This is a song suggested by the nice people at St Mary’s Warwick with lyrics by Sr Deidre Browne set to a tune by Jane Wood. This is an important text because it sets Advent in our summer space rather than within the inappropriate Northern hemisphere winter motifs that ring so hollow in Australia. The tune is quite dark in places but with a call and response with the cantor – the assembly only sings “prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord” in the verses – it should be doable. The fourth verse goes of into a different tune for the cantor to learn.
You can find it in Gather Australia 281.
Refrain
Gather in hope, people of God.
Sing the Advent song!
Song of faith, song of trust,
a song to welcome the Christ.
Verse 1
Let the warmth of our love, like the long summer days,
prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Let our will for justice, as strong as the sun,
prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Refrain
Verse 2
Let our thirst for truth, like the dry, parched earth,
prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Let our dream for peace, as bright as the sky,
prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Refrain
Verse 3
Let the prophet be heard, like the blaze of fire:
prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Let the poor and the rich as the lamb and the lion,
prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Refrain
Verse 4
Stand alert and be ready to welcome the Christ.
Prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Let this be our pray’r as we lift up our hearts:
prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.
Refrain
© Text: Dierdre Browne 1993, Tune: Jane Wood 1993.
Fantastic song but we are having trouble with copyright permission. We have CCLI and Licensing On Line but I cant find it on their site
Help
It seems to have a Word of Life licence but might be too obscure for the others.
Sr Deirdre Browne may never have listed this song with these companies, but you may have to talk to them directly. Monica Brown at Willow is usually very across copyright and LicenSing so she may be able to help.
If you can contact Sr Deirdre Browne directly you could ask her what the situation is with this song.
Fortunately for me my role is playing music not making sure the right people get paid so best of luck.
Any suggestions from our experts out there?
Geoff
Google shows that Sr Deirdre Brown IBVM was still actively involved in music within her Loreto order in 2013 and 2014. She probably still is.
Perhaps someone could contact her via them (https://loreto.org.au/), and suggest that she gets her songs listed with the copyright companies that cover countries other than Australia / New Zealand. It’s possible that she hasn’t even thought about how widely her work is known.
If she isn’t interested in doing this another option is to simply place the text and on a website, along with a Creative Commons type of license saying what people can/cannot do with them. It doesn’t even have to be her own website – I can think of at least two sites that would likely be happy to “host” this kind of material for her.
Unless the copyright owner does something like this (ie sets up a licensing arrangement, or explicitly gives wide-ranging permission), then works effectively go into limbo until some years (70 between 100 – it’s different in every country) after the creator’s death. You cannot legally make copies. And even though you might not get into trouble if you do, it’s a risk that many people don’t want to take.
Hi
I have been to One Licence and CCLI and Deirdre Browne isn’t listed – I have only one song from CCLI for her “Come as you are”
If you could let know what the copyright is….
thanks
Judy Rowlands for OLMC Hilton Western Australia. 0448 205 283
These are the only copyright details I can find on One Licence for Deidre Browne:
Come As You Are
Type: Words and Music
Copyright © Spectrum Publications
Contributors: Deidre Browne
Carry Me Lord
Type: Words and Music
Copyright © Spectrum Publications
Contributors: Deidre Browne
Taste And See God’s Love
Type: Words and Music
Copyright © Spectrum Publications
Contributors: Deidre Brown, Lenehan
I can’t find one for this song and in GA it is listed as text copyright Deidre Brown 1993, music copyright Jane Wood 1993. I suspect that neither has decided to get the song listed on One Licence.
Some songwriters have decided not to bother listing all their sings and to allow their free use. In these matters an attempt to contact the copyright holder, in this case Sr Deidre Brown, is usually the best approach.
best of luck
Geoff
Did anyone actually find the copyright details? We’d like to use it here in Malanda this coming Advent.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have contact (via a mutual acquaintance) with Jane Wood, who composed the music for this piece, and she has indicated that, as long as it’s not for resale or other for profit use, the song may be freely copied and used in parish communities. I do hope it’s in time for you, Anne Archdeacon! We at St. Therese Torquay Victoria are going to give it a go this year as well. Hope it will become regular Advent repertoire, as it’s so appropriate to our seasons here in the Antipodes!
Thank you to sixmaddens.org web site for such a great resource as you provide.
God Bless the work
Many thanks, that’s great news. And just in time for us to start on Sunday.
Hi,
I am having difficulty to get the sheet music for the song title “Advent Song” – Deirdre Brown for our choir group with lyrics and guitar chords.
where Can I purchase the above? I hope you will assist me.
Thank you
Johann
Hi Johann
It’s available in Gather Australia Accompaniment and Choir edition.
Sr. Deidre attended the APMN conference in Melbourne in October and there is word of a set of her songs being published next year.
Not sure if this is OK but my email address is annearchdeacon@gmail.com if you need more help.
@ Sherry Watson, thank you for making the effort to get in touch with Jane Wood. As we sing this song in our parish every Advent season. It’s good to know she has given permission to parishes communities to use it.
Hi . Where can I get the midi file or mp3 of this song? Really like the song but can’t find online.
Thanks