Crossing Over

Crossing Over is an honor song that is meant to give our loved ones wings. The song came through Gentile as a result of her search for Native wisdom and prayers to ancestors to help her father prepare for his passing.

When Donna’s father was home on hospice, he said he’d be coming back as a Bald Eagle and to look for him. Donna went looking for medicine to help her Dad prepare for his journey in the afterlife and received a teaching by Tecumseh (Shawnee) called “Life Your Life,” which states — “Prepare a noble death song for the day you go over the Great Divide… and sing that song like a hero marching home.”

Gentile told her Dad she would write him such a song. Then realizing the depth of the promise, she prayed to ancestors for medicine. Crossing Over came through just days before her father passed, and Donna was able to sing it to him before his Soul took flight. She had done a stone ceremony with her Dad in which he prayed into river stones for family members. His Eagle and rock medicine made their way into the song.

Donna also had the great honor of singing her father’s tribute song for several years at Wolf Den Pow Wow (Pomfret, CT), the Daniel Nimham Pow Wow Honoring Veterans (Kent/Carmel, NY), and at Spirit of the Horse Pow Wow (Farmington, CT).

The tune was released in 2018 on Gentile’s Music is Medicine album, which was recorded and produced by Tom White of Symplicity Sound Studio in upstate NY.

Crossing Over Lyrics

Dad your time has come
To cross the Great Divide
We’re all here to help you make it
To the other side

There’s some things need sayin
While you close your eyes
Not sure words can say it all
Forgive me if I cry

(CHORUS)
Take flight, into the blue pink sky
Open up your wings and fly
Become the Eagle with power and grace
Feel your freedom and fly

Your wife has been your guide in life
Always in your heart
Know we’ll take good care of her
Through her time to part

You gave your children confidence
Strength to walk the road
And like the noble Eagle
To the mountains you will go

(CHORUS)
Take flight, into the blue pink sky
Open up your wings and fly
Become the Eagle with power and grace
Feel your freedom and fly

Dad your time has come
To cross the Great Divide
We’re all here to help you make it
To the other side

(CHORUS)
Take flight, into the blue pink sky
Open up your wings and fly
Become the Eagle with power and grace
Feel your freedom and fly
Feel your freedom and fly
Feel your freedom and fly

Crossing Over

Crossing Over Lyrics

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