
For chaplains meeting by Zoom with county jail inmates, here are some music selections and inspiring talks that may fit in well with your presentations.
Inspiring Talks and Poetry
Source / Creator | Title | URL / Link | Notes |
Denice Frohman | Denice Frohman – Accents (poetry performance) – 2 min. 21 sec. | https://youtu.be/qtOXiNx4jgQ | Poem performance about family and language (2013) |
Fearless Soul | A Powerful Story About Anger and Letting Go (The Snake and Saw Story) – 4 min. 7 sec. | https://youtu.be/UwHhxeaSSRM | Animated motivational video (2020) |
Fred Luskin (Greater Good Science Center) | The Choice to Forgive – 3 min. 21 sec. | https://youtu.be/_1ri-lrIswk | Solo stage presentation (2010) |
FreddyFriMotivation – Freddy Fri | Inner Conflict Struggle | Daily Motivation Dose (“Winsday”) – 5 min. 48 sec. | https://youtu.be/pmNNijFNMsU | Commercial motivational video (2019) |
Taylor Mali | “Like Lilly Like Wilson” (poetry performance) – 2 min. 45 sec. | https://youtu.be/tshNfYWPlDg | Teacher performs his poem about student changing her mind (2008) |
Oprah Winfrey Network – Super Soul Sunday (OWN) | The Best Advice Dr. Maya Angelou Has Ever Given—and Received – 4 min. 1 sec. | https://youtu.be/aHvTWvKIPHo | Part of larger Oprah Episode 416 (2013) |
Oprah Winfrey Network – Super Soul Sunday (OWN) | 3 Boundaries You Must Set in Every Relationship – 2 min. 40 sec. | https://youtu.be/sUpZgwLQvSM | Part of Oprah Episode (2017) |
Radianceoneway | Two Wolves – 2 min. 22 sec. | https://youtu.be/s1Mb9tsnYLU | Reenactment of an old story (2008) |
TED Talks Global | “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – 18 min. 20 sec. | https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story | Nigerian novelist on cultural assumptions (2009) |
TED Talks | “My 12 Pairs of Legs” by Aimee Mullins – 9 min. 45 sec. | https://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_my_12_pairs_of_legs | Disabled model and athlete talks about her life (2009) |
TEDx Chula Vista – TEDx Talks | “I Talk to Myself!” by Evan Garcia – 5 min. 33 sec. | https://youtu.be/MmL12eeVEPU | 12 year old boy on negative self-talk (2018) |
TED Talks Education | “Every Kid Needs a Champion” by Rita Pierson – 7 min. 35 sec. | https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion | Teacher talks about relationships that make a difference (2013) |
TEDx Talks – MuncyStatePrison | “I’m a Woman First” by Tiffany Williams – 6 min. 27 sec. | https://youtu.be/EaQvM6GjUDA | Muncy female inmate talk and song (2014) |
TED NYC | “The danger of silence” by Clint Smith – 4 min. 9 sec. | https://www.ted.com/talks/clint_smith_the_danger_of_silence | Teacher performs poem about writing, racism, and the obligation to speak up (2014) |
TEDx Talks – TEDx Perryville Correctional | “Removing Labels” by Dominique Goodmond – 9 min. 36 sec. | https://youtu.be/6Y5nL2RSvLA | Perryville female inmate talk (2018) |
TEDx San Quentin – TEDs Talks | “My daughter, my hero” by Sam W. Johnson, Sr. – 7 min. 44 sec. | https://youtu.be/SZSc5UC_ZS0 | San Quentin male inmate talk – inc. descriptions of family violence (2017) |
Trent Shelton | “You Don’t Have to Be Perfect” – 3 min. 40 sec. | https://youtu.be/Xg2mB3g-Ru4 | Motivational talk by NFL football player (2021) |
Trent Shelton | “Five Things You Need to Quit” – 4 min. 21 sec. | https://youtu.be/B6zMC7aBjnU | Motivational talk by NFL football player (2019) |
Inspiring Music – Some With Lyrics
Musician(s) | Title | URL / Link | Notes | Shows Lyrics? |
Aloe Blacc | Believe | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmyJ5nidY3E | Audio only – Movie song, from “The Rescue” (2021) | |
Jon Batiste | What a Wonderful World | https://youtu.be/9542BuRJq6k | Commercial music video set in London (2019) | no |
Bay Area Blessing | Churches sing ‘The Blessing’ over the San Francisco Bay Area | https://youtu.be/hLPDcqwdcto | Composite of church singers (2020) | no (lyrics are in the comments) |
Michael Bolton | Lean On Me – Michael Bolton (lyrics) HD | https://youtu.be/Z_UN68JfvYY | Commercial music video (2015) | yes |
Blanca | Greater is He (Official Video) | https://youtu.be/fht61vcBeIw | Commercial music video (2015) | no |
Boney M. | Boney M Rivers of Babylon Lyrics HQ | https://youtu.be/vz6LRBLPKSM | Commercial music video (1979) | yes |
Boston Children’s Chorus | Let Your Light Shine with Keb’ Mo’ | Virtual Choir | BCC Online | https://youtu.be/QTCNPZEsLF0 | Composite of children singing (2020) | no |
Alex Boye | We All Bleed the Same (Healing America Edition) | https://youtu.be/at5NcbvDKLc | Commercial music and dance video (2016) | no |
Alex Boye | Little Drummer Boy (African Tribal Version) | https://youtu.be/a0mT-zNxRMw | Commercial music and dance video (2015) | no |
The Byrds | Turn! Turn! Turn! (Lyrics) – The Byrds | https://youtu.be/pKP4cfU28vM | Lyrics on pictures of nature and children (music from 1965) | yes |
Julie Cadrain | Cantor Julia Cadrain: Sanctuary (Shaker Hymn) | https://youtu.be/2W_XxCh2b30 | Live performance video – in a synagogue (2015) | no |
Jeremy Camp | I Still Believe | https://youtu.be/5FMmxKM5Wj0 | More Christian, Commercial music video (2009) | no |
