Although the song was originally released within a very different context (performed by Miley Cyrus for Hannah Montana: The Movie), the universal theme of resilience in the face of overcoming obstacles and personal struggles has always resonated with our singers, paralleling our own individual trials with love, growth, and loss as we have each matured into adults over the past ten years.

This was Jono's first original arrangement for our group (then 8Wings Vocal Ensemble). It was debuted at our Disney concert (our second show) in 2015, and we performed it once again at our first ever fundraiser concert for the Canadian Cancer Society later that same year.

Excerpt:

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The brief and fleeting lifespan of a butterfly, which is only two to four weeks on average, reminds us of how transient and temporary our own human lives are. Though short, we are encouraged to live our lives like butterflies, "flying in circles and playing with the sun".

The beautiful imagery described in the song pushes us to make the most of our mortal lives, spreading our wings and taking in all that life has to offer before inevitably returning to the earth, represented by the fading heartbeats at the closing of the song.

Many of our singers have been singing this song since our high school days, and this song serves as a callback to our past. Similar to the original themes of the song, it also serves as a reminder of how fast our lives can pass us by; some of us have been singing this piece for almost 20 years - then as naive adolescents, and now, once again, as mature adults who have weathered the storms of life.
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‍Lyrics:

Sweet is the sound of my new-formed wings
I stretch them open and let them dry
I haven't seen this world before
But I'm excused, I'm a butterfly

Sweet is the touch of your newborn wings
We fly in circles and play with the sun
We haven't seen this world before
So fair, so bright, so blue the sky

Love me, love me on the leaves
Before we say goodbye
Love me, kiss me with the breeze
You will be my lullaby
Tomorrow I'll die

Sweet is the wind as it gently blows
The day away, and the nighttime comes
Great are the wonders that silence shows
I fall asleep, and I dream of the sun
And my butterfly

At its core, this piece is about death and the transition of our souls into eternal life with God. Though this piece takes from traditional holy Christian text, this particular setting emphasizes the sincerity of our wish that God might shed eternal light upon the loved ones who pass before us.

While loss can be sorrowful, painful and full of grief, it also reminds us to hold on to the hope and faith that those we have lost are in a better place and have been granted eternal rest.

Lyrics:
‍
Lux aeterna luceat eis Domine
Cum sanctis tuis in aeternum qui a pius es
Requiem aeternum dona eis
Et lux perpetua luceat eis. Amen.

English Translation:

May light eternal shine upon them, O lord.
With thy saints forever, for thou art merciful.
Grant them eternal rest,
And let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.

This traditional spiritual piece reminds us to have faith, even if the path forward seems impossible and overwhelming. It recalls the biblical story of Joshua, who led a group of Israelites to forge a path forward despite facing immense walls and obstacles in front of them.

As the song escalates and reaches its conclusion, we can hear and feel the visceral sound of the walls tumbling down from the stalwart will and impassioned displays of faith of Joshua and the Israelites.

Lyrics:
‍
Joshua fit the Battle, yes, the Battle of Jericho
Joshua fit the Battle, and the walls come tumbling down
‍
Talk about your kings of Gideon
Go on you can talk about your men of Saul
Go on, yes, you can talk about him
But none like good old Joshua at the Battle of Jericho
That morning

Right up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
Blow that horn, Joshua
Go blow that ramhorn!" Joshua cried
'Cause the battle am in my hand

God almighty then the Lamb, ram, sheephorn,
begin to blow and the trumpet begins to sound,
Joshua commanded the children to shout
‍
Joshua fit the Battle, yes, the Battle of Jericho
Joshua fit the Battle, and the walls come tumbling down

When Gwyneth Paltrow's father died, her husband - Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, wrote this song to comfort her.

Though the tone of the song is sorrowful and emphasizes the pain associated with grief and loss, it also reminds us of the power of having support and community to be there for us during the roughest and most difficult times of our lives. It reminds us that others can give us hope and be our light when all seems dark.

Fix You was one of three songs originally performed as part of our "Rise" medley in 2017, which we performed at the International Competition of A Cappella Open Semi-Finals in Tacoma, Washington, as the only Canadian group to compete that year. Notably, this year marked the largest expansion of our group and our transition from 8Wings Vocal Ensemble into the Wings Vocal Collective.
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Excerpt:

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Clarity:

This song is a reflection on the complex and often contradictory nature of love; oftentimes the person we find comfort and solace in can also be the person that hurts us the most. Confusion abounds as we try to grapple with the fact that a relationship fated for tragedy can also be our remedy - at least for a time.

