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Monday, January 14, 2013

The 2013 Hymnal Revisionary Committee

After two Sundays of thoughtful contemplation during sacrament meeting, the 2013 Hymnal Revisionary Committee (consisting of myself, Tori, and Megan) is pleased to announce the release of our new edition, featuring a total of 75 songs acceptable for congregations to sing. You're welcome. 

Thanks to the unsympathetically critical eyes and ears of these talented young women, this new hymnal eliminates everything that no one will really miss. Some of these progressive changes include no more hymns relating to sunshine, Zion, mountainous landscapes, or Easter. (We recognize that Easter is kind of a big deal in the Christian scene, so we'll have to commission someone to write a new song for that. Please keep it bouncy and light– aka not a sacrament hymn– and let the highest note not go above a C#, perhaps.)

Although the committee has already received a lot of backlash for throwing out fan favorites such as We Meet Again in Sabbath School and Should You Feel Inclined to Censure, we believe this list contains the only congregational hymns worth keeping– and that anything else will sound delightful when performed in a small group, putting the "special" back in "special musical number."

And now, The 2013 Ed. Hymnal of Good Songs Only
  1. The Spirit of God
  2. Now Let Us Rejoice
  3. Redeemer of Israel
  4. We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet (obligatory prophet song) 
  5. Joseph Smith's First Prayer
  6. Praise to the Man
  7. A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
  8. Come, Come Ye Saints
  9. Let Zion In Her Beauty Rise (surprise! obligatory Zion song)
  10. Come, Ye Children of the Lord
  11. Battle Hymn of the Republic
  12. All Creatures of Our God and King
  13. Glory to God on High (because it's short)
  14. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (shoutout to Martin Luther: thanks for the Reformation! also, it's one verse.)
  15. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
  16. Press Forward, Saints
  17. Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah
  18. How Firm a Foundation
  19. How Great Thou Art
  20. For the Beauty of the Earth
  21. Prayer of Thanksgiving
  22. Come, Ye Thankful People
  23. Lead, Kindly Light
  24. I Need Thee Every Hour
  25. Nearer, My God, To Thee
  26. Guide Me to Thee
  27. Jesus, Lover of My Soul
  28. Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer
  29. God Speed the Right
  30. The Lord is My Shepherd
  31. The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare
  32. Be Still, My Soul
  33. Where Can I Turn for Peace?
  34. More Holiness Give Me
  35. I Believe in Christ (but you may only pick 2 verses, unless you have major time to kill)
  36. I Know that My Redeemer Lives (but without the 4th verse)
  37. Did You Think To Pray? 
  38. Sweet Hour of Prayer
  39. Let the Holy Spirit Guide (for when the last speaker inevitably runs over time)
  40. God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again
  41. Abide With Me; 'Tis Eventide
  42. Abide With Me!
  43. In Humility, Our Savior
  44. Reverently and Meekly Now
  45. I Stand All Amazed (but whoever is playing must not let it drag)
  46. There Is a Green Hill Far Away
  47. Joy to the World
  48. Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
  49. Angels We Have Heard On High
  50. Silent Night
  51. Away in a Manger
  52. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
  53. O Little Town of Bethlehem
  54. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
  55. The First Noel
  56. Because I Have Been Given Much
  57. Lord, I Would Follow Thee
  58. Count Your Blessings (but you are only allowed to sing this once per year, so choose wisely)
  59. Onward, Christian Soldiers (for the young men)
  60. Called to Serve (for the missionaries)
  61. Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel (for our mom)
  62. Hope of Israel
  63. The Iron Rod (more reverent than "Book of Mormon Stories")
  64. As I Search the Holy Scriptures (again, short)
  65. If You Could Hie to Kolob (like anyone knows what it's even talking about, but the tune sure is pretty)
  66. O My Father (a matter of principle, because it mentions Heavenly Mother)
  67. Love at Home
  68. Love One Another
  69. As Sisters in Zion
  70. Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (but lower key and not just women)
  71. Ye Elders of Israel
  72. Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy (but lower key and not just men)
  73. America the Beautiful (I'll always be bummed this isn't our national anthem)
  74. My Country, 'Tis of Thee
  75. God Save the King*

Clearly, we're pretty partial to the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and "Saved" songs. Some suggested additions, should we ever obtain the copyrights, are
  • God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
  • Amazing Grace (to help the southern baptists love us more/hate us less)
  • Be Thou My Vision
  • Come Thou Fount 
  • My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (the pretty version, not the other one) 

Also, we decided that with all of the ambiguity relating to the life span of Queen Elizabeth II, the hymn God Save the King could be a little more politically accurate. Here's what we came up with.

God save our king or queen!
Long live our king, or queen!
God save the crown.
Monarch victorious, Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
Our king or queen!

We also fixed the second verse to be more relateable to the everyday worshipper.

Our leader, keep alive
And may our country thrive,
Our dollar strong!
 May our economy ne'er fall to bankruptcy,
No measures of austerity,
Our king or queen!

3 comments:

  1. Lauren Simpson for Prophet.
    2016.

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  2. Haha this is the greatest! Can I add a request? It is a sacrament hymn but it's just so good!! Rev'rently and Meekly, Now...I promise it's good, but I understand if you want to keep it to a nice round number such as 75...

    ReplyDelete