Wade in the Water Medley – Traditional Spirituals

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Traditional Spirituals

I learned this medley from Ysaye Barnwell at a music educators conference way back in 1999. A favorite amongst my elementary school choirs as well as my adult choirs and circles.

Wade In the Water was an Underground Railroad song, sung as a guide to assist the those moving towards freedom to know where the safe river crossings were, or to get into the water so the dogs would lose the scent. Also referencing the Bible from Exedos. “An angel troubled the water”. A call to get in the water to become whole and healed again.

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child – a song of grief for those separated from their families and their homeland.

I Wanna Die Easy When I Die – the enslaved people’s way of claiming that they WILL make it to freedom, and they will not die until they do – Such strength and conviction of spirit!

When I sing these songs with my groups, I also like to presence that we are still on a journey of reparations, justice and equality with people of color who are descendants of the enslaved. There are still deep wounds that need to be healed. I like to have the circle speak their prayers, or I like to set an intention that as we sing these songs, we are creating a ripple of love and healing for those still on the journey, and for our nation as a whole.

Lyrics:

Wade In The Water

Wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna trouble the water

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long way from home

I Wanna Die Easy

I wanna die easy when I die
I wanna die easy when I die
I wanna die easy when I die
Shout salvation when I rise
I want to die easy when I die

These songs are in the public domain

Hope Lingers On – Low Lily

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By Low Lily (Lissa Schneckenburger)

A beam of hope in these trying times! The miracle cure… choosing love over hate and fear.

Lyrics:

My mother, when love is gone
My mother, when love is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
My father, when peace is gone
My father, when peace is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
I will not hate and I will not fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here
My sister, when equality’s gone
My sister, when equality’s gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
My brother, with tolerance gone
My brother, with tolerance gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
I will not hate and I will not fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here
My love, when honor is gone
My love, when honor is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
My country, when justice is gone
My country, when justice is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
I will not and I will fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here
I will not and I will fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here

Used with permission

© Lissa Schneckenburger
All rights reserved

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Arranged by Heather Houston

Divine Mystery — Heather Houston

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This one flowed through for a room full of women entrepreneurs. It’s been a favorite for many ever since. A beautiful layer song.

Lyrics:

Oh I am opening up for a dance with Divine Mystery
Oh I am trusting the path that’s unfolding before me with ease

Just let go now, trust the flow
Just let go now, then you’ll know

Right on time now, I’ve arrived
Right on time now, I’m aligned

© Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Sisters of the Moon Album Version:

 Rough Recording on Heather’s Garage Band: 

Re-Wild My Soul — Heather Houston

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This beautiful chant poured through me one morning in a meditation on my sister’s land in northern Washington. With Mt. Baker above me, Canyon Creek below me, sunshine, wind, eagles, vast sky and forest all around me, I went into a deep state of communion with the land and allowed this song to move through. It doesn’t make grammatical sense entirely, but it’s easier to teach this way. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

Note: The order of the verses here is as recorded on my Sisters of the Moon album, the first SoundCloud track below. The practice tracks are an earlier version with a different order of verses and slightly different wording on the “Vast Sky” verse. Please use the most recent lyrics when you offer this song, thank you!

Oh RIVER, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to flow with ease again
I am ready, take me in

Oh MOUNTAIN, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to lift mine eyes again
I am ready, take me in

Oh EAGLE, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to fly so free again
I am ready, take me in

Oh VAST SKY, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to be spaciousness again
I am ready, take me in

Oh SOFT WIND, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to be clear and cleansed again
I am ready, take me in

Oh FOREST, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to trust this path again
I am ready, take me in

Oh SUNSHINE, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to shine with warmth again
I am ready, take me in

Oh MAMA, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to beat with yours again
I am ready, take me in

©Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Sisters of the Moon album version:

Practice Tracks:

Wave of Women – Heather Houston

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A powerful song inspired by the 2019 Women’s march. The theme was “A Wave of Women.” After the experience of singing to a sea of women and supporters of women on that day at our local Santa Cruz march, this song flowed through that very afternoon.

© 2019 Heather Houston
All rights reserved

www.heatherhoustonmusic.com

Lyrics:

We are a wave of women moving across the land
We are a wave of women rising to take a stand
for our brothers and sisters,
our daughters and sons,
for the Earth and her creatures,
we’re all chosen ones.

