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Love Is the Ground

by Rena Branson

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1.
Psalm 63:2-3 צָמְאָה לְךָ נַפְשִׁי כָּמַהּ לְךָ בְּשָׂרִי בּאֶרֶץ צִיָה וְעָיֵף בְּלִי מָיִם כֵּן בַּקֹּדֶשׁ חֲזִיתִיךָ לִרְאוֹת עֻזְּךָ וּכְבוֹדֶךָ Transliteration: Tza-ma le-cha naf-shi ka-ma le-cha be-sa-ri, be-e-retz tzi-yah ve-a-yeif be-li ma-yim. Kein ba-koi-desh cha-zi-si-chah lir-ois ooz-cha oo-che-voi-de-chah. Translation: My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You In a dry and weary land without water So may I behold You in the sanctuary To see Your power and Your glory. (Adapted from https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/music_cdo/aid/140800/jewish/Tzomo-Lecho-Nafshi.htm)
2.
We are whole just as we are And we will go where our truth calls We may not know just where the path goes But we’re coming home to who we are Thanks for your love, but I don’t need your worry If you think you know what’s better for me It’s good to learn to trust myself, and feel safe to be myself With support from community [Chorus] Our ancestors wouldn’t want us to suffer They would want us to thrive And when we find what brings us joy and meaning They’d shep naches [feel pride] for our lives [Chorus] Please don’t make me into a symbol And I will try not to flatten you either We are infinitely complex creatures And we deserve to be known [Chorus]
3.
Modim 04:17
מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ שָׁאַתָּה הוּא ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ ואמהותנו לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד צוּר חַיֵּינוּ מָגֵן יִשְׁעֵנוּ אַתָּה הוּא לְדוֹר וָדוֹר נוֹדֶה לְּךָ וּנְסַפֵּר תְּהִלָּתֶךָ עַל חַיֵּינוּ הַמְּסוּרִים בְּיָדֶךָ וְעַל נִשְׁמוֹתֵינוּ הַפְּקוּדות לָךְ וְעַל נִסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם עִמָּנוּ וְעַל נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וְטוֹבוֹתֶיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרָיִם הַטּוֹב כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ וְהַמְרַחֵם כִּי לֹא תַמּוּ חֲסָדֶיךָ מֵעוֹלָם קִוִּינוּ לָךְ Transliteration: Modim anachnu lach sh’ata hu Adonai Eloheinu v’elohei avoseinu v’imoseinu l’olam va’ed. Tzur chayenu, magen yisheinu ata hu l’dor vador. Nodeh lecha u’nesaper tehilasecha chayeinu hamesurim b’yadecha v’al nishmoseinu ha’pekudos lach v’al nisecha shebechol yom imanu v’al niflosecha v’tovosecha shebechol eit: erev, vavoker, v’tzohorayim. Hatov ki lo chalu rachamecha v’ham’rachem ki lo samu chasadecha. Mei’olam kivinu lach. Translation: We give thanks to You, that You are our Divine One, Divine of our ancestors forever and ever, Rock of our lives and Shield of our liberation from generation to generation. We give thanks to you and recount your praises: for our lives that are entrusted in your hand, and for our souls that are in your safekeeping, and for your miracles that are with us every day, and for your wonders and good deeds that are with us at all times--evening, morning, and midday. Good One, your mercies never fail us, Compassionate One, your loving kindness never ceases. We always hope in you.
4.
L'dor Vador 02:53
L'dor vador, ancestors sing from the waters (/share their wisdom/call for justice) L'dor vador, children shout from the trees (take the lead/chant for peace) Generations to come demand that we act now To heal the earth for all to thrive under the sun
5.
Slow Down 03:25
Slow down Feel your feet on the ground שַׁל־נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔יךָ Shal na’alecha mei'al raglecha Translation: Take off your shoes [for the ground you are standing on is holy] - from Exodus 3:5, Hashem speaking to Moshe at the burning bush
6.
Got a shell of patterns That have tried to keep me safe But I’m on my way Out to infinite space Creation is a party And every part of me’s invited Soft and sharp, light and darkness All the mysteries inside I am a holy child of the universe (x4) Lo teivoshi לֹא תֵבֽוֹשִׁי Don’t be embarrassed How could a snail Be embarrassed of itself? My cells inside the cosmos Are tiny and majestic I’m a snail, I’m a whale, I’m chrysanthemums I am a holy child of the universe (x3) I am a holy child of Ayn Sof אֵין סוֹף‎ [There Is No End] Beep beeeeeeeeep
7.
Return Anew 03:13
Return, return anew To the breath that is moving through To the repair you are called to do To the healing that's ripe for you Ay ay ay ay...
8.
Ahava Raba 03:41
Love is not a receding horizon we reach for Love is the ground, love is the ground on which we lay Worthiness is not a mountaintop we strive toward It is the field, it is the field in which we play אַהֲבָה רַבָּה אֲהַבְתָּנוּ, ה’ אֱלהֵינוּ. חֶמְלָה גְּדולָה וִיתֵרָה חָמַלְתָּ עָלֵינוּ: Ahava raba ahavtanu hashem elokeinu Chemla gedola viteira chamalta aleynu Translation: With abundant love you have loved us, Divine One With overflowing compassion you have compassioned upon us (from the blessing that leads into the Shema prayer, traditionally recited every morning)
9.
Veshameru 08:20
וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם. בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא לְעֹלָם, כִּי־שֵֽׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יי אֶת־הַשָּׁמַֽיִם וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ, וּבַיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ. Transliteration: Ve'shameru benai Yisrael et ha'shabbat, laasot et ha'shabbat le'dorotam berit olam: Beini u'vein b’nei yisrael, ot hee leolam, ki sheshet yamim asa Hashem et ha shamaim ve'et ha'aretz, u'vayom ha'shvi'i shabbat va'yinafash. Translation: And the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughou​t their generatio​ns, for an everlasti​ng covenant.​ It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever: that in six days the Divine made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day She rested, and ceased from Her work.
10.
Our Power 03:52
We will not underestimate our power any longer We know that together we are strong (x2) Like drops of water shape the rocks As they rush down the falls We know that together we are strong שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה שִׁבְּ֒חוּ גְאוּלִים לְשִׁמְךָ עַל־שְׂפַת הַיָּם יַֽחַד כֻּלָּם הוֹדוּ Shira chadasha shibchu ge'ulim l'shimcha al sfat hayam, yachad kulam hodu Translation: With newborn song, liberated people praised Your name on the lip of the sea. All were one in thanks. (May it be so!) Adapted from liturgy before the Amidah prayer
11.
I will carry you through these changes וְעַד־שֵׂיבָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י אֶסְבֹּ֑ל V'ad seva ani esbol Translation: When you turn grey, I'll still carry you/be patient with you/bear you (Isaiah 46:4)

