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:

When leaders say that violence is the way
There are always those who shout "hooray!"
And then, hello, the violence starts to grow
We are stuck with fear and with dismay

There's a better way! There's a better way!
Peace has always been a better way!
No matter what they say, there's a better way!
Peace has always been a better way!

When leaders say that guns will save the day
There are always those who shout "hooray!"
And then, hello, the shootings start to grow
We are stuck with fear and with dismay

There's a better way! There's a better way!
Peace has always been a better way!
No matter what they say, there's a better way!
Peace has always been a better way!

 

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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: February 21, 2017 )