 

Ise Oluwa from West Africa

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This beautiful chant from Nigeria is sung in the Yoruba language. A favorite to sing with my shruti box layering in harmonies as we go.

Arrangement by Heather Houston

This song is in the public domain.

Meaning:
God’s good work will never be destroyed. I like to think of it as the Creator’s beautiful work lives on for eternity.

Lyrics:

Ise oluwa
Kole baje oh
Ise oluwa
Kole baje oh
Kole baje oh
Kole baje oh
Ise oluwa
Kole baje oh

Rising Strong — Heather Houston

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Inspired by the youth in our nation who are rising strong! Dedicated to the people who are committed to all of the powerful movements that are happening around the globe. This song flowed through shortly after the Parkland, Florida school shooting happened.

© Heather Houston 2018
All rights reserved

Lyrics:

Part 1:
Oh take my hand now, yes you belong
And lift your voice now, we’ll sing this song
And we will root down into the ground now
We’re rising strong, yeah, we’re rising strong

Parts 2 and 3:
Ooooo….

Parts 4 and 5:
And we are warriors of the light
And we are stronger when we unite
We are here to waken the love
We are rising strong, yeah we’re rising strong!

Let the Light Shine In — Heather Houston

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An inspirational multi-layered song inviting us to open to the love and trust in the Source.

Lyrics: 

Part 1: Opening to the love, trusting in the Source, moving with the flow of the water

Part 2: Listen deeply

Part 3: Let the light shine in, Hallelujah

Part 4: Let the light shine in, Hallelujah (higher harmony)

Part 5: All is well, let the light shine in

Part 6: Listen deeply (lower harmony)

© Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Sto Mi E Milo — Traditional Macedonian, arr. by Kitka

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I loved to sing this beautifully uplifting song from Macedonia with my a cappella quartet, SIRENZ, and now with my Yala Lati Women’s choir! With my song circles, I will just teach the first verse. A song of hope and a vision of normalcy in a war-torn part of the world. Tight harmonies and a 7/8 rhythm keep it interesting. I learned this song from Kitka, who learned it from Ethel Raim.

You can learn more about the history of the song here.

Used with permission from the women of Kitka.

Sheet Music: Please contact Heather

Translation:

“Što Mi E Milo” has been variously translated as “what I would like” or “how dear it is to me” or “I’m glad.”

How I would like to have a shop
In the town of Struga
Hurry, young Kalino

To sit by the door
And watch the young girls of Struga go by
Hurry, young Kalino

As they fetch the water
With their brightly colored jugs
Hurry, young Kalino

And meet with their friends at the well
Hurry, young Kalino

Lyrics:

Sto mi e milo, milo i drago
Vo struga grada, mamo, duk’an da imam
Lele varai, mome, mome Kalino
Vo struga grada, mamo, duk’an da imam

Na k’epencite, mamo, da sedam
Struzkite momi mamo momi da gledam
Lele varai mome, mome Kalino
Struzkite momi mamo momi da gledam

Koga na voda, voda mi odat
So tija stomni mamo, stomni sareni
Lele varai, mome, mome Kalino,
So tija stomni, mamo, stomni sareni

Na ovoj izvor, izvor studeni,
Tam da se zdruzki, mamo, zdruzki soberat
Lele varai, mome, mome Kalino,
Tam da se zdruzki, mamo, zdruski soberat

Tending the Spark — Heather Houston

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A song for these uncertain times. This one moved through me one evening as the Chico Campfire was raging in CA. Tuning into that reality, and the reality of climate change, feelings of vulnerability, uncertainty, grief, and a spark hope, were swirling through me all at once. I asked for a song to drop in, and this is what landed – a gift from beyond. May we continue to care for each other as the world as we know it unravels, and may we continue to plant the seeds of intentional new beginnings that uplift the planet and humanity as a whole.

© Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Lyrics:

And we will care for each other
As the world around us unravels
And we will tend to the spark
Of hope that lives within our grieving hearts
And we are here now, in this present moment
Lifting our voices and hearts
And we are here now, we have come together
We are tending the spark of hope
Oh may it grow
And we will care for each other