Freedom Samba

Over the years I’ve drawn on the resources of The Late Late Service, an alternative worship community based in Glasgow in the 1980s and 1990s. Their poetry, prayer and music (1990s electronica mostly) provided a welcome alternative to the middle of the road folk/rock/pop diet served up in most contemporary church services. A stand out for me has been “Freedom Samba”, a track put together by Andy Thornton and Doug Gay and released on the LLS album, God in the Flesh, Sticky Music 2004.

It’s a call and answer track – with each line in the verses repeated. Everyone’s together in the chorus, though you can have men and women taking on different parts. It’s a favourite at Ashmore Uniting and we’re using it tomorrow. In the past we’ve borrowed the backing from the album, but somehow I’ve misplaced the CD. So we’ll be branching out and using our own accompaniment, drums, bongos, shakers, tom toms, cow bells, whistles, tambourines and all. I think one of the reasons this song goes down so well is the chance to dance and sing – good for adults who aren’t too self conscious, not so easy for young adults who are worried about what people might think!

Freedom Samba Lyrics

God is our strength and salvation
Bringer of true liberation
God is the power in our weakness
Promise of life in completeness

[Chorus]
Freedom to move to a bigger rhythm
Freedom to live in the love of heaven
Freedom to dream of a new creation
Freedom to walk as a holy nation

God is the son of a woman
Measure of how to be human
God is the Christ who is risen
Giver of courage and vision

God is the love that enfolds us
God is the Father who holds us
God is the Mother who feeds us
God is the Servant who leads us

God is the joy of creation
Source of our life celebration
God is the author of meaning
God is our reason for dreaming

Andy Thornton & Doug Gay
Late Late Service © 1994 Sticky Music

See the music online and rhythms used by Late Late Service.

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