On The Deck Of A Spanish Sailing Ship, 1492
From Jason Robert Brown's first produced Broadway show "Songs For A New World", this song is sung by a captain who prays for the safety of the souls aboard his ship on the voyage to a far-off 'promised land'. The songs in the show all relate to the moment of decision--when you have to take a stand, or turn around and go back. This condensed and simplified arrangement begins with a slow, reverent introduction, with the option to be sung by a pair of soloists (or use the included complete piano/vocal introduction to feature a talented tenor soloist). It then moves into the soulful gospel groove that it's known for, building throughout the piece until the spine-tingling a cappella coda.
Instrumentation: Piano/Synth/Guitar/Bass/Drums/Percussion/2 Tpt/2 Tbn/Alto, Tenor Sax
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Lord, we take this journey To find a promised land And we believe in your power But the end is so close, So close at hand Lord, this ship is crowded And the men are tired and worn But another baby's born And, Lord, this ship is broken And the sails are ripped and old But the winds are rough and cold And I know it's my responsibility When I ride the sea These men turn to me for a sign I believe in my responsibility But I can't be sure When it's time for your light to shine So I'm begging you, Lord To make it stop Take a look at your children Who believe in this promised land Have mercy, Lord Give a sign to let us know Stop, shine your light on these children Who have faith in your guiding hand I'm just begging, Lord ‘Cause there's no place else to go Lord, take my hand I am not strong enough I am not strong enough Lord, take my heart I am unworthy Lord, give me hope I am not strong enough I am not strong enough Lord, give me light I am unworthy I am unworthy Stop, take a look At the children, at the children Who believe in this promised land You gotta have mercy, Lord Have mercy, Lord Give us strength so that we can grow Stop, shine your light On these children who have faith in divine Faith in divine command! (Billy Porter, Jason Robert Brown)
Using the links in the menu, you can view a sample of this arrangement and hear sample recordings.