Sing Hey for the Carpenter / Sing Yes for the Carpenter

This is an energetic folk-style about discipleship and following Jesus.  It is sometimes presented as "Sing Yes for the Carpenter".

It was written by Scottish hymn-writer and Church of Scotland minister  John L Bell (b 1949) and youth minister, liturgist, writer, artist, musician Graham Maule (1958-2019) - who are/were both members of the Iona Community.

The song was first published in 1987 by the Wild Goose Resource Group and is included in the Heaven Shall Not Wait released by them  and still available form Iona Publications.

It is set to a tune by Bell - sometimes attributed as traditional, and sometimes calle SING HEY.  This has a 3/4 time signature. In the key of Am (perhaps), the first few notes of the melody are  GA E_ C  GA E_ C_   G A G E G_  

The author suggests it is best with no accompaniment except bodhran (a traditional Irish drum), but some instrumental versions have been published.

Picture adapt. from Pikist

Downloads

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Included in the Heaven Cannot Wait music edition

SATB choir arrangement by Ralph M Johnson

Examples

Choir unaccompanied:

Small choir with piano:

Singer with piano:

Singer with guitar:

Virtual choir - solo verses with organ - words on-screen:

Singer, unaccompanied:

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

1. Come with me, come wander, come welcome the world ...

Chorus:
Sing hey for the carpenter leaving his tools!
Sing hey for the pharisees leaving their rules!
Sing hey for the fishermen leaving their nets!
Sing hey for the people who leave their regrets!

2. Come walk in my company, come sleep by my side ...

3. Come share in my laughter, come close to my fears ...

4. Come leave your possessions, come share out your treasure ...

See more ...

• Hymns about the disciple's
• Folk-style hymns

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY 1. Come with me, come wander, come welcome the world
where strangers might smile or where stones may be hurled;
come leave what you cling to, lay down what you clutch
and find, with hands empty, that hearts can hold much.

Chorus:
Sing hey for the carpenter leaving his tools!
Sing hey for the pharisees leaving their rules!
Sing hey for the fishermen leaving their nets!
Sing hey for the people who leave their regrets!

2. Come walk in my company, come sleep by my side,
come savour a lifestyle with nothing to hide;
come sit at my table and eat with my friends,
discovering that love which the world never ends.

3. Come share in my laughter, come close to my fears,
come find yourself washed with the kiss of my tears;
come stand close at hand while I suffer and die
and find in three days how I never will lie.

4. Come leave your possessions, come share out your treasure,
come give and receive without method or measure;
come loose every bond that’s resisting the Spirit,enabling the earth to be yours to inherit.