The Mother & The Child

Kirtland C. Peterson © 1995

“The Mother & The Child” was written in 1995 for Kathleen Mary, then a lead singer in a progressive rock band I’d co-founded. Irish Catholic, she was longing to sing something that spoke to her heart. Three scenes from the life of Jesus—birth, death, resurrection—and soaring soprano lines did the trick.

Two years ago, I dusted off “The Mother & The Child” as communion music: I provide music for once-each-month Family Services with my HNSingers, aged 4 through 14 or so; I perform communion music solo. “The Mother & The Child” brought tears from both the ministers and the congregation. “The Mother & The Child” is now often requested. Indeed, it was requested last Family Service!

In July this year I got Sienna Wahineʻiliaʻiaʻiuahiloiaekeaoakealoha Achong—a professional soprano in the Cathedral Choir at The Cathedral of St. Andrew here in Honolulu—into a local recording studio to do the song justice. With the production, recording, and mixing skills of award-winning Pierre Grille, Sienna’s voice was captured. Pierre just finished mixing “The Mother & The Child” (demo). No mastering.

I’ve been writing music since I was 14; I’m now almost 64. If I had a song that just might have real popular appeal, this one’s probably it. I say that based on “audience” response, especially the response from the Church of the Holy Nativity congregation during services.

THE MOTHER & THE CHILD

Starlight——
A baby / A baby
Starlight——
A mother / A mother

The mother and the child
Reaching for eternity
The mother and the child
There is a story to be told
Oh, the child
The call to destiny

He will grow
He will grow
He will grow
He will grow

Dark night——
A man dies / A man dies
Dark night——
A man lies / A man lies

The mother and the child
Crying out infinity
The mother and the child
There are no more stories to be told
Oh, the child
Even tho' it's hard to breathe...

We will grow
We will grow
We will know
We will know

Sunlight——
A man walks
A man walks
Sunlight——
A man talks
A man talks

The mother and the man
The gentleness of a love that dreams
The mother and the man
The story of the universe is told
Oh, the child
In his presence we are heard

To be known
We are known
To be known
We are known

The mother and the man
The beauty of a love that sings
The mother and the man
The spirit of the universe unfolds
Oh, the child
In his presence we are seen

To be known
We are known
To be known
We are known