To Our Fathers In Distress - Morning Service
Live version
[recorded at Neil Hannon's Guide To The Organ - London, Royal Festival Hall, 22/03/2014]
Still
Expectant hush
Sombre
But not sad
We come here
Because we come here
It’s what we do
Reverend Hannon us quite young
It’s true
We stand
Lift our hymn books
Worship
Matinee idol looks
His wife is terribly nice
But she does not feed him
Lovely flowers
In surplice and cassock dressed
We leave the confines of the vestry
Two by two through nave, and lastly
Into the chancel
Girls and boys
Gentlemen and ladies
Pure in voice
Pire in thought and word and deed
Or maybe not
Feel the noise
Invading every part of your soul
Basses build a firm foundation
Tenors, upward elevation
Altos add the walls and ceilings
Trebles fill each room with feeling
‘Praise, my soul, the king of heaven
To his feet thy tribute bring
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven
Evermore his praises sing
Praise him for his grave and favour
To our fathers in distress
Praise him still the same as ever
Slow to chide and swift to bless
Father-like, he tends and spares us
Well out feeble frame he knows
In his hands he gently bears us
Rescues us from all our foes
Angels, help us to adore him
Ye behold him face to face
Sun and moon, bow down before him
Dwellers all in time and space’