Bring Out the Festal Bread
Hymn composed by
Hebrew folk songContextual information
Mark writes, "I learned this melody by ear, a Galilean folk song, Glee Reigns in Galilee. At the time, we could not find that name, so we just called it a folk song.
I wrote the words for Passover, since there were many Jewish folks in my congregation [Starr King UU Church, Hayward, CA] and we always did a congregational seder and they appreciated it, especially because we did celebrate the Christian holidays of Easter and Christmas. I wrote the words to stress the liberation narrative as opposed to the flashy 'miracle' parts of the story."
This hymn appears as #220 in Singing the Living Tradition.
Mark writes, "I learned this melody by ear, a Galilean folk song, Glee Reigns in Galilee. At the time, we could not find that name, so we just called it a folk song.
I wrote the words for Passover, since there were many Jewish folks in my congregation [Starr King UU Church, Hayward, CA] and we always did a congregational seder and they appreciated it, especially because we did celebrate the Christian holidays of Easter and Christmas. I wrote the words to stress the liberation narrative as opposed to the flashy 'miracle' parts of the story."
This hymn appears as #220 in Singing the Living Tradition.
Tune Name
GILU HAGALILIM
Tune Name
Text Meter
6.6.6.6.
10.9.10.9
Song Composer
Hebrew folk songHymn Arranger
Composer Background information
Spiritual tags
Other tags
Lyricist Background information
Arranger Background information
Lyrics
(Chorus)
Bring out the festal bread, and sing songs of freedom.
Shout with the slaves who fled, and sing songs of freedom.
What modern pharaohs live in arrogance crownéd?
Who shall be sent to challenge folly unbounded?
(Chorus)
Chains still there are to break; their days are not finished.
Metal or subtle-made they’re still not diminished.
(Chorus)
Still does resentment bind each brother and sister.
Still do the plagues affect us red as the river.
(Chorus)
Long be our journeying, yet justice is worth it;
dance, sister Miriam, and help us to birth it.
(Chorus)
O people, lift your heads and look to the mountains;
bushes aflame still call us, rocks still gush fountains!
(Chorus)
Resources
Music XML and MEI and MIDI and Musescore files
Google Slides (View Only)