Learning the 144 Secular Hymns

♪♪♪ SING ALONG ♪♪♪ as a piano plays the chords and melody (from the SOLO Edition of the Secular Hymnal). Singing along to a simple, chorded melody like this is an ideal way to develop your harmonizing skills!

Lyrics:

I surrender, I surrender, I surrender my useless things
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender for the peace it brings

All my shiny things, jewelry and rings
Let them go, there is no happiness they bring
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender my useless things
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender for the peace it brings

Honors I have won, things that I have done
All this pride I push aside, it's not who I've become
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender my useless things
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender for the peace it brings

Wealth misundersood, earned as much I could
Now I don't care, let it go where it will do some good
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender my useless things
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender for the peace it brings

 

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Here's the same hymn in 4-part harmony (from the SATB Edition of the Secular Hymnal). If you and your choir prefer to print out your own score of this hymn, click here to access a beautiful PDF file.

To research the history of this hymn tune: http://www.hymnary.org/hymnal/SH2014

 

Out of respect for our diverse society, please work to keep our public school and community choirs "secular" (comfortable and welcoming to both religious and nonreligious singers). For more information, please visit the secular choirs webpage.

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(Page last updated: January 16, 2016 )