This blog is dedicated to the amateur or beginner musician with music written in a simple and easy to read Alpha Notes format and with Chords for the left hand. This is to assist those with little or hardly at all note reading skills. This is a blog that shows all the chords in Alpha Notes format too which you can find the notes for the chords in one of the blogs. Please feel free to leave a comment or any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy!
Ring the Bells is a Christmas hymn and was written by Harry Bollback.
Harry met Jesus at the age of 16 at Bible Camp, thanks to
the influence of his Sunday School teacher. In December 1941, Harry met one of
the most influential and important figures in his life, Word of Life Founder,
Jack Wyrtzen.
Harry's strong sense of patriotism led to his desire to
serve his country, so after graduating high school, he enlisted in the Marine
Corps. In WWII he fought in the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa and was sent to
China as part of a peacekeeping force before returning to the United States
when the war ended.
After returning home Harry resumed his friendship with Jack
Wyrtzen and serving with Word of Life. In 1946, Harry met the love of his life,
Mildred "Millie" Winkler. Millie had also begun working for Word of
Life and she and Harry immediately hit it off. Harry and Millie were married
for 72 years until her death on January 7, 2021.
In 1949, Harry and Millie's daughter, Linda, was born, and
in 1950 Harry graduated from the Philadelphia School of the Bible. Later that
year they were accepted as missionaries with the South American Indian Mission,
and in December they sailed from New York Harbor to share the Gospel with
unreached tribal people in Brazil.
Harry and Millie's son, Larry, was born in 1952 and later
that year they were joined by one of Harry's dearest friends, Harold Reimer,
serving in the interior of Brazil.
After a furlough in 1955, during which Elizabeth, Harry and
Millie's third child, was born, the Bollbacks returned to Brazil this time to
start the ministry of Word of Life camps. In Atibaia, Harry and Harold Reimer
began a Word of Life Youth Camp, followed shortly by a Word of Life Inn for
adults. In 1958, Harry and Millie's youngest daughter, Suely, was born.
After returning to the United States in 1969, Harry became
the Co-Director of Word of Life and started the International Ministries
outreach. Thanks to the blessing of God and the humble service of a
"simple kid from Brooklyn", Word of Life is now in 81 countries
around the world.
Harry also had an incredible love for music and wrote many
Christian songs and musicals that were performed to millions of people around
the world, sharing the good news of the Gospel.
Harry was a beloved husband, father, grandfather,
great-grandfather, brother and friend to thousands around the world. He is
survived by his sister, Elizabeth Frair; son, Larry and his wife Cindi; his
daughter, Elizabeth and her husband John (Nelson); his youngest daughter, Suely
and her husband Brad (Cecil); his son-in-law Rick Warken; 11 grandchildren; 22
great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He joins his beloved
wife, Millie (1927-2021), and his eldest daughter Linda (Warken, 1949-2016) in
the arms of his Heavenly Father.
Harry was a proud member of VFW Post 5513 and American
Legion Post 964 in Chestertown. He will be buried with full military honors
along with his wife, Millie, on Tuesday, January 19 at the Gerald B.H. Solomon
Saratoga National Cemetery, Saratoga Springs. A memorial service is being
planned for Harry at Word of Life on a date yet to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to
the Bollback Missionary Fund at Word of Life. Harry and Millie created this
fund to bless and help missionaries, and it has been used for decades to fill
financial gaps in Word of Life ministries around the world.
To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
Ring the bells, ring the bells, let the whole world know, Christ was born in Bethlehem many years ago. Born to die that man might live, came to earth new life to
give, Born of Mary, born so low, many years ago. God the Father gave His Son, gave His own beloved One, To the wicked sinful earth, to bring mankind His love, new
birth. Chorus Ring the bells, ring the bells, Let the whole world know Christ the Savior lives today As He did so long ago! Ring the bells, ring the bells, what a glorious morn! Men and angels worship Him, singing, Christ is born! Born to die on Calvary, born to set His people free, God Himself in human form, tell it! Christ is born. He has left His royal throne, He has come to claim His own, Christ the Lord has come to earth, go spread the news of
Jesus' birth.
When He Shall Come was composed by Almeda J. Pearce. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says this: “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (ESV).
