I can’t get enough of this lately. St. Nektarios of Aegina wrote this wonderful hymn and it is sung during Orthodox Vespers. I listen to it in Greek – by Divna Ljubojevic (angelic), another version (don’t know who is singing this one) and in Arabic.
But my favorite is sung by the Valaam monks:
You can sing with them, here is the Old Slavonic version transliterated in Russian and English
Couple of years ago the Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz made an album “Chant: Music For Paradise” which sold more than one million copies, after climbing to the top of European charts with their Gragorian chants.
Today’s story is similar, but about the Benedictine nuns of the Abbaye de Notre-Dame de l’Annonciation, from France ear Avignon. They have signed a deal with Decca Records, part of Universal Music, which counts Lady Gaga and U2 among its acts.
Their album “Voice: Chant from Avignon”, is scheduled for release in November 2010
This one sounds like a 2009 response manifesto to Psalm 132
Stand Up Comedy
Love love love love love…
Love love love love love…
I got to stand up and take a step
You and I have been asleep for hours
I got to stand up
The wire is stretched in between our two towers
Stand up in this dizzy world
Where a lovesick eye can steal the view
I’m gonna fall down if I can’t stand up
For your love
Love love love love love…
Stand up, this is comedy
The DNA lottery may have left you smart
But can you stand up to beauty, dictator of the heart
I can stand up for hope, faith, love
But while I’m getting over certainty
Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady
Out from under your beds
C’mon ye people
Stand up for your love
Love love love love love…
I gotta stand up to ego but my ego’s not really the enemy
It’s like a small child crossing an eight lane highway
On a voyage of discovery
Stand up to rock stars, Napolean is in high heels
Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas
Out from under your beds
C’mon ye people
Stand up for your love
Love love love love love…
God is love
And love is evolution’s very best day
Soul rockin’ people moving on
Soul rockin’ people on and on
C’mon ye people
We’re made of stars
C’mon ye people
Stand up then sit down for your love
Love love love love love…
Love love love love love…
Magnificent
Magnificent
I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after
I haven’t had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise…
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
from U2 new album No Line on the Horizon
(much of the quality is lost in this clip, but you can buy this song here)
Christianity Today has something to say about this new album here
iwka.onething 