SONG COMMENTARY
TAKE A HAND
The origin of some of my songs are more obscure in memory. This is one.
I remember that I wanted to write a song that would be able to be sung as an audience greeting at my concerts. My hope was that it might be a big radio hit, and become something of an anthem.
This didn’t happen, of course, and it just kind of laid there. I never performed it live.
LOVE IS ALIVE
Another rather obscure song in my memory. Some songs are more about the craft, this would be one of them.
This was an attempt to write a cool little pop song, without a deep and heavy meaning attached.
Not all songs have to be weighty, some can just be fun and celebratory.
Production note: I was especially gratified to be able to put the bass harmonica solo on this song. Tommy Morgan is a world class session player, and had done a few things on Beach Boys records. I always wanted to use him and the bass harmonica, and this was one of my most satisfying musical moments on any of my albums. A great solo.
LITTLE PEOPLE
Again, an attempt to write a kind of fluffy pop oriented ditty, but this time with a bit more of a lyrical agenda.
I wanted to juxtapose the almost childlike feel of the song with the serious issues of a world of “little people” who are walking around in a fog, blinded to the dangers of the spiritual world around them.
FULL IMMERSION OCEAN WATER BAPTISM BY THE SEA
Arguably the longest title in CCM history.
In my mind, this was always a sequel to “Little Country Church," which spoke of the changing times in the church in the early 70’s as huge numbers of hippies began to get born again at Calvary Chapel and other churches.
“Straight People," as we viewed them, had a great challenge in the mandate to embrace the weird, unwashed with the love of Jesus. Many were rightfully suspicious of these converts who claimed to be changed on the inside, but stayed the same on the outside. They passed the test admirably, and we all felt very accepted and loved.
A dilemma facing Pastor Chuck Smith was how to baptize the massive amounts of converts, literally hundreds per week at Calvary Chapel alone. Well, 'God’s Baptismal' seemed like a logical choice, and the summer baptisms at the beach at Corona Del Mar, CA, became a staple for a few years. I felt that the joy, enthusiasm and innocence of those events needed to be ”chronicled in song," and thus the writing of this tune.
I employed a kind of Caribbean, 'Blue Bayou' type feel for the rhythm of the song. Seemed to me to make it more “beach-y”.
WITHOUT YOUR LOVE
The original Vineyard church started in my living room as a house meeting taught by Kenn Gulliksen.
Later Kenn started studies in other homes in the LA area, and eventually a church was birthed. The original Vineyard is where both Keith Green and Bob Dylan got saved, and the church had quite a few celebrities in the congregation.
Debby Boone was one who attended regularly, and she had just had the huge hit, “You Light Up My Life." I had heard she was looking for a follow-up, and “Without Your Love” was one of the few songs I ever wrote with someone else in mind. I actually submitted the song to her, but despite the fact that we saw her and husband Gabrielle Ferrer (son of Jose Ferrer and Rosemary Clooney, and brother of Miguel Ferrer, the well-known actor) in church regularly, they never ever commented on the song.
I decided of course, to record it myself. Why waste a good song?
OUR LIVES ARE IN YOUR HANDS
A kind of Bob Dylan inspired melody and chord structure.
This was a bit of as departure for me musically, maybe harking back slightly to “Joyous Lament” from the 2nd Love Song album. "Final Touch."
Nothing too dramatic to say about it... just a song of encouragement.
HIS WORD IS STILL HIS PROMISE
Lyrically, this song lyrically was faith camp 101, but I had not yet been exposed to the faith message when I wrote it.
It’s rather remarkable to me how much of it I 'got' in this song as later on, the faith message became an important aspect of my walk. I never went off into 'hyper-faith' as it was called, (confessing for BMWs , etc.) but faith principles impacted my life in a very real and positive way.
Seems like I was in a pop songwriting mode back then as I reflect upon this album. Many of the songs are hooky and commercial, not always my first consideration when I write.
SONG FOR A CHRISTIAN WEDDING
I wrote this for my wedding in 1971.
I didn’t think I could perform it live at my wedding as I was rather emotional in those days, and believed that I wouldn’t make it through the song without crying. So I decided to pre-record it and play the recording at the wedding. Problem was, I didn’t have any money for recording.
Thanks to the largesse of Buddy King- who had engineered the first Maranatha album at his home studio- I was able to record the song free of charge.
