That which tears me apart the most is when God sings a song to me, rather than the other way around--I've tried to compile his words into the written language as best I can, but my talents are better with rhythms, pitches, and articulations than they are with language--it's not so moving without music to give it meaning. (If you don't care for what it sounds like in the real world, you can skip the rest of this intro) This is for the most part an Art Song--a song for one voice and a piano, where the piano and the voice are on an equal level, rather than one accompanying the other. The piano is the river, the wind, and everything else; the voice is, well, you know who the voice is. It's written for a high voice--a lyric one, preferably. A soprano must be gentle, and a tenor even moreso, resisting his tendency to become an all-conquering hero. I had this on the program for a spring concert, but I ended up striking it off at the last minute. Oh, and for the purpose of keeping my mentor from thwacking me, this song is copyrighted by Matthew McNabb, all rights reserved, and all that jazz nobody cares about.
This is What He Said to Me One Saturday Morning, Lying in My Canoe, Adrift
Good Morning, Matt
How is the river today?
This morning I asked the wind
To caress your face
Like this.
Hey, Matt
How do you like
Those little birds in the trees?
You know, I brought them here just for you
I thought they would make you laugh
Silly little birds
Oh Matt, my son,
Why did you leave so soon?
Why did you go away?
And if you love me
As you swear every day
Why do you do those things that you do?
Matt, things haven't been the same round here
Since you left
But don't worry, Matt, my child
One day I will bring you home,
Somehow...
Matt, do you see
The heavens I have painted today?
Matt, do you see
The moon is shining still
Though the sun is hanging high?
Matt, do you see
That you're drifting
Away from me?
Or are you napping?
Won't you wake up?
Wake up and open your eyes for me
And see
I am only an inch away
Oh, I am so far away...
Why did you leave so soon?
Why did you go away?
And if you love me
As you swear every day
Why do you do those things that you do?
Matt, things haven't been the same round here
Since you left
But don't worry, Matt, my child
One day I will bring you home,
Somehow...
Matt, don't you see
The darkness
That has invaded your world?
Oh, Matt, don't you see
That you are dying?
Matt, do you hear
The waters crying,
And the chestnut moaning softly,
For you to return to me?
Oh, Matt, don't you see
That I am breaking?
Breaking, though I am unbreakable
Why did you leave so soon?
Why did you go away?
And if you love me
As you swear every day
Why do you do those things that you do?
Matt, things haven't been the same
For any of us
Since you left--
Yesterday,
Oh, so Long ago,
But don't worry, Matt, my child,
One day I will bring you home
Don't you worry one second, Matt,
I will bring you home
Even if I must die
This is What He Said to Me One Saturday Morning, Lying in My Canoe, Adrift
Good Morning, Matt
How is the river today?
This morning I asked the wind
To caress your face
Like this.
Hey, Matt
How do you like
Those little birds in the trees?
You know, I brought them here just for you
I thought they would make you laugh
Silly little birds
Oh Matt, my son,
Why did you leave so soon?
Why did you go away?
And if you love me
As you swear every day
Why do you do those things that you do?
Matt, things haven't been the same round here
Since you left
But don't worry, Matt, my child
One day I will bring you home,
Somehow...
Matt, do you see
The heavens I have painted today?
Matt, do you see
The moon is shining still
Though the sun is hanging high?
Matt, do you see
That you're drifting
Away from me?
Or are you napping?
Won't you wake up?
Wake up and open your eyes for me
And see
I am only an inch away
Oh, I am so far away...
Why did you leave so soon?
Why did you go away?
And if you love me
As you swear every day
Why do you do those things that you do?
Matt, things haven't been the same round here
Since you left
But don't worry, Matt, my child
One day I will bring you home,
Somehow...
Matt, don't you see
The darkness
That has invaded your world?
Oh, Matt, don't you see
That you are dying?
Matt, do you hear
The waters crying,
And the chestnut moaning softly,
For you to return to me?
Oh, Matt, don't you see
That I am breaking?
Breaking, though I am unbreakable
Why did you leave so soon?
Why did you go away?
And if you love me
As you swear every day
Why do you do those things that you do?
Matt, things haven't been the same
For any of us
Since you left--
Yesterday,
Oh, so Long ago,
But don't worry, Matt, my child,
One day I will bring you home
Don't you worry one second, Matt,
I will bring you home
Even if I must die
