FUNGA ALAFIA, Traditional Nigerian Song of Welcome, arr. Jill Gallina
Funga Alafia, ashé, ashé! [“I welcome you into my heart. Amen, amen!”]
Our hearts are pure, our voices true, with open arms we welcome you!
Funga Alafia, ashé, ashé!
Our hearts are full, our friendship true, in peace and love we welcome you!
Funga Alafia, ashé, ashé!
—Traditional Nigerian
NINE HUNDRED MILES, American Folk Song, arr. Roger Emerson
I am walking down this track, I’ve got tears in my eyes,
and I’m tryin’ to read a letter from my home.
If this train runs me right, I’ll be home by Saturday night,
‘cause I’m nine hundred miles away from home.
Lonesome road, whistle blow, how I hate to hear that sound.
Oh, I’m nine hundred miles away from home.
I will pawn you my watch, I will pawn you my chain,
I will pawn you my gold and diamond ring.
Oh this train I ride on, is a hundred coaches long,
you can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
Lonesome road, whistle blow, how I hate to hear that sound.
Oh, I’m nine hundred miles away from home.
I am walking down this track, I’ve got tears in my eyes,
and I’m tryin’ to read a letter from my home.
Lonesome road whistle blow, how I hate to hear that sound.
Oh, I’m nine hundred miles away from home.
—American Folk Song
DEEP RIVER, Spiritual, arr. Victor C. Johnson
Deep river, my home is over Jordan,
Deep river Lord, I want to cross over into campground.
Oh don’t you want to go to that Gospel feast?
That promised land, where all is peace.
Deep river, Lord, I want to cross over into campground.
—Spiritual
REFLECTIONS ON HOME, Shirlee Callender
THEME AND VARIATIONS ON HOME ON THE RANGE, Daniel E. Kelley, arr. John Jensen
REFLECTIONS ON HOME—“A PLACE THAT I CALL HOME” by Jean Hoffman
THE JOURNEY, Carl Strommen
River wide, river deep, river take me home,
On this long and winding road,
Let the stars up above and the sil’vry moonlight glow,
Lead the way, to that place far away.
Take me home, through the canyons deep,
by the shores in quiet sleep.
Shadows fall, hear the whispers of the night,
take me home where I belong.
River wide, river deep, take me far, take me home,
To that place where the sun meets the sea,
Wander I through the night, soon to see the morning light,
Breaking through the mist of dawn.
Rising wind golden dawn above, and the morning greets the day,
In my dreams, once again, I am where I yearn to be,
In my heart I am home again.
Swiftly now, travel on, though the journey may be long,
And the end seems far away,
And the river deep will bring me back again,
To that place, that I call home.
—Carl Strommen
REFLECTIONS ON HOME, Jean Herron
TRY TO REMEMBER FROM THE FANTASTICKS, Harvey Schmidt, arr. Jay Althouse
Try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September when grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September when you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember, then follow.
Deep in December, it’s nice to remember, although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December, it’s nice to remember, without a hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December, it’s nice to remember, the fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December, our hearts should remember and follow.
—Harvey Schmidt
SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT, Spiritual, arr. Ruth Elaine Schram
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.
Well I look over Jordan, and what do I see, comin’ for to carry me home?
A band of angels, comin’ after me, comin’ for to carry me home!
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.
—Spiritual
SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT/WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.
Swing low, sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.
When theSaints Go Marching In
Oh when the saints go marching in,
Oh when the saints go marching in,
How I want to be in that number,
When the saints go marching in.
REFLECTIONS ON HOME—“GRANDMA’S TABLE” by Debra Parker
SHENANDOAH, American Folk Song, arr. Mark Patterson
Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you,
And hear your rolling river,
Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, I’m bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.
I long to see your smiling valley,
And hear your rolling river,
I long to see your smiling valley,
Away, we’re bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.
‘Tis seven long years since last I’ve seen you,
Away you rolling river,
‘Tis seven long years since last I’ve seen you,
Away, we’re bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.
—American Folk Song
OVER THE RAINBOW/WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD, Harold Arlen and Bob Thiele, adapted by Israel Kamakawiwo’ Ole, arr. Roger Emerson
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,
And the dreams that you dream of, once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly,
And the dreams that you dream of, dreams really do come true.
Someday I’ll wish upon a star,
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where trouble melts like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops, it’s where you’ll find me.
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly,
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Oh why, then oh why can’t I?
—Yip Harburg
Well I see trees of green and red roses too,
I’ll watch them bloom for me and you,
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Well, I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white,
And the brightness of day, I like the dark,
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
Are also on the faces of people passing by.
I see friends shaking hands saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying “I, I love you.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow.
They’ll learn much more than we’ll know.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!
—Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
FLYING HOME, Lionel Hampton
REFLECTIONS ON HOME, Antonette Johnson
HOLD ON, Spiritual Arr. Mark Hayes
WE SHALL OVERCOME/LEAN ON ME MEDLEY, Zilphia Horton, Pete Seeger/Bill Withers, arr. Mark Hayes
We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday,
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday!
Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow,
But, if we are wise, we know that there’s, always tomorrow!
Lean on me, when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend.
I’ll help you carry on, for it won’t be long, till I’m gonna need, somebody to lean on.
Please, swallow your pride, if I have faith, you need to borrow,
For, no one can fill, those of your needs, that you won’t let show.
You just call on me brother, when you need a hand.
We all need, somebody, to lean on.
I just might, have a problem, that you’ll understand.
We all need, somebody, to lean on!
If, there is a load, you have to bear, that you can’t carry.
I’m, right up the road; I’ll share your load, if you just call me.
Yes, we shall over-come, some day!
WE SHALL OVERCOME
We shall overcome, we shall overcome,
We shall overcome someday.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.
We’ll walk hand in hand, we’ll walk hand in hand,
We’ll walk hand in hand someday.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.
We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace someday.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.
We are not afraid, we are not afraid,
We are not afraid today.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.
—Pete Seeger
