[HANASHIR:12968] A Chanuka present for you!

[Ros Schwartz <ros_schwartz...>]

Well I finally did it ... it only took me a year   ;-)  ... I made a home 
recording of Lighting 
Candles in the Dark, for Robin to post on the Shireinu website, at 
www.geocities.com/shireinu , for your enjoyment.

Those of you who know me well, know that I am quite self-conscious of my now-
partially-trained voice ... so listen with gentle ears please ... the point of 
this is the song, 
not the singer.

I also apologise in advance for the limitations of basement recording.  There 
are 
places where small glitches appear, for no apparent reason ... follow the lyric 
sheet, if 
in doubt.

I will also repost the lyrics, here.  There have been a few changes since the 
song was 
written, so if you have the previous version, please update it with this one.

Now if some brave soul would like to transcribe the music, I will post that too!

Happy Chanuka to all of you,

May there be much light in the world.

- Ros 


Lighting Candles in the Dark

words and music by Ros Schwartz
(c) December 2001

Last Chanuka, we took the habit of turning off all the lights everywhere in the 
house, 
each night before we lit our candles.  Then we sat in the glow of the flames, 
contemplating, talking and singing, for the half-hour it took the candles to 
burn down.  
One evening, after the quiet darkness had returned, I wrote this song.

I write many songs about darkness and light.  Our world may be entering into a 
very
dark time ... it's so important to hold on to the light.


First night of Chanuka
Light one candle in the dark
Watch the flame grow strong and steady
from this tiny spark
>From silence we weave songs
with blessings and delight
We fill our hearts with joy
and we fill our souls with light.

Second night of Chanuka
Daylight fades so fast
>From these candles of today
I wander to the past:
This menorah from my childhood
That one from my teens
Two of clay my children fashioned
One more in between.


Candles are proof against Demeter's despair.  There _is_  hope of spring.  Each 
night
the light grows brighter, from the tiniest flame to a full blaze.
The candles in the menorah.  The sunlight in the sky.  Our spirits after what 
we love has
been destroyed and dashed.  Yet even in the midst of utter silence I will raise 
my
voice in song.

You will not destroy me.  You _will not_ destroy me.

 I will light the Eternal Light, and it will burn to declare God's presence, 
even though
there is not enough oil.  The light will burn for _eight_ _days_, even though 
there is only
oil enough for one.


Third night of Chanuka
The darkness drifts away
As we light these five menorahs
we weave night into day
Hear our words of awe and wonder
Blessings in God's name
See the glow of hope and promise
in the steady flame.

Fourth night of Chanuka
Watch the brightness grow
Breathe the beauty deep inside you
As the candles glow
Some days you give your strength to me
Some days I give you mine
For even in the darkest moments
Still the candles shine.

Candles five and six and seven
bind us to the light
Cast aside the growing shadows
let your soul shine bright
For the darkness has no power
when we learn not to fear
Then light flows into every corner
and God is with us here.

Eighth night of Chanuka
Now my joy is tinged with pain
for even as I light these lights
I know the dark will come again
Hold on to the world of wonder
in the darkest night
Then Chanuka will never end
... and you will shine with light.

Hold on to the world of wonder
in the darkest night
Then Chanuka will never end
... and you will shine with light.

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+