Almeda Pearce’s husband Rowan was a Bible teacher who often
spoke on prophetic subjects. But it was a personal experience that particularly
drew Mrs. Pearce to the theme of this song. She suffered from haemophilia, a
condition in which the blood has an insufficient clotting factor, resulting in
excessive and dangerous bleeding problems. There was some hope that transfusions of her husband’s blood
would help, but his was the wrong type. In her discouragement Almeda felt the
nearness of death, but the Lord gave her a sense of His presence, and peace
returned. It was her renewed vision of the glories of the eternal kingdom, in
contrast to “this veil of night” in which we live, that inspired her hymn.
Finally, a blood donor was found that could help her, and she lived to the age
of seventy-three.
I am reminded of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. All ten appeared on the surface to have done the right things to be in the right place at the right time to meet the bridegroom. Five of those virgins did not bring enough oil to last until the bridegroom came, so they missed the wedding.
When Christ returns at the end of the age, or when he comes for us individually like he did for my aunt and four friends, there will be many who lived life trying to be safe and believing that they had done everything needed to be ushered into heaven. Tragically they will be caught unaware that of all of the things needed to be safe, they missed the only truly important thing—oil for their lamps. This is the Holy Spirit, given to all who believe in Christ, so their lamps will never go out.
Time is short for all people, whether Christ returns this year or in a thousand years. For many, their struggle to stay safe and be ready for the end will be futile because they never received oil for their lamps.
Will you join with your fellow members and friends in church to pray that God would add many more to his family of those whose lamps are filled and ready? Will you give so that many more will hear and receive the Good News that Jesus Christ has already come once to give them all that is required of them to be ready to meet him with joy “when he shall come” again?
To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
When He shall come resplendent in His Glory, To take His own from out this vale of night, O may I know the joy at His appearing, Only at morn to walk with Him in white.
When He shall call from earth's remotest corners All who have stood triumphant in His might, O to be worthy then to stand beside them And in that morn to walk with Him in white.
When I shall stand within the court of Heaven Where white robed pilgrims pass before my sight, Earth's martyred saints and bloodwashed overcomers These then are they who walk with Him in white.
Thirty Pieces of Silver was written by Ira F. Stanphill. Ira Forest Stanphill (February 14, 1914 – December 30, 1993) was a well-known Americangospel music songwriter of the mid-twentieth century.
Ira Stanphill was born in Bellview, New Mexico. Stanphill's parents were Andrew Crittenton Stanphill and Maggie Flora Engler Stanphill. He and his family spent most of his younger years in Coffeyville, Kansas. He was saved when he was 12, and he graduated high school in 1932. He was called to preach soon after graduating Chillicothe (Missouri) Junior College at age 22. On April 28, 1939, the Southern Missouri District Council of the Assemblies of God ordained Stanphill to the gospel ministry.
Stanphill began preaching when he was 22., first in a summer traveling ministry with Christian Ambassadors of the Assemblies of God, then becoming director of youth and music at a church in Breckenridge, Texas. He later became music director at Faith Tabernacle in Oklahoma City, then became pastor of Trinity Assembly of God in Orange, California. In the early 1940s, he served as associate pastor at Full Gospel Tabernacle in Bakersfield, California. In 1949, he became music director at Bethel Temple in Fort Worth, Texas.
In 1956, he was the founding pastor of Bethel Assembly of God Church in Lake Worth, Florida. In September 1962, he became pastor of the Assembly of God Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1968, he was pastor of Rosen Heights Assembly of God Church in Fort Worth, Texas where he oversaw the construction of a new building and the re-naming of the church to Rockwood Park Assembly of God. After serving 13 years as pastor of Rockwood Park, he resigned to devote more time to evangelism and concerts. Stanphill was an evangelist, traveling to churches and Bible camps around the country, sometimes accompanied by his wife. They played and sang some of his compositions in addition to his preaching. In 1941, they joined the team of evangelist Raymond T. Richey. An ad for a crusade Stanphill held in 1964 described him as "Preacher of Old Time Religion." In addition to traveling throughout the United States, he preached in 40 other countries.
Occasionally as part of his crusades, he would ask members of the congregation to suggest titles for songs. Selecting one title from the suggestions, he would write words and music for a song during the service.
