GETTIN’ HIGHER CHOIR

Revised - September 2012

NOTE: Please keep this Core Repertoire section together at the front of

your binder for easy access.

The Core Repertoire includes the following:

1. Song Titles Only - a list of favorites

2. Words Only section – an alphabetical listing of often sung songs.

3. Words with Written Music:

1. Russian Alleluia

2. Be Thou A Smooth Way

3. Gaia/Another World is Possible

4. Holy Angels

5. Mystery

6. May It Be

7. Nada te Turbe

8. N’kosi’ Sikelel’I Afrika

9. One Voice

10. Santa Sananina

11. Santo, Santo

12. Senzenina

13. Somewhere to Begin

14. There’s a Light

15. There is Some Kiss

16. Tibyeh Pieyom

LIST OF SONGS - TITLES

Amazing Grace (chant)

Abeeyo – Australian Aboriginal chant

Ah, Poor Bird - 18th

C. English Round

Aiyea - West African Lullaby

All Among the Barley - English Folk Song

And All Shall be Well - Julian of Norwich, music unknown

Baba La Gumbala - African - Now is the time for the harvest of our souls

Babethandaza - S. African - Things are the way they are because of

prayer

Come, Come Whoever You Are - words Rumi/Barks music unknown

Confitemini Domino - Taize Chant - Have confidence in the Lord

Da Pacem Cordium - Taize Chant - Give peace to every heart

Da Pacem Domine – 15th

C. Canon - Give us peace Lord in our time

Deep Peace - Gaelic Blessing

Dona Nobis - Traditional Canon - Give us peace

Don’t Go Back to Sleep - Based on Rumi poem

Ewe Thina - Zulu - We walk his way

Fly, Fly, Fly - Traditional Autumn Song

Freedom Is In Your Hand - African Freedom Song

Freedom in Coming - African Freedom Song

Ge-O-Le-La Mama - African - Praise to mother

Grind That Coffee - unknown

. Hava Nashira- Hebrew Chant - Let us sing together, sing alleluia."

Have You Seen the Ghost of John - Halloween Folk Song

Heart of the Mother – Michael Stillwater

Hey Thank You - David Lertzman

Humbly We Walk Here - Laurence Cole

Humpty Dump - unknown - nursery rhyme participation song

How Shall We Come Together - words and music by Maggie Wheeler

I Believe That Peace Will Come - Linda Allen

I’m Gonna Let Life Move Me - unknown

I Had an Old Coat - Traditional Folk

Irish Kyrie - learned from Noirin ni Riainn

It’s in Everyone of Us to be Wise - David Pomerantz

Kaki Lambe - Traditional African Dance

Keep Breathing - unknown

Kyrie Eleison - Traditional Chant - Lord have mercy

Lela T’Singa Watcha Votia - unknown

Magnificence - Peter Makena

Mama Don’t ‘Low No (Guitar Playin’) in Here - zipper song – traditional

folk

Minuit - Traditional Guinean song - Lyrics, Keita Fodeba

LIST OF SONGS - TITLES (cont’d)

Morning Song - I Am Awake - Polly Bolton

My Roots Go Down – North American Folk Song

Nisa Nisa, Nisa - Native American – Grandmother Moon, all is well here

on earth

Now I Walk in Beauty - Navajo Prayer -

One by One Everyone Comes to Remember - Michael Stillwater

One More Time - unknown

Osay Iyo – West African Sunrise Song

Return Again - Lyrics and music by Shlomo Carlbach

Rhada Rhada -

Rhythm and Syncopation - unknown

Ride This Train - American Gospel

Round and Round We Go -

Shona Malanga – Traditional Zulu Song – Shorten the days ‘till we meet

again

Step by Step the Longest March - 19th C Miners Union – music, Pete

Seeger

Take Me Away, Won’t You Carry Me - unknown

Thou My Soul May Set in Darkness - Poem by Sarah Williams –Music

Hayden

To Stop the Train - From a sign in London train system

Walk A Mile in My Shoes – trad. Words - music – Rebecca Spalding

We Are One World, One Voice, One Heart Beating – Sue Kirkpatrick

We Let the Love Wash Over Us - Rikie Byers Beckwith

We’ll Meet on the Shore - Trad. Folk Song

When You Were Born You Cried -Native American Proverb – music Kate

Munger

When We Come Into Our Calling - Laurence Cole

Ye Ye Bonge- Yorba Folk Song - Yeah earth

Yemaya - African/Afro-Cuban Chant – Honoring Goddess of the sea

Yes -

Partner Songs;

