BBC One - Songs of Praise, The UK’s Favourite Hymn (12/07/2020)

tens of thousands of you have voted for the hymn you love the most so on today's songs of praise we're counting down the top 10 to the uk's favorite him we have amazing star performances from the length and breadth of the country including daniel o'donnell in northern ireland fairground attractions eddie reader in scotland the kingdom choir on the isle of wights and catherine jenkins in wales here in leicester's de montfort hall we have lots of star guests including leslie garretts and britain's got talent winner colin thackery they'll lead more than a thousand voices as we count down the top 10 hymns which received the most votes and i'll be singing along too with my good friend russell watson plus we have a wonderful orchestra conducted by ken burton the fabulous de montfort university gospel choir and songs of praise young choir of the year perfect pitch welcome to songs of praise and the uk's favorite hymn a warm welcome to norfolk hall here in leicester for this very special edition of songs of praise many thousands of you have voted for the hymn you love the most so on today's show we're counting down the 10 most popular to the uk's favorite hymn but before we begin our countdown what is it that makes hims and him singing so special well to tell us what she thinks please welcome to the stage one of the stars of hollywood's blockbusters black panther and venom it's chopi aluko a hollywood superstar ladies and gentlemen and what's even better than that it's a hollywood superstar that loves her hymns i do i absolutely love my hymns my life has just been a faith journey and whenever i just don't have any words to pray i just go to him it just just comes into my head and then i just feel this calm and this just protection from the lord and it's incredible because i schooled here i lived in england for many years and actually being here this was my mother's favorite show um i didn't want to tell you that but i'm getting very emotional about it and so i know that my parents probably colluded with god to have me here of course they did we can't have you here without talking about wakanda black panther uh what was it like being in that iconic film oh well it was incredible we actually had church on set a number of times we sang hymns and worshiped the lord and it was just beautiful and it was just i can't say enough about it the fact that there were christians in set and um we all got together and we're still friends till now brilliant yes but we are thrilled that you're here this evening aren't we ladies and gentlemen yes a round of applause for sophia [Applause] so we begin with number 10 an incredibly popular modern ansem i the lord of sea and sky also known as here i am lord by the american songwriter dan shoot [Music] one of my clear memories of i the lord of sea and sky was sitting at my desk with this blank piece of staff paper in front of me saying a prayer to god where do i begin somehow i was led to those stories of the call of the prophets jeremiah samuel isaiah in the old testament and as i read those stories it clicked for me i believe that that here i am lord is popular because of the the relationship that it sets up with a very personal god you know some of the hymns that we write are about god here i am lord is actually a formed and fashioned and structured as as a conversation it's a dialogue between god and us [Music] uh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh is [Music] me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] that was absolutely wonderful ladies and gentlemen well we're really blessed today because we're about to hear from the man who wrote our next hymn be still for the presence of the lord that's been voted number nine and we have one of the country's top sopranos to lead the congregation in performing it please welcome to the stage david evans and leslie garrett [Applause] lovely to see both of you uh first things first congratulations for being in the top ten thank you do you remember the first time that any choir or any colleagues of yours performed it we had a big christian conference coming up that my church was involved in and i thought maybe i might see if people want to sing it there so i performed it to her to a group of musicians and i was just absolutely stunned by the response um half the group were kneeling and and several were were weeping gently and i thought gosh this is a bit scary because i've never experienced anything like that before it was then that i began to realize that maybe i'd written actually something that had a bit of a bit of power to it well uh one of the world's greatest voices is about to sing it especially for us um how do you feel leslie when you're performing this hymn oh truly inspired it's a wonderful piece you've written an absolute gem i love the way the words and the music build you start with the the presence of the lord and then the glory and then the power of the lord and by the end of the song you're in no doubt that the lord is going to fix everything and i've known you for years leslie you do enjoy singing a hymn i do enjoy singing i am i do absolutely and this one it ticks all the boxes without further ado thank you ever so much for david evans and to lead us now the one and only leslie garrett [Applause] [Music] is [Music] and [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is he is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Applause] at number eight is a well-loved traditional hymn with a message of forgiveness and redemption amazing grace is definitely one of the uk's favorite hymns here's a new version of this timeless classic performed in scotland by the glaswegian singer-songwriter eddie reda from fairground attraction and it's a hymn which really means a lot to her it's a spiritual song but you don't have to belong