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How Great Thou Art
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Christian Hymn written in 1886 inspired by a visit to a beautiful country estate on the southeast coast of Sweden by Pastor Carl Boberg.
singer songwriter acoustic beatles music florida new york love songs writer college performer larry whitler robin macblane
Artist picture
I am a solo singer/songwriter. My music is mostly soft although my songs could easily be performed in mostly any style.
For me, it's all about the song. That mysteriously magical thing that happens when a lyric is married to a melody. The writing process is invigorating and exciting while simultaneously being exasperating and difficult. It is that moment when music is being composed and a lyric is being written when I am truly the "artist at his easel." The creative process continues when the song is brought into the studio to be recorded because, as in writing, the production and arrangement processes also have their own sets of challenges. Those challenges are always dictated by the song itself and the task at hand at that moment is to be true to the song and carefully craft a recording that reflects what the song is about. Part three, for me, is to then take that song and perform it. It is the purest form of displaying this work of art called a song and is the only place where the magic of the creation is reflected back to me from a room full of interested listeners. And at that moment it is only as magical as the audience makes me believe it is. My CDs are all available on CDBaby.com.
Song Info
Genre
Pop Indie Pop
Charts
Peak #284
Peak in subgenre #44
Author
By Pastor Carl G. Boberg
Uploaded
November 02, 2005
Track Files
MP3
MP3 7.1 MB 192 kbps 5:12
Story behind the song
The Original Swedish lyrics, titled "O, Store Gud" and written in 1886 were inspired by a visit to a beautiful country estate on the southeast coast of Sweden. Pastor Carl Boberg was suddenly caught in a midday thunderstorm with awe inspiring moments of flashing violence, followed by a clear brilliant sun. Soon afterwards he heard the calm sweet songs of the birds in nearby trees. The experience prompted the pastor to fall to his knees in humble adoration of his mighty God. (Osbeck 133) As the result of this experience he wrote a 9 stanza poem, and several years later at a conference, was surprised to hear his poem sung to the tune of an old Swedish folk melody. It was translated into German, then a literal translation by an American in 1925: "O Mighty God, When I behold the Wonder." The song was also translated from German to Russian in 1927. Missionary Stuart Hine, inspired by the Russian words coupled with the awesome sights of the Carpathian mountains, wrote the first three English verses, the fourth came after WW II. The hymn was made famous by George Beverly Shea during the Billy Graham Crusade in London.
Lyrics
HOW GREAT THOU ART O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power through-out the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee: How great Thou art, how great Thou art! When through the woods and forest glades I wander And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze: And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin: When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration, And there proclaim, my God. how great Thou art!
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