In the 1970s, Stanphill's ministry included a 30-minute weekly television program originally produced in 1973 by The Christian Broadcasting Network at its KXTX-Channel 33 Dallas TV studio and later called "Young at Heart" produced by WCFC in Chicago. In the 1990s, he appeared on several Southern gospel music videos produced by Bill Gaither. Those episodes (and others) included some of Stanphill's songs.
By the age of 10, Stanphill had already become a fluent musician, having learned to play the piano, organ, ukulele, and accordion. He went on to learn to play xylophone, guitar, saxophone, and clarinet. At 17, he was composing and performing his own music for church services, revival campaigns, and prayer meetings.
As a singer evangelist, Stanphill traveled the United States and Canada extensively and around the world to 40 countries over his career to preach and perform his music. Many famous secular singers have performed his works, such as Elvis Presley ("Mansion Over the Hilltop") and Johnny Cash ("Suppertime"). "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow", "I Walk with His Hand in Mine", and "We'll Talk It Over" are a few of his titles that are familiar and still performed today.
Stanphill composed more than 500 gospel songs. Recordings of his composition Mansion Over the Hilltop sold more than 2 million copies, and some of his songs have been translated into other languages. Room at the Cross is still sung and is in many hymnals. Stanphill founded Hymntime Publishers, Inc., and was the company's president. To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!
Lyrics: There's no satisfaction in riches or in fame If our Saviour is denied Every castle tumbles and life's a broken dream Without Jesus by our side.
CHORUS: Thirty pieces of silver, was the price they gave Thirty pieces of silver, just the price of a slave And my heart I have given, to this Christ betrayed And I know just how much he loved me By the price he paid.
From his ivory palace, he came to such as I But I scorned his love for me Sold him for the silver of things that I regret Sorrow, pain and agony.
"Lost - But Still He Loves You" is written by John Willard Peterson (November 1, 1921 – September 20, 2006) was a songwriter who had a major influence on evangelicalChristian music in the 1950s through the 1970s. He wrote over 1000 songs, and 35 cantatas.
In 1953, he graduated from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and shortly thereafter settled in Pennsylvania to continue his songwriting career. He then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where for over ten years he was President and Editor-in-Chief of Singspiration, a sacred music publishing company. While there, he compiled and edited a hymnal called "Great Hymns of the Faith", (c) 1961. He also served on the board of Gospel Films, Inc. of Muskegon, Michigan.
He also had direct contact with popular Christian musicians of the day such as Bill Pearce and Dick Anthony. He resided in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he continued to write music. Peterson died September 20, 2006, aged 84, following a bout with prostate cancer.
Some of his more popular song titles include "It Took a Miracle", "Over the Sunset Mountains", "Heaven Came Down", "So Send I You", "Springs of Living Water", "Jesus is Coming Again", "Surely Goodness and Mercy", "This is the day that the Lord hath made" and "O Glorious Love". His cantatas include Night of Miracles and Down From His Glory.
"How Long Has It Been?" was written by Mosie Lister. In Southern Gospel music circles, Mosie Lister (1921-2015) was a legend. A Baptist minister, he was best known for writing the Gospel songs “Where No One Stands Alone”, “Till the Storm Passes By”, “Then I Met the Master” and “How Long Has It Been?”
Mosie was born into a musical family in Georgia, but he disappointed his family when it appeared he was tone-deaf. They instructed him in the violin, and he gradually learned to distinguish pitches. But, he wanted to do more than just tell the difference between pitches; he wanted to write songs.
Mosie came to fame as he worked with – and sang with – southern gospel quartets… arranging, writing, singing, and producing.
Mosie was concerned about so many people who had drifted away from the Lord. Once upon a time, they had told God they loved Him… but they hadn’t given God much thought in recent years. He thought about writing a song asking the question: “How long since you really prayed?”
He later said, “All of a sudden I realized this was what I needed to say. I just started writing as fast as I could.” In 10 minutes he had it finished. Within 5 more years, more than a million copies of this song in sheet music had been sold.
George Beverly Shea, Billy Graham’s soloist, often closed his concerts by singing this song.
To download the easy alphanotes and chords, look here. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
How long has it been since you talked with the Lord and told Him your heart’s hidden secrets? How long since you prayed? How long since you stayed on your knees till the light shone through?
How long has it been since your mind felt at ease? How long since your heart knew no burden? Can you call Him your friend? How long has it been since you knew that He cared for you?
