Song – Only Remembered

richard — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:00:55 +0000

I’ve heard this sung by several people. My favorite version is by Bill Staines, on his “Looking for the Wind” album. You can download the song for $.99 at Amazon’s MP3 download site.

Up and away like the dew in the morning,
Soaring from earth to its home in the sun,
Thus we will pass from the earth and its toiling,
Only remembered for what we have done.
Only the truth that in life we have spoken.
Only the seed we have sown,
These shall pass onward when we are forgotten,
Fruits of the harvest and what we have done.

Only remembered, Only remembered,
Only remembered for what we have done,
Only remembered, Only remembered,
Only remembered for what we have done.

Shall we be missed when the others succeed us,
Keeping the fields that in springtime we’ve sown?
No, for the sowers shall pass from their labors,
Only remembered for what they have done.

Only remembered, Only remembered,
Only remembered for what they have done,
Only remembered, Only remembered,
Only remembered for what they have done.

Up and away like the dew in the morning,
Soaring from earth to its home in the sun,
Thus we will pass from the earth and its toiling,
Only remembered for what we have done.

Words and music by John R. Sweeney and William J. Kirkpatrick, from “On Joyful Wing, A Book of Praise and Song” published by John J. Hood in 1886. (I’ve emended the words slightly to modernize the syntax – RB)

“Simple Gifts”

richard — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:49:19 +0000

In talking to a number of people, both practicing Buddhists and people interested in Buddhism, about the idea for a New Dharma Center, one of the most universally appealing elements of the concept is the idea that we could integrate singing into the meetings. Nobody much likes the idea of hymn singing, but everyone seems to spark to the notion that a lot of their favorite folk songs and “folkish” pop songs have lyrics which express a sentiment compatible with the Buddhadharma. So, from time to time, I’ll post the lyrics to such a song, along with a link to Amazon’s MP3 Digital Downloads page where you can purchase the song for 89 or 99 cents.

We’ll start with “Simple Gifts”, a song that I’ve loved since I first heard Pete Seeger sing it at Oberlin in 1955.

The song was written by Elder Joseph while he was at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine in 1848. What appeals to me is the song’s truth, its freedom from dogma, the beauty and singability of its melody, and its clear connection with dance. Here are the lyrics:

‘Tis a gift to be simple, ’tis a gift to be free,
‘Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

The song’s been recorded by almost everyone. One of my favorite versions is the short one by Judy Collins, from her album “Whales & Nightingales”. You can get it from AmazonMP3.com for $.99.

A New Center » Songs

Song – Only Remembered

“Simple Gifts”