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lyrics by Joel Mabus

songs from

Different Hymnals. 

(fossil 2517)

To learn more about the CD Different Hymnals., click HERE  
To order this or any album, click here

Different Hymnals. (yes, the period is part of the title) is a collection of songs of faith from a wide variety of backgrounds.  Some of these have new lyrics written by Joel Mabus, set to older hymn tunes, also arranged and adapted by J Mabus.  Others are old traditional hymns in the public domain, also adapted and arranged by J Mabus, sometimes with new lyrics added. The album has 5 instrumental cuts, so no lyrics are provided here for those.

All these songs in their present form are published by Fingerboard Music, BMI, and are subject to copyright laws.  Please don't cut and paste these lyrics without prior permission. 

Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone / Let It Shine

Stand By me

No Not One!

Everybody's Grace

Low Lazarus & Lord Diverus

God Don't Like It -- I Don't Either

One Simple Song

Jesus Knocking At Your Door

We'll Understand It Better Bye & Bye

 

 

Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone / Let It Shine   
Traditional hymns adapted and arranged by Joel Mabus (c) 2017 – Original hymn tune CROSS AND CROWN, 1838  with original first verse text by Thomas Shepherd, 1693. / Second hymn based on a traditional spiritual

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free
No, there is a cross for everyone,
God knows there's a cross for me

Shine, shine,
Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me
Shine, shine
Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me

CHO:
Let it shine Let it shine
Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me
Let it shine Let it shine
Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me

You may live in your tower with your silver and gold
Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me
But what would you give in exchange for your soul
Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me

I went down in the valley, down there to pray [etc]
My soul got so happy, I stayed there all day

I heard my savior calling, said Keep on keepin' on
He promised he would never, never leave me here alone

To Canaan's Land I'm on my way
My darkest night will turn to day

Lights in the valley outshine the sun
Lights in the valley outshine the sun

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Stand By Me   
Traditional hymn adapted and arranged by Joel Mabus  (c) 2017 – Original by Rev. Charles Albert Tindley 1905 

When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the world is tossing me like a ship out on the sea
Thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me

In the face of tribulation
Stand by me
In the face of tribulation
Stand by me
When the hosts of Hell assail, and my strength begins to fail
Thou who never lost a battle, stand by me

For all my faults and failures
Stand by me
For all my faults and failures
Stand by me
When I do the best I can, but my friends misunderstand
Thou who knowest all about me, stand by me

When I'm growing old and feeble
Stand by me
When I'm growing old and feeble
Stand by me
When this old life becomes a burden, and I'm nearing chilly Jordon
O thou lily of the valley, stand by me

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No Not One!   
Traditional hymn adapted and arranged by Joel Mabus (c) 2017  –Original by Oatman & Hugg, 1895

There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus
NO NOT ONE, NO NOT ONE
None else can heal all the soul's diseases
NO NOT ONE, NO NOT ONE

CHO:
Jesus knows all about our struggles
He will guide till the day is done
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus
NO NOT ONE, NO NOT ONE

Was there ever a Saint that he left forsaken [etc.]
Was there ever such a sinner that he would not take him

Did you ever meet a friend so high and holy
Yet there is no friend as meek and lowly

Was there ever a gift like the Savior given
And will he deny us a place in heaven?

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Everybody’s Grace   
Lyrics by J Mabus with traditional hymn tune adapted and arranged by Joel Mabus (c) 2017  – from the tune MELITA by J.B.Dykes, 1861 

Bless the hand that plants the seed
Bless the back that pulls the weed
Bless the folks that pick the crops
The boys the girls the moms the pops
Bless the trucks and the truckers too
That bring it home to me and you

Bless the cook that bakes it brown
Bless these hands that pass it 'round
Bless our host and bless our feast
Bless the most and bless the least
We ask the one to whom we pray
Bless us all this blessed day

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Low Lazarus & Lord Diverus   
Traditional English carol adapted and arranged with some new verses by Joel

As it fell out one Christmas Day
Lord Diverus made a feast
He called for his gents and his ladies fair
Just the wealthiest and the best

When their fine carriages did arrive
Lord Diverus let them in
With hats and capes, bows and scrapes
The revelries did begin

Low Lazarus was a beggar man
As poor as a man could be
He had no friend, no food, nor fire
No Christmas barley-bree

So Lazarus laid him down and down
And down at Diverus' door
"Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
Show pity upon the poor."

"You have no right, low Lazarus,
To come beggaring at my door
No meat no drink will you get from me,
I got nothin' to show the poor."

Then Diverus called his henchmen fierce
Low Lazarus for to flay,
But his men they lost their power to strike,
And they threw their whips away.

