Songs of Hope

Personal losses and challenges and huge problems facing our world today often feel like more than we can handle. Listening to music and singing - especially with others - are an important antidote.

There are songs of hope scattered throughout our songbooks but here are some ways to find many of them. 

"Hope & Strength" chapter in Rise Again - and there is a list of other songs about hope in RA at the end of this chapter on p.140. Other good chapters with songs of hope in RA include Faith, Gospel & Spirituals, and Healing & Letting Go.

Here are some favorites in Rise Again:

• Bird by Bird by Joe Crookston
• Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down by Eric Bibb
• Give Light by Greg Artzner & Terry Leonino (Magpie) *
• I Am Willing by Holly Near
• My Roots Go Down by Sarah Pirtle
• The Rainbow Connectiion
• Rise As One by Aaron Fowler 
• Somewhere to Begin by T.R.Ritchie
• Still Looking for Freedom by Jon Fromer *
• We Will Build This House by Sally Rogers
• What a Wonderful World - especially recordings by Louis Armstrong and ones by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

"Hope" chapter in Rise Up Singing - there is a similar list of other songs about hope in RUS at the end of this chapter on p.120. Other good chapters with songs of hope in RUS include Faith, Gospel, Sacred Rounds & Chants, and Spirituals.

Here are some of our favorites in Rise Up Singing:

• The Great Storm Is Over & Thanksgiving Eve by Bob Franke
• Hymn for the Russian Earth (round) by Paul Winter Consort
• I Am an Acorn (round - by Carol Johnson)
• Love Will Guide Us by Sally Rogers
• Love's Gonna Carry Us by Fred Small
• O Had I a Golden Thread  by Pete Seeger 
• Over the Rainbow
• Sailing Down This Golden River by Pete Seeger
• Step by Step by Pete Seeger

Here are some of strong songs about hope that aren't in either book:

• None of Us Are Free rec by Ray Charles, Solomon Burke
• We Shall Be Known by Karisha Longaker of MaMuse
• Better Times Will Come by Janis Ian
• I Lift My Voice by Andrea Ramsey
• I'm Gonna Walk It with You by Brian Claflin & Ellie Grace
• One Foot (Lead with Love) by Melanie DeMore 
• Rise by Arianne Abela
• Resilient by Rising Appalachia
• Tyrants Always Fall by The Nields
• The Way Knows the Way
• What Must Be Done by Greg Greenway (formerly of Brother Son)
• Your Labor Is Not in Vain by The Porter's Gate
• Let the Light In by Two of a Kind