Heart of the Pine

by Hannah Robson

Hannah is an herbalist, storyteller, community organizer, and songleader in Tunbridge Wells, UK.

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LYRICS:

Low: I’ve been hurting
I’ve been healing
I’ve been learning
To breathe in

Mid: In the heart of the tall pine tree
I breathe in deep
I breathe in peace

In the heart of the tall pine tree
I breathe in hope
Breathe easily

High: Deepening roots
Open my heart again (x2)

Most Beautiful Sky

by Jennifer Levenhagen / arr. Anni Zylstra

This song started as a haiku, written by Jennifer Levenhagen, and Anni Zylstra, was inspired by Eastern European polyphony, added the drone and harmony. Both artists are based in Wisconsin.

You can hear Jennifer’s original version of the song here.

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LYRICS:

Most beautiful sky
I see
How you change each day
And each day
Remain

Rise Up O Flame

A 16th century canon

lyrics - anonymous / melody - attributed to Christoph Praetorius

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LYRICS:

Rise up, O flame
By thy light glowing 
Show to us beauty
Vision and joy

Full Moon

by Samara Jade/Joshua Blaine

Samara Jade is a musician and songwriter who lives here in the Asheville, NC area. You can support her work via Patreon.

Joshua Blaine is a Jewish storyteller and ritualist, and community songleader based in New Mexico. Find out more about his work here.

You can listen to their version of this song here.

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LYRICS:

Mid: Here comes the moon
Over the mountain
Just like an old friend
It’s good to see you again

High: Rising higher
Shining brighter

Low: I see my fullness
In your reflection

Rich Man’s House

by Anne Feeney & The Kensington Welfare Rights Union
with new verses by Resistance Revival Chorus

This traditional labor movement song was born out of the work of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union, a women-led effort to defray the oppression of the poor community in Philadelphia, PA, in the 1990’s. This organization still exists, but is now called the Poor People’s Army. You can find out more about the history of KWRU here.

Anne Feeney (1951-2021) was an American folk musician, singer-songwriter, political activist and attorney. She spent her life fighting for justice and used music to bring people together for this cause.

The version of this song that we are singing uses the new verses added by The Resistance Revival Chorus. This is the song that inspired and birthed this amazing protest choir, based in NYC. You can hear more about their story, and see a performance of this song at their TedX here.

Listen to the recording this arrangement is inspired by, here.

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LYRICS:

(Well I…)

…Went down to the rich man's house
And I, took back what he (they) stole from me
(Took it back…) …Took back my dignity
(Took it back…) …Took back my humanity (repeat)

(Now he's…) …Under my feet (x4)
Ain't gonna let the system walk all over me!

(Additional verses - RRC version:)

…Went down to the NRA / jailhouse / border / Whitehouse

(last time repeat)
Now he's…
…under my feet (x4)
Ain't gonna let the system walk all over me!

Chords: Am - - - / Dm - Am - :// Am - - - / - Dm Am -

Additional verses - original version:
landlord's house (he) / welfare office (they) / governor’s house (he)

Shael, Shael, y’al Jamali

a traditional Palestinian tarweeda

This powerful tarweeda, شيل شيل عالجماله , (transliterated as Shael, Shael, y'al Jamali) came to us from Gaza via Ahmed Muin Abu Amsha & his students, Gaza Birds Singing, when he shared a video of himself singing this with his students as a way to process the constant noise of the IOF drones flying overhead. Ahmed was inspired, by Zaid Hilal, who incorporated this traditional song into his recording, Libre Palestina.

You can find out more about Ahmed’s work through his project, Songs From the Rubble. You can listen to his music and support him and his family and students through Songs From the Rubble bandcamp.

Here is a message about the song from Ahmed:

A call to lift the weight of truth, the voice of courage, and the spirit that refuses to be silenced.

A tribute to those who held on to the truth until their very last breath, to every soul that spread light through honest words, and refused to be silenced in the face of injustice.

Peace to their souls… their memory will forever be a light in our hearts.

with love, 
Ahmed Muin from Gaza

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LYRICS:

This transliteration/translation, are my best effort to compile and sift through all the information I found in my research, and to best equate to an accurate pronunciation of the original Arabic, and a translation that makes the most sense in English (which is inadequate).