Anna Francia, one of our founding members, performed a heart-wrenching acoustic version of Clarity at our group's (then 8Wings Vocal Ensemble) very first show at the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House in 2014.

Excerpt (Clarity):

'Cause you are the piece of me
I wish I didn't need
Chasing relentlessly
Still fight and I don't know why

If our love is tragedy
Why are you my remedy?
If our love's insanity
Why are you my clarity?

Titanium:

Contrasting with the more vulnerable and somber tone of Clarity, the driving beat and the assertive tone of Titanium represents our transition - both as a group and as individual singers - into mature and resilient "bulletproof" adults capable of dealing with the complexities of life and love.

Titanium was the last of three songs originally performed as part of our "Rise" medley in 2017 at the International Competition of A Cappella Open semi-finals.

Excerpt (Titanium):

I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away

You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium

This song was originally featured in Disney's movie The Lion King in 1994.

It reminds us of our miniscule place within the context of time and space on earth, and how each of us are only but one part in this greater system. Though we are individually a small part of this ever-evolving circle of life, we each have a role to fill and we all have something important to contribute to our local communities and with the world.

Our group, then 8Wings Vocal Ensemble, originally performed this song at our second show in 2015, which was a love letter to all of our Disney favourites.

Excerpt:
‍
It's the circle of life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life

What is paradise (paraiso) and what does it look like? While most people would imagine paradise as a utopian ideal where everything is perfect, this song describes a world that is completely the opposite - a world where birds dare not fly, where pollution fills the air, and people live in cardboard homes.

The juxtaposition of an ideal paradise with the realities of living in non-ideal conditions emphasizes the hope and need for a better world where people care about the environment and the world that they live in, instead of neglecting it.

The only glimmer of hope in this song is represented by the (hypothetical) sight of a single bird. This hope spurs us to encourage others to work together towards an ideal world where the land we live on is respected by everyone.

This song was originally performed in 1991 by Smokey Mountain, a young singing group based in the Philippines, before being re-arranged for the Philippine Madrigal Singers more recently.


Lyrics:

Return to a land called paraiso
A place where a dying river ends
No birds there fly over paraiso
No space allows them to endure
The smoke that screens the air
The grass that's never there

And if I could see a single bird, what a joy
I try to write some words and create
A simple song to be heard
By the rest of the world

I live in this land called paraiso
In a house made of cardboard floors and walls
I learned to be free in paraiso
Free to claim anything I see
Matching rags for my clothes
Plastic bags for the cold

And if empty cans were all I have, what a joy
I never fight to take someone
Else's coins and live with fear
Like the rest of the boys
‍
Paraiso, help me make a stand
Paraiso, take me by the hand
Paraiso, make the world understand

That if I could see a single bird, what a joy
This tired and hungry land could expect
Some truth and hope and respect
From the rest of the world

And if I could see a single bird, what a joy
This tired and hungry land could expect
Some truth and hope and respect
From the rest of the world

Originally performed by U2, the song's lyrics were inspired by Bono's inner conflict and the double life he led as both a touring musician and a family man who loved his wife at home.

Whether Bono lived at home with his wife, or without his wife while away on tour, he felt torn and conflicted either way. He felt forced to make a sacrifice in one area of his life regardless of whether he was with, or was without, the loving presence of his wife.

"With or Without You" reminds us of the tradeoffs and sacrifices we make when we enter a relationship and experience love, as well as the anticipated regret of making the wrong decision.

Excerpt:
‍
My hands are tied, my body bruised
She got me with nothing to win
And nothing left to lose

With or without you
With or without you
I can't live with or without you

Description from Jono Lee:

This song was featured for the first time as the eponymous original composition for our 2019 Come Winter concert. Jono's vision for this song was to convey the cycle of love and loss through a story taking place in winter.

The first solo, sung by Erika today, is a young girl who has become aware of the sad reality that her mother is suffering from terminal illness. She reflects on her cold winter surroundings while lamenting the impending loss of her mother's warm embrace.

