IF I WERE

Lyrics by Connie Harrington, Music by Rachel Kamps

Dear Friends

Tail end of April 2025

Once upon a time I was doing some deep cleaning. I had the kind of focused energy it takes to pay attention to details and to really get at the piles of “paper stuff” that needed sorting. In a box tucked away, I found a handwritten poem that I’d copied down in pencil nearly 20 years ago and had forgotten about it. It was titled IF I WERE. The name Pam Thum was written in the upper right-hand corner. I read the poem and immediately noted that it felt like a song. The lyrics were so ardent and tender. Charmed and sidetracked by the “muse”, I was lured to my piano named Rose, whose velvet tones easily released a tender melody to accompany the lyrics. 

Fast forward, after the song was completed and I’d gone on to other things, the name Pam Thum kept niggling at my mind. I looked up her name along with the poem. Voila! I found a song titled IF I WERE sung by Pam Thum. You can find it too if you’re curious…YouTube is a great resource.

“Oh now, silly me” I thought. “No wonder this poem reads like a song, it IS a song!” After I’d contacted Pam Thum she told me that the songwriter’s name was Connie Harrington.

In my home I sang this little new melody to the lyrics all to myself. Its melody hummed around in my head as I walked my dogs, ran errands, did laundry, etc., while all the meanwhile I wondered how I could find Connie Harrington. Would she give me permission to use her lyrics in the new melody I created at my house concerts or otherwise?

I did find her and she gave me her blessing to share IF I WERE at the Rachel and Friends Benefit Concert this past January. When we shared this song, it felt like both musicians and audience alike were one organism, and that we were expressing and dedicating our hearts and hopes and help to the victims of Hurricane Helene. I’m so grateful for that memory. It felt so good to bring what willingness I had along with the gifts of others. We did raise over $20,000 and the monies all went to help the victims of Hurricane Helene, through the channel of Episcopal Relief and Development. That song’s prayer was answered.

I humbly share the live video of this song and hope you enjoy. Please like and share it with others who may want to hear it.

Thanks, Rachel

P.S.

A quote I found recently and it spoke to me when I felt afraid of doing the benefit concert…

“Be scared, and do it anyway.
Be under-qualified, and get in the room anyway.
Be messy, imperfect, and unsure and show up anyway.
Comfort is the enemy of growth. Get uncomfortable.”