Now Lazarus had a flaming thirst
And a hunger that shook his bones
His bile gave way, his knees did sway
And his ears began to pound

So Lazarus laid him down and down
And down at Diverus' gate
"Some meat, some drink, brother Diverus
For Jesus Christ his sake."

"You have no right, low Lazarus,
To come beggaring at my gate
No meat nor drink will you get from me,
Not for Jesus Christ his sake."

Then Diverus set his hungry hounds
On Lazarus where he lay
But the dogs they lost their power to bite
And they licked his sores away.

As it fell out the very next day
Low Lazarus shivered and died.
Two Angels flew from heaven above,
His soul therein to guide.

"Rise up, rise up, brother Lazarus,
Rise up and go with me;
There's a place in heaven made for you,
To sit on an angel's knee."

As it fell out the very next day
Lord Diverus shivered and died.
Two Serpents slithered up from hell,
His soul therein to guide.

"Come down, come down, brother Diverus,
Come down and go with me;
There's a place in hell we've made for you,
To sit on a dragon's knee."

O hell is dark and hell is deep
But the road that will take you there
Is gentle and wide and the carriages fine
So I bid you all beware

My carol it is ending now,
Just one more thing to say:
God bless us all, both great and small,
And have a happy Christmas Day

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God Don’t Like It – I Don’t Either    
Words and music by Joel Mabus (c) 2017  – chorus and tune based on a traditional American song 

Some people get religion, they shoutin' "Glory Halleloo"
And they think that that gives them the right to tell everybody what to do

I tell ya,

CHO:God don't like it
God don't like it -- I don't either
God don't like it
It's a scandal and a shame

Some preachers in the pulpit, they go jumping up and down
But they just putting on a show when their collection plate goes 'round

Some business men on Sunday quote the Golden Rule so fine
Then they cut your job on Monday, just to grow their bottom line

So-called Christian politicians claim the Bible is their guide
While they're taking money from the poor to keep the rich man satisfied

The bible clearly tells us one thing you can never do
Y'can't stand up and say you love your God, while you love your money too

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One Simple Song    
Lyrics by Joel Mabus (c) 2017  with traditional hymn tune adapted and arranged by Joel Mabus – from the tune FINLANDIA by Jean Sibelius, 1899

One simple song
Is all I have
to offer
One simple word
is all I have
to say

The word is peace,
let peace come flowing gentle
To heal the soul,
the hunger
and the war

The song is peace,
let peace come flowing gentle
One simple song
for now
and ever more

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Jesus Knocking At Your Door   
Words and music by Joel (c) 2017  – Inspired by traditional spirituals.

CHO:
Jesus knocking at your door Tell him what you want
Jesus knocking at your door Tell him what you want
Jesus knocking at your door Tell him what you want
Open up and tell him what you want

If you're weary, broken hearted Tell him…
If you're weary, broken hearted Tell him…
If you're weary, broken hearted Tell him …
Open up and tell him what you want

If you're sick and you want to get better Tell him what you want
If you're sick and you want to get better Tell him what you want
If you're sick and you want to get better Tell him…
Open up and tell him

Its Jesus Knockin'
Its Jesus Knockin'
Its Jesus Knockin'
Open up

There's a change a comin', what will it be?
There's changes comin', what will it be?
There's changes comin'
Open up and tell him what you want

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We’ll Understand It Better Bye & Bye   
Traditional hymn adapted and arranged by Joel Mabus (c) 2017 – Original by Rev. Charles Albert Tindley 1905

CHO
Bye and Bye, when that morning comes
When all the saints of god are gathered home
We will tell our stories of how we've overcome
And we'll understand it better bye and bye

Temptation and its snares may take us unawares
And our hearts are made to bleed for a thoughtless word or deed
We wonder why the test when we tried to do our best
But we'll understand it better bye and bye

Skies are dark on every hand and we fail to understand
Just how the lord will lead us to that blessed promised land
But he guides us with his eye, and we follow till we die
And we'll understand it better bye and bye

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Different Hymnals. (yes, the period is part of the title) is a collection of songs of faith from a wide variety of backgrounds.  Some of these have new lyrics written by Joel Mabus, set to older hymn tunes, also arranged and adapted by J Mabus.  Others are old traditional hymns in the public domain, also adapted and arranged by J Mabus, sometimes with new lyrics added. The album has 5 instrumental cuts, so no lyrics are provided here for those.

All these songs in their present form are published by Fingerboard Music, BMI, and are subject to copyright laws.  Please don't cut and paste these lyrics without prior permission. 

 

©2017 Joel Mabus