Prayer of the Children Heartland Men's Chorus

[USmarine0813]

it was ment to help with all religions.. i think you can agree that most Buddists feel that this is sad too, but they do not beleive the same that you or i do.

[josgvis]

Beautiful.

The UNC Clefhangers have a beautiful rendition of this song too.

[Typhlosionism]

Awesome singing! Your outfits don't match though and its kinda distracting. lol I love the bass part on this song, it fits soo well and makes the whole song beautiful!!!

[tripletrules]

@jojojootlewootle This prayer-song was written to Jesus.

Next time you write something profound, don't be offended when I change all the important parts and make it as bland and generalized as possible, ok?

[melinkoe]

@tripletrules Personally, having sung this song with this particular lyrical change (as noted by HMChorus, is an option in the score), this is far more profound than reaching out to god. The children reach out to whomever may be able to provide some help, some refuge from their daily plight of attempting to survive, for just one more day. god, while powerful, does not act directly to put food in the mouths of these children. Does not stop the bullets from flying. Does not. Will not.

[neuroplasmius]

I like the song and I'm sure the choir is good but the recording sucks! You can't hear some of the frequencies and depth!

[psychlgclwarfare]

i fell in love with this song when the men's choir at my school sang it. there were 8 of them, and i could hear the harmonies so well. i lost a lot of the bass in this arrangement, or perhaps it was just the performance. But not my favorite version.

[nolanK13]

This is a song written by Kurt Bestor as a tribute to the childen of war-torn Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

[RabidIceWeasel]

Specifically the ones at a children's hospital he made deliveries to that he came back to see entirely destroyed at one point. Dx

[Singact02]

Personally I think all you arguing over the text are missing the message. It doesn't matter what the text is, it matters what the message behind it was and trying understand what the children felt and need. Stop worrying so much about religion or no religion and just concentrate on the message. Think of it this way...if you had been there and saw a child on his/her knees, would it matter to you if they said 'Who will' or 'Jesus?' Wouldn't you have wanted and tried to help in either case?

[assassinXinXtraining]

I happen to be an atheist and I like that they changed it to 'Who will'. It does say at the bottom of the score that you can switch it out. We didn't at my school, and it's an ugly sound, but whatever. I have to agree though that it is supposed to be a prayer and people pray to Jesus, not random strangers. Akward..

[jamison850]

The children who were dying in Bosnia, who watched their parents be killed weren't crying "who will help me?", they were crying "Jesus, help me". No matter what your religious beliefs are, that is a powerful message. The change in text is one hundred percent unnecessary and truly takes away from the message of the song.

[copperonetwothree]

i completly agree with jamison850, regardless of your beliefs the text shouldnt be changed. you should respect the context.. nothing is more powerful then pleading.. can you imagine children on their hands and knees praying out to a higher power one that gives them hope? (jesus) this song is so beautiful and it shouldnt be changed

[Bartdown13]

Wow... my high school chorus did a better performance of this song. if they would have did there back ground work they would have seen that the man who wrote this was a minister so it was MENT to have JESUS. that makes me mad when ppl change a song jt cuz it says Jesus. it was ment as a spitural song. i dont like it. and why is there a death-enturpert person on the side lines... who would bring a death person to a CHORUS CONCERT!!! thats like feeding a anerexic person a cupcake.. it just dont ma

[StandardToaster1000]

well... first off they are Deaf people... not death... that's a compleatly different thing (although i found the interpreter distracting as well :P). yes the person who wrote this was a minister however some choirs choose to change it from "cryin' JESUS help me" to "WHO WILL help me" just because it is a better vowel shape and carrys the sound of the note more easily. also if you say jesus it has a bias and doesn't speak to the ENTIRE world.

[cdvitek1]

dude your a fucking idiot, first off in this country whether you like it or not (not sayin i agree with it) you have to be politcally correct. and second of your a fucking too for saying "death people" dude go back to the fuckin 3rd grade and learn basic vocab before you go on and bash people. your a fucking twit more for the second then the first, but honestly i have never heard anyone mix those up. you should probably just bang your head against a wall, you might get smarter goin down ur track

[jtho1991]

i dont like the fact that there are so many of them. it ruins the song for me. and the fact that they replaced jesus with who will is a shame cause that isn't how it was written.

