Not knowing what exactly your sermon will look like, it's impossible for me to say which song will be a better fit. Once you have figured out exactly what you are going to say, you will know which one fits the best.

I hope it's okay that I have another suggestion to throw into the mix. It's not a popular song, but it was written by a friend and I think it might fit your theme very well (it jumped immediately to my mind when I heard your theme. It's called, "River" and it will play when you click on the link: http://www.julianpattison.ca/listen.shtml.

Time, I was thinking of Time, before it poped up  on the screen... I adore that piece. I love Alan Parson Project. To me it's largely about death, like death is the ultimate destination. Goodbye my love, etc... Always makes me cry.

I'll get back to you when I've played the MB one.

Meanwhile, and I know you don't want to be swamped with suggestions, but I was just reminded of Smetana's "The Moldau" as a classical piece that's a metaphor for the flow of life, like a river. Love that piece.

My suggestion is classical, but it is a classical German song: "Gesang der Geister über den Wassern" (Song of the spirits above the waters) The poem is by Goethe, set to music by Schubert. It captures the spirituality of water like no other song or piece of music I have heard.

It starts as follows:

The soul of man is like the water,

It falls from heaven, it rises to heaven,

Again and again...

It is well suited to be played in church. It is spirtually evocative, and requires only a piano and a small male choir.

I like both of your selections and as your message evolves you will make the right choice.

When I read your theme, I immediately thought of renditions of "By the Rivers of Babylon" based on Psalm 137.

Here are a couple of renditions.

"Waters of Babylon"

This is the one I remember most. A rockin' tune....

Ooo, That sounds lovely Arminius.

I think it's a lovely idea for a runaway thread. ; )

Just was moved by this home movie for The Moldau. I have known the piece since I was a child, so this is not the imagery in my mind, but he got the general idea right.

Hadn't heard the MB one before. I'd have to get to know it before I could offer advice. But it did get me riled up to make my next slideshow, it reminded me of a hotspring we visited in Jasper, and a Jasper slideshow started forming.

While we are at rivers, why not "The Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss. Classical, but a catchy and popular waltz as well. Great tune to dance to—if you are into waltzing. I hummed it to my granddaughters when they were little.

I love both songs, so I'm no help.

Here's another by Carly Simon, Let the River Run.

WATER IS A LOVELY THING

Water is a lovely thing—

Dark and ripply in a spring,

Dark and quiet in a pool,

In a puddle brown and cool;

In the river blue and gray,

In a raindrop silver gray,

In a fountain crystal bright;

In a pitcher frosty cold,

In a bubble pink and gold;

In a happy summer sea

Just as green as green can be;

In a rainbow far unfurled,

Every color in the world;

All the year from spring to spring,

Water is a lovely thing.

Julia W. Wolfe

Here are a couple of water poems by me:

PRAYER TO THE RIVER

Shuswap River,

For milleniums have you

Gouged your bed through these mountains,

Following your chosen path:

The path of the least resistance,

The path of cooperation,

Thereby overcoming,

Patiently, acceptingly, yet assertively,

Obstacles a thousand times stronger than you.

Mother Shuswap,

Your blood flows in our veins,

Give us also your spirit,

So that we may follow your chosen path:

The path of the least resistance,

The path of cooperation,

So that we may overcome,

Patiently, acceptingly, yet assertively,

Obstacles a thousand times stronger than us.

WATER

I am the water,

The softest substance on Earth

Overcoming

The hardest substance on Earth.

I am the water,

You may violate me, pollute me, defile me,

You may step over me, into me, through me,

Yet,

At the kiss of the sun I will rise,

Pure, undefiled, transformed,

Reborn.

Although I now live by a lake named "Kalamalka," which means "Lake of many colours" in the Okanagan language, I have yet to write a poem about this beautiful lake that shines from a deep aquamarine to a bright turquoise and many shades in between.

Sorry, Mendalla, I slipped from music into poetry. But music and poetry are related:

If music and sweet poetry agree,

As they must needs, the sister and the brother,

Then must the love be great 'twixt thee and me,

Because thou lov'st the one, and I the other.

-from THE PASSIONATE PLIGRIM by Shakespeare

Of the two videos you posted above, I like the Moody Blues one better, because, like you, I am a Moody Blues fan.

Love the water poems and their evocative images, Arminius.

This is an interesting song/video.  "By This River" by Brian Eno - more classical.

This came immediately to my mind: Check out: http://folksong.org.nz/hoea_ra/index.html

Here's what it sounds like (but I think you might find the background's interesting):

Oh, indeed they are. One of the reasons I love Leonard Cohen is that he does both well and clearly recognizes the relationship between the two.

And that second poem of yours looks very tempting to nick for my service. Not sure if I have a place for it anymore since things are pretty firmed up now, but we'll see. With due credit, of course.

Mendalla

Yes, lovely poems Arminius. I would love to waltz, unfortunately I haven't learned it properly yet. But it looks lovely and delightful. I have however enjoyed set folk dances very much. And I love to watch tango too.

Love the Eno Gecko, very meditative and reflective.

Here's one of Peter Gabriel's, Washing of the Waters. I actually like the Eno better, but this is good too. Kinda bluesey. It's about washing one's soul with water. Very refreshing video, makes me thirsty!

Go ahead, Mendalla, use it if you want.

I really like "Washing of the Waters", Elanorgold.  It is refreshing.  The video has some lovely water images.

Yes it does eh. Peter Gabriel has done lots of great videos and songs to go with them. I've liked Eno for many years. I had a dub of Another Green World ages ago, your song reminds me of that album. I'd like to replace it. I like how the poster used clouds in the video for the flowing. I think that works well, to use things that are evocative of something else in video making... and items shown at other points in the song than when the item is mentioned... Thinking for my own video making.

I have enjoyed the videos you have shared with us here, Elanorgold.  Very creative and lyrical.

Thought you might enjoy the images in this rendition of "Listen To The Rain" by Enya.

Apologies to Mendalla....think we have taken your thread in some new directions....but great to share and learn from each other.

Hi gecko:

It frequently happens here on the cafe that a thread run off in a new direction. I don't think anybody minds. If we were sitting around a table, the same thing would happen. I think our threads here are friendly talks rather than rigidly structured debates.

If someone wants to bring the thread back on track, they can always do so.

Now, what did we originally talk about?

gecko46 wrote:

I have enjoyed the videos you have shared with us here, Elanorgold.  Very creative and lyrical.

 

Thought you might enjoy the images in this rendition of "Listen To The Rain" by Enya.

 

Apologies to Mendalla....think we have taken your thread in some new directions....but great to share and learn from each other.

Okay, I had the world's biggest brain fart when I started on this road. I completely forgot a song that is probably a perfect fit both in theme and tone. Enya's "Orinoco Flow".

Mendalla

Beautiful, Mendalla.  Didn't remember this one either.  Nice to hear it again.  Gonna have to dig out my Enya CDs.

I love this one - images, words and music - "Long Long Jorney"

Darn! Why didn't I think of that! Of cource we all know that Enya and Maire Brennan of Clannad are sisters right?

I do, though I often remember it as "Enya has some connection to Clannad" but then forget what the connection is. . Love both. Some of the best Celtic-pop crossover music going.

Mendalla

See my blog for the first draft of the poem (an original by yours truly) that I'm using as the meditation (and I reposted Orinoco Flow there, too).

Mendalla