Phonetic transliteration:

Shael shael y’al Jamali
Shael, ya hawattak b’Allah
Dem al’shahee_d’matar bil heil 
Leil ya leilo
Wael wael a’dzhalimi
Waelo waelo min Allah
La’as_har ala nujum el leil 
An’a dawaelo

English Translation:

Carry, carry, oh camel driver, 
Carry. I entrust you to God
The martyr’s blood is perfumed with cardamom
Night, oh night
Woe, woe to the oppressor
Woe, woe to him from God
I will stay awake under the stars of the night
Crying out to him

Original Arabic:

شيل شيل عالجمال
شيل يا حوطك بالله 
دم الشهيد معطر بالهيل
ليل يا ليلو 
ويل ويل عالظالم
ويله ويله من الله 
لسهر على نجوم الليل
انا داويله

Sisters Of Winter

by MILCK Music

Connie Lim is an Asian-American songwriter, based in LA, whose powerful harmony arrangements have inspired singers across the world to raise their voices for freedom. Her songs have been sung at marches and protests and continue to breathe life into the work of liberation.

You can listen to the recorded version of this song (ft. Raye Zaragoza) here:

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LYRICS:

Verse 1:
The king’s shadow is moving again
Baby there’s blood in the river
Get ready for storms ahead
Call on the sisters of winter

Breathe out don’t keep it in
Grief is a sacred giver
Keep steady and rest your head
At dawn we ride together

Chorus:
When the sky turns golden we will ride
Ride
When the sky turns golden we will ride
Ride
For mothers fathers who have cried
Ride
When the sky turns golden we will…
Ride

Verse 2:
The king’s shadow is moving again
Don’t you get pulled by the silence
Get ready for storm’s ahead
We are the lamb and the lion

Scream out don’t keep it in
Rage is a sacred giver
Keep steady and rest your head
At dawn we ride together

Chorus:
When the sky turns golden we will ride
Ride
When the sky turns golden we will ride
Ride
For mothers fathers who have cried
Ride
When the sky turns golden we will ride

(Ending:)
Come what may
God is change
Be ready as the water

Solution

by Darlissa Andrea

Darlissa Andrea is a queer femme that uses all pronouns. Darlissa carries Puerto Rican, Hawaiian and Cape Verdean lineage and is currently on a lifelong journey to reconnect and practice relating to the Earth in respect and reciprocity. 

Darlissa’s songs are centered around land, liberation, spirituality and shifting culture. She co-organizes Sing People Sing! And started Singin to Feel- Both PDX based community song circles. Darlissa is committed to creating spaces where people get to experience flavors of their inheritance belonging through vocal expression in community song circles.

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LYRICS:

Low: You are not the whole solution

Mid: Take your place
Leave space
For others to weave in
For others to weave in

High: Lead and follow
Lead and follow
Lead and follow___

Trim The Wick

by West of Roan

West of Roan is the multi-media project of Channing Showalter & Annie Schermer. Together these two weave harmonies, tell stories, and craft beautiful puppets and scenes, inviting the listener into a magical world. They are currently based in Bellingham, WA on Coast Salish lands, although they once called Madison County, NC home.

You can support these dear friends via Patreon.

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LYRICS:

Trim the wick, light the lamp
See the shadow on the wall
The old moon now has waned
It's dark around us all

Come, follow
To the forest we must go
Sing a song
Draw a circle, we are home

Sing a song
Draw a circle, we are home

Try Again

by Francis Cimarron

This layered song came through for Yom Kippur, 2023 (5784 on the Jewish calendar). I was feeling moved by the realization that having a safe space to make mistakes is what makes growth possible. The last line of this song is Hebrew, meaning "I will forgive, according to your word.” OR “I forgive you as you forgive me.”

So often accountability feels inaccessible when shame is the primary reaction to mistake making. Instead of feeling safe enough to take the risks needed to make things right, we isolate and withdraw, causing more rifts. Resilient communities require that we become a safer space for our collective growing pains, and individual mistakes, welcoming each other into reflection and connection, and all learning together as we grow.

