WE ARE TIMELESS
SSAAdiv. + BP + opt. Piano
by Moira Smiley
A fierce, hopeful anthem celebrating LGBTQIA experience and joy. Commissioned by Mirabai and Denver Women’s Chorus
CHORUS
For we are timeless, boundless…we are far, we are near We are alive beyond the poison of fear We are all stronger when we are open and true You with me, me with you.
VERSE - CHANT
I am alive in the 21st century, everyone said to me Ooh, child, you may be unlucky to be born now, but be calm, child. Many things are wrong, child, so try to get along, put your head down…. watch out for the bully! Oh!
They say I’m just a girl, just a boy, don’t play with that toy! But I come to know what I love more than what I hate Do not negotiate who I am, who I love, what I’m made of… And if you say you hate me that’s all you, not me I’m sorry someone lied and told you what you couldn’t be Have they never seen a rainbow? So many colors in a rainbow. Have they never seen a rainbow? They don’t know… They don’t know…
VERSE 2
I came to you, my guardian angels With hope that you would see all of me When I was shunned away to darkness And I yearned for chosen family.
I found myself through community Bloomed into a glorious me I stand on the shoulders of my elders Who fought so I could live to be free We need every color in the rainbow
w i t h V 2 b
P i a n o q = 7 6
P n o 5
S S A A d i v + B P, C o m m i s s i o n e d b y M i r a b a i & D e n ve r Wo m e n ' s C h
h r u R a m a n i , K i a r a h K n e I N TR O C H O R U S I TR C R S & b b b
s to m p c l a p c l a p s to m p s to m p M o i r a S m i l e y M o i r a S m i l e y We A r e T i m e l e s s We A r e T i m e l e s s
AL L b u t A3 s i n g th s m e o d y th e n p e e o ff & b b b ∑ ∑
F o r w e a r e m e l e s s , - b o u n d l e s s - fa r & n e a r
o p o n : A3 s n g o n y o we r h a r m o n y m 1 - 9
G e n e r a n o te to A3 w h e r e n o w r e n p a r t s i n g A2 o r w h a te ve r p a r t n e e d s r e n fo r c e m e n t . & b b b ? b b b
H m m a n a n a A h mf
P e r fo r m a n c e N o te s : P r fo r a c N te s :
1 D i v i s i a r e o p o n a l fo r e x t r a c o l o r a n d te x t u r e
2 Th e p a u s e a t m 6 6 b e fo r e t h e fi n a l c h o r u s , I h e a r /s e e s o m e t h i n g fe r o c i o u s h a p p e n i n g : a n v i r t u o s i c o u tc r y a n a s c e n d i n g vo c a l fl o u r i s h , a s h o u t , a s t u n n i n g m o ve m e n t b y o n e p e r s o n s o m e t h i n g t h a t s to p s m e
3 .Th e o p o n a l ' w o o p ' a n d ' h e y ' m o m e n t s c a n b e d o n e b y ju s t a fe w
4 I f p e r fo r m i n g a c a p p e l l a , s ta r t w i t h p i c k u p to m e a s u r e 3
We a r e a l i ve - b e yo n d - t h e p o i s o n - o f fe a r We a r e a l l s t r o n g e rWe a r e a l l s t r o n g e rH m m a n a n a A h H m m a n a n a 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 / ∑ ∑
p l e - t h e y a r e m e a n t to s r, e n c o u r a g e a n d e x p r e s s b o l d n e s s
s
s ta n d o n t h e s h o u l d e r s - o f m y e l d e r s - w h o fo u g h t s o I c o u l d l i ve to b e f r e e ! I
o h o h o h o h
s ta n d o n t h e s h o u l d e r s - o f m y e l d e r s - w h o fo u g h t s o I c o u l d l i ve to b e f r e e ! I
N o n u m n a n a n o n u m n a m a n a m a N o n u m n a n a n o n u m n a m a n a m a
N o n u m n a n a n o n u m n a m a n a m
s ta n d o n t h e s h o u l d e r s - o f m y e l d e r s - w h o
s ta n d o n t h e
n e e d e ve r y - c o l o r - i n t h e r a i n b o w -