New Arrangement: Redeemed

Redeemed

Back in high school I remember going to Sunday night “singspirations” and we’d sing all the “fun” Gospel songs that were too racy for Sunday morning church! This was the early 80s here right before the contemporary worship revolution.

I recall singing Redeemed at a breakneck pace. It was the uptempo rocker of its day!

What I love to do here at HymnCharts.com is turn a hymn around and do something unexpected – so in this case I’ve turned Redeemed into a worship ballad.

I also use my arranging trick of late where I compose an instrumental melodic riff for the intros and midtros, then turn that melodic riff into a simple vocal bridge. You’ll hear the cello line intro turn into the repeated vocal phrase “I am redeemed by the blood, by the blood of the Lamb” in the bridge.

I like this simple vocal bridge approach a little better than what you hear these days in contemporary worship where they’ll take a hymn and add a completely new chorus. Sometimes it works, but sometimes it’s just too much. I visited a church recently where they sang Come Thou Fount with a newly added wordy chorus to an already wordy hymn.

My vocal bridge for Redeemed is simple, repetitive and easy to learn. It reminds me of Revelation 4:8:

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

…and Revelation 5:9

And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

How to Use Redeemed In Your Praise Set:

Use Redeemed in the worship ballad slot at the end of any praise set – especially an Easter or Communion praise set. It’s the perfect fit after a few uptempo songs and a prayer or reading. Try going from Revelation Song to a Scripture reading (a portion of Revelation 5) and then to Redeemed. Revelation Song is typically in D major and Redeemed can also sound fine dropped a half step to the related G major.

I guarantee Redeemed will be the highlight of your Sunday! Just like the demo, sing the 3 verses and choruses to a loud finish, then drop in volume and intensity for the bridge. Start with a male soloist, then add an alto harmony on the repeat and gradually grow to a full, powerful 3-part vocal finish that launches into an even louder, triumphant two choruses.

Redeemed works best led by a male worship leader. If Ab is a little too high try G or F.

Download Redeemed:

Download sheet music, chord charts, tracks, multitracks and orchestration for Redeemed exclusively with a hymncharts subscription. You won’t find this arrangement on any other website.

3 Comments. Leave new

  • I find your comment regarding the 80’s and the contemporary worship revolution interesting. Every generation seems to think things start with them. Before Amy Grant and MW Smith, there were Evie, Honeytree, Richard and Patti Roberts, Debbie Boone, Ralph Carmichael, and many more selling CCM records. I was part of the charismatic movement in the 1960’s where we did those new praise songs like “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” and other contemporary songs of that era, all with guitar and no hymnals and at Friday night services in a wide variety of venues. Maybe that’s the beginning time? Personally, I think the acceleration of contemporary in all genres began with ready access to broadcast and recorded music. Elvis and others in the 40’s and 50’s started to record old praise songs or hymns in new and updated styles.

    All that being said- I like your arrangement.

    Reply
  • Do you have accompaniment cds? We are a small church and don’t always have a piano player.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Hi – I don’t sell CDs (or any physical products) – everything is download only. I do have stereo accompaniment tracks for most of the hymns and am finishing up recordings of all my earliest arrangements. Here’s a list of all the arrangements – the title in bold are the ones I’ve recorded. Click on any bold title to hear a soundclip: https://www.hymncharts.com/hymn-list/all-hymns/

      Reply

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