“Get me rewrite!” “Tim Finnegan’s Wake” edition

Here’s what you need to know for this one: Tim Hilgeman is an excellent fellow and a fine guitarist. He lives near Our Lady of Grace church in El Cajon (OLG). But he leads a choir at a parish in North County. They sing the Glory and Praise stuff. Ernie Grimm, on the other hand, leads a choir that sings traditional polyphony at Our Lady of the Rosary’s monthly Novus Ordo Mass in Latin.

Tim Hilgeman lived near OLG
But sang up north, that’s mighty odd
Drove 30 miles to draw a fee
For the songs he offered up to God
You see he’d sort of a strummerin way
With a love for the guitar he was born
The charismatic songs he’d play
Could wake the dead on Sunday morn!

CHORUS:

Be Not Afraid Cuz Here I Am
One Bread One Body that we break
The Lord of the Dance gets one last jam
There’s lots of fun at Hilgeman’s wake

One morning Tim was all on fire
He spoke in tongues, which scared the priest
Got slain in the spirit and did expire
And they carried him home for a funeral feast
Rolled him up in a big felt banner
Stretched him out upon the bar
At his head, a liturgical planner
And at his feet, his folk guitar

CHORUS

His friends they all sang auld lang syne
And Mrs. Hilgeman brought the cheer
First she poured out good red wine
Then Irish whiskey and Irish beer
Then Tim’s friends all said “Glory and Praise
The man knew his way around a hymn
Was a friend to old Dan Schutte, SJ”
“Thank God he’s gone!” cried Ernie Grimm

CHORUS

Tim’s friend said “Dammit Grimm, that stings
Did you get the memo? Latin’s dead
When our man Tim sang ‘Eagle’s Wings’
At least we all knew what he said.”
Tempers all got hot then hotter
The shouts, they rose to God on high
Gentle Woman, Stabat Mater
It made the Baby Jesus cry

CHORUS

Well Grimm he threw his Guinness stout
When things had gone a bit too far
The glass it scattered all about
And twanged the string of Tim’s guitar
Tim rose up and rubbed his eyeballs
And saw the booze that we had poured
Said “My friends are here all drinking highballs
It’s judgment day Blest Be the Lord!”

CHORUS