I’m Gonna Sing, Sing Sing, &

When The Saints Go Marching in & Swing Low

Wade in Da Wadda, & Motherless Child & I Wanna’ Die Easy

Getting’ Higher Choir Core Repertoire 09/12

Akanamandla

Akanamandla haleluya, Akanamandla usathane V1 He has no power, Haleluya

V2 He has been cheated, Haleluya

V3 He flees far from us, Haleluya Amen Siyakudumisa Amen Siyakudumisa, Amen Siyakudumisa Amen, bawo, Amen bawo, Amen Siyakudumisa Apache Honouring Song (Walela) Yo way yo; yo way-oh-way; Yo way-oh hiya; yo way-oh-hiya Yo way-oh, hey-ah, hey-oh, hey-ah, hey-oh; Hey hey-oh hey-ah hey-yo-yo-way, hiya

Bismillah (Nickomo)

Bismillah, bismillah, bismillah (x2)

Er rahman, er rahim

Bismillah, bismillah, bismillah (2)

Breaths (Ysaye Barnwell)

Listen more often to things than to beings (x2)

‘Tis the ancestors’ breath when the fire’s voice is heard

‘Tis the ancestors’ breath in the voice of the waters. Those who have died have never never left

The dead are not under the earth.

They are in the rustling trees, they are in the groaning woods.

They are in the crying grass, they are in the moaning rocks

The dead are not under the earth. Listen more often to things than to beings (x2) Those who have died have never never left

The dead have a pact with the living.

They are in the woman’s breast, they are in the wailing child.

They are with us in our homes, they are with us in this crowd

The dead have a pact with the living. Listen more often to things than to beings (x2)

Building Bridges (round) (Women of Greenham Common)

Building bridges between our divisions

I reach out to you will you reach out to me.

With all of our voices and all of our visions

Friends we will make such sweet harmony. Circle of the Sun Babies are born in a circle of the sun,

circle of the sun on the birthing day (2x)

Clouds to the north, clouds to the south,

wind and rain to the east and the west

Babies are born in a circle of the sun

circle of the sun on the birthing day

Children take their first step in a circle of the sun...walking day

Children go to school in a circle of the sun...learning day

I hope to be married in a circle of the sun...wedding day

I hope to be buried in a circle of the sun…dying day

Come Sing A Song With Me (Carolyn McDade)

Come sing a song with me, come sing a song with me,

Come sing a song with me that I may know your mind

And I’ll bring you hope when hope is hard to find

And I’ll bring a song of love and a rose in the wintertime. 2. Come dream a dream with me…3. Come walk a trail with me…

4. Come fly away with me… 5. Come dance this dance with me…etc.

Contemplation Chant (Sophia)

Om Mani Padme Hum (Buddhist)

La illah-ha, Il allah-hu (Muslim/Sufi)

Shalom Shanti (Hebrew/Sanskrit words for Peace)

Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Christian)

Down in the Valley to Pray (Gospel) Oh! I went down in the valley to pray,

Studyin’ about that good old way

Who will wear the starry crown

Lord, show me the way

Oh, brother, let’s go down

Come on down, don’t you wanna go down

Oh, brother, let’s go down

Down in the valley to pray.

(repeat) with sister, mother , father , children, everybody

Five Pennies Medley (from the movie The Five Pennies)

Altos: This little penny is to wish on, and make your wishes come true

This little penny is to dream on, to dream of all you can do

This penny is a dancing penny, see how it glitters and it glows

As bright as a whistle, lights as a thistle

Quick, quick as a wink, up on its twinkling toes

And this little penny is to laugh on, to see that tears never fall

This little penny is the last little penny, and most important of all

For this penny is to love on, and where love is, heaven is there

So with just five pennies, if they’re these five pennies

You’ll be a millionaire.

