I believe in the good of mankind

I believe in the end truth prevails

It resides in our hearts and our minds

Should we seek it we’d find love unveiled

HOPE

Happy New Year.  Let’s hope for a 2016 that brings more light into this world than 2015 seemed to, at least when it comes to most of the events that screamed loudest (sometimes literally) for our attention.

The song “Hope” feels very apropos as a New Years song; hymn even, if I may be so bold.  It is the finale of “The Song of Job 9:11“.  I write about the creation of that piece elsewhere, as well as the need to conclude it with an expression of hope.  Today I merely want to share this song again, with its full set of lyrics.

The melodies for “Hope” were with me for many years before I completed the music for “The Song of Job 9:11”.  I conceived of the song when I was 18 or 19.  The four lines quoted at the top were lyrics that came to me pretty much in that form at the time.  But although the main melodies were conceived then, for decades I was stumped when thinking up additional lyrics for the piece.

Only after 9/11 and when I realized this music would conclude the piece I was writing about that horrible event, did I finally work out the rest of the words, aided in part by imagery from The Book of Job, and commentary I had read about the Old Testament text.

Anyway, below is the complete text.  Happy New Year, or as they say in Germany: Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr!

chapter ten: HOPE

JOB:    I believe in the good of mankind

I believe in the end truth prevails

            It resides in our hearts and our minds

            Should we seek it we’d find love unveiled

            I have heard of a light strange and strong

            It embraces the seas and the skies

            Touching all, high or low, right or wrong

            And in time it may blaze in my eyes

WOMEN:       ah… (musical bridge)

JOB & TENOR :        I believe there will always be hope

TWO WOMEN :         – Like a light hid behind angry skies

JOB & T :       I believe there will always be pain

TWO WOMEN:                     – There’s a song in the saddest of cries

JOB & T :       Though at times I may struggle to cope

TWO WOMEN:                     – Though the world is a perilous place

JOB & T :       I believe life is never in vain

TWO WOMEN:                     – Life endows us with moments of grace

JOB & T :       I have stared at the visage of dread

TWO WOMEN:                     – There is more than just evil and good

JOB & T :       And I fear what a soul has to face

TWO WOMEN:                     – So much more than can be understood

JOB & T :       Yet for all of the living and dead

TWO WOMEN:                     – For the world is an island at night

JOB & T :       I believe there’s a loving embrace

TWO WOMEN:                     – That’s enveloped in deep endless light

            (vocalese)

ENSEMBLE:  I believe in the good of mankind

                                                  – I believe there will always be hope

           I believe in the end truth prevails

                                                – I believe there will always be pain

            It resides in our hearts and our minds

                                                – Though at times I may struggle to cope

            Should we seek it we’d find love unveiled

                                                – I believe life is never in vain

            I have heard of a light strange and strong

                                                – I have stared at the visage of dread

            It embraces the seas and the skies

                                                – And I fear what a soul has to face

            Touching all, high or low, right or wrong

                                                – Yet for all of the living and dead

            And in time it may blaze in my eyes      

                                                – I believe there’s a loving embrace

(vocalese)