Showers of Blessing in Tonic Solfa
Showers of Blessing in Tonic Solfa to SHOWERS OF BLESSING: the solfa with the words, staff notation, the five verses and the refrain, and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| s,Theres,shalls,bes,show-l,erst,of | dbless---s,ing:-- | t,Thist,ist,thet,prom-diserof | dlove;----- |
| l,Therel,shalll,bedsea-t,sonsl,re- | s,fresh---ding,-- | dSentdfromdthedSav-t,iorda- | rbove.----- |
| mShow----reersmof | dbless---s,ing,-- | mShow-rersdofdbless-t,ingdwe | rneed:----- |
| mMer-mcy-mdropsrrounddusl,are | s,fall---ding,-- | t,Butt,fort,thet,show-dersrwe | dplead.----- |
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- Key
- Bb major
- Doh
- Bb
- Time
- 6/8
- Starts on
- s, (F)
- Range
- s, to m (F to D, a sixth)
- Tune
- SHOWERS OF BLESSING
- Words
- Daniel W. Whittle
- Music
- James McGranahan
Tune SHOWERS OF BLESSING by James McGranahan (1840–1907); words by Daniel W. Whittle (1840–1901). Sources and licences.
The solfa line by line
The same solfa as plain text, a line of the hymn at a time, with the words of the first verse under it — easy to copy into your own notes or a message to the choir. To print it, download the solfa as a PDF.
Doh is Bb · 6/8
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in Bb major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum Bb and sing d r m f s up from it, so the whole choir has the key in their ears before you start.
- Pitch the first note. The tune starts on s, (F).
- Count the time. 6/8 means two dotted-crotchet beats (six quavers) in each bar. In the grid every cell is half a crotchet: a dash (–) holds the note before it, and _ is a rest.
- Know the notes. The tune uses d r m s l t and the chromatic re. A comma after a note (s,) is the octave below; an apostrophe (d') is the octave above.
New to solfa? Read how to read Tonic Solfa and how to find the doh of a song.
About the hymn
Daniel W. Whittle wrote the words, first published in 1883. The tune, SHOWERS OF BLESSING, is by James McGranahan (1883).
- Words (1883): Daniel W. Whittle (1840–1901)
- Music (1883): James McGranahan (1840–1907)
Tune SHOWERS OF BLESSING by James McGranahan (1840–1907); words by Daniel W. Whittle (1840–1901).
Questions about Showers of Blessing
What is the doh of Showers of Blessing?
In this version, in Bb major, doh is Bb. If your choir sings it in another key, doh moves to the new key note and every solfa syllable stays the same — that is what movable doh means.
What note does Showers of Blessing start on?
It starts on s, (F in Bb major). Find doh first, then sing up or down to s,.
Is Showers of Blessing in the public domain?
Yes. Daniel W. Whittle died in 1901, James McGranahan died in 1907; the words were first published in 1883 and the music in 1883. Everyone named died before 1955 and both were published before 1929, so the hymn is out of copyright in the UK, the EU, the United States and Nigeria. Modern arrangements and translations can still be under copyright.