Bases: Won’t you play the music so the cradle can rock

To a lullaby in ragtime

Sleepy hands are creeping to the end of the clock

Play a lullaby in ragtime

You can tell the sandman is on his way, by the way that they play,

As still as the trill of a thrush, at twilight’s hush

So you can hear the rhythm of the ripples on the side of the boat

As you sail away to dreamland

High above the moon you hear a silvery note

As the sandman takes your hand

So rock-a-bye my baby, don’t you cry my baby

Sleepy time is nigh

Won’t you rock me to a ragtime lullaby.

Sop.& Tenors Goodnight, time to call it a day

Sleep tight, dream you troubles away

Goodnight, in spite of any sorrow

There’s a brand new day on its way tomorrow

Someday, all your dreams will come true

Someway, for me and you

So close your eyes and dream of it my darling

Till then goodnight, goodnight, sleep tight

Freedom Train This old freedom train is such a long time in a-comin’

Ain’t nobody can afford it so you better get on board it

Gimme that freedom (4x)

Gabi Gabi (S. African Freedom Song- Eng. Words by Bruce McCormack)

Gabi, Gabi Bash’abazalwan, Gabi, Gabi Bash’abazalwan

Gabi, Gabi Bash’abazalwan, Gabi, Gabi Bash’abazalwan

Siyoshiywa khona Sidal’ubuzalwan, Siyoshiywa khona Sidal’ubuzalwan

Repeat Joy returning, love fills up our hearts,

Joy returning, love fills up our hearts

The long night of darkness fades in the morning light

And all of creation wakes up to share the light

Repeat

Goin’ Up On the Mountain (Southern White Gospel)

I'm goin' up on the mountain, ain't comin' down 'til mornin'

I'm goin' up on the mountain, ain't comin' down in chains! I'm goin' up to set my soul free, ain't comin' down 'til mornin'

I'm goin' up to set my soul free, ain't comin' down in chains! I'm goin' up to hear the word of God, ain't comin' down 'til mornin'

I'm goin' up to hear the word of God, ain't comin' down in chains!

Honey in the Rock (Afro-American)

There’s honey in the rock for all God’s children

Honey in the rock, honey in the rock

There’s honey in the rock for all God’s children

Feed ev’ry child of Earth. If I could I surely would

Stand on the rock where Moses stood Lift up ev’ry voice and sing,

Til all the earth and heavens ring Pray for peace the whole world wide

Pray for the end of mankind’s pride One of these days around 12 o’clock

This old world’s gonna reel and rock Freedom is a song we sing

We shall make the mountains ring One of these days, and it won’t be long

The whole wide world’s gonna sing one song

How Could Anyone Ever Tell You (Libby Roderick)

How could anyone ever tell you

You are anything less than beautiful? (musical)

How could anyone ever tell you

You are less than whole?

How could anyone fail to notice

That your loving (singing) is a miracle?

How deeply you’re connected to my soul.

Human Am I, Spirit Am I Human am I, spirit am I

I am the infinite within my soul

I have no beginning and I have no end

All this I am

Humble Yourself Humble yourself inside your elders

You gotta bend down low

Humble yourself inside your elders

You gotta know what they know

And we shall lift each other up

Higher and higher

And we shall lift each other up

Repeat with: children, brothers, sisters, each other, planet

If I Had the Wings of a Dove (Gospel – Verse 2 by Daphne MacIain)

If I had the wings of a dove

Wings that would take me where I want to go

I’d fly from the utmost, way out into space

No, no, no, no, no, there is no hiding place If I could put my arms around the world

I’d hold her close and never let her go

I’d pray to the angels to help us heal this place

No, no, no, no, no, there is no time to waste. If the People (Russian folk song – French. Trans. Eve-Marie Brunelle)

If the people lived their lives

As if it were a song for singing out of light

Providing music for the stars

To be dancing circles in the night. Si les gens vivaient leur vie

Comme si c'était un chant

Pour chanter la lumière

Qui donne la musique aux étoiles

Afin qu'elles dansent en cercles dans la nuit.

