Ghana Journey: SONG WRITING

Wednesday 12 June 2013

After such an emotional morning at Elmina, we went back to the Jesuit house for an afternoon off. It was a welcome opportunity to pray, reflect, recharge -- and write songs! 

In an earlier blog, I mentioned how Ben, Sarah, Greg, ValLimar and I were just sitting around the TV in a Tamale hostel when the muse struck. Ted witnessed that and he also contributed well to the song we composed that night, "Seeds of Justice." 

People often ask me how we composers do our craft. There is really no set way. Sometimes the words come first and the melody follows. Other times the rhythm of a new melody suggests the text. When we composed "Seeds of Justice" last week, we started with the text by sharing favorite scripture passages that spoke of hospitality and justice. It was really an exciting process as we bounced ideas off each other. Sarah sang the text we created against the chords Ben was playing on his guitar. A song was born.

There is another way to write a song, and that's by starting with a voice part and building the song around that. I'm a bass player and many of the classic rock songs were built around a bass line. On Monday morning, we were watching a video about Nazareth Home orphanage in Yendi. We had just finished singing with the children so I still had my guitar, and I was silently noodling on it. Suddenly, a bass riff came to me. I played it over and over and stored it in my memory so I wouldn't forget it. The riff stayed in my head as an ear worm, and I realized the only way to get rid of it was to build a song around it.

Greg and I have been friends for a long time and I have always wanted to write a song with him. So on Wednesday afternoon I played the bass riff for him and suggested we compose a new contemporary Sending Forth song for the liturgy. Greg has a superb gift for melody. He took my riff and ran with it, creating a Refrain for a song that we call, "Send Us, Lord." We then worked together on verses based on Luke 4: Jesus' proclamation in the temple of Isaiah 61. One hour later, we had our song, a good rocker that we hope will send young people out to bring Christ into the world.

Later on, Ben, Sarah and ValLimar joined us. After a prayer to the Holy Spirit, we discussed the tantalizing musical rhythms that we heard throughout Ghana for the past two weeks. Wouldn't it be great to incorporate these rhythms in a new song? Ben immediately launched into a terrific guitar riff with a Ghana-inspired rhythm. Greg, Sarah and ValLimar started singing along, and this became the basis for an Entrance/Gathering Song called "Akwaaba!" which is the Ghanaian greeting for "Welcome!" It has a joyful call-and-response refrain with verses that are based on the Magnificat's call for justice. 

We had come to our final days in this wonderful country. Soon we would fly home and return to our families and communities. Our eleven days in Ghana were tightly scheduled with many memorable activities. It's a wonder we were able to find time to compose at all, but that's what we songwriters do. One of the goals of this trip was to build solidarity by telling the story of the people of Ghana to the people of America. We are doing that by song.

The Spirit guided us to compose three songs together while in Ghana. We resolved to continue writing our own individual songs about our experience when we get home. It has been a great privilege and joy to work with such great musicians as Sarah, ValLimar, Ben and Greg!

What do these new songs sound like? Will others be able to sing them at their liturgies and prayer services? It's too early to make any concrete announcements at this time. But I close this blog with two optimistic words:

Stay tuned!