Tabea Mangelsdorf: Let the rains fall
This beautiful song relates Jesus’ challenge to the Pharisees to the contemporary struggle of freedom fighters in Tibet. The lyrics are based on true stories about people whose inner sense of freedom allows them to meet hate and bloodshed with peace and forgiveness.
Also, this song invites us to apply insights by Mary Baker Eddy, who established the Christian Science Church, to such struggles for freedom. Eddy wrote a brief but profound meditation on the relationship between political freedom and spiritual freedom. 1 At the time, Eddy was celebrating the recent emancipation of American slaves. Yet her focus was the continuing need to address spiritual enslavement: “an ignorance of divine power, — an ignorance that is the foundation of continued bondage and of human suffering.”
Check out the related Radical Acts:
CHALLENGE Pharisees
FORGIVE 70 x 7
LYRICS
By Tabea Mangelsdorf
Soldiers kick her down into the dirt
But they cannot bind her voice for freedom.
Red barb now becomes her cloister
But within her heart, she stands up free.
He sets himself on fire in the dark
But as he goes he knows it’s all within the light.
He gives his life in deepest silence
And the world will hear his gift to peace.
Chorus
What does it take, to stand up for
What is right, to walk with
What is grace, what does it take?
And the rains fall
And the floods rise
And the guns blow
Beat against the walls
Yet on rock they stand
While the storm floods the sands
They will not be moved
So let the rains fall
Let the rains fall.
They ride into the guns with flags of peace
As they’re taken to the sky their nation sings freedom!
A million shave their heads and fast till death
And the world will remember the power of peace.
Chorus
Would you rise
Or would you speak
Would you fight
For what’s right
Would you rise
Or would you speak
Would you fight
For what’s right
Would I be silent
Or would I forgive
Would I sing
In the face of wrong
Would I be silent
Or would I forgive
Would I sing
In the face of wrong
Chorus
Guitar – Josa Wollheim
Piano – Sebastian Wloddarczek
Drums – Sven Jentgens
Cello – Laila Kirchner
Bass – Christian Plinke
Vocals – Tabea Mangelsdorf and Sebastian Wloddarczek
Production – Lukas Guenzel
Notes:
- Science and Health pp. 224-228 ↩
Topics: Music
Thanks for that incredibly thoughtful, powerful piece. I friend pointed me to this website and I found your song. I would love to see and hear more of your work, it touched me deeply. Whether taken as metaphor or a comment/question of what appears to be going on, this is what we all need to be hearing, not just pretty words and music, but thought provoking and beautiful. I especially love the part from the chorus: “Yet on rock they stand – While the storm floods the sands – They will not be moved”
Thanks, Tabea, for “Let the rains fall.” Gentle, firm, strong sound and lyrics. Very inspiring. We pray and live for Peace within a war paradigm, as Jesus brought to earth the power of Spirit within a physical paradigm. Forgiveness among us is the hardest quality of Love to express sometimes and yet without it, we become “the enemy.” Whatever our cross to bear the call out to “Forgive them…” will always be our strength and one more victory for God. Thank you for sharing the moral courage pouring forth from your song.
Thank you. A few months ago I felt compelled to look up the word peace. I found this definition for peace: whole, complete on an online Hebrew dictionary. I have been praying with this meaning of the word peace for the past few months. Knowing that God is Life: peace (whole and complete) thus we as God’s reflection are whole and complete. Your song has added to my growing understanding of the word peace.
Thank you!! =) What a beautiful song!! Its really inspiring!!
Thank you so much Tabea and crew for this beautiful song. I felt spiritually inspired as I listened to the lyrics and gazed from my office window into the sunshine of a clear, cold winter’s day.
…’the world will remember the power of peace’.
Well done.
Beautiful Tabea. You told such an amazing story through song! THank you=)
Wow, what a powerful song. It’s beautiful to listen to, but even more so to be changed by. I really love this. Thank you so much for all that went into putting courage into words and melody, and sharing this with the world. I’m hugely inspired.
Love the theme, the moving/eerie accompaniment, and strong vocals. Lyrics and music are inspiring on their own, and very powerful together. Thank you!
This is the most amazing song – it moves me deeply every time I listen to it as it has a resonance of true courage and great love to really live an inspired life of radical acts. The music, the words, your singing – it all is a great gift. Thank you! I have been sharing it with so many friends and everybody loves it.
Beautiful song. Beautiful questions. Beautiful life, dear one.
:)