Stephen Schwartz lyrics
"By My Side" from Godspell
Where are you going? Where are you going?
Can you take me with you?
For my hand is cold and needs warmth.
Where are you going?
Far beyond where the horizon lies,
where the horizon lies,
and the land sinks into mellow blueness
Oh, please take me with you.
Let me skip the road with you
I can dare myself, I can dare myself.
I'll put a pebble in my shoe,
and watch me walk.
I can walk and walk.
I shall call the pebble Dare
We will talk together about walking.
Dare shall be carried,
and when we both have had enough
I will take him from my shoe,
singing, "Meet your new road."
Then I'll take your hand
finally glad that you are here
by my side.
By My Side
By My Side
that you are here, by my side.
"Bless the Lord" from Godspell
O Bless the Lord, my soul
His grace to thee proclaim
and all that is within in thee join
to bless his holy name.
Oh, yeah
O Bless the Lord, my soul
His mercies bear in mind
Forget not all his benefits
The Lord to thee is kind.
He will not always chide
He will with patience wait
His wrath is ever slow to rise
And ready to abate
And ready to abate
And ready to . . .
abate.
Oh, yeah!
He pardons all thy sins
prolongs thy feeble breath
He healeth thy infirmities
and ransoms thee from death
Oh, yeah!
He clothes thee with his love
Upholds thee with his truth
and like the eagle he renews
the vigor of thy youth.
Then bless his holy name
whose grace has made thee whole
Whose loving kindness crowns thy days
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord . . .
my soul!
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
O bless the Lord, my soul
Bless the Lord, bless the Lord,
Bless the Lord, bless the Lord,
Bless the Lord, bless the Lord,
Bless the Lord, bless the Lord,
my soul!
O bless the Lord my soul
Bless the Lord my soul!
"Turn Back, O Man" from Godspell
Turn back, O Man, forswear thy foolish ways
Old now is earth, and none may count her days
Da-da-da-da-da
Yet thou, her child, whose head is crowned with flame
Still will not hear thine inner God proclaim
Turn back, O Man
Turn back, O Man
Turn back, O Man
forswear thy foolish ways.
Earth might be fair, and all men glad and wise
Age after age their tragic empires rise
Da-da-da-da-da
Built while they dream, and in that dreaming weep
Would man but wake from out his mortal sleep.
Turn back, O Man
Turn back, O Man
Turn back, O Man
forswear thy foolish ways.
(Jesus) Earth shall be fair, and all her people one
Not 'til that hour shall God's whole will be done.
Now, even now, once more from earth to sky
peals forth in joy man's old undaunted cry:
"Earth shall be fair, and all her people one.
Turn back, O Man, forswear thy foolish ways
Old now is earth and none may count her days
Da-da-da-da-da
Yet thou, her child whose head is crowned with flame
still will not hear thine inner God proclaim
Turn back, O Man
Turn back, O Man
Turn back, O Man
Forswear thy foolish ways.
"On the Willows" from Godspell
On the willows there, we hung up our lyres
for our captors there required
Of us songs, and our tormentors' mirth
On the willows there, we hung up our lyres
for our captors there required
Of us songs, and our tormentors' mirth
Saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion
sing us one of the songs of Zion
sing us one of the songs of Zion."
But how can we sing, sing the Lord's song
in a foreign land?
On the willows there, we hung up our lyres.
"All for the Best" from GODSPELL
Jesus: When you feel sad, or under a curse
Your life is bad, your prospects are worse
Your wife is sighing, crying
and your olive tree is dying
Temples are graying, and teeth are decaying,
and creditors weighing your purse . . .
Your mood and your robe are both a deep blue
You'd bet that Job had nothing on you
Don't forget that when you get to heaven,
you'll be blessed.
Yes, it's all for the best.
Judas: Some men are born to live at ease, doing what they please
richer than the bees are in honey
Never growing old, never feeling cold
pulling pots of gold from thin air
The best in every town, best at shaking down
Best at making mountains of money
They can't take it with them, but what do they care?
They get the center of the meat, cushions on the seat
Houses on the street where it's sunny
Summers at the sea, winters warm and free
all of this, and we get the rest
But who is the land for, the sun and the sand for?
