Breath
Breath is one of those funny things about music. You have to be able to breathe while you sing. There's no way around it. If you didn't, you might end up gasping or falling out unexpectedly. Neither of those would be good of course. So let's talk about where and how to breathe if you don't mind.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. (Breathe) We thank our God for this.
Traditionally breath is done at the end of a line where the punctuation is. If you're dealing with someone like me, you might not be able to hold your breath for that long. Then you should probably be fine with doing so quietly in the middle of a phrase like this.
Oh let everything (breathe)
That has breath (breathe)
Praise the Lord (breathe)
We thank our God for this. (breathe)
What you do not want to end up doing is something that looks a bit like this.
Oh (breathe) let everything that has (breathe) breath praise the Lord we (breathe) thank our God for (breathe) this
Given the steady drum-like rhythm and the repetition of the words, the first and second are exactly how it should be done. Breathing chaotically or at the wrong times can really mess with the rhythm, harmony, and melody, whatever the case may be. Let's try it one more time all together now.
Now sits this little class together
As the teacher rambles on.
They hope to stay on forever
But the learnings almost gone.
Where would you breathe? In the middle of the two at the period is a good place to start. It can also be done on the ends at any of the four lines as long as you are quick and quiet about it. Nothing is worse when you're reading aloud than hearing a UFF come up from the crowd until you realize with a UFF that you're the source of the UFF sound. Let's say the opposite is true and you breathe quietly but not all that quickly.
Now that that's through,
I hope I have not
Startled either of you too.
While we are on the topic of breaths, let's see what a breath in music is called. On a page of sheet music, it looks a little bit like this.
Now that we have seen what the rests and notes look like in the chart just before, let's find out how they all relate to the other. The section beat tells how quickly each clap or drum beat could be divided. I could either clap very quickly while you have only clapped once or I could do the same on the drums. Try it now. It makes a pretty rhythm does it not? Do you remember the chart just before? I hope so, for I will explain it briefly here. Alright. Let's say I only clap twice fast while you clap once normally.
Come (clap) they told (clap) me pa rum (clap) pa pum pum (clap)
Okay, that's called normal time.
Come (clap) (clap) they (clap) told (clap) me (clap) pa-rum (clap) pa pum (clap) pum (clap)
This right here is twice as fast.
Come (clap clap clap) they told (clap clap clap) me pa rum pa pum pum (clap clap clap)
Then there's three times as fast.
Come (clap clap clap clap) they (clap clap clap clap) told (clap clap clap clap) me (clap clap clap clap) pa rum (clap clap clap clap) pa pum pum (clap clap clap clap)
Now this right here makes four.
By the way, when I mean clap, put your hands together as if you are praying. Alright, now bring them together firmly and make a sound in between. Very good. The bolded words indicate what you should be singing when the clapping starts. Can you see how that also applies to the musical notes themselves? Notice too while you're clapping softly the natural rhythm or downbeat of the words. Well, that is the chart explained in brief. I will let you experiment some with mixing the musical styles and with the basics. What would your culture usually do in a situation like this? Everyone is different which is why I'm introducing you to it, giving you all the information, and letting you choose.
Happening
Just another Sunday
Day to get some rest,
Day of putting on one's best.
Father dresses by the door
Eyes fixed upon the floor.
Mother in the closet hides
Thinking of monsters outside.
Unknowing where to run
Suddenly she pulls her gun.
Little did she know
Of where on earth below
Was the proper place to go
For those beset by monsters.
As father softly ponders
Thinking of that chapel bell
Saving from the depths of hell
Mother with hair askew
Addled by thoughts anew
Puts down the gun
Comforting the little one.
Sunlight creeping down the halls
As clock ticks out the time
With soft, oft-muffled chime.
Silently, the shadow falls
As daylight fades from nursery walls.
Forgiveness
It's another Sunday morning,
Folks singing in the choir
As cold wind outside blows
And the sweet perfumes
Tantalize the nose.
Here we sing amazing grace
About the love of God
And the preacher coming in
Surrounded by his family and friends.
The drummer softly plays
While old Deacon Earl prays.
His words echo in the walls
Forgiveness,
Forgiveness.
Another misty Sunday morning
And I don't see you there.
Oh, the hurt and pain I must bear.
All the times that I have prayed
Only to ultimately be delayed.
Yet no answer can be found
For you to come and be unbound
Still my momma's words
Echo in my mind:
No matter what you think,
Seek, or even start to find.
No matter what they've done
Or where they are,
No matter the hurt
And pain they've
Caused thus far.
Forgive you,
Forgive you.
Of Froggy Men
We don't hug grandmom.
Carefully we give daddy five
Glad to be here, alive.
Only to hear him shout
As you rudely turn about:
"Hug grandmom too."
And your lips tightly screw
From the corner safely see
Daddy right in front of me
Spanking her behind.
Alright, stop the pout,
Your face is not a pickled trout.
Now hug the cat
And kiss the dog
But don't forget about – your frog.
Lover, Lover
Don't worry baby,
Answer heard.
Jesus gonna give you
Another world.
Life ain't a sure bet;
Trust me baby
Don't you fret.
Spend days getting high
As life passes us by.
Gonna break this bread and pray,
Thank God always for another day.
Close your eyes and fall asleep.
You ain't got no time to keep
Above nor yet below
For nobody knows the way to go.
Bow my head.
Ain't about what I said.
Now lay me down,
Cold eyes fixed upon the ground.
Stand before God
Waiting judgement rod.
Sister, brother,
Father, mother,
Lover, lover.
Sister, brother,
Father, mother,
Lover, lover.
Only
If I could turn it all around
From scattered ashes on the ground.
If I could turn and risk it all;
If I had only heard your call
Beckon me as the gentle wind
You bade me rise again.
If I was only there for you,
Would Jesus save me too
Or would ashes rise
Upon the wind
Swirling shape
My only friend.
Would you come then
And take my hand?
You've been there;
I'm sure you'd understand.