Longest Nights

About the song We wrote this song soon after the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, when cries of pain and anguish were rising up in that community and around the country, when words of hate and anger were burning hot, and when the racism and fear that has been quietly eating away at our country for a long time came out into the open. This song was born thinking about Jesus’ birth into “mud and blood and hay” and how long that night must have been for Mary and Joseph. We wrote it remembering God’s promise, repeated throughout the Bible, that God is on the side of the poor and oppressed, and that God is always, always where the hurting are. It’s both an Advent and Christmas song, and one especially appropriate for a Longest Night Service. The Lyrics Verse You shouldn’t be here tonight It doesn’t seem quite right Here where the cattle sleep Here where they keep the sheep Here in the mud and blood and hay How could you end up in this place? Verse You shouldn’t be here tonight It doesn’t seem quite right Here where the shots ring out Where everything’s burning now Where there’s a hundred words for pain How could you end up in this place? ChorusEmmanuel, Emmanuel God with us Love for us Born into the longest nights Emmanuel VerseYou shouldn’t be here tonight It doesn’t seem quite right Here where the hurt is deep Here where the wounded weep Where there’s so much we cannot say How can you show up in this place? How can you show up in this place? Chorus Bridge In this scarred and starry night In our aching, crying nights In this trembling, tender moment before we start to see the light… dawn Chorus  Available Resources  MP3 Download $0.99 Lyric/Chord Chart (key of B and key of C) $1.99 Lead Sheet $3.99 Looking for The Longest Night advent liturgy? Check it out HERE. Looking for Longest Nights Lyric Video? Find it here. All items are available to download immediately after purchase.