Best Easter songs for gospel choir

Behold The lamb

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"Behold the Lamb of God
Behold the Lamb of God"

A beautiful, reverent song that would also work for Palm Sunday.

Tempo: Slow
Key: Ab

Link: Lyrics and chords for Behold the Lamb of God

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 3/5
• For musicians: 3/5

The Blood Will Never Lose It's Power

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"It reaches to the highest mountain
And it flows to the lowest valley
The blood that gives me strength from day to day
It will never lose its power"

This one is a classic, both for choirs and for congregational singing. Everyone loves the rousing chorus. Did you know that Andrae Crouch was only 15 years old when he wrote this?

Tempo: Moderate
Key: Ab

Links:

• Lyrics to The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
• Chords for The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
• Piano tutorial video: How to play The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
• Sheet music for The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
• Instrumental version (downloadable) of The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power
• Instrumental version (on CD) of The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power

• For singers: 2/5
• For musicians: 2/5

Calvary (Album Version)

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"Surely
He died on Calvary"

A powerful song, using a blues feel to convey the intensity of the crucifixion. And the interplay between the lead singer and the choir is very nice. This song is also great for Good Friday.

It's a challenging song, though. If you plan to sing this one for Easter or Good Friday, start rehearsing it well in advance.

Tempo: Slow, but with a strong beat
Key: Starts in G minor, then moves to A minor, then Bb minor

Links:

• Lyrics to Calvary
• Chords for Calvary
• Piano-only accompaniment track for Calvary
• Help your choir learn the parts for Calvary! Practice tracks for the individual parts are available from ChoirParts.com
  • Soprano part for Calvary
  • Alto part for Calvary
  • First Tenor part for Calvary
  • Second Tenor part for Calvary

• For singers: 4/5
• For musicians: 3/5

The Rebirth Of Kirk Franklin

Amazon Price: $5.40 (as of 02/16/2012)

"Don't cry
Dry your eyes
He's not dead"

A very dramatic song with a Smallwood-esque feel. If you're planning to do two songs, don't make this one the first one, keep it for the end.

Tempo: Slow
Key: Bb, but parts of it feel like they're pulling you toward Db.

Link: Lyrics to Don't Cry
Link: Chords for Don't Cry
Link: Sheet music for Don't Cry from musicnotes.com

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 3.5/5
• For musicians: 3.5/5

I See A Crimson Stream of Blood (Album Version)

Amazon Price: (as of 02/16/2012)

"I see a crimson stream of blood
It flows from Calvary
Its waves that reach the throne of God
Are sweeping over me"

This is one of my very favorites. An uplifting contemporary choir arrangement of the great hymn by G. T. Haywood. This one is also appropriate for Good Friday.

Tempo: Moderate
Key: Ab

I couldn't find the lyrics to the choir version online, but here are the lyrics to the original hymn: I See a Crimson Stream of Blood.

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 3/5
• For musicians: 4/5

I'm A Newborn Soul

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"Just because He died for me
Shed His precious blood on Calvary
I'm newborn soul, I'm a newborn soul, soul
Today I'm free, right now I'm free"

A very contemporary sound. This one would be a great choice for a youth choir.

Tempo: Fast
Key: Db

Link: Lyrics to I'm a Newborn Soul
Link: Chords for I'm a Newborn Soul

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 3/5
• For musicians: 4/5

Jesus Rose (Album Version)

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"If you don't know by now
Jesus rose
And He lives"

A "don't leave Jesus on the cross" song.

Tempo: Fast
Key: Ab

Link: Lyrics to Jesus Rose

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 4/5
• For musicians: 4/5

Brothers & Sisters I Will Be Praying for You

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

They crucified my Savior
Crucified my Savior
One day on Calvary
They laid Him in the cold ground
Death could not hold Him down
He did it just for me

This song was written by someone I know personally! Bishop John Morris from Los Angeles. I grew up singing this one, but I hadn't included it on this page before because I thought it couldn't be found anywhere. The John Morris version isn't available any more.

But when a commenter (thank you, Reginald Wright!) asked about the song, I did some more research, and it turns out that it was also done on an album by Rev. James Moore. They changed a few words on the chorus -- they say "one day on Calvary" instead of "on lonesome Calvary" the way Bishop Morris does it -- but it's the same song.

So glad to be able to include this one! And here's a video link, too -- Just for Me.

Tempo: Moderate
Key: Ab

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 2/5
• For musicians: 2/5

Lamb Of God

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God"

This reverent song is good for either Good Friday or Easter.

Tempo: Slow
Key: This recording is in the key of Db

Link: Lyrics to Lamb of God
Link: Chords for Lamb of God (chords are in the key of A)

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 3/5
• For musicians: 2/5

Matthew 28

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"Destroy this temple
And in three days I will raise it up"

A very dramatic "concert piece" type of song, taken directly from scripture. This would also be a great song for your Praise Dance Team to perform to!

Tempo: Moderate
Key: Db / Bbm

Link: Lyrics to Matthew 28
Link: Chords for Matthew 28

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 5/5
• For musicians: 4/5

O the Blood

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"O the blood
Of Jesus
It will never lose its power"

This one is less well known, but I really like it.

Tempo: Moderate
Key: C

Link: Lyrics to O the Blood

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 3/5
• For musicians: 3/5

Precious Is The Blood

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"Oh, Lamb of God, crucified
For my sins He bled and died
And oh, how precious is the blood"

A very simple but lovely melody that encourages singing along (if you really want the congregation to sing along, though, you would need to make the lyrics available to them). It starts in unison and builds by doing key changes and adding harmonies.

Tempo: Slow
Key: Db, then D, Eb, E, F.

Links:

• Lyrics for Precious Is the Blood
• Chords for Precious Is the Blood
• Video for how to play Precious Is the Blood (The guy in the video doesn't talk through the chords, but you can see his right hand very clearly to see what he's playing)

• For singers: 2/5
• For musicians: 2/5

Redeemed v1.1

Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

"I've been redeemed, I've been redeemed

Redeemed, redeemed
My soul has been redeemed"

"Redeemed" only has a few words for the choir, and the lead part includes a lot of ad lib. This makes it a very good choice if you need to teach a song quickly. I have this song listed on my page of "one-rehearsal" choir songs.

Tempo: Slow
Key: C

Difficulty level:

• For singers: 1/5
• For musicians: 2/5