Abide with Me is a
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
hymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek , "a song of praise"...
written by
Henry Francis LyteHenry Francis Lyte was an Anglican divine and hymn-writer. He was born to Thomas and Anna Lyte on a farm at Ednam, near Kelso, Scotland. Thomas Lyte deserted the family shortly after making arrangements for his two oldest sons to attend Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh...
.
He wrote it in 1847 while he lay dying from
tuberculosisTuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria...
; he survived only a further three weeks after its completion.
The hymn is a
prayerPrayer is the act of addressing a god or spirit for the purpose of worship or petition. Specific forms of this may include praise, requesting guidance or assistance, confessing sins, as an act of reparation or an expression of one's thoughts and emotions...
for God to remain present with the speaker throughout life, through trials, and through death. The first verse is probably the most well-known:
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
The
hymn tuneA hymn tune is a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Some tunes consist of only the melody, sung in unison or parallel octaves, with or without accompaniment...
most often used with this hymn is "Eventide" composed by
William Henry MonkProbably better known in his day as an organist, church musician, and music editor, William Henry Monk composed a fair number of popular hymn tunes, including one of the most famous from nineteenth century England, "Eventide", used for the hymn Abide with Me...
in 1861.
Alternate tunes include:
- "Abide with Me", Henry Lyte, 1847
- "Morecambe", Frederick C.
Abide with Me is a
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
hymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek , "a song of praise"...
written by
Henry Francis LyteHenry Francis Lyte was an Anglican divine and hymn-writer. He was born to Thomas and Anna Lyte on a farm at Ednam, near Kelso, Scotland. Thomas Lyte deserted the family shortly after making arrangements for his two oldest sons to attend Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh...
.
He wrote it in 1847 while he lay dying from
tuberculosisTuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria...
; he survived only a further three weeks after its completion.
Lyrics
The hymn is a
prayerPrayer is the act of addressing a god or spirit for the purpose of worship or petition. Specific forms of this may include praise, requesting guidance or assistance, confessing sins, as an act of reparation or an expression of one's thoughts and emotions...
for God to remain present with the speaker throughout life, through trials, and through death. The first verse is probably the most well-known:
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Tune
The
hymn tuneA hymn tune is a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Some tunes consist of only the melody, sung in unison or parallel octaves, with or without accompaniment...
most often used with this hymn is "Eventide" composed by
William Henry MonkProbably better known in his day as an organist, church musician, and music editor, William Henry Monk composed a fair number of popular hymn tunes, including one of the most famous from nineteenth century England, "Eventide", used for the hymn Abide with Me...
in 1861.
Alternate tunes include:
- "Abide with Me", Henry Lyte, 1847
- "Morecambe", Frederick C. Atkinson, 1870
- "Penitentia", Edward Dearle, 1874
- "Woodlands", Walter Greatorex 1916
Religious services
The hymn is popular across many
denominationsA Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity.Worldwide, Christians are divided, often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and another are...
, and was said to be a favourite of
King George VGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
and
Mahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. It was sung at the weddings of
King George VIGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and of his daughter, the future
Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II is the queen regnant of sixteen independent states known informally as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,...
. It is also often sung at Christian funerals.
Military services
The hymn is sung at the annual
Anzac DayAnzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who...
services in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
and
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
, and in some
Remembrance DayRemembrance Day – also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day or Veterans Day – is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically since the First World War. It is observed on 11 November to recall the end of World War I on...
services in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
. It is also played by the combined bands of the Indian Defence Forces during the annual
Beating RetreatBeating Retreat or Beating the Retreat is a military ceremony dating back to 16th century England and was first used in order to recall nearby patrolling units to their castle.-History:...
ceremony held on 29 January. A choral version of this hymn has been arranged by
Moses HoganMoses George Hogan was an African-American composer and arranger of choral music. He was best known for his very popular and accessible settings of spirituals. Hogan was a pianist, conductor and arranger of international renown...
.
Music
Phrases of the finale of
Gustav MahlerGustav Mahler was a Bohemian-born Austrian composer and conductor. He was best known during his own lifetime as one of the leading orchestral and operatic conductors of the day...
's
Symphony No. 9The Symphony No. 9 in D major by Gustav Mahler was written in 1908 and 1909, and was the last symphony that he completed. The work is considered by many musicologists and critics to be the most intense of his symphonic works....
is often noted for their similarity to Monk's
Eventide.
