Lead With Love

by Melanie DeMore
https://melaniedemore.com/
©2016
(written in response to the election)

Melanie is a beloved friend and incredible vocal activist, composer, director, conductor, songwriter, singer, mentor and so much more. She is based in Oakland CA and (hopefully soon) Taos NM. You can support her work by buying her music, booking her for work, and donating directly to her fund for a home in Taos NM. https://www.gofundme.com/f/melanies-quest-for-a-home-in-new-mexico

The original video was posted on Facebook. Here’s a link to Youtube. Mel says: This is the song I wrote the day after the election: One Foot in Front of the Other/ Lead with Love! Folks asked me to post it on YouTube, so here you go.

Here’s Melanie leading Vocal Essence. (Kaitie says: I dare you not to dance as you listen to the power in this.)

Lyrics:

Chorus:
You gotta put one foot in front of the other
And lead with love, put
One foot in front of the other
And lead with love.

Descant (in two harmonies):
One foot, one foot, one foot
In front of the other one
One foot, one foot, one foot
Lead with love

Verses (call and echo)
Don’t give up hope
You’re not alone
Don’t you give up
Keep movin’ on

Lift up your eyes
Don’t you despair
Look up ahead
The path is there

I know you’re scared
and I’m scared too
But here I am
right next to you

Additional content:

Here’s a video to a choral arrangement and a link to sheet music. Kaitie says: I am curious whether Mel’s arrangement is reflected here or not; I have never heard her teach these choral harmonies, but she does teach the descants. I’ll ask her next time we talk.