Here I Am Lord (AOV 1/90)

It has occured to me that the point of making backings to learn new songs that was so relevant for As One Voice: the Next Generation, which I completed some time ago and can be searched for on this blog, is somewhat less relevant for the older AOV collections and especially songs like this one by Dan Schutte. There may be someone in a Catholic Church somewhere who doesn’t know this song, but I seriously doubt it. In fact he rates his own category of dismissal at Orthometer, where merely being composed by this man is grounds for dismissal. So Schutte is up there with Haas and Haugen in the loathing stakes for whatever reason. (The blogs say he is a gay ex-priest which whips up certain bloggers loathing for his music with a new and unnatural passion.)

You can hear his version here, complete with lots of prochoice photos for some reason.

I have posted a backing for this as an incidental note to a posting here. A little too bossa to use really.

Since I don’t think I can teach anyone this song, perhaps I can comment on it, with my only qualification being having played it inumerable times.  It is a guitarists’ song that should be sped up to 108-120 and use jangly sounds when fiddling with the runs around the D chord and the interludes from chorus back to verse.  Even better, do the bass run in the middle of the verses if you can (too hard for me). Done at the original speed it becomes a dirge. It is a song that is incredibly special to many people, especially those called through the RCIA. God (as sung by the assembly) calls in the verse and the people (singing for themselves) respond in the chorus. I would not want to minimise the obvious feeling this song can generate and the fact that it is despised by many is neither here nor there (as is the sexuality of the composer for that matter).

It can be purchased for download at OCP.

Have another backing instead of the bossa one.

Verse 1

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Refrain
Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

Verse 2

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?

Refrain

Verse 3

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?

Refrain

© Daniel Schutte and NALR 1981.