“Hear My Song” for a New 2021

January 1, 2021, at last a day that isn’t 2020.  There were times when it felt like we might not make it, but the day we’d been waiting for has finally arrived. Never has the end of a year been so eagerly anticipated and desired by everyone at once.

But as with any new year, the simple act of flipping over the calendar doesn’t automatically leave the trouble of past behind.  We still face a pandemic that even with a vaccine is now “out of control;” the humanitarian consequences of COVID19; seditious fallout from the presidential election; and our reckoning with racial and social justice.

2020 was exhausting mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually with little to no respite or time to recharge.  Now in 2021, our work continues on, but the thing flipping over the calendar does do is renew our hope and our belief in tomorrow.

Songs for a New World by Tony Award winner, Jason Robert Brown is described by the composer as “… about one moment. It’s about hitting the wall and having to make a choice, or take a stand, or turn around and go back.” The finale is an ode to holding on and believing with a familiar lesson about listening and hearing each other that we learned during 2020.

From the 2018 City Center Off Center Concert of Songs For a New World starring Shoshana Bean, Solea Pfeiffer, Mykal Kilgore, Collin Donnell, “Hear My Song”

 

“Hear My Song” by Jason Robert Brown

Child, I know you’re weary
And your eyes want to close
The days are getting longer
We’re not getting any stronger
Trust me,
Mama knows

But lie in my arms while you’re sleeping
And think of the rivers you’ve crossed
I’ll tell you the dreams I’ve been keeping
For moments like this
When your hope is lost

Hear my song
It’ll help you believe in tomorrow
Hear my song
It’ll show you the way you can shine
Hear my song
It was made for the time
When you don’t know where to go
Listen to the song that I sing
You’ll be fine

Child, I know you’re frightened
And your throat’s parched and dry
But just trust in Mama’s singing
And the gift tomorrow’s bringing
Trust it, don’t ask why

Just lie in my arms
And I’ll tell you
The things that you know but forget
The lies no one ever could sell you
I know that it’s hard
But don’t give up get

Hear my song
It’ll help you believe in tomorrow
Hear my song
It’ll show you the way you can shine
Hear my song
It was made for the times
When you don’t know where to go
Listen to the song that I sing
You’ll be fine

‘Cause I’ll be singing ‘
Hold on
Hold tight
I know it’s dark right now
But just believe somehow
That soon there will be light

Hold on
Hold fast
That’s not enough for some
But trust the light will come
And we’ll get past
You and Mama
Safe at last

Hear my song
It’ll help us get through til tomorrow
Hear my song
It’ll help us survive all the pain
Hear my song
It’s the one thing I have
That has never let you down

Listen to the song that I sing
Listen to the words in my heart
Listen to the hope I can bring
And you’ll start to grow
And shine

Listen to the song that I sing
And trust me
We’ll be fine

A new world calls across the ocean…