Sunflowers & Thistles
A collection of praise and protests songs written by the Revd John Campbell that focus on the Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic.
These free online resources include the booklet of songs, which can be sung to the tunes of well-known hymns, a full music version of all the hymns, PowerPoint presentations and slides, and videos.
Sunflowers & Thistles – download the words booklet and music book
- Download Sunflowers & Thistles – words booklet (PDF | 4mb) – a full-colour resource with lyrics to all the hymns. Includes an introduction by the Revd John Campbell
- Download Sunflowers & Thistles – music book (PDF | 2mb)
Individual hymns
Download the words, music sheets, music files and watch videos of some of the hymns that make up Sunflowers & Thistles:
A bouquet of sunflowers and thistles
John Campbell: "In August 2020, there was a Black Lives Matter demonstration outside Tottenham police station. Passing along the High Road after this peaceful protestwas over, I saw a bouquet of sunflowers and thistles propped against the fence. It seemed deeply symbolic, so I wrote this song."
- Download the music sheet (PDF | 68kb)
- Download a PowerPoint presentation (PPT | 4mb)
- Download audio of the song (MP3 | 5mb)
- Download a video of the song (MP4 | 27mb)
Watch the video
Cry, ‘I can’t breathe!’
John Campbell: "The words of George Floyd (and others who died pinned down by police) have become a rallying cry for much wider issues of injustice. This song seeks to invite Christians to share the cry and join the struggle."
- Download the music sheet (PDF | 55kb)
- Download a PowerPoint presentation (PPT | 4mb)
- Download audio of the song (MP3 | 4mb)
- Download a video of the song (MP4 | 27mb)
Watch the video
Great giver of courage
A song for Pentecost in challenging times.
- Download the music sheet (PDF | 55kb)
- Download a PowerPoint presentation (PPT | 2mb)
- Download audio of the song (MP3 | 4mb)
- Download a video of the song (MP4 | 16mb)
Watch the video
The ‘owner’ of the fig tree
John Campbell: "Having looked at the simple tale about a figless fig tree in Luke 13.6-9, our explorations, lit by the Black Lives Matter movement and news of unequal effects of Covid-19 in BAME communities, we were led to see (as we’d never seen before) a powerful investigation of competing explanations of fruitlessness, that richly echoed modern-day attitudes to the black experience in the UK. Jesus does not go with the ‘owners’."
- Download the music sheet (PDF | 58kb)
- Download a PowerPoint presentation (PPT | 1mb)
- Download audio of the song (MP3 | 4mb)
- Download a video of the song (MP4 | 17mb)
Watch the video
The pain and the outrage
For George Floyd. A first response to the shocking news of this public death.
- Download the music sheet (PDF | 63kb)
- Download a PowerPoint presentation (PPT | 3mb)
- Download audio of the song (MP3 | 4mb)
- Download a video of the song (MP4 | 25mb)
Watch the video
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!
John Campbell: "In no time at all, after lockdown, many of us found our worship services were on Zoom. Here is a wee song to start a Zoom worship service."
- Download the music sheet (PDF | 51kb)
- Download a PowerPoint presentation (PPT | 5mb)
- Download audio of the song (MP3 | 2mb)
- Download a video of the song (MP4 | 37mb)