[27Reesie27]

Actually, it was written with an astris indicating that the words 'who will' can be used as an alternative for 'Jesus.' But I do agree-- it sounds better with 'Jesus.' It adds a dramatic effect. (:

[msdwyer21889]

I like the lack of emotion. Also the fact that they replaced "Crying Jesus" with "Who will" makes the song that much better. Nothing pleases like dead faces and bodies singing about dead children in a spiritually dead society where death is all around us. It make it seem as if death it the only inspiration for us to keep on living. What a dead performance. Sorry but that is seriously what this is.

[leaveno1behind]

Your missing the point. Listen to the lyrics, they tell a story with a very deep meaning.

[msdwyer21889]

I know the lyrics. I have sung this piece. I am talking about the performance. There are over 100 men their and yet their depth sounds like the men's chorus at my old high school. Not to mention they look as if they are not involved in the music. I almost fell asleep watching this. Their vowels are closed and the chorus flirts with the underside of the pitch the entirety of the piece. The original lyrics tell us the only one that can "help" is Jesus. Without him the song is meaningless.

[katydid267]

It needs the "Jesus" in there. I'm sorry, I realize the sheet music says it's interchangeable, but I'd doubt the kids who died in the hospital that day in which the doctor/composer was writing about were worrying all that much about being politically correct.

[koshorty1]

they are good singers...but for goodness sake, keep the words the same. Don't take out Jesus because you're afraid of the word.

[toddcubit]

I Agree completley. Why alternate the text, we don't alternate handels or mozarts text.

[GarlicToast]

The sheet music itself says that Jesus is interchangeable with "Who will", and while using Jesus is emotionally powerful to Christians, using "who will" opens up the lyrics to others who might not be Christian. That's like others singing Allah help me, it's not as personal to them. This way they're not being exclusionary.

[TwistingWays]

Truth! "Angry GODS," not angry men. You are taking away from the power of the words.

[imsingingintheshower]

When I sang this song, we said angry eyes. It suggests that people in general aim their anger at teh children, rather than simply being angry.

[THSChoir]

I do not like the low key. The original key would have tuned better. There were several parts where the intonnation was completely wrong. It's angry "Guns", not "Men". However, "who will help me" still had much emotion, but "Crying Jesus" suits the song so much more.

[slotcaraj]

Id agree.. Jesus will help, not who will help..

[Sharkbait1213]

The Jesus/ Who will "debate" aside, did they also change Angry Guns to Angry Men?

[foxxyboy1422]

agreed. but it is still amazing

[romanianpin]

i think that they dropped it down an octave

lol

[Frenchyboy13]

they didnt

[JoeyLealThe3rd]

Do you even know what an octave is? Lol, I'm just givin' you shit, but that's nowhere near an octave. They did, however, drop it down a little bit.

[shlikengargle]

does anyone notice the translater in the corner? its gets me thinking on why the hell would deaf pplz would show up at this thing, its like a blind guy going to the movies

[mclemmon]

ha ha yeah i noticed that too. thats really funny. nice analogy

[KakoiDedikuSan]

Because not everyone is 100% deaf, most aren't actually - they just have a very low percentage of hearing. They can feel the vibrations and possibly hear most of the notation, they just need a translator to clarify the words.

So, maybe you should get educated a little before ASSuming anything. Good day.

[mercyangel10]

I just want to clarify that the proper term is "interpreter," not "translator." I am an American Sign Language Interpreter. =] Good day!

[Triairius]

It adds to the concert. In shows I'm in, we always get comments on our Sign Language Interpreters and how much they bring to the show.

[AriceliCollins]

question...what happened to the

Dali cujete sve djecje molitive

part? Was that taken out also, or did I not hear it? The sound fof this choir is lovely.

[aldave14]

great job, the story behind this is the composer was a doctor in a country like yugoslavia and he was working at the childrens hospitle and he left to go get supplies and the place was bombed, killing all in it. so he came back to the united states and wrote this song, commemorating the lost children and the war happening over there, so when you sing this song, embody that emotion and i think you guys did a great job =]

[water05201]

Jesus will still be there when they turn to Him.

[manaposh]

I'm loving the fact that nobody seems to realize that this is a Gay Men's Chorus singing a traditionally "Christian" sounding piece of music. CHANGING the LYRICS is not uncommon in choral music. You will hear it the way you think your mind will hear it. For those of you who have your panties in a twist about the lyric swap: GIVE IT UP! Enjoy this beautiful composition. I for one think it's a tad bit too slow...but the group's tone is lovely!

