Alright, this is one of those ‘What was your favourite’ questions:
When you were a Witness (or even if you’re still reluctantly attached like me), did you have a favourite Kingdom Melody (why couldn’t they just be called hymns by the way)?
I remember thinking they were ok as a young child, but that was until I got to secondary school and heard the other kids singing ‘proper’ hymns in assembly, while I had to stand outside. The one thing I notice about the updated songbook is that they are all written in a much higher key than most people can manage – when they’re sung at my hall, most people just mumble their way though them.
I visited the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last year, and in it was strange how in just the few minutes I spent in there, I was really moved by the music being played in there. Certainly a lot more moved than I’ve ever been moved in the (what seems like hundreds of) years I’ve been attending the Kingdom Hall.
I’ve been to two funerals for relatives that have passed away in recent years. At the first one (the non Witness one) at the graveside, everyone knew the words to the hymns and sang harmonies to them – really moving. At my Witness relative’s funeral, everyone stood at the grave side wondering what to do until a sister started singing the first few lines of ‘Life Without End – at Last’. But for some reason, that song just sounded wrong to sung in that situation (in fact it was at that point where his wife broke down). Because no one knew the Witness ‘protocol’ for that sort of situation, you had a few half-heartedly join in the singing, but the rest just stood around looking awkward, unsure if we were ‘allowed’ to do that sort of thing at a graveside.
I remember years ago, certain brothers and sisters would get together to sing the songs a make up different melodies to them and so forth, but all that was stopped. The thinking was that, unless you play it like it sounds on the cassette, you’re disrespecting Jehovah.
Anyway, the songs I absolutely hate are the ‘marriage’ songs (‘Marriage is God’s Arrangement’ – pass the sick bag :-(*)– and the ‘children/youth’ songs (“they are gifts from God, He says use the rod” [8>] )
Anyway, does anyone have any favourites that they miss singing?
I suppose my ‘favourite’ would be
‘Jehovah is my Shepherd’ (although I still prefer the ‘Christendom’ version of this song) .