Goodenough Fellow plays a role in the Coronation
Goodenough Fellow Dr Grahame Davies, was pleased to play a role in the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. Grahame wrote the lyrics to the song, ‘Sacred Fire’, with music by Sarah Class, which was performed by the great South African soprano Pretty Yende, accompanied by The Coronation Orchestra under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano.
The service at Westminster Abbey was viewed by hundreds of millions of people, and the video of ‘Sacred Fire’ has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times online. It has been released by Decca in a special charity recording, with proceeds going, at the request of His Majesty, to The Royal British Legion and Age UK.
Dr Grahame Davies has been a Fellow of the College since 2004, and was a Governor from 2013-2022 and a Trustee from 2019-2022. A native of the Wrexham area, he has a degree in English Literature from Anglia Ruskin University, a PhD from Cardiff University and an Honorary D Litt from Anglia Ruskin and was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Aberdeen University. A multi-award-winning poet, he is a much sought-after lyricist for classical composers. In 2020, he was awarded the LVO (Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Grahame was present in the Abbey at the Coronation to hear ‘Sacred Fire’ performed. The lyrics are below:
Sacred Fire
You sever us from Eden with a sword,
and lead us through the desert by your light.
You make your prophets’ word a burning coal,
and tend the lonely temple lamp at night.
You keep your silence in the desert blaze,
and speak your secrets in the lightning storm.
You hide the sun’s face like a candle flame,
and send a star to keep a stable warm.
And fill our hearts with sacred fire,
the blessing of the rosebud and the briar.
Come fill our hearts today with sacred fire,
with sacred fire,
with sacred fire.
Your love can make the hearts within us burn
and let the firelight reveal our shame.
You call the broken fellowship to feast,
and teach us to forgive in tongues of flame.
Your wisdom is the sunlight and the snow.
Your beauty is the rosebud and the briar.
Teach us to know the shadow and the light,
and fill our hearts today with sacred fire.
And fill our hearts with sacred fire,
the blessing of the rosebud and the briar,
Come fill our hearts today with sacred fire,
with sacred fire,
sacred fire.
And fill my soul,
and fill my soul
and fill my soul today.
And fill our hearts with sacred fire
the blessing of the rosebud and the briar.
Come fill our hearts today with sacred fire,
with sacred fire.
Grahame Davies
In the photo (left to right) Coronation music advisor David Whelton, soprano Pretty Yende, composer Sarah Class and lyricist Grahame Davies are pictured at the Abbey after the Coronation.
