This page is provided so that you can hear the tunes of items which we use in church. Mostly they are written by the vicar. Please note that they are copyright - we are very happy to give permission to you to use them, but we would like to hear about it. Please include any use on your Christian Copyright Licence returns.
Down this page:
- the words,
- the story,
- the sheet music,
- media player.
Re-dressed by God
Re-dressed by God
A bird wi' no wings,
a fish wi' no fins,
a worm
without it's wiggle and squirm,
a snake out o' skins?
I feel all undressed
in your presence Lord,
caught out by my sins,
caught out by my deep deep sins.
An egg wi' no shell,
A voice wi' no yell,
a job
that isn't worth a bent bob,
a sauce that won't gell?
I tried all my best
for your presence Lord,
but I deserve hell,
but I deserve roasting hell!
For my best righteousness is like filthy rags,
and I do a little good but my sin fills my bags,
and I haven't a hope of meeting your standards, Lord above!
And I would shake my head and feel so condemned,
and I used to wonder what would be my scorching end,
until I heard the wonder of your amazing love!
From heaven you came,
to take human blame:
and Lord,
to pay what I can't afford,
and die for my shame!
You died to give rest
in your presence Lord
to people like me,
to take sins away from me.
A car full o' juice,
a bounce in a moose,
For Jesus,
your Spirit's in me,
from death I am loose!
I'm dressed in my best,
and I've zest in my vest,
and I'm wrestling with testing,
I'm possessed as a guest
of Jesus!
Words and music copyright © John Hartley 2007.
Story behind the song
This song begun as a fairly light-hearted way of poking fun at another member of Christian Songwriting Organisation: Tom Solanto had posted up a lyric called "A bird without wings", and I was thinking of an alternative way of developing his wonderful first line. I didn't really have many thoughts of developing the lyrics into a proper song, but encouraged by Tom and others I decided to persist - for the message, that we are undone before the righteousness of a holy and perfect God, but he sent his Son to die for us so that we could be clothed with his righteousness, is the heart of the Christian faith for me. So I decided to develop the imagery and the tune and see where it led me.
John Hartley.
Windows Media Player. When you click the left-hand "play" button your computer should have started to play the tune. If it didn't, you might be able to get the tune by clicking here, or by right-clicking the link, choosing "save target as", saving it onto your computer, and then opening it with a music-playing program.
Please remember that a midi file of a tune isn't supposed to be a state-of-the-art musical arrangement - it is only supposed to give a basic idea of how the tune goes. Any reasonable organist / keyboard player / music group could make it sound far better.