La Bene Vita

Day 2: "Welcome to Our World" by Chris Rice

After yesterday claiming to pick songs for the music first, the lyrics of my Day 2 entry actually weigh heavily in its selection. But it still comes back to the music. The delicate piano and melody evoke imagery of the tiny, fragile baby in the manger, and the overall arrangement emulates the powerful simplicity of the birth of Christ. At first glance, the song is only a lullaby, just like the Savior's birth is only a humble beginning. On reflection, both are so much more.

The song is "Welcome to Our World" by Chris Rice.

What you'll hear:

1. Pretty, delicate piano.
2. A single, gentle voice on a simple melody throughout. No pop flips or other frills. No harmony.
3. Strings added in verse 2 for dynamic interest, but still very simple.
4. A bit of a of a percussive moment for the strings at 1:20, the most complicated part of the song.
5. A modulation (key change) in verse 4 for more dynamic interest.
6. In the last verse, strings mostly drop out so that the song ends as simply as it started.

Welcome to Our World
Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child, welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger,
Make Yourself at home, please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world, welcome to our world

Fragile fingers sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born, unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breath our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God, perfect Son of God

Welcome to our world.