to any kind of religion or sect to love it and the energy in it is about how weak we are and how we all need a little bit of help sometimes and i i find it in that song more than any other hymn zayn grace how sweet the sound that saved [Music] i once was lost but now i'm found was blind but now i see [Music] twas grace that taught [Music] my fears [Music] appeared [Music] i first [Music] believed [Music] [Music] was lost but now i found was [Music] i see [Music] well ladies and gentlemen isn't this fantastic and at number seven in our countrywide poll of the uk's favorite hymns i have to declare an interest as a welshman because you've chosen a hymn that's synonymous with the land of song it is guide me o thou greats redeemer and it's the favorite hymn of comedian and former choirboy lloyd griffith how are you good to see you thanks for having me with a name like lloyd griffith you've got to be welsh i'm not welsh no it's very weird i'm from grimsby that's close i know yeah but you were a choir boy i was a quiet boy yeah and said james parish church in grimsby from the age of seven to well when my voice broke okay um and you used to sing guide me with a great redeemer it was one of the first hymns that i remember singing in church and the thing i remember about it was that the altos and bates is getting very happy about it because it's always the sopranos antennas that get the glory in the description and then the altos and basses as soon as this comes in they're kind of like you know you can see the shoulders are going back for the little destination moments it is their moment um so that was one of the first uh hymns i remember singing and it's synonymous with sporting events too of course not just the rugby well not just the rugby i remember going to blundell park home of grimsby town fc um didn't get that a cheer that time did it okay um and then when grimsby scored the chant was you're not singing anymore but to the tune of come ronda and i was like what's going on this is we sing this in church what's what's fantastic you know it's such a it's such a lovely hymn it's got amazing words but for me it's that it's that melody that just really powers it towards the end good on you ladies and gentlemen the comedian lloyd griffith [Applause] and here is guide me oh thou great redeemer from saint davis cathedral in pembrokeshire led by the welsh tenor win evans barren land i am weak but thou art mighty hold me with thy powerful hand [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] me [Music] is is [Music] is [Music] uh our next him voted in at number six is generally thought of as a patriotic hymn but in fact the words were rewritten back in 1918 to reflect the devastation and huge loss of life in world war one and the final verse points us to the other country of heaven and eternal life if you haven't already guessed it our next hymn is i vow to thee my country and here to sing it is chelsea pensioner and britain's got talent winner colin zachary they love you colin oh wonderful this is a great hymn to sing isn't it it is yes how do you feel when you're up here on stage singing something like i vow to thee my country well it sort of reminds me of the time when i first joined the army because one takes a vow to serve queen and country and it sort of sums the whole thing up really do you feel that there's a connection between you and god when you're singing it yes of course of course and it's since joan my wife passed away which is the reason i'm now in chelsea i've sort of gone gone back to church if you've known i mean um i fee i feel the need and singing songs like this helps well we're delighted that you're here tonight uh aren't we ladies and [Applause] [Music] gentlemen [Music] i vow to thee [Music] [Music] the service of my love the love that asks no question the love that stands the test [Music] the love that never falls the love that pays the price the love that makes undaunted [Music] reform [Music] me [Music] oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] at number five is a very moving and familiar hymn the beautiful abide with me it's a prayer in musical form and we're about to hear a poignant performance by the kingdom choir on the isle of wight their inspirational leader karen gibson explains why it's special to her abide with me is one of my favorite hymns i've grown up singing it all my life in church and although it's associated with funerals and remembrance it's actually a song of worship and a song of hope and of great anticipation looking forward to the afterlife with jesus the darkness deep [Music] hands let us please with me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] me [Music] [Music] join the me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] with me in death oh lord [Applause] at number four in our top ten is the ever-popular hymn dear lord and father of mankind and it's the favorite of our very own katherine jenkins before we hear her leading the congregation at st david's cathedral in south wales here's catherine to tell us why this particular hymn means so much to her it's a him i love to sing as a chorister i think purely because of a beautiful melody but as i've got older i really appreciate the sentiment more than ever that no matter how busy and hectic our modern lives are god's voice can still cut through and speak to us in a calm and tranquil way lord and father [Music] is [Music] is praise [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] is still a small voice [Applause] in third place we have the wonderful modern hymn in christ alone written in 2000 this hymn has lyrics that continue to resonate with christians throughout our country and indeed the world and i'm delighted we have stuart town and one of the hymns co-writers here today welcome him onto stage stuart you're in the top three i know it's amazing wow i'm really