Here's a Hand

Side by side, giving and receiving.

Words and music by Sarah Pirtle, © 1989, Discovery Center Music, BMI. First written in 1976.

Lyrics

Here’s a hand pulling you on.
Here’s a hand pulling you on.
Loving you scared, loving you strong.
Here’s a hand pulling you on.

 

Here’s a hand pulling you on.
Here’s a hand pulling you on.
Holding you scared, holding you strong.
Here’s a hand pulling you on.

The Story Behind this Song

When I studied to be a dance therapist in 1976 at the American Dance Festival, I wrote this song to express the essence of what I‘d learned. I wrote it as a gift to the class at the end of the training. It was recorded first for children in 1984 on “Two Hands Hold the Earth,” and a longer version for adults is on the “Green Flame” CD.

When I became involved in the early days of Interhelp in 1981, this song was sung frequently in workshops and trainings.

Guides for Using the Song: This simple song can be used in many settings. Although it works well to sing it while holding hands, I like to check in if that is comfortable so that the group gives consent. It can be used to set a tone at the start of a workshop. If a person has a recent loss, this song can express support.  It also can be used as a closing song; for instance, it’s sung at the end of the Women’s Song Swap at the People’s Music Network.

Using it for songwriting as a zipper song: Create new verses to express people’s feelings. The song is structured so that it doesn’t have to rhyme. For example, here are words that acknowledge loss:

Here we are thinking about you.
Here we are thinking about you.
We are sorry to hear that…….. 
Here we are thinking about you.