Music
As well as playing guitar and mandolin and some other instruments, in recent years I’ve expanded into songwriting for Christian worship, usually in collaboration with other songwriters. I’m also dabbling in writing ambient electronic music for video soundtracks.
Make a New Way
Here's a new song from David MacGregor and myself. The lyrics were prompted by the narrative of John the Baptist in Mark 1, "Prepare the Way", plus my ongoing reaction to the Voice Referendum in Australia, and the video interviews that I did with Rev Dr Garry Deverell...
God of Creation
This song was written in 2010. The melody is Bunessan, also known as the melody for "Morning as Broken". God of Creation Gentle life-giver Present at birth, and all through our days Author of sunrise Song in the night sky Here in this place, we offer our praise Jesus,...
This is Our Story
Tim Beale and I wrote this song in 1998 for the 1999 National Christian Youth Convention. There was a slight error in the music score in the NCYC songbook (which Tim repeats here!). Here are the correct words and an audio recording by Tim. The music score is also in...
Wash Over Me
Wash Over Me is a newer song written after an encouragement at Songwrite 2019 to write songs that were lyrically simpler, and more upbeat. It has an RnB or soul kind of groove. David MacGregor wrote the music which I love. There isn't a recording yet. The song is...
Like a Candle
Like a candle burning wildly Raging soft against the night Spark that leaps to clear the shadows Sending warm, disturbing light We are called to live the passion Hope stands strong against all pain for it’s only in the burning that the candle shows its...
“How Shall We Sing?” – Recording
Here's a recording of the song I co-wrote with David MacGregor, "How Shall We Sing?" in 2018 after the Songwrite event in Brisbane. It was prompted by Dr Tanya Riches' input about writing songs with a local flavour. The song is a suggested resource for a Day of...
VIDEO & AUDIO
THERE IS A THIN PLACE
This song was co-written with David MacGregor in 2020, based on a Call to Worship that I had written for Blackwood Uniting Church. It is in the style of Taize, with a simple melody, and the option to add instrumental and vocal parts. Both the original Call to Worship and the song with parts are in my book Deeper Water. The vocal in this recording is by Amelia Koh-Butler. Video and recording by me based on David MacGregor’s MIDI files.
SPIRIT OF CREATION
Words by Craig Mitchell. Music by Leigh Newton, 2021. The song picks up the theme of the Spirit groaning in Romans 8 and relates it to the plight of Creation and humanity’s response. A wonderful recording by Leigh Newton. Music score in Deeper Water.
HOW SHALL WE SING?
The Hebrew people see themselves as exiles in Babylon, and ask how they might live their faith in this strange land? For European colonists in Australia, we hear the same question. Yet the land was not vacant, and the Lord is to be encountered in this place and among its First Peoples. This song, co-written with David MacGregor, is an invitation to lament and to make a new start. Music score in Deeper Water.
BE OUR LIGHT
This song was co-written with David MacGregor in 2015, The lyrics are a spinoff from Psalm 27 and were written at the first Uniting Church songwriters event on 2013. David’s excellent melody was recorded for his album More Than Dream which is available on iTuness. The vocal is by Peter Choy. Music score is in Deeper Water.
WE WALK ON
Words by Craig Mitchell. Music by Leigh Newton, 2019. The song came to life in the leadup to Easter and during the onset of COVID. Little did we know how difficult and long the trial would become, and how it would test our faith and sense of community. A wonderful recording by Leigh Newton. Music score in Deeper Water.
GOD OF CREATION
The melody is Bunessan, best known as Morning Has Broken. The words were actually written for my father’s funeral. I’ve discovered that they have strong resonance in other settings. It is one of those songs that doesn’t seem to belong to me. Music score in Deeper Water.
SING OF A PROMISE
I’m drawn to writing prose for the seasons for some reason – Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas. This lyric from 2013 was put out to the Uniting Church Songwriters group to see who’d like to write a melody. A couple of people wrote great tunes but Allan Hoare really did the job. Allan has since added a refrain which is included here. Music score is in Deeper Water.
LIKE A CANDLE
Words by Craig Mitchell. Music by Tim Beale and Roger Imms. Written in 1996 prior to the National Christian Youth Convention as a memorial for Rachel Milne. It has since been sung many times and in many places. Music score in Deeper Water. Recording from Seasons of the Spirit available for purchase here.
OH, GOD TODAY
A simple song for Christmas day which started its life as a piece of prose. Words and music by me. This has been published internationally in Seasons of the Spirit. Music score in Deeper Water. Lyrics and simple audio track here. Recording from Seasons for purchase here.
MAKE A NEW WAY
A new song written in December 2023 with my friend David MacGregor, who also did the recording. The lyrics were prompted by the narrative of John the Baptist in Mark 1, “Prepare the Way”, plus my ongoing reaction to the Voice Referendum in Australia/ A voice crying in the desert and a voice from the heart – both cries for justice and change, both going uinheeded, More details here.