This song was written by Coco Love Alcorn. New album out this week! It's called "Wonderland."

I am loving the song... I've been changing out "ocean" for "river" sometimes. The lines that stay with my are, "Water heal my body, Water heal my soul, When I go down down to the water, by the water I feel whole." Thank you for this gift Lisa!

Absolutely gorgeous. 💙🥰🙏Thank you! Heard this via Steven Harper’s Esalen Wilderness retreats. 

choir

Words by Kabir; music by Jody Healy. Sung by The Flowering Women: Lia Falls, Maria Genne', Debra Lach, Barbara McAfee, and Teresa Riley-Baecker.

When You Were Born, You Cried

I'm an imperfect being
In an imperfect world
And I'm doing my best to be grounded

Oh, Earth beneath my feet
Bring me back home to myself
And remind me - that I'm an imperfect being...

Imperfect

Ahlay Blakely is a master of complex rounds, and this is one of her finest.  An anthem of togetherness that will live in your cells long after you stop singing.

This is an original recording produced by the composer Ahlay Blakely.  Please support the artist by purchasing from them on Bandcamp here: https://ahlayblakely.bandcamp.com/track/net-of-remembrance

Spells from the Unknown

Net of Remembrance by Ahlay Blakely

Original song copyright Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter, Jim Molyneux, Kerry Andrew.

This amazing song of grief and hope was inspired by The Lost Words by Robert McFarlane &amp; Jackie Morris. The book began as a response to the removal of everyday nature words - among them "acorn", "bluebell", "kingfisher" and "wren" - from a widely used children’s dictionary, because those words were not being used enough by children to merit inclusion. But it grew to become a much broader protest at the loss of the natural world around us, as well as a celebration of the creatures and plants with which we share our lives.

Because the original song is so beloved by me and many, I re-imagined a new, quite different arrangement with guitar for Wholehearted Chorus in our 2024 season, Oh Grief, Oh Joy. (Note: this is not a traditional community singing song, as it has loads and loads of words, none of which repeat.)

For more information: https://thebirdsings.com/lost-words-blessing/

The Lost Words Blessing - ALL PARTS

An upbeat acapella song with rich harmonies, rhythmic bass line, singalong chorus and great lyrics. Original song by Coco Love Alcorn.

This song was arranged by Lisa Goettel for the Wholehearted Chorus. Please contact Lisa for permission to use this arrangement in recording or performance.

http://thebirdsings.com/songs

The River by Coco Love Alcorn

***NOTE: This recording was updated in June, 2020 to match the composers original. Thanks to Kate Munger and Jody Healy for bringing into my awareness  that my previous recording had some small but significant differences. ***

This simple and potent chant that can be sung in the round. The second section of the melody offers a little challenge in its offbeat rhythmic pattern.

Navajo Prayer, composed by Jody Healy © 2004.

Navajo Prayer (When You Were Born)

An awesome song for three voices by Meredith Buck, inspired by a wilderness workshop exercise she participated in where she had to cross a river blindfolded, following only the sound of a drummer on the other bank.

Eel River Song by Meredith Buck (Listen)

An upbeat, infectious layer song from song leader Laurence Cole. This song is a part of his album of the same name, available for purchase at http://www.laurencecole.com/buy/

This is a recording used as a practice track for the Wholehearted Chorus of Monterey and Big Sur, CA, under the direction of Lisa G. Littlebird. Lyrics and individual part tracks can be found at:
http://thebirdsings.com/this-fire

This Fire by Laurence Cole

Another amazing layer song from Laurence Cole. http://laurencecole.com

This is a recording used as a practice track for the Wholehearted Chorus of Monterey and Big Sur, CA, under the direction of Lisa G. Littlebird. Lyrics and individual part tracks can be found at:
http://thebirdsings.com/go-down-deep

Go Down Deep by Laurence Cole

This song was born out of John O'Donohue's poem, "For Someone Awakening to the Trauma of Her Past"; it has come through me in a season when the long buried wounds of past trauma have surfaced, inviting healing and renewal. "Only you know where the casket of pain is interred," John O'Donohue wrote. "You will have to scrape through all the layers of covering and according to your readiness, everything will open." 

May this song bring you healing, too.

Part One: 
As your tears fall over that wounded place,
may they wash away your fears and free your heart

Part Two:
I am coming home, I am coming home,
this body now, a meadow -- gentle, my love.

Awakening

Simple Gifts : Amazing Grace

To Wonder

Unequivocally one of my all-time favorite songs, this beauty has been adapted from the poem, "Call Me By My True Names" by Thich Nhat Hanh. Despite my best sleuthing, I've never been able to find attribution for the melody, which I first heard from Yopi Jay (who doesn't know where it came from either.) Another, professionally recorded and beautiful version of this song is on my album, Nightsong. https://thebirdsings.com/nightsong

Original words by Thich Nhat Hanh. Music composer unknown. Arranged for Wholehearted Chorus by Lisa G. Littlebird.

Guitar and vocals on this recording by Lisa G. Littlebird. Individual parts tracks coming soon!

For individual voice part tracks, lyrics and more, visit: https://thebirdsings.com/true-names

Call Me By My True Names

Let it Unfold

Lisa G is a songcatcher. She holds a vision for a world where singing is once again an integral part of daily community life. May we use our natural human expression to open our hearts, share our challenges and celebrations and uplift our lives.

Lisa G. Littlebird is the director of the 80-member Wholehearted Chorus in Monterey and Big Sur, CA. She has been on the faculty as a community singing facilitator at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA since 2006. She is a singer, composer and teacher with more than 30 years of musical experience, facilitating community singing opportunities throughout California and beyond.  Learn more at http://thebirdsings.com.

The River by Coco Love Alcorn

TheBirdSings

Recent comments

MischaMusic

traildancer

Noelle Clearwater

owcc

Related tracks