I had the privilege of writing and playing music for St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon in the 1970s and 80s.
“Go Francis” was written in 1981 by Keith Chapman for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the church. It’s a great example of Keith’s ability to tell stories in song. On October 4, 2015 we had a St Francis Day reunion of the 1981 Folk Group and this was Keith’s contribution. The celebration was recorded and the album, Songs of St. Francis is available for download here.
Credits:
Recorded Live October 4, 2015, Feast of St. Francis, St Francis of Assisi Church, Portland, OR
Recording Engineer- John Dalrymple, Seymour Labs
Mixing and Sweetening- Seymour Lovejoy, Love Seed Records studio
Lyrics- Keith Chapman. Music- based upon Steve Goodman’s “Talk Backwards”.
Publisher- AyaRTee Music (BMI)
Piano- Doug Smith
Bass- Miles Stanton
Lead Guitar- Seymour Lovejoy
Rhythm Guitars- Al Rose, Margaret Chapman, Keith Chapman
Percussion- Mary Fogarty
Trombone- Tim McCarthy
Lead Vocal- Keith Chapman
Back Vocals- Karen Mathew, Al Rose, Juanita Smith, Kathryn Mathew, Joan Smith, Steve Rice, Jerry Bier, Brigid Baumann, Pat Bechtold, Steve Stevens
Lyrics:
Well, way back in the 12th Century, in a little town in Italy, lived a merchant named Pete and his wife had a kid, and he named him “Francis”.
That’s what he did.
Francesco.
Young Francis was always on the run, drinkin’ and singin’ and having fun.
Whenever he was back in town, always chased the girls around.
But he went to war with Perusia town, got beat up and that slowed him down.
Poor Francis. Oh, poor Francis.
Then he did something odd on a later day, stole his dad’s goods and he gave them away.
Oh, Pete got mad at his teenage son, locked him in the cellar for what he’d done.
Time out, Francis. Time out.
Well, Francis got out and he ran away. Well his dad had him arrested, gonna make him pay.
Francis gave back the money, I know it’s true, and, in front of the bishop, took his clothes off too.
Go Francis. Go Francis.
Well, everyone said, “Pete’s son’s gone funny, doesn’t want a big house and he doesn’t want money. Just wants to love every man and beast, he said ‘Make me an instrument of thy peace.'”.
Go Francis. Go Francis.
Goin’ Francis is the new sensation. Goin’ Francis is sweepin’ the nation.
Singin’ praises and pray his songs. Go Francis all day long.
Go Francis. Go Francis.
Over 800 years have come and gone, but the spirit of Francis still lives on.
Give God glory, his love is great. Be ascetic, but celebrate.
Go Francis. Go Francis.
Well I can’t help wonderin’, if he were here today, what would he wear, and what would he say? Would he drive a hybrid or would he bicycle, pick up trash and recycle?
Would he pick up cans and put ’em in a box?
Ride the bus in his Birkenstocks?
He might repair churches and give us hope.
I bet he’d even inspire the pope to Go Francis.
Go Francis.
Everybody, young and old (Go Francis),
Brother Sun (Go Francis),
Sister Moon (Go Francis),
All you animals (Go Francis),
Everybody here (Go Francis),
Let’s all (Go Francis),
One more time (Go Francis).
