Music and melody are the first things that come to mind for songwriter Alan L. Patterson. Then he ponders themes, stories, scriptures, and words to accompany the music.
In the case of “Elijah and the Still, Small Voice,” a new children’s song included in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Hymns for Homes and Churches, the music had “a little bit of an exotic sound to it, something different, and a kind of mystical voice,” Patterson said.
Hearing this reminded him of the Old Testament. And from his own conversion experience, he thought about the Holy Spirit.
Patterson remembers suffering a long bout of depression when she was 14 years old. He recalled that God had promised those who read the Book of Mormon and asked God that He would “reveal the truth to you by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Moroni 10:4).
Patterson read the Book of Mormon and prayed every night. But he didn’t get the manifestation he was looking for. He found Doctrine and Covenants 11:25, which says, “Do not deny the spirit of revelation… for woe to those who deny these things.”
He realized that once he received the revelation, he had to change, but he hoped that the Lord would make him happy even if he didn’t.
“That’s when I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do whatever you want.'” And that’s when I experienced something beautiful, a manifestation of the Holy Spirit that I had never felt before. And it was fragile. It was calm. It was wonderful. It was beautiful. It was like a light was shining on me. ” he said.
Elijah’s story
With the Holy Spirit in mind, Patterson also considered which stories from the Old Testament would fit this melody.
“And then came the story of Elijah,” he said.
Elijah accomplished great things among the people through the power of God, but before he knew it, he was running for his life. Dejected and in need of guidance, he went to Mount Horeb in search of God.
While he was there, there were strong winds, earthquakes, and fires, but he realized that God was not in any of them. After the fire, Elijah heard a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12) and finally received the direction he was looking for.
Patterson’s two older children are deaf, which helped him and his wife realize that audible words aren’t the only way to communicate.
“Sign language became a way to convey meaning without relying on audible sounds and became essential for understanding what is most important,” he says.
This led him to try to understand the Holy Spirit from an experiential perspective. The song’s lyrics were originally about Elijah hearing a still, small voice, but Patterson changed it to “hear.” He knew that everyone could learn to “hear” the Holy Spirit in a personal way.
And while the Lord uses thunder, fire and earthquakes, “they point us to a louder voice, the voice of the Spirit of the Lord. The message is always delivered by a still, small voice,” Patterson said.
symbolism of melody
Patterson wanted two poems to keep the song short and simple to make it easier for children to learn. He also wanted it to be vivid and full of images.
“The melody has to bear witness with the lyrics. It has to be easy to sing. If someone doesn’t come away humming that song, I feel like I’ve failed,” Patterson said.
The harmony part also has a purpose. For example, the sound of the tenor line sways and undulates like the feel of the wind, matching the wind Elijah hears.
The song has an ABA structure, with an initial section A followed by another middle section B, which ends similarly to the first section. Only in this case does the ending provide a conclusion that tells us what the words are saying.
“The first A section is a kind of introduction. Elijah is on top of this mountain, listening, wanting to know something. And then the B section comes in. There’s tension. There’s dissonance, there’s an overtone of longing. Things get better in this second section. Then comes the final section A, a repeat of the first section, but in a more triumphant way. He receives the answer, “It’s coming,” Patterson explained.
The song’s final chord ends on a third chord rather than a fifth dominant note, which Patterson said adds beauty and something unexpected.
Thanks to the Spirit, “something changed in Elijah,” Patterson said. “By the end of the song, you as a person change. . . . In effect, the music is testifying to the purposes and gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
1. Once upon a time, at the top of a mountain,
Elijah listened to God’s words.
I heard the wind blowing and the ground shaking.
There was a roar of fire, but the owner was not found.
Then Elijah was overjoyed.
At last he heard a still small voice,
A still small voice.
2. Listen, listen, as we pray;
We too can know what the Lord is saying.
I can’t hear any voice or sound like thunder,
But calm and gentle feelings tell us that God is near.
Like Elijah, we too will rejoice.
Because I can hear a still small voice,
A still small voice.
Listen to the song here.