[CoWdUdE132]

i completely agree with you, in fact we are doing this in my choir and we changed it to "who will help me?" because it is a better vowel sound. also it is kind of like asking the audience to get involved.

[bigwavedave619]

not enough emotion

[kukinney]

very true. i think there just singing it not feeling it. even the composer is boring.

[howboutnow222]

they call it "ALL GODS CHILDREN" but they take the JESUS out of the song/. are you for real?! thats sad that they do that just not to offend people. its about Gods saving grace! =\

[davidwu191]

maybe not all people/children take jesus as their god? no offense, but there are other religions in the world...

[TOSfreak7]

yeah but it was originally written with Jesus in it...so if they didn't want Jesus in there, they should have picked a different song

[dearheartbreaker]

actually the composer had it written either way because he respected that more people might be able to relate to the words "who will" than Jesus.

as much as i respect Christianity, it is far from the only religion in the world. the composer allowed for that, and there's no reason why the audience shouldn't either.

[actingissocool]

Just like their "redition" of Make Them Hear You, there's just no emotion. Again, it's boring.

[SporadicLove]

This is really nice, we had 4 boys who sang this, spilt parts.. I wish we had it on recording.. it was amazing for high school level. just amazing.

[Sp0s]

We did it with 8, and I promise you that I WILL get a recording of it, along with a video and overlay the quality audio, because it is absolutely top freaking notch, man.

[tripletrules]

Why did they say "who will help me" instead of "crying Jesus help me"?

I mean, I'm not offended or anything...I just think it's funny that even in a song that's titled "PRAYER of the children", people feel uncomfortable saying the name of Jesus.

I mean don't get me wrong, they can say whatever they want...it's a free country...

I just think it's funny...and a little sad.

Beautiful voices though. I enjoyed it.

[CostlySalmon]

That's the "alternate lyrics". But yea it kills the song 'cos when your listening all you can think of is the fact that they changed it. Beautiful voices though, but why such a low key? it makes the lower chords at the start a lil messy. The rest is really good though.

[ilovethebeatles09]

haha seriously! they should have changed the title for their concert to needs of the childern!

[omgangiepants]

Christians don't have the monopoly on prayer.

[tripletrules]

Never said Christians did have the monopoly on prayer, omgangiepants.

I was commenting on how this song's ORIGINAL LYRICS have been changed from "crying JESUS help me" to "crying WHO WILL help me".

I was commenting on the peculiarity of the aforementioned situation, and how it seemed to detract from an otherwise beautiful concert of voices.

Please don't be ma at me, as I has no intention of coming off as rude.

[Dorker42]

I agree I was actually going to comment on that myself. I think singing "crying Jesus help me" adds more emotion. It's more like a cry for help or a prayer as opposed to just a question.

[tripletrules]

How insightful...I actually hadn't thought of that.

[jojojootlewootle]

@tripletrules Not every prayer is to Jesus.

[TheInfectiousGroove]

The low bass is badass with all those men. However, there is some old ass man with his old ass man vibrato that is warbling out of control. Don't get me wrong though, vibrato is good, just not when it sounds like that.

[Hyrule078]

its nice to hear a lagre group of voices sing this song,, Yet. i doesnt have any FEELING... am i wrong? listen to the recording i have uploaded of a choir made of highschool kids.

[michaelangieoo]

their still are some mistakes in the music such as at 3:08 it is susposed to say angry guns, trust me, there is no alternate text, im looking at the music right now. Also it is disspointing to not hear the true ending.

[TRutters]

I think that both ways with "jesus" or "who will" are fine, but I would really like to hear the Croation text at the end, and I see that has been replaced in this rendition. don't get me wrong, it is still beautiful and it gets a message out there but I like it with the croation. that's my opinion

[softtrumpet]

No, the lyrics read it as with "Jesus," but the alternate text is "who will." Trust me, I've looked at this music every day this week-- my choir is singing it.

Nice job, guys!!!

[mtnhiker27]

How sad to hear/see original lyrics changed, so as not to "offend" someone! Why can't there be acceptance of a beautiful song and its original lyrics?

How dare 'denverscott2' to try and "interpret" Kurt Bestor's words! If your interpretation is what he intended, then I'm sure he'd have written it as "Who will". It's quite obvious he was lamenting for the help of Jesus.

