Best Convo Songs

The song titles “Flashback” and “Stay Up” could be heard from the chorus of students shouting suggestions during a pause in singing at Convocation after Dr. Lansang had finished singing. Sometimes, students get their wish and sometimes they do not. Many students offer up their own suggestions, but some might ask, what is the best Convo song?

¨THOU WILL BLESS ME¨ can be heard outside of the Shanley Gym at St. Benedict ́s Prep from every freshman, member, and staff member some Fridays during Convocation. In addition, the famous Convo song “ Stay Up” can be heard throughout the halls every Monday as well. When it comes to picking what songs to sing at Convo throughout the school week, Dr. Lansang states, “It really depends on how I feel and how the crowd feels at that moment.”

Almost every morning, Dr. Lansang, a beloved teacher in the school, sings his heart out to the students in order to keep the tradition that the composer Rev. Winstead started and then held. ¨The singing is important for our Convocation tradition that I picked up from Rev. Winstead, who composed and sang most of the Convocation songs we do nowadays,¨ Dr. Lansang said. He feels that singing is an important part of our Convocation tradition, which makes St. Benedict’s what it is today.

A survey was sent out to staff and students from grades 7-12  asking what their favorite Convo song is. A total of 107 students and staff members responded with 27.1% voting that “He Won’t Let Me Go” is the best convo song, with “We Have Got to Love People” coming in at a close second with 24.3% of the total votes. Eleven out of the 17 songs were polled at 0.9%, which is equal to one vote.

Dr. Lansang said he enjoys each and every one of the Convo songs. “Singing definitely improves my mood personally, since I can’t just pretend to enjoy singing,” Dr. Lansang said. When asked which song he enjoyed the best, he said he enjoys  them all, especially the famous convo song “My Chains are Gone.”

According to Dr. Lansang, the school’s headmaster, Fr. Edwin Leahy, O.S.B., has requested that he sing one of the famous Convo songs, “In the Midst of It All,” multiple times.