You guessed: it's all for the best!
repeat both verses together
Yes, it's all for the
All your wrongs will be redressed
Yes, it's all for the
You must never be distressed
Yes, it's all for the
Someone's got to be opressed
Yes, it's all for the best!
"All Good Gifts" from GODSPELL
We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand
He sends the snows in winter, the warmth to swell the grain
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain!
All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above
So thank the Lord, oh, thank the Lord for all His love.
We thank thee, then, O Father, for all things bright and good
The seedtime and the harvest, our life, our health, our food
No gifts have we to offer for all Thy love imparts
but that which Thou desirest: our humble, thankful hearts.
All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above
So thank the Lord, oh, thank the Lord for all His love.
I really want to thank You, Lord!
I want to thank You, Lord
Thank You for all of your love
Oh, thank You, Lord
I want to thank You, Lord
Thank You, Lord.
"We Beseech Thee" from Godspell
Father, hear Thy children's call
Humbly at Thy feet we fall
Prodigals confessing all
We beseech Thee, hear us.
We Thy call have disobeyed
Into paths of sin have strayed
And repenting have delayed
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Come sing about love that called us first to be
Come sing about love that made the stone and tree
Come sing about love that draws us lovingly.
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Sick we come to Thee for cure
Guilty seek Thy mer-cy pure
Evil, long to be made pure
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Blind, we pray that we may see
Bound, we pray to be made free
Stained, we pray for sanctity
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Come sing about love that called us first to be
Come sing about love that made the stone and tree
Come sing about love that draws us lovingly.
We beseech Thee, hear us.
By the gracious saving call
Spoken tenderly to all
Who have shared man's guilt and fall
We beseech Thee, hear us.
By the love that longs to bless,
pity-ing our sure distress,
Leading us to holiness,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Come sing about love that called us first to be
Come sing about love that made the stone and tree
Come sing about love that draws us lovingly.
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Hear us!
Grant us hope from Earth to rise
and to strain with eager eyes
towards the promised heav'nly prize
We beseech Thee, hear us.
Come sing about love
(Love!)
that caused us first to be
Come sing about love
(Love!)
that made the stone and tree
Come sing about love
(Love!)
love
(Love!)
love
(Love!)
Come on, sing about love
(Love!)
love
(Love!)
love
(Love!)
Come on, sing about love
(Love!)
love
(Love!)
that draws us lovingly.
We beseech Thee, hear us.
"Day by Day" from Godspell
Day by day, day by day
Oh, dear Lord, three things I pray:
To see Thee more clearly
Love Thee more dearly
Follow Thee more nearly,
day by day.
repeat three times, except for last chorus:
To see Thee more clearly
Love Thee more dearly
To see Thee more clearly
Love Thee more dearly
To see Thee more clearly
Love Thee more dearly
To see Thee more clearly
Love Thee more dearly
Follow Thee more nearly
day by day.
Day by day by day by day by day.
"Save the People" from GODSPELL
When wilt Thou save the people?
Oh, God of mercy, when?
Not kings and lords, but nations
Not thrones and crowns, but men?
Flowers of Thy heart, oh God, are they
Let them not pass like weeds away
Their heritage a sunless day.
God save the people.
Shall crime breed crime forever
Strength aiding still the strong?
Is it Thy will, oh Father
that men shall toil for wrong?
"No," say Thy mountains, "No," say Thy skies.
Man's clouded sun shall brightly rise
and psalms be heard instead of sighs.
God save the people.
When wilt Thou save the people?
Oh, God of mercy, when?
The people, Lord, the people
Not thrones and crowns, but men?
God save the people
(Save us!)
for Thine they are.
(For Thine they are!)
Thy children as Thy angels fair
(Oh, God save the people!)
God save the people
(God save the people!)
from despair.
(God save the people!)
God save the people.
(Oh, God save the people!)
God save the people.
(Oh, God save the people!)
God save the people.
(Oh, God save the people!)
God save the people.
God save the people!
"Learn Your Lessons Well" from GODSPELL
I can see a swath of sinners settin' yonder
and they're actin' like a pack of fools.
Gazin' into space, they let their minds all wander
'stead of studyin' the good Lord's rules.
You'd better pay attention, build your comprehension
There's gonna be a quiz at your acension
(Not to mention any threat of hell!)
