a birthday party turned recording sess of the River My Soul song book, featuring Helen Bennett, Ilana Lerman, Davida Ginsberg, Aly Halpert, Margot Seigle, Miriam Grossman, Chloe Zelkha & Jesse Rothman. To get a copy of the song book, email Margot at margot.seigle@gmail.com.

Down To The River To Pray

Why, why worry when you can _____
Pray to/for the most high
Pray to/for the mothers and the fathers
Pray to/for the most high
Pray for them to watch over
Why, why worry when you can ____

Why Why Worry

Artist: Peter McKenna
I learned it from Adamah (Jewish Farming Fellowship) in 2014. 

Sung at a song circle on January 1, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
There is so much magnificence in the ocean
The waves are comin' in
Waves are comin' in

Part 2:
Wash me away
So that all that's left is love
Great Spirit

Part 3:
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Part 4:
Hallelu, Hallelujah (x3)

Magnificence (Peter McKenna)

Artist: Unknown
I learned at Adamah (Jewish Farming Fellowship) in 2014 from Margot Seigle.

Sung at a song circle on March 16, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
River take me away
Away to the ocean

Part 2:
Take, take me away
Carry me away on your current

Part 3:
Won't you please take me away
To the ocean, oh river

River Take Me Away (Unknown)

Artist: Meredith Buck
I learned from Marion of Sing Portland.

The story goes that Meredith Buck was at a retreat in the woods. The participants were led somewhere on the grounds, were then blindfolded, and had to find their way back by listening to the sound of drums being played. Part of the journey back was crossing the Eel River, and it was when Meredith was wading across that this song came to her.

Sung at a song circle on August 18, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
Listen (x4)

Part 2:
Lay yourself down on the rocks now
Let your body down in the river
Listen for the drumming on the other side
Lose yourself in the meantime

Part 3:
Listen
Let your body be your guide
Let the water decide
Lose yourself in the meantime

Eel River Chant / Listen (Meredith Buck)

Artist: Unknown
I learned at Adamah (Jewish Farming Fellowship) in 2014. The song was brought to the Isabella Freedman community from Cara Michelle Silverberg who learned it at The Art of Mentoring (a workshop from the Vermont Awareness School). **please correct me if I'm wrong about any of this info!

Sung at a song circle on April 13, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
Learn to live your life with all your heart, and
All your soul and all your mind, and
Love all humankind as you would love yourself

Part 2:
Learn to live your life
With all your heart
And all your soul and mind and 
Love all humankind

Part 3:
We've got happy lives to live
We've got open arms to give
We've got hope down deep inside
Because in love we do reside

Learn To Live Your Life (Unknown)

Artist: Aly Halpert

Sung at a song circle on June 22, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
Loosen, loosen, baby
You don't have to carry
The weight of the world in your muscles and bones
Let go, let go, let go

Part 2:
Holy breath, and holy name
Will you ease, will you ease this pain

Loosen, Loosen (Aly Halpert)

Music: Orion Johnstone and Nehemiah Luckett
Lyrics: Based on the quote from Aboriginal activists in the 1970's:
"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound in mine, then let us work together." 

I learned from Orion and Nehemiah when they were in Portland leading workshops in spring 2019. They wrote the song on Mt. Tabor in Portland that week. (PS the picture for this track was taken on Mt. Tabor!)

Sung at a song circle on July 20, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
Then let us work together
Let us work together
O-o-o-oh
Let us work together

Part 2:
If you have come here to help me
You are wasting your time
O-o-oh
Let us work together

Part 3:
Let us work together
If you have come
Because your liberation is bound in mine
Let us work together

Let Us Work Together (Music: Orion Johnstone and Nehemiah Luckett, Lyrics: Aboriginal Activists)

Artist: Scott Kalechstein Grace
I learned from the IfNotNow soundcloud!

Sung at a song circle on July 20, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Lyrics:
I'm gonna let life move me
I'm gonna let life stir me deep
I'm gonna let life wake me from an ancient sleep
I'm gonna laugh all my laughter
I'm gonna cry all my tears
I'm gonna love the rain as deeply as the sun when it clears

Gonna Let Life Move Me (Scott Kalechstein Grace)

Artist: Sol Yael Weiss

I learned this song from Sol at Let My People Sing 2019. They taught it during the trans/non-binary/queer mikveh just before we all jumped in.

Sung at a song circle on September 15, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Lyrics:
Great waters, great waters
Pour over me
For I am your child
Make me yours again

(Second verse:
Great waters, great waters
Pour over me
Heal my broken places
Make me whole again)

**Photo credit: Sarah Snyder!

Great Waters (Sol Yael Weiss)

Artist: Coco Love Alcorn
I learned at Adamah (Jewish Farming Fellowship) in 2014. The song was brought to the Isabella Freedman community from Let My People Sing; Batya and Noam taught it, and they learned it from Lia at a morning water ceremony at Standing Rock.

Sung at a song circle on February 22, 2020 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Lyrics:
Water heal my body
Water heal my soul
When I go down, down to the water
By the water I feel whole

Loosen, Loosen (Aly Halpert)

Ary Solomon

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