The song is very touching and I was proud to sing it in a barbershop chorus... in its original form.

[HMChorus]

The composer DID write "who will."

The lyric "who will help me" (as opposed to "Jesus help me") is included as an alternate lyric in the published score. No unauthorized change was made. Ironically, this performance was from a concert entitled "All God's Children" which examined issues of faith.

[SoMuchLaughter]

I found the irony in that one too. "All God's Children" but we can't mention Jesus? ... Alright?

And I'm quite annoyed that the choir didn't sing the Croatian part at the end...

[Takhilin]

@mtnhiker27 Um... The composer DID write "who will". It's an alternate set of lyrics that is actually printed on the music, so... don't be a douche about it. :P

[blpierce22]

@mtnhiker27 i totally agree....i had to really listen to catch it, but it is heartbreaking that they would change such beautiful lyrics just to keep it "politically correct"

[LifeInGminor]

The origional lyrics are "Jesus" and being a man of christ i do think it should stay that way, but we performed this for our mens sectional for District Choir. although it is softer and better vowel shapes with "who will"

`God Bless

[GoldenHarpy]

This is a beautiful song, no matter the lyrics ^^

[ChuckNorrisFan101]

crying Who will help me to see the morning light of one more day.

Your answer:

Jesus.

Change the lyrics to Jesus, not who will.

[Silverfrond]

And if we aren't Christian?

[DarkHopeSyn]

Why turn a beautiful song into a religious debate?

[TeeCue]

than deal with it...thats how its written.

[WoWRoX1]

the lyrics are technically written, crying jesus help me to see the morning light, of one more day. ( as well as in the other places with a different after phrase) it wasnt made as a religeous song, but one mans recognition of suffering in his own country, and the suffering in other countries of children. Children need a figure to look up to even in the worst of times, why not jesus. he is after all the epitome of all perfection, and is a good roll-model for children

[slafasto]

The tone of the song is completely different when it's "Who Will?".  The narrator of the song is then asking a question of who will help instead of saying "Jesus Help Me!" It leaves the narrator feeling lost not knowing where to turn... We're not trying to force Jesus down your throats, but the song has a whole different meaning when the lyrics are changed.

[Candie4JC]

i agree! it was written with the word Jesus because that's how it was written. its a gorgeous piece either way and if you're too against one man who died for you sins to realize that and you ignore the piece, then thats stupidity.

chrisitian (amen!) or not, cherish this piece. it's about the suffering of God's children. or just children, depending on what you believe.

[denverscott2]

Don't you people realize how many kids there are out there who do not know about Jesus? These kids are asking "Who will help me" so that the rest of us may take the opportunity given to us by God to teach them who can help. So many of you are so focused on criticizing the word change you don't recognize the chance to witness. God doesn't love us because of the rules we keep, He loves us because of the love we give. I think it is more powerful with "Who will" and tells me there is work to do.

[markbuhler007]

all i have to say is thank you for finaly getting the message that god is trying to instill its about time some one did.

[schwemjazz2]

it was written by a missionary, there are all sorts of songs that are not changed because of the authenticity of it. Just because many people do not know Jesus dopes not mean that it should be taken out, how then will they kno jesus, Jesus is not politically correct, and neither is God. In the bible in revelation , Jesus won't come back until the gospel is preached to all nations and all tongues. Your right that has yet to happen, but it should happen.

[iMEGAPHONEE]

this gives me chills its so good

as for the whole "who will" or "jesus" thing

let it be

seriously

its a lyric in a song

simmer down

[disengagedXdreams]

i love this song. more than anything. but i do not like the "who will help me". it's just not as powerful. that being said...it's so lovely that i over look it.

[robkjedi]

As one of the men singing in this video, I feel more empowered with the lyric "who will" instead of Jesus. For me, it calls all people who follow Jesus to be his hands in the world - to allow Jesus - or whatever deity one follows - to work through and in us. It also challenges all people to help those in need. Calling everyone to action, not letting them 'off the hook' and letting Jesus take care of it.

[robkjedi]

Additionally, I believe this came through more in the context of the concert this is from. Get the DVD. This concert is probably the single most important thing I have ever done. It said everything in my heart much more clearly than I could ever do by myself.