about

The most painful sense of isolation can be a portal into connection with our own raw aliveness, with every human who has shared this emotional experience, and with all Being. We begin (again) with a feeling of untraversable distance. Through song, we practice remembering the love that continuously connects us to All.



“Love Is the Ground” is Rena Branson's debut album, made in collaboration with a team of Jewish/LGBTQIA+/BIPOC artists on unceded Lenni Lenape land. The songs integrate ancient Jewish liturgy and melodic modes with a range of contemporary influences and original poetry.

credits

released September 18, 2022

ב’ה - with gratitude to the unpronounceable



The first melody on this album is attributed to the Alter Rebbe, founder of the Chabad Hasidic community, with verses from Psalm 62. All other melodies are by Rena Branson. English lyrics are original; Hebrew lyrics are from Jewish liturgy.



Core Album Team:

Rena Branson - composition; arrangement; music direction; production; lead vocals
Rachel Chang - vocals; acoustic & electric guitar
Rebekka Goldsmith - vocals
Batya Levine - vocals
Aly Halpert - vocals
Sam Weisenberg - vocals; percussion; upright bass
Jonathan Leibovic - electric bass; percussion; tsimbl; ukulele; glockenspiel
Eric Sherman - trumpet; recording engineering

Featured Instrumentalists:

Melanie Hsu - cello
Joey Weisenberg - clarinet; octave mandolin
May Ye - piano
Arielle Rivera Korman - violin
Elliot Beck - percussion

Featured Vocalists:

Marques Hollie, Anat Halevy Hochberg, Dr. Koach Baruch Frazier, Marni Loffman, RoZed, Molly Bajgot, Megan Pamela Ruth Madison, Greyson Kirn, Carlos Santiago, Siyeh, May Ye, Roxanna Wright, Haydn Williams, Avra Shapiro, Gedalia Penner, Sam Tygiel, Eitan Kantor, R' Ariel Root Wolpe, Joey Weisenberg

ASL Signing & Education: Anne & Kochava Lawson

Additional Arrangements & Music Direction:

Anat Halevy Hochberg - "Our Power"
Solomon Hoffman - "L'dor Vador"
Jonathan Leibovic - "Affirmations for Fellow Snails"
Gedalia Penner - Support for "Slow Down"

Mixing & Mastering:

Don Godwin

Additional Audio Engineering:

Eric Bogacz (Spice House Sound) - Recording
Denise Barberita (MONOlisa Studios) - Mixing on L’dor Vador

Cover Art:

Sol Yael Weiss - painting & graphic design
Rena Branson - handwriting
Odelia Edelson - text editing

Videography:

Shmulie Lowenstein
Jess Benjamin

Fundraising Support:

Molly Bajgot (lead), Becky Havivi, Kayla Jackson, Aliza Schwartz, Aly Halpert, Batya Levine, Abigail Kates Beatty, Avra Shapiro, Alona Weimer

Thank you to the ~400 donors who backed this project!



"Love Is the Ground" was primarily composed in 2020. Most of the songs were recorded between 2021-22 in Eric Sherman's basement in West Philly and at Spice House Sound in Fishtown. Many layers of tracks were also recorded by artists in their own homes and practice spaces.

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Rena Branson Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rena Branson (they/she) is a Jewish composer, ritual leader, and educator who uplifts personal and collective healing through song. They founded A Queer Nigun Project, which organizes singing events for LGBTQIA+ folks and sends audio content to people in the Jewish community who are incarcerated. Rena is also a Reiki practitioner. Learn more at renabranson.com. ... more

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