Leaving Shanty (Trad. English)

It's time to go now, haul away your anchor

Haul away your anchor, 'tis our sailing time. Put some sails upon her, haul away your halyards

Haul away your halyards, 'tis our sailing time. Put her on her course now, haul away your foresheets,

Haul away your foresheets, 'tis our sailing time. Waves are surging under, haul away down channel

Haul away down channel, on the evening tide. When my time is over, haul away for heaven

Haul away for heaven, God be by my side. (repeat verse 1)

Let Your Little Light Shine (Afro-American via Ysaye Barnwell)

Let your little light shine, shine, shine

Let your little light shine, Oh my Lord

‘Cause there may be someone down in the valley

Trying to get home

Could be me or it could be you,

Could be your sister or your brother too

But there may be someone down in the valley

Trying to get home

Could be James and it could be John

Or Moses leading all his children home

But there may be someone down in the valley

Trying to get home

Light Is Returning (Charlie Murphy)

Light is returning, even though it is the darkest hour

No-one can hold back the dawn

Let's keep it burning, let's keep the light of hope alive

Make safe our journey through the storm

One planet is turning, circle on her path around the sun

Earth mother is calling her children home

Oh Won’t You Sit Down

Oh won’t you sit down, Lord I can’t sit down (3x)

‘cause I just got to heaven, got to look around!

Who’s that yonder dressed in red?

Must be the children that Moses led

Who’s that yonder dressed in pink?

Must be Solomon tryin’ to think Oh won’t you sit down… Who’s that yonder dressed in Green?

Must be ‘Zekiel in his flyin’ machine

Who’s that yonder dressed in blue?

Must be the Hypocrites comin’ through

Play A Simple Melody (Irving Berlin)

1. Won't you play some simple melody

Like my mother sang to me

One with a good old-fashioned harmony

Play some simple melody

2. Musical demon, set your honey a-dreamin', won't you play me some rag

Just change that classical nag to some sweet beautiful drag

If you will play from a copy of a tune that is choppy you'll get all my applause

And that is simply because I wanna listen to rag

Samba Chill

A. Samba chill, samba Brazil, samba chill, samba Brazil (x2) B. Rio de Janeiro, dancing all the night

Rio de Janeiro, black as well as white

Samba do Brazil, samba do Brazil,

C. Samba do Brazil samba (x 4)

Sing ‘Til The Power Of the Lord Come Down (African-American)

Now let us sing (2)

Sing ‘til the power of the Lord come down (2)

Lift up your voice, don’t be afraid

Now let us sing Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now I’m found

Was blind, but now I see.

Sing ‘Til The Power Of the Lord Come Down ( cont’d)

What a fellowship, what a joy divine

Leaning on the everlasting arms

What a blessedness, what a peace is mine

Leaning on the everlasting arms. We’re marching to Zion, beautiful beautiful Zion

We’re marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God

Siyahamba (South African freedom song)

Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos V2. We are marching in the light of God

V3. We are singing for a better world

V4. Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos

Somagwaza (South Africa)

Haweh, haweh somagwaza

somagwaza man yoweh, yoweh

Hey man yoweh, hey man yoweh, somagwaza

Somos el Barco (Lorre Wyatt)

Chorus: Somos el barco, somos el mar,

Yo navego en ti, tu navegas en me,

We are the boat, we are the sea,

I sail in you, you sail in me.

Verses: The stream sings it to the river, the river sings it to the sea

The sea sings it to the boat that carries you and me. The boat that we are sailing on was built by many hands,

The sea we are sailing on, touches many sands. The voyage has been long and hard and yet we’re sailing still

With a song to help us pull together if we only will

So with our hopes we raise the sails to face the winds once more

And with our hearts we chart the waters never sailed before.

So My Friends (Ken Whitely)

Here’s to all the friends who sing with me

And those who wrote the songs we sing, too

Here’s to those of you who add your voice

To make the words we sing all ring true Chorus:

So my friends, sing with me

Sing in joy, and sing in sorrow

Let this moment like a blessing be

‘Cause who knows what may come tomorrow We sing our passages, our songs of joy

All these songs of celebration

Are raised on high throughout all the earth

In every language, every nation At first I thought I walked it all alone

Lost my most intimate connections

Now these chords support our melody

And our songs support our warm affection My song it rings out strong from me to you

Back it comes again from you to me

We’ll, sing out love of life and love of friends

We’ll sing of hope and of our victory Spiralling In

Spiralling into the center, the center of the earth

Spiralling into the center, the center of the earth

We are the weavers, we are the woven ones

We are the dreamers, we are the dream.

