Glad that I Live am I

This is a hymn of thankfulness. It was written by American Episcopalian poet and teacher Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856-1935). It was originally published in her book, A Handful of Lavender (Boston and New York, 1891).

Later it was included in Songs of Praise (1925), and this is where it was first paired with the tune WATER-END: the original text has three four-line verses, while this tune has all verses in a through setting. (Some arrangements repeat sections.)

The song became widely used in English primary schools and was included in books including in the children's hymnal Morning is Broken published in 1974 by UK company Schofield and Sons Ltd.

With meter 6.5.6.5 irreg, tunes it is set to include:

WATER END by Geoffrey Shaw (1879-1943)
LANCTÔT by Ruth E. Bailey, composed in 1934
LLANTHONY - composer unknown, first published in 1913 or earlier.

Downloads

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Lead sheet (melody + guitar chords)

SATB choral arrangement by Geoffrey Shaw

PowerPoint
slides

Examples

Solo singer with flute and string accompaniment:

Singer, self-accompanied on ukulele:

Choir with organ, professional recording:

Instrumental - hammered dulcimer:

Instrumental - piano:

Lyrics

Glad that I live am I; that the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes, and the fall of dew.

After the sun, the rain, after the rain the sun;
This is the way of life, till the work be done.

All that we need to do, be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow, nearer to God on high.