Isaiah 54 - “Sing You Barren Woman”

Isaiah 54 - Sing You Barren Woman (Instrumental)

As strange as it sounds, I wrote this song before I wrote songs. I worked out the piano part long before I played piano. Thanks to a recording feature on the piano, as well as on my phone, I worked out a pretty little tune and some lyrics that were moving to me. The lyrics were easy enough to write, I basically just reworked the entirety of Isaiah chapter 54 to sound slightly more poetic.

Back then, I sat in my little basement apartment on my electronic keyboard that was a half-step sharp. I pulled off some meager multi-track recording which then sat as an MP3 on my phone for YEARS!

Eventually, I handed the project over to a friend who is an extremely talented piano player. His skilled ear and musical talent took this song to the next level. It is his piano playing that you hear on the recorded track and, even though I now play, that will always be true. I fully credit Corey Johnson, not only for his magnificent performance, but for his contribution to the arrangement and dynamic of the piece. Bottom line, the bridge wouldn’t exist without him.

When I was able to switch out the phone recordings that I carried with me, Corey’s version became the one I built on. The night that I handed the song over to Corey to work on, a group of us were playing several different songs. My friend Sabrina was on her cello, an instrument I love! We talked about what a cello part would sound like in this song.

Like a crazy person who has no sound mixing equipment or know-how, I used a video iPod (tells you how long ago this was) and my phone at the time and used back and forth recordings to layer myself humming out a cello part over the piano. Additionally, making a high-pitched trumpet sound with my lips, I mapped out what I would like the horn section to sound like for this song.

With little more done to it, that’s how the song remained for a very, very long time: a beautiful piano part, and a mouth-mimicked orchestra accompaniment that could never rival what I pictured in my head.

I recently had a musician friend visit and he asked if I had produced any of my songs. The answer really is, no. Not beyond some YouTube recordings. (Though there are three in progress!) He explained how he has been using the free online tool “BandLab” to produce his own music and get it out there.

The fact is, I am not an audio engineer. However, I know exactly how I want this Isaiah 54 song to sound. So I got to work in layering in some midi tracks to make this piece sound as full and epic as it is in my head. As of this publication, the song is not really done. It won’t be until I have completed a vocal track for it. Because, like I said, I do have lyrics and the song is powerful and meaningful to me. It’s not quite done.

HOWEVER, this is a surreal moment to hear it the way that I’ve heard it in my head for years and years. And I am ecstatic to show it to my friends and audience. Particularly those who are aware of the journey it has taken to get here. This song resonates with me deeply. And I hope that with the fantastically deep tuba part that I wrote into the track that it will resonate with you as well!

Stay tuned for more versions of this song as time goes on and opportunity expands.

Sing, you barren woman

Burst into song and shout for joy

The children of the desolate woman

Will be more than those of she who’s wed

Stretch out the poles of your tent

Lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes

You will spread out to the right and to the left

And your sons will possess the nations

For your Maker is your Husband

The LORD over Heavenly Armies is His name

The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer

He will be LORD over all the earth

Anger hid Me from you for a moment

But I’ll gather you with great compassion

Just as the waters of Noah, I swear I won’t rebuke you again

The mountains may collapse and the hills may reel

But My love won’t depart from you

You who’s been passed back and forth, afflicted one, behold!

I’ll lay your foundations with sapphires, gates of jewels and walls of precious stones

Your children will be taught by the LORD, they’ll be great in prosperity

I made the blacksmith who stokes the coals in the fire

I made the waster who only knows how to destroy

No weapon formed against you shall prevail

Judging tongues that lie, you shall condemn

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD

This is the righteousness of Me, saith the LORD