- A wedding song, expressing the bride and groom's hopes for each other
- A reminder of the meaning of the Eucharist ("do this in memory of me")
- A song for funerals, naming the human desire to be remembered, and directing this towards love
- A statement about God's love for each person, and God's desire for people to know this love.
This breadth makes the song both versatile, and confusing. The verses are not lyrically strong: Some people use the chorus alone as a prayer mantra, and many think there are other better options. Nevertheless, it has become popular again in the early/mid 21st century.
The song was written by American Roman Catholic and at-the-time Benedictine monk Gregory Norbet (b 1940), and originally released in 1972 or 73. A keyboard accompaniment was written by another monk, Mary David Callahan, OSB. Today the song is copyright to the monks of Weston Priory via the The Benedictine Foundation of the State of Vermont, and sheet music is available from OCP (link below).
It is set to an unnamed tune, by Norbet. This has a 4/4 time signature. In the key of F, the first few notes of the melody are F F F F F FG AG FE FE D_ with accompanying chords F / Dm / F / Bb/ C7.
Downloads
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Examples
Choir with keyboard and guitar(?)/band, professional recording
Singer with midi-keyboard
Singer with electronic keyobard, words on-screen
Singer with baking track, words on-screen
Virtual choir, initially unaccompanied, then with fiddle and accordion - words on-screen
Singer with organ-voice keyboard
Singer with piano etc - professional recording of the chorus as a mantra
Singer with guitar
Singer with organ
Lyrics
The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:Chorus:
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
1. Deep the joy of being together in one heart
and for me that’s just where it is.
2. As we make our way through all the joys and pain,
can we sense our younger, truer selves?
3. Someone will be calling you to be there for a while.
Can you hear the cry from deep within?
4. Laughter, joy and presence: the only gifts you are.
Have you time? I’d like to be with you.
5. Persons come into the fibre of our lives,
and then their shadow fades and disappears.
See more ...
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| Image adapted from PxHere |
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