Spirit Calling Me (Ann Mortifee)

In my heart I hear spirit calling me

Calling me, calling me, calling me home

In my heart I hear spirit calling me

Calling me, calling me, calling me home. Call me into my life, call me into my love,

Call me into my fire, call me into my heart

Call me into my voice, call me into my sight

Call me into the beauty path way Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, (x3)

Call me into the beauty path way.

Sun Arise (Rolf Harris) Sun arise, come in the morning Sun arise, come in the morning Bringing back the warmth to (the ground,) x4 Sun arise, come in the morning Sun arise, come in the morning Spreading all the light (all around,) x 4 Sun arise, come in the morning Sun arise, come every day Sun arise, every, every, every, every day...

Swimming to the Other Side - (Pat Humphries)

Chorus We are living ‘neath the great big dipper,

We are washed by the very same rain

We are swimming in the stream together,

Some in power and some in pain

We can worship this ground we walk on,

Cherishing the beings that we live beside

Loving spirits will live forever,

We’re all swimming to the other side.

I am alone, and I am searching.

Hungering for answers in my time

I am balanced on the brink of wisdom,

I’m impatient to receive a sign

I move forward with my senses open,

Imperfection it be my crime

In humility I will listen,

We’re all swimming to the other side. On this journey through thoughts and feelings,

Binding intuition, my head and my heart,

I am gathering the tools together,

I’m preparing to do my part

All of those who have come before me

Band together and be my guide

Loving lessons that I will follow,

We’re all swimming to the other side.

Swimming to the Other Side - (cont’d)

When we get there we’ll discover

All of the gifts we’ve been given to share

Have been with us since life’s beginning

And we never noticed they were there

We can balance on the brink of wisdom,

Never recognizing that we’ve arrived

Loving spirits will live together,

We’re all swimming to the other side.

Teach Your Children (Graham Nash)

You who are on the road must have a code that you can live by

And so become yourself because the past is just a good-bye Teach your children well; their father's hell did slowly go by

And feed them on your dreams,

The one they pick’s, the one you'll know by Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry

So just look at them and sigh, and know they love you

Can you hear, and do you care,

And can you see we must be free

To teach our children what we believe in

Make a world that we can live in (cont’d)

And you of tender years can't know the fears that your elders grew by,

And so please help them with your youth,

They seek the truth before they can die Teach your parents well; their children's hell will slowly go by

And feed them on your dreams,

The one they pick’s, the one you'll know by Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you. Vine and Fig Tree (Israeli)

And everyone ‘neath their vine and fig tree

Shall live in peace and unafraid (repeat)

And into ploughshares, turn their swords

Nations shall learn war no more (repeat)

We Are (Ysaye Barnwell)

For each child that’s born, a morning star rises

And sings to the universe who we are. We are our grandmothers’ prayers

We are our grandfathers’ dreamings

We are the breath of our ancestors

We are the spirit of God. We are...Mothers of courage, Fathers of time

Daughters of dust and the sons of great visions

Sisters of mercy, Brothers of love

Lovers of life and the builders of nations

Seekers of truth, keepers of faith

Makers of peace and the wisdom of ages

We Are The Ones (Bernice Reagon)

SOP.: We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

ALTO: We are the ones, we are the ones waiting

T & B: We are the ones, we are the ones, we’ve been waiting

We’ll Meet On the Shore (Southern Gospel)

Sisters, now our meeting is over, sisters, we must part

But if I never see you again, I’ll hold you in my heart

And we’ll meet on the shore, yes we’ll meet on the shore,

Yes, we’ll meet on the shore, be together ever more

(repeat with brothers, fathers, mothers, children…) Woyaya (T.Osei & Sol Amarifio)

We are going, heaven knows where we are going

But we know within

And we’ll get there, heaven knows how we will get there

But we know we will

It will be hard we know

And the road will be muddy and rough

But we’ll get there, heaven knows how we will get there

But we know we will

Woyaya, Woyaya, Woyaya, Woyaya