Another list song – must be Brian Wren.
And so it is. Now this is not to say his list is bad, necessarily, but It can get tiring pretty quickly.
And when it comes to Wren, there is always something – even in songs I like, like this one – that make me go “hmm” …
Love makes a bridge from heart to heart, and hand to hand.
Love finds a way when laws are blind, and freedom banned.Love breaks the walls of language, gender, class, and age.
Love gives us wings to slip the bars of every cage.Love lifts the hopes that force and fear have beaten down.
Love breaks the chains and gives us strength to stand our ground.Love rings the bells of wanted birth and wedding day.
Love guides the hands that promise more than words can say.Love makes a bridge that winds may shake, yet not destroy.
Love carries faith through life and death, to endless joy.
Did you spot it? In this case it’s the fourth verse, “love rings the bells of wanted birth.” That line falls sharply on my ear, breaking open my heart for all the births that were not wanted – do they not deserve the bells of love too? And because of that hard line, I find myself checking out of the final verse, which may be the best one of all.
Oh, Brian. This one is so, so close. Sigh.
Anyway, this is set to a tune by Gerald Wheeler that is surprisingly more complex than you’d think. It’s worth learning, as a five-verse hymn makes “sing 1, 2, and 5” an easy choice. but I recommend a strong song leader to help with some of the more intricate intervals.
All in all, not a bad one. I’ve used it before – but with care.
