Best and worst hymns?

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uggghhhhh. rain down. My old parish used to sing it every time it rained, looked like rain, we were hoping for rain or our music director was planning a trip home to Seattle.
 
When our choir sang rain down, They had this tube/stick That they rotated, it kind of sounded like rain. Strange and distracting.
 
I find any music that is played at the wrong tempo a pain in the behind. Especially those that have come from a different music tradition, like Central Africa where congas is a traditional instrument, and then played with a very, very, very sloooooooooooooooow big church pipe organ. It doesn’t matter if the words are great but when the tune is abused and makes it totally impossible to sing then I just want to leave.

Or when someone decides to pick a song with words like “Hurray, Jesus is risen!” on Palm Sunday and has no sense of what is appropriate.

When visitors to a parish put “a good amount of money” into the collection plate and whisper “The music in this parish is extremely good so I put some extra 😄” my heart rejoices. Especially if that person has asked for some help during the Mass as he/she is not Catholic. If God speaks to them through music then that is a very good start.

My favourites are “Adoro te devote” and when our cantor sings the “Magnificat”.
 
for those who don’t care for Amazing Grace, I hope you can agree that the last verse is chilling!
“when we’ve been there, 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun. We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we’d first begun.” This verse always sends chills up my spine. What a glorious thought.
 
RandomAlias said:
They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love

Sing-around-the-campfire lyrics and rhythm. Makes me cringe.
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We sang that on Saturday. I hate it. I used to respond, “Have you ever sat in on a Parish Council meeting? They’d never know it there.” That was back in the 80s and 90s. I don’t find so much animosity in those meetings today.
 
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rondirect said:
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joeybaggz:
Second, Amazing Grace although it is only the line “that saved a wretch like me…
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“Amazing Grace” is disliked my many because of that line. In one arrangement, they replace “that saved a wretch like me” to “that saved and set me free.” When this song is appropriate to support the readings, I use the later.
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I don’t particularly care for that hymn but in Canada’s Catholic Book of Worship III the line is “that saved and strengthened me”.
 
I love “Holy God We Praise Thy Name” almost as much as “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” which to me is Easter all wrapped up in a song. Unfortunately our choir opted not to use it this year.
 
JackMcCoy said:
I associate How Great Thou Art with my granddad’s passing. It was sung at his funeral. Very beautiful rendition. Whenever I hear How Great Thou Art, I think of my granddad.
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I always associate that one with my father-in-law. He used to sing it in his United Church choir and they in turn sang it at his funeral. I can’t hear it without seeing him in his choir robe.
That said, I think it’s a great choir or solo piece but I find that most congregations have a hard time singing it.
 
A rainstick was featured prominently in the parish I attended two weeks ago. And while I can’t remember exactly what songs we sang, one had me thinking, “Wait, that theology is all wrong!”
 
Best:
  • Battle Hymn of the Republic
  • How Great Thou Art
  • Alleluia, Alleluia, Let the Holy Anthem Rise
  • The King of Glory Comes
  • Eternal Father, Strong to Save
  • Amazing Grace
  • Ave Maria
  • Only a Shadow
  • One Bread, One Body
  • Here I am, Lord
  • Were You There?
  • Glory and Praise to Our God
Worst:
  • 10,000 Reasons
  • Taste and See
  • Gift of Finest Wheat
  • Let us Build the City of God
  • Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
  • You Are Mine
  • Eye Has Not Seen
  • Shepherd Me O God
  • Bread of Life
 
HeDa said:
I find any music that is played at the wrong tempo a pain in the behind.
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I always wonder why everything set to Ode to Joy is played at a dirge tempo. It’s like they never heard the original or they think everything played in church has to be played sloooowly.

And don’t get me started about the tempo at which they sing “Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above”, a hymn which I love when it’s done well.
 
Ick. I remember hearing Go Make a Difference in college. I’m glad I haven’t heard it since.
 
bobperk said:
Battle Hymn of the Republic
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I haven’t heard this one sung in church, but it does make me tear up every time I hear it. It is so powerful, and I think of the real horror of the Civil War. Two of my great great grandfathers suffered terribly and died from their wounds in it.
I also tear up–no, cry–at America the Beautiful: the words are so lovely. “Oh beautiful for pilgrim’s feet, whose stern impassioned tread; a thoroughfare for freedom’s beat across the wilderness.” As far as I know, we only sing this on July 4.
 
I remember this from my First Holy Communion .


O Bread of Heaven, beneath this veil
Thou dost my very God conceal:
My Jesus, dearest treasure, hail!
I love Thee and, adoring, kneel;
Each loving soul by Thee is fed
With Thine own Self in form of Bread.

O food of life, Thou Who dost give
The pledge of immortality;
I live, no 'tis not I that live;
God gives me life, God lives in me:
He feeds my soul, He guides my ways,
And every grief with joy repays.

O Bond of love that dost unite
The servant to his living Lord;
Could I dare live and not requite
Such love - then death were meet reward:
I cannot live unless to prove
Some love for such unmeasured love.

Beloved Lord, in Heaven above
There, Jesus, Thou awaitest me,
To gaze on Thee with endless love;
Yes, thus I hope, thus shall it be:
For how can He deny me Heaven,
Who here on earth Himself hath given?
 
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