Research report: "You are my God" songbook

This is the first post in an occasional series, discussing certain hymn-research requests - the difficult ones that I put a lot of work into, but don't manage to find the hymn or song in question.

If you have a book or hymn which you'd like included, please leave details of it on the Hymn Request page.  , or at least to write up a few notes about it.



You are My God / New Songbook

Douglas recently left this message:
" .... I am looking for a record/tape/CD entitled "You are my God". We had a tape years ago that was stolen. However, I am also confused because I have a very bad photocopy of a songbook that looks as if it is called New Songbook? There may be another word after New, but I cannot see. Anyway, these two items seem to go together in my head. The songbook had the following songs, in this order [listed below].... the last 3 I don't remember, but the first ones I know well. [and have found on this website]... So, the question is: do you know where I could find the record/tape/whatever, and do you know where I can find an original version of the songbook, or both? I have Googled like crazy, but ... [but not been able to find it] "

This caught my interest for a few reasons:  there are some songs included that I hadn't met before, and it's interesting to see what combinations people have put together.   And I love the challenge of tracking down folk-style hymns which people remember from their youth / childhood!


Search results

Firstly - this is a difficult thing to find in Google:  when  book or song name is made up of common, short words, there will be a lot of search results that are similar. 

Thankfully, the list of songs have come more detailed, uncommon words.   Some of the names given are quite general too, but since they were found of this website, I can make a good guess about what particular hymns they are.    The list is broken down into two parts,:

The ones Douglas knows well


The ones he doesn't remember:
  • Jacob's Song  - probably Sing praise to the Lord for ever and ever - Kreiger © The Word of God, 1973
  • Let Trumpets Sound - Michael Cockett - on Sacred Heart Go Tell Everyone, 1968
  • Psalm 150 - maybe Praise the Lord - Psalm 150 - Tune by: Lee Abbey Music Workshop © British and Foreign Bible Society


This is a very short lists of songs for a songbook, even a 1970s one.   Many of the songs were written and/or sung by the Catholic Charismatic community associated with The Word of God.   But not all of them:   Fill my House  was written in Australia - but it has been spread through the words, and was included in a UK hymnbook by 1975 (ref).   Psalm 89 is from a singer with evangelical-church background.  And at lease one (I Heard the Lord - full write up of this is under way) doesn't appear to be used outside the Charismatic movement, based on what's been loaded to YouTube so far..

All of this makes me think that quite likely it was "home made" or compiled by a musician for their own use, rather than published by any company.  This which makes it less likely that there's another copy to be found.

In the same way, I'd guess that a tape (pre-historic CD  :-)  ) with these songs is likely to have been made by someone doing covers of other people's songs.   The limited number of uploads of some of the songs to YouTube (eg I Heard the Lord call my Name) means it's likely that the tape didn't have a wide distribution, either.


Conclusions

It seems unlikely that Douglas will find another copy of either the take or the songbook.

But if you have any information about it - or can suggest any other book or recording which includes all these dong, please leave a message in the Comments box at the bottom of the page. 

1 comment:

  1. That, dear editor, is the most fantastic response. I am so very, very grateful for all your efforts. And I can see the glint off your halo from here.
    I really do appreciate the effort you went to. If I can work out a way of making a really bad copy scanable I will upload the songbook and you can see where it came from.
    I passed your link onto my brother-in-law, who is a pastor, but without a church, and to my house church friends (we are all of an age where the thought of zimmer-frame races is starting to have appeal - well, not quite) and the response was exceedingly positive. So if you see sign-ins from South Africa (as well as bonny Scotland where I currently live) you will know it is us.
    Blessings and, once again, sincere thanks.
    Douglas

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