Thelonious MonkThelonious Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer who, according to The Penguin Guide to Jazz, was "one of the giants of American music"...
recorded an instrumental version of "Abide with Me" with his jazz septet as the first track of the 1957 album
Monk's MusicMonk's Music is a 1957 album by Thelonious Monk's jazz septet. It was recorded in New York on June 26, 1957. The first song "Abide With Me"—a hymn by W. H. Monk—is an austere rendition played only by the septet's horn section. The song "Ruby, My Dear" is performed only by Monk, Coleman Hawkins,...
. In 2006, two different takes of the recording were released on
The Complete 1957 Riverside RecordingsThe Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings is a 2006 release of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane's work for the Riverside Records label in 1957, with two tracks previously unreleased in any form....
, an anthology of Thelonious Monk's work with
John ColtraneJohn William "Trane" Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
.
FA Cup Final
Since 1927, the first verse of the hymn is traditionally sung at the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
Final before the kick-off of the match, at around 2.45pm
BSTWestern European Summer Time is a summer daylight saving time scheme, 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used in the following places:* the Canary Islands* the Faroe Islands* Ireland* the Crown dependencies* the Madeira islands...
.
Challenge Cup Final
The hymn is sung prior to kick-off at every
rugby leagueRugby league football is a full-contact form of football, played with a prolate spheroid ball by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. Rugby league is one of the two codes of rugby football, the other being rugby union...
Challenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs in Europe, organised by the Rugby Football League...
final since 1929, the first final to be held at Wembley Stadium.
In Films and Television
- Film Shane
- Film Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury Fist of Fury Fist of Fury is a Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei in 1972. It starred Bruce Lee in...
– tune is played by brass bandA brass band is a musical group generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles which include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
in funeral scene
- TV series Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel is an American Fantasy drama television series that chronicles the missions of a group of angels sent by God. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson , it ran on CBS for nine seasons, from September 21, 1994 to April 27, 2003, and aired in many countries all...
– is episode where Tess develops Alzheimer's DiseaseAlzheimer's disease , also called Alzheimer disease, Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of dementia. This incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was...
- Film A Bridge Too Far – sung by wounded British paratroopers at a field hospital
- TV series Lost
Lost is an American serial drama television series. It follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, after a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, United States, crashes somewhere in the South Pacific...
– as character Charlie is in confession.
- Film The Full Monty
The Full Monty is a 1997 British comedy film. It tells the story of six unemployed men, four of them steel workers, who decide to form a male striptease act in order to gather enough money to get somewhere else and for main character Gaz to be able to see his son...
– in funeral scene.
- Film 28 Days Later
28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Danny Boyle. With a screenplay written by Alex Garland, the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Huntley and Christopher Eccleston...
– has the hymn on its soundtrack
- TV Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a mysterious alien time-traveller known as "the Doctor" who travels in his space and time-ship, the TARDIS, which normally appears from the exterior to be a blue 1950s police box...
:
- episode Gridlock
"Gridlock" is the third episode from the third series of the revived British science fiction television series Doctor Who which aired on 14 April 2007...
- part quoted in the 1982 story Kinda
Kinda is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from February 1 to February 9, 1982.-Synopsis:...
- Latter Days
Latter Days is a 2003 American romantic drama about a gay relationship between a closeted Mormon missionary and his openly gay neighbor. The film was written and directed by C. Jay Cox. It stars Steve Sandvoss as the missionary, Aaron, and Wes Ramsey as the neighbor, Christian. Joseph Gordon-Levitt...
- TV series Carnivàle
Carnivàle was an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny; the storyline mixes Christian...
(2nd Season)
Other media
- Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves is an English comedian, best known for his double act, with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
– 1991 dance-mixed version
- Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
– 1997 album Carnival: Rainforest Foundation Concert
- ITV
ITV Sport is a sport producer and brand name owned by ITV plc. It was formed from the amalgamation of Granada Sport, Carlton's sports department and ISN, the sports division of London News Network. The company produces Champions League and FA Cup Football, along with coverage of England's national...
– coverage of FA Cup competition
- Old Harry's Game
Old Harry's Game is a UK radio comedy written and directed by Andy Hamilton, who also plays the cynical, world-weary Satan. "Old Harry" is one of many names for the devil. The title is a humorous play on the title of the 1982 TV series Harry's Game...
(BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a domestic UK radio station that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967.-Outline:...
) - Series 3; Professor Richard Whittingham mentions that his favourite poem was written by Henry Francis Lyte, and proceeds to recite it to Thomas and Scumspawn.
External links
- http://www.know-britain.com/hymns/abide_with_me.html
- http://www.nationwide.co.uk/sponsorship/FA-Cup/default.htm
- Anthem4England.co.uk