How long has it been since you knelt by your bed and prayed to the Lord up in Heaven? How long since you knew that He’d answer you and would keep you the long night through?
How long has it been since you woke with the dawn and felt this day is worth living? Can you call Him your friend? How long has it been since you knew that He cared for you?
"The Savior Is Waiting" was written by Ralph Carmichael in 1958. The composer, Ralph Carmichael (1927 – ), is the son of a Pentecostal minister who allowed his son to play the violin and listen to the radio. As a teenager, he played violin with the San Jose Civic Symphony. At 17 he enrolled at Southern California Bible College, now Vanguard University, to become a preacher like his father, grandfather, 3 uncles and 5 cousins.
He started a campus men’s quartet, ensembles and mixed groups of all kinds, blending jazz and classical music techniques with gospel songs and hymns. His musical “experiments” proved instantly controversial. His bands were unwelcome at many churches, and he was not allowed to store the baritone saxophone on campus because of its worldly associations with big band music.
After college, reaction to his band was mixed from the Christian community. One church made them hide the drums behind a curtain; a pastor in Oakland stopped the band mid-song because the music sounded too worldly. But, after a performance at a men’s fellowship in Pasadena, Ralph’s band was invited to audition for television. This program drew so much hate mail from Christians that the station asked for more shows!
By the late 1950s, secular producers had taken notice of Carmichael’s radio and film work. He was invited to assist the composer at the television sitcom I Love Lucy and was soon arranging music for that show as well as Bonanza and The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show and for singers Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and Rosemary Clooney. He scored the movie The Blob. But, when he arranged and composed music for a Bing Crosby Christmas special television program, his denomination strongly suggested he not apply for renewal of his ordination.
When it came to writing his autobiography, he decided the best title would be his testimony, so he called it, “He’s Everthing To Me”. He is considered a pioneer of contemporary Christian music and the “father of Christian rock”.
This song, “The Savior Is Waiting”, is one of Ralph’s earlier songs. It was written when his pastor asked him for a hymn to be used at evangelistic services.
My oldest and favorite memory of this hymn was it being sung during the invitation… almost every night… at Camp Formosa Church Camp when I was a teenager. When this hymn is sung, you can almost picture the Savior waiting for you to come to Him.
To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
The Savior is waiting to enter your heart,
why don’t you let Him come in? There’s nothing in this world to keep you apart; what is your answer to Him?
Chorus: Time after time He has waited before, and now He is waiting again to see if you are willing to open the door; Oh, how He wants to come in.
If you’ll take one step toward the Savior, my friend, you’ll find His arms open wide. Receive Him, and all of your darkness will end;
"O I Never Shall Forget The Day" was written by Ralph Carmichael. Ralph Carmichael (born May 27, 1927) is an American composer and arranger of both secular pop music and contemporary Christian music, being regarded as one of the pioneers of the latter genre as well as the father of contemporary Christian music.
Carmichael was born in Quincy, Illinois, the son of a Pentecostal minister, who allowed his son to play the violin and listen to the radio. "I was captivated by the chordal explosions I heard on the radio. I felt a sadness that we didn't have that in our church. Our church orchestra sounded weak and terrible by comparison. It was embarrassing. Why? Why did we have to settle? Why couldn't we use those gorgeous rhythms, sweeping strings, the brass, the stirring chords? That started to control everything I did."
As a teenager he played violin with the San Jose Civic Symphony. At 17 he enrolled at Southern California Bible College, now Vanguard University, to become a preacher like his father, grandfather, three uncles and five cousins. He started a campus men's quartet, ensembles and mixed groups of all kinds, blending jazz and classical music techniques with gospel songs and hymns. His musical "experiments" proved instantly controversial. His bands were unwelcome at many churches, and he was not allowed to store the baritone saxophone on campus because of its worldly associations with big band music.
After college, reaction to his band was mixed from the Christian community. One church made them hide the drums behind a curtain; a pastor in Oakland stopped the band mid-song because the music sounded too worldly. After a performance at a men's fellowship in Pasadena, however, Carmichael's band was invited to audition for television. This program drew so much mail from Christians that the station asked for more shows.
In 1951, he was invited to score a film for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; in all he wrote the musical score for twenty of their films. For BGEA, he made the funky urban soundtrack for the 1970 film The Cross and the Switchblade. By the late 1950s, secular producers had taken notice of Carmichael's radio and film work. He was invited to assist the composer at the television sitcom I Love Lucy and was soon arranging music for that show as well as Bonanza and The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show and for singer Rosemary Clooney. In 1958, Carmichael was hired by producer Jack H. Harris to score his science fiction film, The Blob. With the success of the film, Carmichael was brought back to score Harris' follow-up film, 4D Man. He arranged and composed music for a Bing Crosby Christmas special television program, which prompted his denomination to strongly suggest he not apply for renewal of his ordination. He also composed and conducted the theme music for the 1965 sitcom, My Mother the Car.
His big break came at the end of the 1950s, when his work came to the attention of Capitol Records, who asked him to provide the arrangements for an album of mainly sacred Christmas songs by one of the label's biggest stars, Nat King Cole. The result, The Magic of Christmas, was released for the 1960 festive season, by which time Capitol had already set Carmichael to work with Cole on more secular albums.
Carmichael duly became Cole's most regularly utilized arranger from then until the singer's death in early 1965, their first mainstream pop collaboration being The Touch of Your Lips (also 1960), an album of romantic ballads backed by lush strings, and their final team-up being Cole's last album, L-O-V-E, with jazzy big band arrangements, recorded in December 1964, only two months before Cole succumbed to the lung cancer which was already in its advanced stages.
It is in the field of Christian music that Carmichael has been most prolific. In particular, his experiments in pop-rock style in the 1960s and 1970s have brought him recognition as the "Father of Contemporary Christian Music". He founded Light Records in order to widen the audience for the music of the Jesus People.[4] He was subject to controversy from within the church, being called a heretic for his use of guitars in worship and his adaptations of Gospel songs to big band stylings.
"This Love Is Mine!" is written by John W. Peterson and Alfred B. Smith. John Willard Peterson (November 1, 1921 – September 20, 2006) was a songwriter who had a major influence on evangelicalChristian music in the 1950s through the 1970s. He wrote over 1000 songs, and 35 cantatas.
In 1953, he graduated from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and shortly thereafter settled in Pennsylvania to continue his songwriting career. He then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where for over ten years he was President and Editor-in-Chief of Singspiration, a sacred music publishing company. While there, he compiled and edited a hymnal called "Great Hymns of the Faith", (c) 1961. He also served on the board of Gospel Films, Inc. of Muskegon, Michigan.
He also had direct contact with popular Christian musicians of the day such as Bill Pearce and Dick Anthony. He resided in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he continued to write music. Peterson died September 20, 2006, aged 84, following a bout with prostate cancer.
Some of his more popular song titles include "It Took a Miracle", "Over the Sunset Mountains", "Heaven Came Down", "So Send I You", "Springs of Living Water", "Jesus is Coming Again", "Surely Goodness and Mercy", "This is the day that the Lord hath made" and "O Glorious Love". His cantatas include Night of Miracles and Down From His Glory.
Used pseudonym B. C. Laurelton ---------- In 1930, he began playing on radio broadcasts in Jersey City, New Jersey, on "The Old Fashioned Gospel Hour." After meeting Wendell P. Loveless, Alfred enrolled at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and became a member of the WMBI staff. During service as Minister of Music at The Church of the Open Door in Philadelphia, he taught at The Philadelphia School of the Bible in the fall of 1938. During that year, he wrote "For God So Loved the World" after visiting the ninety-four year-old hymn writer George C. Stebbins. Smith met Billy Graham when they were both students at Wheaton College. During their long collaboration, they founded Singspiration in 1941. After graduating from Wheaton, Smith, Graham, and George Beverly Shea started "Youth for Christ" in Chicago.
To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
1. We may sound the depths of all the might oceans; We may tell the distance to the farthest star. But the mighty love of God cannot be measured. Its dimensions are so high, so deep, so far!
CHORUS
This love is mine, I cannot comprehend it! This love revealed through Christ, my Lord divine. When on the tree He died for me. God's wondrous, glorious, mighty love, This love is mine
2. I behold His love in every golden sunset; I can see it in the beauty of a flower! And I feel it in my heart since Jesus touched me, And redeemed me by His wonder-working power
CHORUS
3. And some day "I'll thank Him face to face in glory When with all the millions at His feet I fall. And through countless ages there I'll live rejoicing Sing forever at the wonder of it all!