Next, the mother (Jessica) sings a duet with the father (Jono) conveying the anguish of saying goodbye to her daughter and leaving her with one parent for the rest of her life.

After the instrumental "time-skip", the young girl is now an adult (Kayla) and reflects on the life she's lived in the absence of her mother, whom she dearly misses. She wishes her mother could see how far she's come and all she's been able to achieve.

Finally, her now-aged father (Brandon), assures his daughter that her mother has been with them all these years and that their love was never lost.

Jono dedicates this song to anyone in the audience who's loved and lost anybody, and that life, like the seasons, is a cycle of cold and warmth, love and loss.

Lyrics:

One, by one, they fall, and spiral down
Two, by two, they run, from her furrowed brow
The crystals of snow, and the things I cannot know
You hold me and shield me from the storm

Frosty at night,
Holding me tight,
You vanquish the cold with your love and your light
Though the wind blows,
I always will know
That come winter, I’ll be in your arms

I see, the sapphire gleam, of eyes so young
Full of untold tales, and songs unsung
My heart, in agony, knowing all of what I may not see
And the storms she will brave on her own

Frosty at night,
Holding you tight,
Fighting my tears as I say my goodbye,
When the wind blows,
Wherever you go,
Come winter, you’ll be in my arms.

Yearning for a glimmer of your light
In the alabaster sky
Wishing you could see the colors of my tapestry
Knowing you have woven the threads,
Of the pathway ahead

Forevermore
Braving the storm
With you/me

Frosty at night,
She's holding you tight,
Lifting you up, when your path goes awry
When the wind blows,
Please always know,
From you, she will never depart
And time, it can heal your heart
Come winter, I'll/you'll be in her arms

The song was written by Hozier as a rejection of the anti-same sex marriage policy adopted by many Christians - especially the Catholic Church.

For some in our group, this theme hits particularly close to home, having grown up in Catholic/Christian communities and having had to hide certain aspects of ourselves for most of our early years. We endlessly ruminated internally as we braced ourselves for the seemingly inevitable rejection and stigmatization from the communities we so longed to be a part of. This song represents the ongoing inner conflict of wanting to participate and be welcomed in a religious community, yet still feeling excluded and ostracized from it all at once.

In an interview, Hozier states that, "The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love. Turning your back on the theoretical thing, something that's not tangible, and choosing to worship or love something that is tangible and real — something that can be experienced."

"Take Me to Church" was the first of three songs originally performed as part of our "Rise" medley in 2017 at the International Competition of A Cappella Open semi-finals.

Excerpt:

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life

Description from the score:

"Tabula Rasa" translates as "Blank Slate" in English.

Composer Don Macdonald had a specific image in mind when composing this music. A quiet moment between a mother and child when the mother sees, as she has never seen, the potential of the precious life she holds in her arms. A silent acknowledgement of her child and ever child as a "blank slate" with seemingly limitless potential.

English translation:

In my arms, breathe.
Life without limits.
Light of day, dark night.
Sleep, dream, rest in safety.
‍
With your heart, your soul, listen and know this truth:
Within you are boundless futures, if you are given freedom;
freedom to grow,
freedom to learn,
freedom to touch,
freedom to feel,
freedom to imagine,
freedom to love,
freedom to be loved.

This medley features hit songs from the boyband era of the late 90's / early 2000's including: I Want It That Way, Tearin' Up My Heart, and As Long as You Love Me.

It was first performed by the group (then 8Wings Vocal Ensemble) in 2014 at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House at our first ever show.

This song was originally written for the musical Dear Evan Hansen, which follows the events of a high school adolescent boy with social anxiety and depression.

It is a tribute to the power of community to uplift those who need support the most - especially when it comes to dealing with mental health. The transition of the arrangement from a quiet, somber ballad into a harmonic anthem represents our collective realization that we are never truly alone in our struggles; we can always find love and support from a community - just as being part of the Wings has done for us over the past ten years.

"You Will Be Found" was performed by the Wings Vocal Collective in 2018, for the Night of a Thousand Stars Gala, which was a fundraising event for the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation for new innovations in medical technology.

The following year, we performed it once again in support of mental health awareness during the launch celebration of Anxiety Canada, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the barrier of anxiety and related disorders.

Excerpt:

Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
And when you're broken on the ground
You will be found
So let the sun come streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
Lift your head and look around
You will be found