[GryffindorGrrlGW]

my school sang this song last year, and "who will" is in the original score as alternate lyrics, but I do feelt that it should be performed with "Jesus" instead, because that is how it was written and originally intended. I understand the change, but I disagree...I think the original lyrics are much more powerful.

[TakiXMiyamoto]

You must also take into account that everyone that listens to this song won't always be a follower of 'Jesus'. Plus, not every man in this chorus was anything that worshipped 'Jesus'. When we performed it, we performed the word "Jesus" but still, not everyone will appriciate the song if it is towards something they don't see as important to them.

[Rocker104104]

This was good. I don't like the alternate lyrics though. Check out my video wil the original text.

[Grsz11]

disagree..saying "who will" gives it a more universal feel, like it can be asked to anybody

[rubis2006]

alot of choruses that arent religiously based used the words "who will" so that they wouldnt offend anyboyd. I had to do that in my chorus in highschool.

[foreskoreandseven]

The lyrics are better the original way.

[whelp128]

You mean when they say "jesus" instead of "who will"? I think it sounds beter that way. It makes it seem more like a prayer.

[foreskoreandseven]

I agree, its much more powerful as "jesus" instead of "who will"

[redsoxcowboysjazz]

Excellent! You guys have some great tenors. And baritones and basses for that matter

[georgebaggy]

the SATB version is more powerful i think. but this is a great choir.

[DirtyRottenScoundrel]

I'm not christian, like many others in the world, and the bottom line is that saying 'who will help me' as opposed 'jesus help me' helps the true message of the song get across to everyone, as opposed to only Xians. The song is about the children, not your saviour, so try and get over yourself and let the beauty of the song's true intent touch your heart without the word jesus helping you feel self-righteous... just my two-cents.

[utritium]

Please just enjoy the music. Don't trash Christians just because you don't agree with what we believe. By trashing people you are disrespecting the memory of these children who didn't know if they would wake up alive the next day.

[utritium]

Please just enjoy the music. By trashing people in this post you are disrespecting the memory of these children who didn't know if they would wake up the next morning and put up this prayer for hope and faith in Christ to take there spirit if they were not to wake up.

[MattyColonna]

ur a fucking asshole

fuck u bitch

jesus pwns

[DirtyRottenScoundrel]

...how mature of you...

And I'm not disrespecting you, it's just that this song isn't to glorify Xians, but to serve as the voice of the children. They're not all Xian, for your information. So get over yourself.

[MattyColonna]

disrespect this dick son

take ur opinions and get the fuck out of here. bitch

[jedicuddler]

These are the only lyrics I've heard for this song. *shrug* I love it. And I've never heard it as a full choir, only men. I think it would be a little weird with the female part. That's just me though. ^_^

[ZeroLimitz18]

very dissapointin to change the lyrics like that...just take a major concept right out of the meaning of the song...the song is "Prayer" of the children and you take out jesus? i get that its "politically correct" but still is a major dissapointment to change such a beautiful song...great song but still saddens me...

[HMChorus]

The lyric "who will help me" (as opposed to "Jesus help me") is included as an alternate lyric in the published score. No unauthorized change was made. Ironically, this performance was from a concert entitled "All God's Children" which examined issues of faith.

[Siobhan2010]

Odds bodkins... this is just incredible.

I like the "who will" swap... a more accurate statement about whose responsibility it is to help the children, in my opinion.

[0o0vl0o0]

Beautiful.

That's all that you can say about it!

[KakoiDedikuSan]

Why on earth are more and more people taking 'Jesus' out of the song...do your schools still say the pledge of allegiance? Great vocals though! Listen to my choir perform this at the D-day beaches of Normandy: youtube dot com/watch?v=kXVFJqzEEds

[wdstick]

Well no, my school doesn't say the pledge of allegance, because the entire world is not the USA! Not all countries have institutionalised brainwashing from such a young age.

[KakoiDedikuSan]

I wouldn't say brainwashing, that's a bit harsh. Since posting this my views have changed on a lot of things. I still adore this song and always loved performing it; it still sounds nice without women in the mix.

[wdstick]

Congratulations on your epiphany.

[SandDune711]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this of this song, its always better with a large group of people, slower, and you can tell people feel the song when they have their eyes closed while singing it.

**BUT** Actually singing JESUS in the song would have made me like it a lot more.

[Choiboy525]

Thanks for the upload! I think this is the best recording of this song on you tube...