running for cover.

**Laird** · Aug-01-2012, 9:45am

Originally Posted by hank

Oh no! I sincerely apologize for that. I'm not crazy about the song and not sure why it came to mind.

No problem. Based on my last experience trying to get that song out of my head, I should be "Silly Love Songs"-free by about 2038.

**Astro** · Aug-01-2012, 10:56am

Summer Breeze Works For Me:

Summer Breeze lyrics

See the curtains hangin' in the window
in the evenin' on a Friday night
A little light a-shinin' through the window
lets me know everything is alright

(chorus)
Summer breeze
makes me feel fine
blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze
makes me feel fine
blowing through the jasmine in my mind

See the paper layin' on the sidewalk
a little music from the house next door
So I walked on up to the doorstep
through the screen and across the floor
[- From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/s/seals-...ze-lyrics.html -]

(chorus)

Sweet days of summer
the jasmine's in bloom
July is dressed up
and playing her tune

And I come home
from a hard day's work
and you're waiting there
not a care in the world

See the smile a-waitin' in the kitchen
food cookin' and the plates for two
Feel the arms that reach out to hold me
in the evening when the day is through

(chorus)

**Astro** · Aug-01-2012, 11:02am

Here's is what makes my list so far:

Here's what I'd qualify for this thread on my list so far.

1. Wonderful World

2. Joy To The World

3. Ode To Joy

4. Rocky Mountain High

5. Sound Of Music

6. I Can See Clearly Now

7. Morning Has Broken (despite mild religious reference, its generic enough for me)

8. Three Little Birds

9. Summer Breeze

10. We Are Stardust (see See Old Sausage link--I think it qualifies and is a great tune. Ewwwy...Link's of old sausage ?)