But if you're smart, you'll learn your lessons well!
Every bright description of the promised land
meant you could reach it if you keep alert.
Learnin' every line of every last commandment
may not help you, but it couldn't hurt.
First you gotta read 'em, then you gotta heed 'em
You never know when you're gonna need 'em
Just as old Elijah said to Jezebel:
"You'd better start to learn your lessons well!"
"Light of the World" from GODSPELL
You are the light of the world.
You are the light of the world.
But if that light's under a bushel,
it's lost something kinda crucial.
You've got to stay bright to be the light of the world.
You are the salt of the earth.
You are the salt of the earth.
But if that salt has lost its flavor,
it ain't got much in its favor.
You can't have that fault and be the salt of the earth.
So let your light so shine before men,
let your light so shine,
so that they might know some kindness again.
We all need help to feel fine.
Let's have some wine!
You are the city of God.
You are the city of God.
But if that city's on a hill,
it's kind of hard to hide it well.
You've got to stay pretty in the city of God.
So let your light so shine before men,
let your light so shine,
so that they might know some kindness again.
We all need help to feel fine.
Let's have some wine!
You are the light of the world.
You are the light of the world.
But the tallest candlestick
ain't much good without a wick.
You've got to live right to be the light of the world.
"God Help the Outcasts" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
(Esmerelda) I don't know if you can hear me,
Or if you're even there.
I don't know if you would listen
to a gypsy's prayer.
Yes, I know I'm just an outcast
I shouldn't speak to You
Still, I see Your face and wonder . . .
Were You once an outcast, too?
God help the outcasts, hungry from birth
Show them the mercy they don't find on earth
God help my people, they look to You still
God help the outcasts, or nobody will.
(Parishioners) I ask for wealth.
I ask for fame.
I ask for glory to shine on my name.
I ask for love I can possess.
I ask for God and His angels to bless me.
(Esmerelda) I ask for nothing, I can get by
but I know so many less lucky than I.
Please help my people, the poor and downtrod
I thought we all were the children of God.
God help the outcast
children of God.
"Deliver Us" from Prince of Egypt
Slaves: With the sting of the whip on my shoulder
and the salt of my sweat on my brow.
Elohim, God on High, can you hear your people cry?
Help us now, this dark hour.
Deliver us
hear our call, deliver us
Lord of all, remember us
here in this burning sand.
Deliver us
There's a land You promised us
Deliver us to the promised land.
Yocheved: Yaldi ha tov veh harach
Al ti ra veh al tif chad.
My son, I have nothing I can give
but this chance that you may live
I pray we'll meet again
if He will deliver us
Slaves: Hear our prayer
deliver us from despair
These years of slavery
grow too cruel to stand.
Deliver us
There's a land you promised us
Deliver us out of bondage and
deliver us to the promised land.
Yocheved: Hush now, my baby,
be still, love, don't cry.
Sleep as you're rocked by the stream
Sleep and remember my last lullaby
so I'll be with you when you dream.
River, oh river, flow gently for me
Such precious cargo you bear.
Do you know somewhere he can live free?
River, deliver him there.
Miriam: Brother, you're safe now,
and safe may you stay
for I have a prayer just for you:
Grow, baby brother, come back someday
Come and deliver us, too.
Slaves: Deliver us
Send a shepherd to shepherd us
and deliver us to the promised land.
Deliver us to the promised land.
Yocheved: Deliver us!
"All I Ever Wanted" from Prince of Egypt
Moses: Gleaming in the moonlight
cool and clean and all I've ever known
all I ever wanted.
Sweet perfumes of incense
graceful rooms of alabaster stone
All I ever wanted!
This is my home,
with my father, mother, brother
oh so noble, oh so strong.
Now I am home!
Here among my trappings and belongings,
I belong.
And if anybody doubts it,
they couldn't be more wrong!
I am a sovereign prince of Egypt,
a son of the proud history
that's shown etched on every wall.
Surely, this is all I ever wanted
all I ever wanted
all I ever
wanted.
Queen: This is your home, my son.
Here the river brought you,
and it's here the river meant
to be your home.
Now you know the truth, love.
Now forget, and be content.
When the gods send you a blessing,
you don't ask why it was sent.
