Phil posted a list of his ten favorite hymns this morning. So it seems in order that I post my own, if only to demonstrate how much better Lutheran hymnody is than Calvinist. The order is somewhat arbitrary.
1. “Make Me a Captive, Lord.” My all-time favorite, since I was a teenager. Not only is it set to “Leominster,” one of the most beautiful hymn tunes ever composed, but it has swords and battles. Written by George Matheson, the great, blind Scottish hymn writer.
2. “Wide Open Are Thy Hands.” Based on a hymn by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, it also—by some weird coincidence—is set to “Leominster.” No swords, alas.
3. “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.” Well, what do you know? Another Matheson hymn. Talk about coincidences. There’s a legend that Matheson wrote this after being rejected by a fiancée, who walked out on him after she learned he was going blind. This story is not true, I understand.
4. “Be Thou My Vision.” “Ancient Irish hymn,” according to my hymn book. It’s even got a sword, though the “Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for the fight…” verse generally gets skipped.
5. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” The best of the Christmas hymns. A lesson in theology all by itself, courtesy of Charles Wesley. And fun to sing. The three beats of “Joyful all,” repeated again in the following line, just require you to throw back your head and let go.
6. “Den Store, Hvide Flokk.” I had to put a Norwegian hymn in here (although it’s actually Danish, but I’m trying to be complimentary). The title means “The Great White Host,” and it’s based on Revelation. It sounds like this.
7. “Amazing Grace.” Well, duh. I especially recommend Sissel’s recording (arranged by Andrae Crouch).
8. “Rock of Ages.” Solid and enduring.
9. “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” By some guy named Luther. I actually prefer this one in a Contemporary Praise arrangement, if you can believe it. You’ve got to sing this one with gusto to get it right.
10. “Thee God We Praise.” Sung to the tune of “Finlandia,” another fine Scandinavian composition.
See you in church on Sunday.
I should have put “Peace Like a River” in there, too. Doubtless I’ll think of others in bed tonight.
Oh, this would eat my evening….
“Rock of Ages” is very good, and I know a guy in my city, James Ward, who has written a strong alternative melody to it. Of course, we usually sing the song with his tune over the traditional or original one.
“A Might Fortress” is terrific and I have a lot of affection for “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus.” But which on my list would I have replaced for these?
we usually sing the song with his tune over the traditional or original one.
Speaking of “Amazing Grace”, have you every heard the Blind Boys of Alabama sing it to the tune of “House of the Rising sun”? Really grabs the attention, and the words become new and arresting again.
No, I don’t think I have.
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” also can be sung to “House of the Rising Sun.” Very Christmassy.
Thanks for the earworm.
I hadn’t heard Amazing Grace sung in that way. I love it.
We had a country/bluegrass group at our church once, and a couple of the kids did Amazing Grace to a few different popular tunes. I can’t recall all of them, but one was “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” with “amazing grace” repeated over and over instead of the “weem-oh-way” bit.
I’m trying to figure out how that would work, and I can’t make it scan.
But “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is the coolest song ever.
It was also the basis for one of the funniest sketches Tracey Ullman ever did…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7f4Vv9ubKs
I remember that sketch. It was one of the very few bits I ever saw from Tracey’s show.
Lars, now it’s my turn. 🙂 I couldnt’ figure out where to email you.
You can reach me at the email I provided in the info field or at jaredcwilson AT yahoo DOT com
Check out Van Morrison’s version of “Be Thou My Vision,” to see a manly man’s method of hymn-singing….
And you need to have “Morning Has Broken,” on the list; another beautiful Celtic tune, with a great Easter message…..Eleanor Farjeon wrote…
and “the King of Love My Shepherd Is,” also a old and beautiful tune.
and “O Sacred Head Now Wounded,” must be on the list or you will be in big trouble with the Big Guy. So good Paul Simon ripped it off for “American Tune.” (both together would make a cool medley)
I think you should repent of including any hymn written in the 19th century; the nadir of Christian hymnody, no?
And “Children of the Heavenly Father,” one of the sweetest folk songs
All good choices. You mistake my methodology, though. Because I’m not a postmodernist, when I say “my top ten,” it shouldn’t be understood to mean “THE top ten.”
I take back the comment on 19th century; these examples of yours are good, if not great.
although “O Love that will not,” while coming from a great story, etc., has a tune that is melodramatic to the point of near-non-Christianhood…..; I think it’s bad music, relatively speaking…. but as Louis Armstrong said, it’s all good music… which is kind of true..
solve it all by making it “my top million.”