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.
We fall away
We fall away
Lord, we all fall away
as you told us that day:
When the Shepherd was struck, we all scattered;
and we left you alone
facing death on your own
with your friends having fled when it mattered.
We denied that we'd fail,
yet you knew we were frail:
ere the cock crows at night we betray you.
Satan sifts us like wheat,
yet you caused his defeat
as you yielded to those who would slay you.
You were in deep distress,
yet we slept while you wrest-
-led in prayer that your cup would be taken.
Yet your will was not done
but your Father's in heav'n:
that the kingdoms of hell might be shaken.
Lord, you warned us and said
that you soon would be dead:
this came true as you faced crucifixion.
In the dark of that hour,
who could see that God's pow'r
would break forth in his Son's resurrection?
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2006.
Based on Mark 14:21-40 and Luke 22:31.
Story behind the song
I wrote this little song while on holiday during a half-term break, as a companion to some others* about the crucifixion. I wanted to write about the disciples' frailty in letting Jesus down repeatedly in the hours before he was arrested, but as I studied the passage of scripture it seemed that the message was "and I would have done just the same had it been me instead of them". So it became a kind of confession song.
I acknowledge my debt of gratitude to Sydney Carter for the style of the music. He was the master of this type of song - I particularly had in mind his "Bitter was the night".
John Hartley
* The Last Straw, He saved others, and Good Friday Blues.
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.