Canto Católico | Pescador de Hombres | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEn8Ag5AH2M | Commercial music video (2018) | yes |
Casting Crowns | What If I Gave Everything – Casting Crowns – with Lyrics | https://youtu.be/tP27ySgbYLU | Commercial music video (2016) | yes |
Casting Crowns | Praise You in this Storm – with Lyrics | https://youtu.be/dB4eC55dh-U | Comercial music video by alwaysandforeverfree (2009) | yes |
Leonard Cohen | Hallelujah (Live In London) | https://youtu.be/YrLk4vdY28Q | Live performance video (2009) | no |
Committed | Lift Every Voice | https://youtu.be/ngFDy52eCZY | A capella – Live performance video (2015) | no |
Crowder | Forgiven | https://youtu.be/u_ZWEO36jok | Commercial music video – more Christian, prison images (2017) | no |
Lauren Daigle | You Say (Official Music Video) | https://youtu.be/sIaT8Jl2zpI | Commercial music video (2018) | no |
Lauren Daigle | Look Up Child | https://youtu.be/Iymkk85ELxw | Live performance video (2018) | no |
Mike Donehey | Unity Hymn (Official Music Video) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=eLRTHgGOShQ | Christian commercial music with lyrics (2022) | yes |
Elevation Worship | Call Upon the Lord – Live | https://youtu.be/fl1UGN2x_48 | More Christian, commercial music video (2016) | no |
Danny Gokey | Tell Your Heart to Beat Again | https://youtu.be/yPzfhm0j5cs | Commercial music video (2016) | no |
Samm Henshaw | Church (Official Video) ft. Earthgang | https://youtu.be/I_8-P4eZ1jA | Commercial music video (2019) | no |
King & Country | Together | https://youtu.be/U3HvgoWQpVQ | Commercial music video (2020) | no |
Kutless | What Faith Can Do (Official Music Video) | https://youtu.be/u1JBSQMkQEo | Commercial music video (2010) | no |
Li Chengyu & Tan Zhiyun (CGTN) | You Raise Me Up | https://youtu.be/pZwNzQhjcHE | 10 year old boy and 7 year old girl in Chinese talent show (2018) | no |
Steph Macleod | Be Thou My Vision | Celtic Worship ft. Steph Macleod | https://youtu.be/XiukM6WHQEQ | Live performance video – Celtic with instruments – in a home (2019) | no |
Steph Macleod | Still Waters | https://youtu.be/tBXysCsYIak | Commercial music and dance video (2020) | yes |
MercyMe | Flawless (Official Music Video) | https://youtu.be/wjLlLPZderk | More Christian, Commercial music video (2105) | no |
MercyMe | I Can Only Imagine (Official Music Video) | https://youtu.be/N_lrrq_opng | Commercial music video – more Christian (2010) | no |
NYC Virtual Choir and Orchestra | How Can I Keep from Singing? | https://youtu.be/VLPP3XmYxXg | Composite of adults singing and playing instruments (2020) | no |
Barak Obama | President Obama sings Amazing Grace (C-SPAN) | https://youtu.be/IN05jVNBs64 | Live performance video – at the funeral for South Carolina State Senator Clementa Pinckney (2015) | no |
Pentatonix | Amazing Grace – Pentatonix | https://youtu.be/Obp-9BEZe1c | Medley a capella – Commercial music video (2020) | no |
Rend Collective | My Lighthouse (Official Video) | https://youtu.be/reAlJKv7ptU | More Christian, commercial music video (2015) | no |
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church | Hymn 405 – All Things Bright and Beautiful (St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church) | https://vimeo.com/showcase/7143790/video/421983677 | Traditional church hymn – one singer (2020) | no |
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church | Jesus, Remember Me – Taizé – St Andrew’s Folk Group | https://vimeo.com/showcase/7143790/video/419471813 | More Christian, Traditional church hymn – by choir (2020) | no |
Rina Sawayama & Elton John | Chosen Family (Performance Lyric Video) | https://youtu.be/GTDRg5G77x4 | Commercial music video (2021) | yes |
Michael W. Smith | Here I Am to Worship | https://youtu.be/U1kBDlzTji4 | More Christian, commercial music video by MrSteffy97 (2013) | yes |
Spirit Juice | Jesus Remember Me | https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=oGQvWnlKn7E | Christian Taize with guitar (2018) | yes |
Chris Tomlin | How Great is Our God (Lyrics and Chords) | https://youtu.be/KBD18rsVJHk | More Christian, commercial music video with lyrics (2014) | yes |
Trinity | Fiesta Celestial | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi47s5jVvgQ | Italian Franciscan monks and nuns dance and sing (2020) | no |
We are Messengers | Love | https://youtu.be/I2IvHbXZp-I | Commercial music and dance video (2019) | no |
White Horse Guitar Club | I’ll Fly Away | https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh52yRWHO8s | Performance video (2017) | |
Wicked – Kristin Chenoweth & Idina Menzel | For Good | https://youtu.be/uzrGFQysfYU | Lyrics on black background (2003) | yes |
Phil Wickham | This is Amazing Grace (Official Music Video) | https://youtu.be/XFRjr_x-yxU | More Christian, commercial music video (2013) | no |
Josh Wilson | Revolutionary (Official Lyric Video) | https://youtu.be/6glQdaQUZ1U | Commercial music video (2020) | yes |
Thanks to Mandy for her gift of the black and white photo of an old jail window. Thanks to Cathy for so many songs!
Last update: 9 January 2023
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