Godspell "All Good Gifts"

Music by Stephen Schwartz

"All Good Gifts" is the perfect song for any celebration of thanks, for an autumn celebration of abundance, or any time when it's appropriate to "thank thee then, O Father for all things bright and good."

THIS PAGE INCLUDES

Lyrics, sheet music, recordings, and notes about the song.

Lyrics for "All Good Gifts" from Godspell

We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land..
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand..
He sends us snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain...
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain...

All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above
So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love...

We thank thee then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest, our life our health our food,
No gifts have we to offer for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts!

All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above..
So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love..

I really wanna thank you Lord

Read all about the history of Godspell, Stephen Schwartz, John-Michael Tebelak, and the original Godspell cast in The Godspell Experience by Stephen Schwartz biographer Carol de Giere

You'll find chapters for each song, history, historic photos, a Foreword by Stephen Schwartz, and more. Available in paperback and ebook formats.

Sheet Music

Printed Godspell sheet music: To find "All Good Gifts" printed music versions and other Godspell music go to: Godspell music at Sheet Music Plus - [new browser window] (opens new browser window). In addition to piano/vocal music they have choral arrangements as well.

Concert or showchoir versions, SATB (Blurb: From the musical Godspell comes this popular song of thanksgiving. Full of dynamic variations and accented rhythmic figures, it leads to a closing section featuring an energetic countermelody over the main theme.)

"All Good Gifts" is also included in the Stephen Schwartz Songbook

Recordings

Original cast recording - All Good Gifts sung by Lamar Alford Buy Godspell original cast album

Godspell

Soundtrack, Bmg/Arista; 1973. Available from Amazon.com and other sources. All Good Gifts sung by Merrill Jackson. Buy Godspell: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [new browser window]

Back to the main Godspell page for other recordings and all about the musical

Notes About "All Good Gifts"

Just before the Godspell cast sings "All Good Gifts," they enact the parable of the seeds from the Gospel of Mark 4. So there's a natural segue in the song that begins, "We plow the fields, and scatter/The good seed on the land."

In 1971, director John-Michael Tebelak provided Schwartz with hymn lyrics before he wrote the song. Thus the lyrics came from Hymn #138 from the 1940 Episcopal Hymnal.

The inspired original music by Stephen Schwartz spun off the lyrics and what he had seen of the show when it was performed off-off-Broadway.

The chord relationships for James Taylor's 1970 hit ballad "Fire and Rain," and Elton John's "Your Song" inspired the music Schwartz composed for "All Good Gifts." He was pleased with how it turned out. "The song that struck home the most was 'All Good Gifts.' Musically, I hooked into something very heartfelt for me. It's the Godspell song about which I have the most passion."

Story from a fan

Godspell "All Good Gifts"

Story from an actress named Dianne. "I went to a reuinion for Toby's Dinner Theater in Columbia, MD. It was a celebrate life party and hundreds of people from the entire 25 year history of the theatre were invited. The intent was to gather on a happy note instead of at everyone's funerals, like we usually do. After the speeches and food was done, they rolled in a piano and everyone circled the room to praise the lives of those present or had touched our lives and lost. And what do you think this multi-denominational group sang as it's thanks and praise to God - "All Good Gifts" of course! I was so moved and appreciated Stephen's talent even more at that very moment. That when a group that mixed in age, race, sex, preference,etc combined to praise with one prayer, Stephen had provided the ultimate vehicle for that prayer.! Amazing!