Ray Makeever is a Lutheran songwriter from the US and his song “Come to the Water” is No 34 in As One Voice: The Next Generation. I like this tune, but I hate the sort of choral singing that is on the CD. I think it must be cultural. There is a certain American church sound that seems generic, you hear it on Marty Haugen’s albums as well, that strikes these ears as unlistenably smug and ruins the song. The flute and fiddle lines are great but the vocals need to be confined to American ears I fear.
Obviously this is the baptism song you use if you’ve had enough of John Foley or Frank Anderson’s “Come to the Water.”
The music in the AOV lacks the lyrics to the fourth verse so I’ve transcribed these from the CD.
This song is also found in Ray Makeever’s collection “Sing” available at the Pilgrim Press.
My backing only allows for five verses with the key change after the third, so pick the best five of the six verses and sing along.
All who are thirsty for justice,
All who are thirsty for peace.
All who are thirsty for peace, for justice, come,
Come to the water of life.
All who are thirsty for mercy,
All who are thirsty for love.
All who are thirsty for love, for mercy, come,
Come to the water of life.
All who are thirsty for healing,
All who are thirsty for touch.
All who are thirsty for touch, for healing, come,
Come to the water of life.
All who are thirsty for beauty,
All who are thirsty for truth.
All who are thirsty for truth, for beauty come,
Come to the water of life.
All who are thirsty for freedom,
All who are thirsty for hope.
All who are thirsty for hope, for freedom, come,
Come to the water of life.
All who are thirsty for laughter,
All who are thirsty for joy.
All who are thirsty for joy, for laughter, come,
Come to the water of life.
© Ray Makeever 1999.