Songs We Sing — “There Are Angels Hovering Round”

Hello song leaders,

“There Are Angels Hovering Round” is a traditional song that dates at least as far back as the mid-1800s.  The mood of the song is gentle and invocational.

Watch this video of it being sung at Saint Gregory’s Church in San Francisco to see how the verse lines are cued by the song leader.

Note that the song leader always sings the first line of each verse, and then cues the congregation to follow.

One way you can teach the congregation how to do this:

Sing the whole first verse on your own.

“There are angels hovering round.  There are angels hovering round.  There are a-a-a-a-a-a-angels hovering round.”

Then invite the congregation to sing join you singing that same first verse.

“There are angels hovering round.  There are angels hovering round.  There are a-a-a-a-a-a-angels hovering round.”

Then invite them to repeat again, this time adding harmony.

Now that they are singing in harmony, as they reach the end of that first verse line, say/sing “I’ll sing the next line and you join in.”  Then continue . . .

Here is the sheet music:  There Are Angels Hovering Round

[Note: you may be familiar with a slightly different version, where instead of drawing out “angels” / “carry” / “new” etc, they repeat these words.  We draw out the words so that the congregation won’t have to guess where to begin the repeated word.]

Okay, let the angels hover round!