You can support my musical work via Patreon.

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LYRICS:

Low Mid: We all make mistakes 
This journey’s long
Don’t let it break you
Your will is strong

High Mid: Get up, try again
Get up, try again
Get up, try again
Your will is strong

Low: Everybody’s on their own journey
Everybody’s got a _ long road to walk
Reach out, lift each other up
I forgive you, please forgive me

High: Salachti kid’varecha
Salachti kid’varecha
Salachti kid’varecha
Salachti kid’varecha

We Are Woven

by Meg Vellejos McCoy

Meg is an incredible being and she uses her voice in powerful and inspiring ways. . Her lineage is Mi’kmaq, and San Andrés, and she currently resides in the Pacific Northwest. Meg is a coach, and ritual artist. She has used the term “Art Monk” to describe herself as she has a practice of creating a painting every day.

- You can follow her work at Inner Life Creations.

- Listen to an interview with Meg, where she shares a song, on the Bliss Is Ordinary podcast.

- Listen to Meg’s original version of this song here.

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LYRICS:

We are woven
Into the heart of all that is
Into the heart of all that is
We are woven            (x2)

Lest we forget what we are
Water and stone, flesh carbon star
We are woven
Into the heart

We are woven
Into the heart of all that is
Into the heart of all that is
We are woven            (x2)

Halloween Caroling Songs

Many songs for the spooky season!

We may not sing all of these, but they are posted here in the order of likelihood. We are also going to sing Trim The Wick, Rise Up O Flame, and Most Beautiful Sky.

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Song of the Witches

lyrics - William Shakespeare, music - Evan Sercombe

LYRICS:

Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble
By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes

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Ghoulies & Ghosties

from a traditional Scottish prayer

LYRICS:

From ghoulies and ghosties, and long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump, go bump in the night
From ghoulies and ghosties, and long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night

Oh please, Oh please, Oh please deliver us!

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Ghost of John

LYRICS:

Have you seen the ghost of John
Long white bones with the rest all gone
Oooooo, oo Oooooo
Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on

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Bread, Bread

by Anni Zylstra

LYRICS:

Bread, bread, fine cheese and bread
Apples and spread for your bread, bread
Butter and jam for your bread, bread

Ghost of John/Bread, Bread

Now stack those two!

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Hey, Ho, Nobody Home

LYRICS:

Hey, ho, nobody home
No meat, no drink, nor money have I none
(No trick or treat, nor money have I none)
Still I will be merry
Hey, ho-o >>>(forgot this part in the practice tracks. oops!)

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Ah, Poor Bird

LYRICS:

Ah poor bird, take thy flight
Far above the sorrows of this dark night

Hey, Ho/Ah, Poor Bird

Now stack those two!

And round them both at the same time!

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The Hearse Song

LYRICS:

The Old Grey Hearse goes rolling by
You don't know whether to laugh or cry
For you know some day it'll get you too
And the hearse's next load may consist of—you.
Ooo-oo, Ooo-oo

They'll take you out and they'll lower you down
While men with shovels stand all a-round
They'll throw in dirt and they'll throw in rocks
And they won't give a dam-m-n if they break the box.
Ooo-oo, Ooo-oo

The worms crawl in and the worms crawl out
They crawl all over your chin and mouth
They invite their friends and their friends' friends too
And you look like hell when they're—through—with you.
Ooo-oo, Ooo-oo

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Jewels

by Barbara Mcafee

LYRICS:

Every time I go into the darkness
I return with fistfuls of jewels

Midnight velvet wraps all around me
Stars glitter brilliant above

Dreaming darkness, dreaming light

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Stir A Brew

by Elizabeth Gilpatrick

LYRICS:

We’ll stir and stir; we’ll stir up a brew
We’ll mix it and boil it and season it too
And when it’s finished we’ll serve it to you

We hope you’ll like it, too! 
We hope you’ll like it, too!

And don’t forget x x x
And don’t forget to chew!

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Weather Witch

LYRICS:

Blow wind, blow wind, cried the witch of weather
Nay wind, nay wind, cried three men together
In their hobble, sat the sailors three-o
Til the wind blows, they’ll not go to sea-o

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