Servant

A phone conversation brought this subject up – maybe I’ll be doing a presentation at a retreat/conference.
A theme that runs through the Scriptures. Not surprising that quite a few songs carry it. I was pleased to get the ‘Servant of Christ’ award (is that an oxymoron?) back in 2001. I was able on that occasion to give credit to Dorothy, the ‘gift of God’ & a servant of so many, especially me.

But one stands head and shoulders above them all.
She thought the newly written baptism song I sang for her in Ashford hospital in July 1973 was pretty good. In May 1981 she asked if the song I was working on for a student service was for an approaching wedding. ‘May we be one’ became both.
She’s been the editor of countless songs, has sung so many of them much better than I could ever do. She’s had numerous suggestions to improve old songs, and ideas for new ones that I might write. She is sometimes sharp in her criticism, makes some good jokes at my expense, but she’s always constant in her encouragement.
When I feel that others don’t care for the songs,
I know that she loves them — and me too.
I met Dorothy Joy Stiller in Sunday School when we were both 7 years old. Dorothy means God’s Gift; and a gift with Joy thrown in as a bonus. It’s been hard to cope with.
I wrote a song for that day — ‘Hardly a Secret’. We recorded a wedding version of it for our ‘Intimate’ CD in 2003. The original is yet to be recorded or published.
2. It’s hardly a secret, that you were a friend,
to so many outsiders, women and men,
to lepers and taxmen, and kids on the street —
a servant will wash any feet.
Living relies upon dying each day;
love isn’t love till you give it away.
May Jesus’ love shine in what we do and say.
Help me be a servant today,
help me be your servant always.

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve & to give his life a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45)

HEROES (1. 2)

The first recording for this new collection I did was in Melbourne in May 2010. In the house of Tomas Fitzgerald & Karen Heath. Our Thom works with them in a band called ‘Ennis Tola’.

Tom is a very good engineer as well a musician & composer. We laid some beds for 4 songs. 3 of them formed the basis for arrangements we finished in Adelaide: ‘Stay Awake’, ‘Thank God you’re here’ & ‘Brand New Day’.
‘Stay Awake’ got the punch it needs, with Tom’s excellent guitar work & Thom’s drumming. ‘Thank God you’re here’ was helped along by Thom’s drums (as always!) & Kaz’s clarinet. But I think ‘Brand New Day’ got a whole new lease of life from the arranging & playing the 2 Toms provided. It’s simpler, more a celebration. Kindekrist did it for the LP we put out in 1980 but I always felt it never quite got to the place it should have been. Now it feels right.

Debate in our household wondered about leaving the SAPS choir sing this one (in unison), with neither me nor Dorothy singing. ??? Feels like a good start to the CD.

It's another resurrection morning,
it's another resurrection day.
It's another resurrection morning
and the Devil's had his day.
They killed a man called Jesus but he's back to stay
sayin, "Come and see the brand new day!"

HEROES

16 songs for people to sing together.

For kids of all ages!

That's HEROES, a new collection of songs from Robin & Dorothy Mann.
Recorded in the 2nd half of 2010, it's been a bit slow getting out of the blocks. Taken for a bit of a test run in March (Geelong to Maitland NSW) delayed by Easter & general procrastination, CDs & books are available from the website & will soon be given a bit more public air.

Have I been slack on blogging? Oh, yes!! My last blog was in October 2010 (only 6 months ago). I hope to rectify this situation.

Songs in the new collection include some well-known pieces - For you deep stillness, You are invited - & quite a lot of newer ones. Robin & Dorothy lead the singing, but they're joined by a lot of others, mostly primary school children, on 11 of the tracks. From the Wagga Wagga Lutheran Primary School Choir of 1996 to the South Australian Primary School(SAPS)Choir of 2010 their voices sound the joy of 'Brand New Day', 'It's Christmas', 'Stay Awake' & 8 others.

Andy Voigt did his usual excellent recording & mixing job. Often heard musicians like Doug Petherick, Tom Belcher & Thom & Jon Mann were joined by Sam Leske & Holly Thomas.

A pleasure to listen to (from a totally unbiased pair of ears!!). You'll want to sing along.