Ideas for Simple Song for Palm Sunday

[malthumb]

My Praise Connection Choir is responsible for 4th Sunday music, so that will include Palm Sunday.  The Worship Committee has asked us to do something topical, but with my kids playing their instruments, so it needs to be something I can teach them fairly easily.  Any ideas?  My 13 year old would be playing keys / piano.  My soon to be 11 year old will play bass.

The Sunday after Christmas they did a really good job playing "Let It Be".  That is the reason for the request from Worship Committee.  I'm at a loss for what they can learn within a couple weeks that is topical to Palm Sunday.

Thanks for all ideas!

Peace,

James

[JoanHall]

Does it need to be easy for the musicians only, or also easy for the singers?

The thoughts I have so far --

• "Hosanna" by the Wilmington-Chester Mass Choir, you could either leave out the verse part or simplify the chords on that part and I think it would still sound good.
• Maybe "Worthy is the Lamb" by Daryl Coley

Those two are not totally simple for the singers, but easy enough for the musicians, I think.

If I get any other ideas I'll be back.

[betnich]

Perhaps they could try "Ride On, King Jesus"?

If that's too old-school, there's Clarence McClendon's "I just came to Magnify" - it's uptempo, could be done mostly without solos, has lots of repeats and vamps, and has lyrics about praise and the line about rocks crying out, so that relates to Palm Sunday. The chords are a little complex, but it's basically two progressions repeating themselves over and over...just charted it out...

I Came To Magnify
Bishop Clarence McClendon & The Fire Harvest Mega Mass Choir
Intro -
(Single notes - g Ab a)|| Eb/Bb | Ab9(b5) | Bbm/G C7(b9) | Ab/F Eb/G  Db9 || Fm7 Eb/G Ab6 Fm7| Eb/Bb C7(b9) | Fm7 Eb/G Ab6 Fm7| Eb/Bb C7(b9) | Fm7 Eb/G Ab6 Fm7| Eb/Bb   Bb7 | Eb | (Single notes - Db c Bb c Gb f Eb )||

Chorus (2x) -
                GbM7/Ab    Ab7  GbM7/Ab          Ab7                                              
I came to magnify the Lord, praise His holy name,
      Eb/Bb        Ab9(b5) Bbm/G C7(b9)    Ab6  Eb/G  Db9              
   lift Jesus higher,      lift     Jesus     high----------er,
Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb C7(b9)  Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb C7(b9)      
I       just    came to     magni--fy,       I       just    came to     glori----fy,
Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb   Bb7 Eb    
I       just    came to     praise   the   Lord!
          (A13) GbM7/Ab    Ab7  GbM7/Ab           Ab7                                  
(For He is) wor----------thy,   worthy of all my praise.   (sing 3x)
Eb/Bb                       Ab9(b5)              Bbm/G C7(b9)      Ab6 Eb/G  Db9    
Never will a rock cry out in my place,    He's  worthy of all    my     praise.
Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb C7(b9)  Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb C7(b9)      
I       just    came to     magni--fy,       I       just    came to     glori----fy,
Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb   Bb7 Eb    
I       just    came to     praise   the   Lord!
Vamp - (6x)
Eb/Bb                       Ab9(b5)              Bbm/G C7(b9)     Ab6 Eb/G  Db9    
Never will a rock cry out in my place,    He's  worthy of all    my      praise.
Vamp - (2x)
Eb/Bb  Ab9(b5) Bbm/G C7(b9)  Ab6 Eb/G  Db9                                                                                                    
Never, never,    never,                never,

Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb C7(b9)  Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb C7(b9)      
I       just    came to     magni--fy,       I       just    came to     glori----fy,
Fm7 Eb/G Ab6   Fm7 Eb/Bb   Bb7 Eb    
I       just    came to     praise   the   Lord!


KeyPlaya did a chorded version on LGM, too...

[sjonathan02]

Does it need to be easy for the musicians only, or also easy for the singers?

I think more of the first than the latter.

[malthumb]

Does it need to be easy for the musicians only, or also easy for the singers?

The thoughts I have so far --

• "Hosanna" by the Wilmington-Chester Mass Choir, you could either leave out the verse part or simplify the chords on that part and I think it would still sound good.
• Maybe "Worthy is the Lamb" by Daryl Coley

Those two are not totally simple for the singers, but easy enough for the musicians, I think.

If I get any other ideas I'll be back.

Thanks for the suggestions!  I will iTunes those when I get home this evening.  The songs have to be easy for the musicians,  but the singers are on their own     

The keyboards will be played by a 13 yr old, bass by an 11 yr old.  This thread shows the musicians and choir from a December service.

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,71546.0.html


Peace,

James

[malthumb]

Okay, I think we have settled on what the music will be for our Palm Sunday service .

Introit:  opening chorus of Martha Munizzi's "God Is Here".  That's become our standard 4th Sunday introit.  My 13 yr old plays the string part on his keyboard.

Processional: Ride On King Jesus  This is one suggested by Betnich.  It's one that our congregation is used to hearing, but we sort of retired the song when the lady who usually sang this song passed earlier this year.

1st Selection: Fred Hammond's "Please Don't Pass Me By". It speaks to Jesus' encounter with the blind man on the roadside.  I usually sing lead and play this one.  For Palm Sunday, my 11 year old will play the bass part and I can concentrate on singing.

2nd Selection: Lionel Ritchie's "Jesus Is Love"

Then the Final Selection will be after the Pastor's sermon and we can begin the transition towards the Crucifixion.  We will do Yolanda Adams' "Victory".  My 13 yr old will play keys, my 11 yr old will play bass and my wife will sing lead.

One of the Congregational Songs will be "In The Garden".  The kids may or may not play on that one.

I'll let y'all know how it comes out.

[malthumb]

Well, we got through Palm Sunday.  There was some comedy, but for the most part, the kids did alright (the adults are a whole different story  )

Here's a sampling of what we did on the songs the kids played on......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyrS9QnlaDU

[sjonathan02]

Well, we got through Palm Sunday.  There was some comedy, but for the most part, the kids did alright (the adults are a whole different story  )

Here's a sampling of what we did on the songs the kids played on......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyrS9QnlaDU

I can't play it, bruh. It says I need to respond to a friend request. 

[malthumb]

I can't play it, bruh. It says I need to respond to a friend request.  

Try again.  Apparently the last YouTube upgrade caused the default video posting to be "Private" instead of "Public".  I just changed my setting to "Public" so you should be able to see it.

[sjonathan02]

Try again.  Apparently the last YouTube upgrade caused the default video posting to be "Private" instead of "Public".  I just changed my setting to "Public" so you should be able to see it.

That did it.