Servant Song by Ziggy Stardust???

Larry1700 · #1 Jan 20, '08, 8:24 am

I didn't know where else to post this question, so my apologies if it's in the wrong forum.

We sang the "Servant Song" today from the Gather Hymnal, and I was surprised to see that it was written by Ziggy Stardust and Bobby Fisher (without the "c" in the chess champion's name).

I did a Google search, but couldn't find anything. Surely this is not a song written by David Bowie...
is it?

Phemie · #2 Jan 20, '08, 9:11 am

I'm not familiar with this song but googling reveals two songs by that name neither of which is written by Ziggy Stardust or Bobby Fisher.

Joannm · #3 Jan 20, '08, 10:19 am

Servant Song, as listed in the Music Issue is by Donna Marie McGargill, OSM

KofC_SirKnight · #4 Jan 20, '08, 12:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry1700

I didn't know where else to post this question, so my apologies if it's in the wrong forum.

We sang the "Servant Song" today from the Gather Hymnal, and I was surprised to see that it was written by Ziggy Stardust and Bobby Fisher (without the "c" in the chess champion's name).

I did a Google search, but couldn't find anything. Surely this is not a song written by David Bowie...
is it?

There are two songs in the Gather Hymnal - one is entitled "Servant Song" and the other is "The Servant Song". There is (or was) a songwriter from Nashville named Bobby Fisher. But, you are correct; Gather does list Ziggy Stardust and Bobby Fisher as the writers of the piece. The other song in Gather, that I am more familiar with is "The Servant Song" written by Richard Gillard .

Richard

ibkc · #5 Jan 20, '08, 4:01 pm

I found this old blog post about this hymn.

Also, HymnPrint.net lists the hymn as written in 1992. Apparently Ziggy Stardust is someone's pseudonym. But it's a rather odd one to take for hymn-writing.

OutinChgoburbs · #6 Jan 21, '08, 7:04 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibkc

I found this old blog post about this hymn.

Also, HymnPrint.net lists the hymn as written in 1992. Apparently Ziggy Stardust is someone's pseudonym. But it's a rather odd one to take for hymn-writing.

Yes- David Bowie's.

ibkc · #7 Jan 21, '08, 8:23 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutinChgoburbs

Yes- David Bowie's.

Are you saying that David Bowie wrote the music for this hymn?

SMHW · #8 Jan 21, '08, 9:48 am

You can find Bobby Fisher's bio in the composers/authors/artists section at the GIA website. www.giamusic.org.

Bobby is probably best known for his children's music, his workshops at liturgy conferences, and for his guitar playing. (From what I understand, the contemporary composers for GIA and OCP love to have Bobby play the guitar for their recordings or to join them when they are giving concerts.)

I have no idea if the Ziggy Stardust listed as a composer for this particular psalm is David Bowie or not. It could be a pseudonym for someone else or it could be that Bobby borrowed enough of the words from some composition of David Bowie's that he needed/wanted to give him credit.

OutinChgoburbs · #9 Jan 21, '08, 1:58 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibkc

Are you saying that David Bowie wrote the music for this hymn?

No, I'm saying it is his, Bowie's pseudonym and registered trademark. And what SMHW said.

Larry1700 · #10 Jan 21, '08, 8:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibkc

I found this old blog post about this hymn.

Well, I said in my original post that I Googled, and hadn't found anything. In fact, I had read the article you mentioned, but it simply raised the same question I had. At the bottom of the article, it says

Quote:

I just noticed a recent visitor to my blog from another blog maintained by two Spanish-speakers, by the names of 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Fishman.'

I clicked on the link for "another blog" but it was missing.

Larry1700 · #11 Jan 23, '08, 5:02 am

Well, I contacted GIA, and here is their response:

Quote:

Hello Larry,
Thank you for your email. The Ziggy Stardust you are referring to is not David Bowie. He was someone who did this song with Bobby Fisher many years ago and the company has since lost contact with him. If you have any other questions please let me know. Have a good afternoon.

Sincerely,

Nicole Zak
GIA Publications, Inc.
phone: 800-442-1358 ext. 33
fax: 708-496-3828
nicolez@giamusic.com

I guess it will remain a mystery as to who Ziggy Stardust is, but at least now we know it's not Bowie.

Larry1700 · #12 Jan 26, '08, 5:20 pm

Well, GIA kindly provided Bobby Fisher's email address, so I told him about those of us who are curious about "Ziggy Stardust," and provide a link to this thread.

Here is Mr. Fisher's reply:

Quote:

Hi Larry,

The Ziggy Stardust of Servant Song full name is Paul Michael Zigfield Stardust. He is also a music minister from Wisconsin and has had this name long before David Bowie song came out.

Hope this helps.

Blessings,

Bobby Fisher

Asillia · #13 Apr 1, '08, 4:32 pm

HAHAHA! I'm so glad I found this thread because a few days ago my fiance and I were looking in the hymnal because we want The Servant Song at our wedding, and we wanted to make sure we let the organist know exactly which one we wanted (the Gillard one). We both did a double take at the 'Ziggy Stardust' thing.

Donnamarieosm · #14 Jun 22, '08, 2:16 pm

Hello, I just discovered this blogging site. I wrote "Servant Song"
that is published in OCP (Oregon Catholic Press). It is NOT in the Gather Hymnal. I wrote it in the early 80's and was part of an original record album I created in 1982 for my Servant Of Mary community which was then celebrating 750 year anniversary. The song 'Servant Song' from the album was then published in '84 on the OCP Album JESUS LORD. I still prefer my over version of it that can still be found on my cd LET IT BE DONE which can be purchased from our Motherhouse book store (www.osms.org).

I'm very moved that God took the weaknesses and problems that brought me to pray Servant Song into being, to enable others over the years to pray and ask the same universal question in the depths of their heart prayer. It speaks volumes to me that God continues to remind us that it is 'in our weakness that we find our strengths.' May each of you find the same in your own lives so that you may give witness to God with your seemingly low points and failures in life that enable us to survive and be the best we can be even with and because our lowliness before an every gracious and loving God. God's goodness and great love be there for each of you. Your sister servant, Donna Marie McGargill, OSM
Coordinator of Liturgy, Creighton University/St. John's Omaha NE.

rapidsrichard · #15 Aug 20, '08, 5:43 pm

The song was written by a fellow who apparently was born or was known as Paul Michael Hanks. He later adopted the name (either legally or in practice) Paul Michael Ziegfield Stardust which would allow him to call himself Ziggy Stardust.(The alter-ego of British glam rocker David Bowie from the early 1970's)

He was the music director at a Catholic church in Eagle River, Wisconsin when I first met him on a golfing weekend in Northern Wisconsin. Our foursome would see him each year from about 1999to 2004. He was energetic,innovative and well liked in the church community. His songs were published in the song booklets at the church and thats where I first saw his name and was was intrigued by the Bowie connection. He claimed at the time that that was his real given name.(I doubted that). Anyway in 2005 when we went up for our traditional golf weekend he was no where to be found at the church and in asking a couple of parishioners at mass about him all they would say is he had had some personal problems and moved to Milwaukee. Well just yesterday(8-19-2008) in our newspaper (we're 150 miles away) I read that he had just been sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 15 year old girl at the church back in 2000-2001! You can google his name to confirm that but that explains his absence.

He was a talented man.Sorry to hear about his fate.