Amazing Grace (Hymn) ••• [LISTEN]
The pipes played this tune at Gesu Church during Paul's funeral.

Lyrics were written c.1772 by John Newton, a slave trader turned Christian minister, and years later set to the old pipe tune (of Scottish or Irish origin) that we associate with it today. Newton is said to have written the lyrics during a 'hymn writing competition' with another minister. They refer to personal salvation; Newton finally repudiated the evil of slavery only at the end of his life -- many years after the song was written -- transformed finally by the Lord's unending patience.

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

In her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe added this now-familiar final verse (possibly taken from another hymn):

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.

The Flowers of the Forest (Lament) ••• [LISTEN]
This sad, ancient Scottish lament is reserved today for services of remembrance, funerals, and other such occasions. The lyrics in Scots describe the grief of women and children at the loss of their young men gone too soon, their “flowers of the forest”.

Highland Cathedral (Slow Air) ••• [LISTEN]
One of Lou/Bill/Dad's favorites. Katie Berigan and her pipers played this modern (1985) tune at Paul's Irish Wake.

Katie Berigan said later that The Minstrel Boy means a great deal to her. It was the first tune she'd ever played in public, at the funeral of her father.

Two verses were written by Thomas Moore (1779-1852), set to the melody of "The Moreen", an ancient Irish aire. It is believed that Moore composed the song as a memorial to several of his friends, fellow student at Trinity College, who had participated in the 1798 rebellion of the United Irishmen. One died in prison, another was wounded, and a third captured and hung.

The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone
In the ranks of death you will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;

And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and brav'ry!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
They shall never sound in slavery!"

The song was a favorite of the many Irishmen who fought during the U.S. Civil War, primarily on the Union side. It was at this time that a third verse was added by unknown authors:

The Minstrel Boy will return we pray
When we hear the news we all will cheer it,
The minstrel boy will return one day,
Torn perhaps in body, not in spirit.

Then may he play on his harp in peace,
In a world such as Heaven intended,
For all the bitterness of man must cease,
And ev'ry battle must be ended.

Green Hills Of Tyrol (Retreat March) ••• [LISTEN]
Slow 'retreats' are tunes played at the close of the day. This tune was written during the Crimean War (1853-1856) by John MacLeod, Pipe Major of the famous 93rd Highlanders ("the thin red streak tipped with a line of steel"). He adapted it after hearing a Sardinian band play a melody used by Rossini in William Tell -- that was in turn based on a folk tune from the Alps.

The lyrics are about "The Scottish Soldier", weary of battle who wants to go home. This tune seems appropriate as we bring Paul's ashes to these mountain hills -- not the 'hills of home', yet nevertheless the home of his soul.

There was a soldier, a Scottish soldier
Who wandered far away and soldiered far away
There was none bolder, with good broad shoulder
He's fought in many a fray, and fought and won.
He'd seen the glory and told the story
Of battles glorious and deeds victorious
But now he's sighing, his heart is crying
To leave these green hills of Tyrol.

Chorus
Because these green hills are not highland hills
Or the island hills, they're not my land's hills
And fair as these green foreign hills may be,
They are not the hills of home.

And so this soldier, this Scottish soldier
Will wander far no more and soldier far no more
And on a hillside, a Scottish hillside
You'll hear a piper play his soldier home.
He'd seen the glory, he'd told his story
Of battles glorious and deeds victorious
The bugles cease now, he is at peace now
Far from those green hills of Tyrol.

Chorus