surprised it's even in the top ten so it's there's such amazing hymns that have been sung you must feel so proud yeah i mean i think feel humbled because um it is a modern hymn so it's kind of competing with a lot of much much older more established hymns so it is amazing it's an amazing feeling and where did it come from stewart oh gosh i wish there was a really exciting story but there isn't i met uh the co-writer keith getty and uh we met in a at a conference and then he said i've got some hymn tunes that i want to send you so he sent me the hymn tunes on a cd because this is kind of you know not really yes it's right um and so he sent it and the first tune on it that he was just playing on the piano i just thought actually this is a really really good tune well you mentioned keith getty he now lives in nashville unfortunately he couldn't be with us this evening but he has sent us this lovely message hi there everyone and greetings from nashville tennessee we are honored to be included on this illustrious list the true story of in christ alone is i actually find an unpaid electricity bill in my office on the back of it i'd written a melody and i played it and recorded it and sent it to stewart and a couple of months later we had in christ alone and the rest is history we hope all of you have a fantastic evening we wish we could be there and we hope you can know the heights of love and depths of peace find and in christ alone yeah many thanks to stuart and keith out in nashville of course in christ alone is the most modern hymn in our top ten and we have a really special performance by none other than daniel o'donnell on the causeway coast in northern ireland in christ alone my hope is found he is my light my strength my song this cornerstone this solid ground firm through the fiercest drought and storm what heights of love what depths of peace when fears are stilled when striving cease my comforter my all in all here in the love of christ [Music] says [Music] muslims [Music] there in the ground his body laid light of the world by darkness [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] jesus commands my destiny [Music] [Applause] is [Music] we come now to the second most popular hymn in the uk and it is how great thou art i know what a shock eh this worship song has swedish origins but became popular worldwide in recent decades when billy graham used it in his evangelical rallies performance poet john cooper clark is one of its fans please welcome him so how great thou art why do you love it so much um well obviously my first exposure to this wonderful hymn was uh on the album a piece in the valley by elvis presley you chose elvis version for uh desert island discs i did did you not know i've recorded it bless you i don't mind playing second fiddle to elvis nice try junior nice try you're a wordsmith by trade what is it about the words that really make an impact on you many songs are referred to as being poetic but only in hymns i think do you find lyrics that will stand alone as poetry and this is a perfect example of that although it's written in the first person i think it it perfectly conveys the universal message of christianity well i'm looking forward to you singing along with it now uh round of applause please visit clark well how great thou art is also my favorites i hope you enjoy my take on this beautiful hymn oh lord my god when i [Music] i see the stars i hear the mighty thunder thy power throughout the universe how great how great [Music] how great about how great [Music] ladies and gentlemen please put your hands together for my good friend russell watts and when i think that god his son not sparing sent him to die i scarce can take it in not on the cross my burden gladly he barely and died to take away my sin and her sins are my son my savior god to thee [Music] our hearts shout out [Music] shall fill my hearts then shall i bow [Music] oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] me so this is it the time to reveal the hymn you voted as the uk's favorite hymn but first please welcome historian and christian professor helen bond [Applause] lovely to see you before we hear the number one hymn uh without giving too much away what can you tell us about it well it started out as a poem by uh william blake in the background to the industrial revolution and it starts off with the legend that jesus came to england as a young boy with his uncle joseph of arimathea and it ends with a great rousing chorus to change england to change the world wow you've probably guessed what it is if you haven't the uk's favorite hymn is [Music] it's jerusalem ladies and gentlemen a few uh a few gasps in the audience there they couldn't quite believe it um powerful words silly yes and powerful words but also powerful tune because it was really when uh ch parry wrote the the music for it in 1916 during the first world war that it really took off and people really got behind it and of course it's also the anthem of the wi of course jam in jerusalem absolutely fascinating stuff thank you very much helen thank you very nice to see you many thanks to our special guests to all of you here in leicester and you watching at home we hope you've enjoyed this very special edition of songs of praise here's william blake and hubert parry's masterpiece that is [Music] jerusalem [Music] is [Music] the is divine shine forth upon [Music] [Music] please [Music] my childhood [Music] [Music] till we have [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] oh [Music] oh is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] hey [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] you

Channel: Choirs on TV

Views: 1,522,418

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Keywords: Songs of Praise, The UK’s Favourite Hymn

Id: r2BP9HSiuvk

Length: 48min 55sec (2935 seconds)

Published: Fri Aug 14 2020