It is interesting to me what sources the Dominican Fathers used to compile the Praise to God: Parish Hymn Book. A lot came from the Australian Hymn Book, the Catholic Worship Book, the Celebration Hymnbook, Glory and Praise, and the New Living Parish Hymn Book. There wasn’t that much OCP from Glory and Praise and it appears none at all from GIA, which is probably because Gather Australia was on the way. I am more interested in the the small collections they looked at, as that was where the Australian songwriters were to be found, so I will continue my illogical, but vaguely alphabetical, trawl through these collections – in their list of sources, while appearing alphabetical, within each letter the listings are random.
They took two songs from Leo Watt’s, The Altar of God, which I have already looked at, “Though Many We Are One” and “Go Now, You are Sent Forth“. A lot of Leo’s work is now available at Willow, but these two were Alberts copyrights – Yes, Leo Watt was on the same label as AC/DC.
Then they looked at Lucien Diess’s Biblical Hymns and Psalms, but all their selections I have blogged from other sources.
Which brings me to the first of the Spectrum Publications collections, Come As You Are. I’ve only been a Catholic since 1997, so I missed the Father Paul Gurr records. He used Australian songwriters such as Kevin Bates, Deirdre Browne and Brian Boniwell on his recordings and was apparently quite popular.
From this collection, PTG used “Mary’s Song” by Peter Gagen, and the famous title track, “Come As You Are” by Dierdre Browne, both of which I have blogged.
What I haven’t looked at is another Sister Dierdre Brown song that the editors sourced from here for PTG, “Carry Me, Lord”, which is a new one to me.
I should have listened to the clip, before I made a slightly bizarre backing – I revised it after hearing the version below. The sheet music in PTG was melody line only so I just made up some chords. The triplets jar when you go too fast, as I did the first time. I have had no luck finding this sheet music anywhere.
I used to post fail backings when I didn’t know how a song went but that hadn’t stoppped me making a dreadful backing. In my defence this time there was no tempo, no chords and no instructions on the sheet music, so the recipe failed with this backing.
1 Carry me, Lord, to peace and shelter.
O carry me Lord, from wind and rain.
Remember your promise O shepherd of Israel.
I will be yours and you will be mine.
2 Carry me, Lord, to light and safety.
O carry me, Lord from dark depair.
Remember your promise O shepherd of Israel.
I will be yours and you will be mine.
3 Carry me, Lord, to love and freedom.
O carry me, Lord from hate and fear.
Remember your promise O shepherd of Israel.
I will be yours and you will be mine.
4 No burden’s too heavy when you are near us.
No darkness too deep when you are near.
You’ve given your promise to all of God’s people;
I will be yours and you will be mine.
5 Carry me, Lord, I’m limp and weary.
O carry me, Lord, your arms are strong.
Wherever you take me, O Shepherd of Israel;
I will be yours and you will be mine.
© 1986 Spectrum Publications
Listen to the good Father to see how it’s done.
Just for fun, here are the other two songs: