Kopi Susu

"Kopi Susu" is a malay folk song. Malay folklore refers to a series of knowledge, traditions and taboos that have been passed down through many generations in oral, written and symbolic forms among the indigenous populations of Maritime Southeast Asia (Nusantara). They include among others, themes and subject matter related to the indigenous knowledge of the ethnic Malays and related ethnic groups within the region.

The stories within this system of lore often incorporate supernatural entities and magical creatures which form parts of the Malay mythology. Others relate to creation myths and place naming legends that are often inter-twined with historical figures and events. Ancient rituals for healing and traditional medicine as well as complex philosophies regarding health and disease can also be found.

The oral forms of this lore are transmitted primarily through nursery rhymes, folksongs, theatrical exhibitions, and stories that are commonly told from parent to child. Nomadic storytellers that would roam the temples, marketplaces and palace courts also play a large part in the insemination of the oral traditions throughout the populace, often accompanied by music as well through forms of composed poetry and prose. The oral traditions are often integrated with moral values and some may also include stories of talking animals.

Of all the types of oral transmission, those in the form of music appear to be most prevalent in Malay society. Songs and melodies from times of old are sung and resung on a regular basis during festivities such as weddings, celebrations of motherhood and childbirth, rites of passage, and at cultural or religious celebrations. They are also utilized in the occasional ceremonial functions in royal weddings, in rites of ascension (or coronation) and royal birthday celebrations; in the form of the more refined court music.

Every region or each of the states may employ different versions of oral transmission but the most popular is in the form of folk-singing or lagu rakyat. The Middle Eastern-influenced ghazal can be heard in the southern Malaysian state of Johor especially in the district of Muar. Poets and singers consisting of often females and sometimes males vocalize popular love poems and riddles in the form of pantun to the accompaniment of composition and of music made for a six-stringed Arabian lute (see oud), Indian tablas, Western violins, accordion and marracas.

Forms of nursery rhymes and lullabies are also sung at weddings and cultural festivals in the state of Melaka by Malays and the Malay-speaking Peranakan communities. The contents of the songs are mostly to do with advice on love, life, and marriage and are affectionately known in Malay as dondang sayang meaning "song of love".

Within each of these folk-songs, messages and stories are told, a kind of informal handing down of wisdom from the old to the young in the form of poetry which may include any of these:

• Pantun – a poem with four stanzas, two of each rhyme with each other
• Syair – a poem also with four stanzas, with all ends rhyming together
• Seloka – a poem, similar to pantun
• Madah – a kind of rhyming speech, a discourse through poetry
• Gurindam – poetry, set to music

The Malay oral tradition includes a large collection of folksongs. Many of these songs are in the form of stories weaved into poetry or simple rhyme. These folksongs continue to be sung and a sizable number of them are included in the albums of modern-day singers, often with improvisations in terms of melody and more complex musical arrangements to suit a larger accompaniment of musicians as well as singers.

A number of these folksongs originally belong to a certain region within Southeast Asia and are sung by the populations within the area. However, due to the nature of inter-mingling and mutual co-migrations within these areas, the folksongs may also be heard in places far from their original geographic origins.

Stories of love and romance of princes and princesses, kings and queens, and heroes and their damsels in distress (and often, damsels and their heroes in distress) have long filled the imaginations of ethnic Malays. The fact that numerous royal courts existed and still exist in Southeast Asia supplied the basis of the stories. Although many of these tales are replete with additions (or reductions) and may contain a certain measure of exaggeration as well as the expected variations that existed from one story teller to another, the value and the wisdom behind each story cannot be ignored.

These stories are often told by professional story tellers called penglipur lara, which roughly translates to reliever of sorrows. The few penglipur lara that exist today are often farmers or at least rural villagers. In the past, travelling penglipur lara would carry the stories from one kampung (village) to another, making the occasional stops at marketplaces, village squares as well as royal courts. The essence of the stories remain the same but sometimes, adjustments are made according to the individual story-teller's preference. For example, the penglipur lara version of the Ramayana changes many of the names and settings and casts Laksmana as a pawang or Malay shaman, as opposed to the literary Hikayat Seri Rama or the theatrical Hikayat Maharaja Wana which remained closer to the original Indian epic.

Many of these stories are also condensed and made into poetic songs. A fixed melody is set for each story to the extent that if a melody is played or sung in the absence of its wordings, a Malay would be able to instantly recall the title of the story or at least the name of the characters in the story.

Animal fables are often used to explain certain natural phenomena. Other times, they are simple moral tales. In almost all instances, the animals in these stories possess the ability to speak, reason and think like humans, similar to Aesop's Fables.

The kancil or mouse-deer serves as the main character in a number of the stories. The Malays regard this humble animal in the highest esteem due to its ability to overcome obstacles and defeat adversaries despite of its rather small and benign appearance. The mouse-deer appears in the state herald of Melaka and even plays a part in the legend of Malacca's founding.

Below are listed some of the common fables as well as their approximate title translations. (Note that the word sang, an Old Malay honorific meaning "revered", appears in all instances preceding the name kancil to indicate respect).

Malays, as with other Southeast Asians, have always taken great interest in stories of ghosts and spirits. It must be stressed that due to the animistic root of Malay folklore, these ghosts are seen as sharing the plane of existence with humans and are not always considered evil. However, when the delicate line that separates the boundaries of existence is crossed, or a transgression of living spaces occurs, a conflict ensues that may result in disturbances such as possessions.

The Malay word for ghost is hantu. However, this word also covers all sorts of demons, goblins and undead creatures and are thought to have real physical bodies, instead of just apparitions or spectres. The most famous of these is the pontianak or matianak, the ghost of a female stillborn child which lures men in the form of a beautiful woman.

Malay folklore that appear as written traditions are often called hikayat, kisah or dongeng. The oldest of them were written in Old Malay using the prevailing scripts of the time, such as Sanskrit, Pallava or Kawi. From around the 14th century onward, they were written in Classical Malay using Jawi script which prevailed ever since the arrival of Islam until the colonial era. During this time, the Malay royal courts became the centre for learning where scribes record the genealogy of kings and queens as well as historical events.

The hikayat or epics are collections of stories and legends of heroism that often involve mythological and historical figures in a setting usually engaging the role of protagonists and antagonists. The Hikayat Hang Tuah and the story of Hang Jebat are among the most well known hikayat which are often told and retold in various forms such children's books, films, theatre plays and musical productions. The choice of who were to be portrayed as the protagonists and who were to be portrayed as the antagonists usually lies with the alignment of the storyteller, although most commonly, bards tend to maintain a stance of neutrality and dispassion in their story telling. In the stories of Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat for example, the lawful Hang Tuah may be portrayed as the hero, while sometimes, the non-lawful Hang Jebat may assume that role.

Kisah dongeng are a loose collection of bedtime stories, fables and myths that involves human or non-human characters, often with superhuman powers along with talking animals, and an unearthly setting.

In this category, the story of Puteri Gunung Ledang, Bawang Putih Bawang Merah and Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup is well known by the Malays. All three have been made into movies, albeit with differing interpretations and settings.

Characters with human-likeness abound in these stories. They are collectively referred to as orang halus meaning the "refined folk" or "soft folk" (often erroneously translated as "elves"). Most are invisible to the average human.

Apart from the stories and songs, Malay folklore also includes traditions, rituals and taboos related to the physical as well as the more metaphysical realms of the Malay world view. Such knowledge are usually presented in the forms of symbols and signs inscribed or built into temple walls, palaces, houses and often appear on stone inscriptions as well as grave markers. Natural symbolism are also important such as flowers, trees, animals, the sea as well as celestial objects such as the moon and stars. Malays also have knowledge of a series of constellations that are markedly different from the Indian system upon which it is based. Object symbolism such as wood carvings of animals, ancestral images, mythical beings and masks are also common in Malay society.

Symbolic forms of folklore are usually the domains of the spirits and are therefore sometimes employed by the traditional healers and shamans. The Malays have been known to employ supernatural forces for healing as well as in the aiding of child-birth, the curing of poisons and in the warding off of spirits. Due to the Islamization movement of recent decades, these practices are not very well-documented in Malay, but have been recorded in some Western sources.

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics: 

Kopi susu gula pasir Kopi susu gula dipancing 

Kopi susu gula pasir Kopi susu gula dipancing 

Satu dua tiga empat kucing belari

Adu sayang mana sama kucing belang larinya kencang

Dua tiga sudah sayalah mencari mana sama siabang sorang.

Negaraku - Malaysia's National Anthem

"Negaraku" is the national anthem of Malaysia. It was selected as a national anthem at the time of the Federation of Malaya's independence from the United Kingdom in 1957. The tune was originally used as the regional anthem of Perak, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled "La Rosalie" composed by the lyricist Pierre-Jean de Béranger.

Some of the musical renditions were modified several times in 1992, 2003 and 2006.

At the time of independence, each of the eleven states that made up the Federation of Malaya had their own regional anthem, but there was no national anthem for the Federation as a state. Tunku Abdul Rahman, at the time the Chief Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, organised and presided over a committee for the purpose of choosing a suitable national anthem. At his suggestion, a worldwide competition was launched. 514 entries were received, but none were deemed suitable.

Next, the committee decided to invite selected composers of international repute to submit compositions for consideration. The composers chosen were Benjamin Britten (who later described his submission to be a "curious and I'm afraid rather unsuccessful job), Sir William Walton who had recently composed the march for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, and the U.S. opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti and Zubir Said, who later composed Majulah Singapura, the national anthem of Singapore. Their works were also turned down.

The Committee then turned to the Perak State Anthem. On 5 August 1957, it was selected on account of the "traditional flavour" of its melody. New lyrics for the national anthem were written jointly by the Panel of Judges— led by the Tunku himself. At the time this melody was, while still the State Anthem of Perak, Allah Lanjutkan Usia Sultan.

The song had been very popular on Mahé, the largest island in the Seychelles, where the Sultan of Perak had formerly been living in exile. Some rumours claimed that he heard it at a public concert on the island; it was a song set to a popular French melody claimed to have been composed by the lyricist Pierre-Jean de Béranger (1780–1857), who was born and died in Paris. But there is no evidence for this since he was a lyricist who use tunes by others for his song and the title is not listed in the four published volumes of his songs or the volume of tune he used for his songs. It is also claimed that when Sultan Idris Murshidul’adzam Shah, who ruled Perak from 1887 to 1916, represented the Malay Rulers of the Federated Malay States at the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1901, his protocol officer was asked what his state anthem was. Realising that his state did not in fact possess an anthem, he, in order not to appear backward in front of his hosts, proceeded to hum the aforementioned tune.

The song was later introduced into an Indonesian Bangsawan (opera), which was performing in Singapore around 1940. In no time at all, the melody became extremely popular and was given the name "Terang Bulan". Aside from its dignity and prestige as the Perak State Anthem, the song became a Malayan "evergreen", playing at parties, in cabarets and sung by almost everybody in the 1920s and 1930s. Since independence, it is no longer played as a popular melody as its use is proscribed by statute.

The anthem was given a new, faster march beat in 1992, which proved unpopular and was the subject of much derision, with some Malaysians commenting that the altered tempo resembled circus music.

In July 2003, it was reported in the Malaysian press that the anthem would be rearranged for the second time and the title and incipit would be changed from Negaraku to Malaysiaku (meaning "My Malaysia"). There was a public outcry of dismay and the move was scrapped, but the anthem was re-arranged and returned to the pre-1992 time signature by composer Wah Idris.

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

Negaraku 

Tanah tumpahnya darahku, 

Rakyat hidup bersatu dan maju, 

Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan, 

Raja kita selamat bertakhta, 

Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan.

Raja kita selamat bertakhta

Translation 

My Country
The land where my blood has spilt
The people living united and progressive
May God bestow blessing and happiness
May our King have a successful reign
May God bestow blessing and happiness
May our King have a successful reign

My God and I

"My God and I" is a hymn which describes the close relationship which one who loves Christ can have as both the Father and the Son come unto him and make Their abode with him is “My God and I” (#93 in Hymns for Worship Revised, #A in Sacred Selections for the Church).  The text and tune were first published in 1935 and attributed to I. B. Sergei.  However, it was generally believed that this was a pseudonym.  It is now known that the author and composers’ real name was Austris August Wihtol, who was born on Jan. 24, 1889, in Riga, Latvia, one of six children, and grew up a Lutheran.  After receiving most of his education in Russia, he came to the United States and performed in concert extensively with the Latvian Singers, which he founded upon his arrival.  In his youth, he had composed operas, symphonies, and other major works, but in his later years he devoted his time mainly to practical choral music.  His first wife died in childbirth.  In 1932, he met his second wife Elly, who had been born in the Netherlands and was an opera singer, when he was in California practicing with his Latvian chorus for a performance.  She attended the Wiltshire Christian Church.  They lived in Chicago from 1933 to 1944 and had one daughter named Charlotte, who died in 1988. 

     Wihtol actually composed the song “My God and I” over a thirty-year period.  In fact, searching for the “perfect” arrangement, he produced hundreds of versions, including even an opera, before completing the present arrangement in 1932 at Glendale, CA.  Not sure that this was still the masterpiece he wanted, he signed it with the pen name “I. B. Sergei.”  Ten years later, he was browsing through a bookstore in Chicago and noticed a hymnbook with his hymn, which he had never released to anyone, in it.  After he successfully defended his claims against copyright infringement, things went well for the Wihtols and their publishing business, which they established after returning to Glendale, CA, or moved with them, until the mid 1960s when Austris developed Alzheimer’s disease.  The copyright was renewed in 1963 by Wihtol and then assigned to Singspiration Inc., at that time a division of Zondervan, in 1970.  It is now owned by New Spring Inc. and administered by the Brentwood-Benson Publishing Co. of Nashville, TN.

 In a booklet The Writing of “My God and I,” Wihtol said that the original inspiration for the hymn came from his youth back in his homeland of Latvia.  “The concept of ‘go in the field together…’ began when I was a boy about seven years old.  In our family there were two places of environment, the home and the field….The fields were a place of beauty and happiness.”  Additional inspiration came a few years later when he met an orphan girl about sixteen years old named “Happy Anna,” who had escaped from a cruel, dirty orphanage, traveled about like a Gypsy, and would sing every day to the Riga harbor workers at noon to earn her meals.  She was called “Happy” because in spite of her uncertainty of daily life, she had a constant smile and a cheerful attitude.  Wihtol wrote, “Happy Anna brought to me a new conception of God…a God that is with me when I do the best acts of my life.”  Wihtol died of a heart attack in Glendale on Apr. 3, 1974, at the age of 85, and Elly died in 1996. 

     Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church for use in churches of Christ, the song was added to the inside front cover of the 1956 Sacred Selections sometime in the 1970s and has appeared in the 1973 edition of the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1977 Special Sacred Selections edited by Ellis J. Crum; the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat; and the 2009 Favorite Songs of the Church and the 2010 Songs for Worship and Praise both edited by Robert J. Taylor Jr.; in addition to Hymns for Worship.

The song expresses the closeness of the kind of personal relationship that God wants to have with His people.

 You may have noticed that in stanzas 1 and 2, lines two and four rhyme, but in stanza 3, the corresponding lines do not rhyme (friends should and do/unendingly).  Of course, hymns don’t have to rhyme to be scriptural, and I’ve even read of some modern hymn writers who lash out and rail against “the strictures of rhyming,” but the fact is that rhyme is a general characteristic of English poetry, including hymn poetry.  Why Wihtol didn’t rhyme the stanza is beyond me.  It seems that he could have written, “And good friends we shall be….Go on unendingly.”  But that is really neither here nor there.  There was a time when this hymn was criticized for being “too personal,” but today most people see nothing wrong with a hymn expressing the concept of a personal relationship with the Lord.   With regard to my own soul’s salvation and hope of heaven, the two most important beings are “My God and I.”

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics: 

My God and I go in the fields together,
We walk and talk as good friends should and do;
We clasp our hands, our voices ring with laughter,
My God and I walk through the meadow's hue.

He tells me of the years that went before me,
When heavenly plans were made for me to be;
When all was but a dream of dim conception,
To come to life, earth's verdant glory see.

My God and I will go for aye together,
We'll walk and talk as good friends should and do;
This earth will pass, and with it common trifles,
But God and I will go unendingly.

Wayfaring Stranger

 "Wayfaring Stranger" (also known as "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" or "I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger"), Roud 3339, is a well-known American folk and gospel song likely originating in the early 19th century about a plaintive soul on the journey through life. As with most folk songs, many variations of the lyrics exist and many versions of this song have been published over time by popular singers, often being linked to times of hardship and notable experiences in the singers' lives, such as the case with Burl Ives' autobiography.

According to the book The Makers of the Sacred Harp, by David Warren Steel and Richard H. Hulan, the lyrics were published in 1858 in Joseph Bever's Christian Songster, which was a collection of popular hymns and spiritual songs of the time. This may or may not have been the first time the song appeared in English print, and the songwriter is unknown. Steel and Hulan suggest the song was derived from an 1816 German-language hymn, "Ich bin ein Gast auf Erden" by Isaac Niswander.

During and for several years after the American Civil War, the lyrics were known as the Libby Prison Hymn. This was because the words had been inscribed by a dying Union soldier incarcerated in Libby Prison, a warehouse converted to a notorious Confederate prison in Richmond, Virginia known for its adverse conditions and high death rate. It had been believed that the dying soldier had authored the song to comfort a disabled soldier, but this was not the case since it had been published several years before the Civil War in 1858, before Libby Prison was put into service (1862).

Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

I am a poor wayfaring stranger A-travelling through this world of woe But there's no sickness, no toil or danger In that bright world to which I go

I'm going there to see my 1.father (2.mother, 3.Saviour) I'm going there, no more to roam I'm just a-going over Jordan I'm just a-going over home

(Repeat)

Alternative lyrics:

I am a poor wayfaring stranger I'm travelling through this world of woe Yet there's no sickness, toil nor danger In that bright land to which I go I'm going there to see my father I'm going there, no more to roam I'm only going over Jordan I'm only going over home I know dark clouds will gather round me I know my way is rough and steep But golden fields lie just before me Where God's redeemed shall ever sleep I'm going home to see my mother And all my loved ones who've gone on I'm only going over Jordan I'm only going over home Repeat verse one and chorus

Shalom Chaverim (Farewell Good Friends)

"Shalom Chaverim" (Farewell Good Friends)  is a beautiful Israeli folk song in Hebrew, that can be sung as a simple melody or as a three-part round. While literally translated "Peace, friends," the word shalom has more depth and richness of meaning than can be contained in any single English word. Hebrew scholars suggest something closer to "comprehensive well being" but that's difficult to set to music. 

Begin by inviting the community to repeat the text in Hebrew. Line out the melody until the group is confident, then divide the group and try it as a round. Leaders will often invite a step or swing from side to side, accenting the buoyant rhythm of the tune.

The piece is useful as a welcoming, blessing, or sending song, and is a wonderful way to invite the group to connect visually or kinesthetically through gentle bows, handshakes, high fives, fist bumps, or hugs. 

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyircs: 

Hebrew:
Shalom, chaverim.
Shalom, chaverim.
Shalom, shalom.
L'hitraot, l'hitraot,
Shalom, shalom.

English singing translation:
Farewell, my friends. 
Farewell, my friends. 
Shalom, shalom.
Till we meet again, till we meet again.
Shalom, shalom.

Simple Gifts (Shaker Song)

"Simple Gifts" is a Shaker song written and composed in 1848, generally attributed to Elder Joseph Brackett from Alfred Shaker Village. 

The tune was written in 1848. There are two conflicting narratives of Shaker origin as to the composer of the song. One account attributes the song to a "Negro spirit" heard at Canterbury, New Hampshire, which would make the song a "gift song" received by a Shaker from the spirit world. Alternatively, and more widely accepted, the song's composer is said to be Joseph Brackett (1797–1882) of Alfred, Maine. A lifelong resident of the state, he first joined the Shakers at Gorham when his father's farm helped to form the nucleus of a new Shaker settlement. 

The song was largely unknown outside Shaker communities until Aaron Copland used its melody for the score of Martha Graham's ballet, Appalachian Spring, first performed in 1944. (Shakers once worshipped on Holy Mount, in the Massachusetts portion of the Appalachians). Copland used "Simple Gifts" a second time in 1950 in his first set of Old American Songs for voice and piano, which was later orchestrated.

Copland used Brackett's original verse for the lyrics to his one-verse song:

'Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill 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.^[4]

Several Shaker manuscripts indicate that this is a “dancing song” or a “quick dance”.^[5] "Turning" is a common theme in Christian theology, but the references to "turning" in the last two lines have also been identified as dance instructions. When the traditional dance is performed properly, each dancer ends up where they started, "come 'round right".

Many people have mistakenly believed that the tune of "Simple Gifts" was a traditional Celtic one, but both the music and original lyrics are actually the compositions of Brackett. "Simple Gifts" has been adapted or arranged many times since by folksingers and composers.

A well known version is by English songwriter Sydney Carter, who adapted the Shaker tune for his song, "Lord of the Dance", first published in 1963.

The Carter lyrics were adapted, in ignorance of the actual origins, without authorization or acknowledgments by Ronan Hardiman for Michael Flatley's dance musical, Lord of the Dance, which opened in 1996. The melody is used at various points throughout the show, including the piece entitled, "Lord of the Dance." Other adaptations of the lyrics by Carter have occurred in the widespread belief that they are traditional, and in the public domain.

Two additional, later non-Shaker verses exist for the song, as follows:

'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,
(refrain)
'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.
(refrain)
Tis the gift to be loving, tis the best gift of all
Like a quiet rain it blesses where it falls
And with it we will truly believe
Tis better to give than it is to receive

And an additional alternative:

The Earth is our mother and the fullness thereof,
Her streets, her slums, as well as stars above.
Salvation is here where we laugh, where we cry,
Where we seek and love, where we live and die.

When true liberty is found,
By fear and by hate we will no more be bound.
In love and in light we will find our new birth
And in peace and freedom, redeem the Earth.

Another alternate verse:

'tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be fair
'tis a gift to wake and breathe the morning air
and each day we walk on the path that we choose
'tis a gift we pray we never shall lose

A Version Broadcast During Music and the Spoken Word:

'Tis the gift to be simple
'Tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight

Chorus:
When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend, we shan't be ashamed
To turn, turn, will be our delight
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right

'Tis a gift to be simple
'Tis a gift to be true
'Tis a gift to labor 'til the day is through
And when we find ourselves in the place so fine
'Twill be in the cool of the birch and the pine

(chorus)

'Tis a gift to be joyful
'Tis a gift to be free
'Tis a gift, 'tis a gift, 'tis a simple gift to be
And when you find yourself in the pure delight
The gift to be simple has led you alright

(chorus)

(chorus)

In the place just right
In the place just right
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right 

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Like a Child

 "Like a Child" was written by Loretta Ellenberger. Loretta was born June 30, 1935 to the late Arvel Lee and Martha Eula Orr in Wylie, Co. Loretta married the love of her life, Dale Ellenberger on August 10, 1957 in Boulder, Co. She was a published gospel songwriter, a music teacher, choir director and an accomplished musician (clarinet, piano, and voice). Some of her songs include: Choose Life, Like A Child, Lo I am With You Always, and Our God is a Great God. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from University of Colorado in 1957. The family wishes to offer their thanks to the employees of Mission Hospice and Granbury Villa for their love and care during her final months. 

Loretta "Orr" Ellenberger, loving wife, mother and friend passed away Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at the age of 78.

She leaves behind a loving family so grateful for her love and support and she will be deeply missed. Loretta is preceded in death by her parents; son, Andrew Ellenberger; brother, Bernard Orr and sister, Louise Drake. Survivors: Husband, Dale Ellenberger; son, Mark Ellenberger and wife Anita; daughter, Melody Ellenberger; and many friends. 

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics: 

Chorus:

Like a child that is quieted is my soul;

Like a child that is quieted is my soul;

1.Out of the depths I cry to Thee;

Lord you hear my plea,

And like a child that is quieted is my soul.

Like a child I am o so restless.

Like a child I cannot be still 

and know that you are ruler of us all

and you are there when I call;

Just like a child that is quieted is my soul.

Chorus 

2.And in your presence I can see

Christ in people around me,

And like a child that is quieted is my soul.

Like a child I long to trust you completely.

Like a child how I long to be 

so free to walk the straight and narrow way,

and in your presence to stay;

Just like a child that is quieted is my soul.

All My Life

"All My Life" is written by 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.

Manna Music Inc founders Tim and Hal Spencer introduced Andraé Crouch to Carmichael, helping to launch Crouch's recording career. Carmichael also provided the backing for a number of RCA albums by Gospel singer George Beverly Shea, including The Love of God in 1958, and How Great Thou Art in 1969. In 1969, Carmichael and Kurt Kaiser collaborated on Tell It Like It Is, a folk musical about God. The record album of the musical, which included the song "Pass It On", sold 2,500 copies, completely selling out the first run; it then completely sold out its second run of 100,000 copies.

One of Carmichael's contemporary hymns, "Reach Out to Jesus", was recorded by Elvis Presley, on the singer's 1972 Grammy Award-winning album of sacred songs, He Touched Me. His album Strike Up the Band won a Dove Award for "Instrumental Album of the Year" at the 25th GMA Dove Awards in 1994.

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

All my life, through the good or bad of life
Whether I should gain or loose, still I Choose
To live my life, every moment all for Thee
Walking oh so close to Thee
While I'm learning every day come what may
To trust in Thee
Take away the doubt that hides Thy perfect will
Give me faith instead and with Thy Spirit fill
Then all my days, be the guardian of my ways
And I'll know the glory of all Thy Love for all my days.