The original recording was really just a demo, and when it came time to think about recording it for public consumption, I felt it should be recorded more professionally.
As with many of my demos, they are often so much better in feel than the actual recording. I almost regret that the original version was not the one I released. Not that this one didn’t turn out well. It did. But something about the feel of the first impression of a song can often be better than the official recording.
The idea of the lyric was to first address my bride, then invite the Lord, and- in last verse- approach The Lord in the triune melding of our souls and spirits.
WINGS OF MERCY
Wow! Chords so difficult, I can’t even remember them without reading a lead sheet.
Somewhere I had seen either a ministry, or a church called, “Wings Of Mercy." I thought it was a great image, and wrote this bluesy kind of soul-balled around the idea.
Nothing too out of the ordinary here, just a solid evangelism song.
ALL I WANT
More pop-ballad songwriting.
One of my favorite all-time songs is “Whiter Shade Of Pale.” Every songwriter probably borrows from these classic chords- consciously or not- as did I.
This song was truly my heart cry and still is today. All I want is to be the 'Man of God' He wants me to be.
This song was an anthemic fitting ending to the album, and never ever was NOT in my mind to end the album.
One of my favorite lines I have written... “make the man become the sermon."
The origin of some of my songs are more obscure in memory. This is one.
I remember that I wanted to write a song that would be able to be sung as an audience greeting at my concerts. My hope was that it might be a big radio hit, and become something of an anthem.
This didn’t happen, of course, and it just kind of laid there. I never performed it live.
LOVE IS ALIVE
Another rather obscure song in my memory. Some songs are more about the craft, this would be one of them.
This was an attempt to write a cool little pop song, without a deep and heavy meaning attached.
Not all songs have to be weighty, some can just be fun and celebratory.
Production note: I was especially gratified to be able to put the bass harmonica solo on this song. Tommy Morgan is a world class session player, and had done a few things on Beach Boys records. I always wanted to use him and the bass harmonica, and this was one of my most satisfying musical moments on any of my albums. A great solo.
LITTLE PEOPLE
Again, an attempt to write a kind of fluffy pop oriented ditty, but this time with a bit more of a lyrical agenda.
I wanted to juxtapose the almost childlike feel of the song with the serious issues of a world of “little people” who are walking around in a fog, blinded to the dangers of the spiritual world around them.
FULL IMMERSION OCEAN WATER BAPTISM BY THE SEA
Arguably the longest title in CCM history.
In my mind, this was always a sequel to “Little Country Church," which spoke of the changing times in the church in the early 70’s as huge numbers of hippies began to get born again at Calvary Chapel and other churches.
“Straight People," as we viewed them, had a great challenge in the mandate to embrace the weird, unwashed with the love of Jesus. Many were rightfully suspicious of these converts who claimed to be changed on the inside, but stayed the same on the outside. They passed the test admirably, and we all felt very accepted and loved.
A dilemma facing Pastor Chuck Smith was how to baptize the massive amounts of converts, literally hundreds per week at Calvary Chapel alone. Well, 'God’s Baptismal' seemed like a logical choice, and the summer baptisms at the beach at Corona Del Mar, CA, became a staple for a few years. I felt that the joy, enthusiasm and innocence of those events needed to be ”chronicled in song," and thus the writing of this tune.
I employed a kind of Caribbean, 'Blue Bayou' type feel for the rhythm of the song. Seemed to me to make it more “beach-y”.
WITHOUT YOUR LOVE
The original Vineyard church started in my living room as a house meeting taught by Kenn Gulliksen.
Later Kenn started studies in other homes in the LA area, and eventually a church was birthed. The original Vineyard is where both Keith Green and Bob Dylan got saved, and the church had quite a few celebrities in the congregation.
Debby Boone was one who attended regularly, and she had just had the huge hit, “You Light Up My Life." I had heard she was looking for a follow-up, and “Without Your Love” was one of the few songs I ever wrote with someone else in mind. I actually submitted the song to her, but despite the fact that we saw her and husband Gabrielle Ferrer (son of Jose Ferrer and Rosemary Clooney, and brother of Miguel Ferrer, the well-known actor) in church regularly, they never ever commented on the song.
I decided of course, to record it myself. Why waste a good song?
OUR LIVES ARE IN YOUR HANDS
A kind of Bob Dylan inspired melody and chord structure.
This was a bit of as departure for me musically, maybe harking back slightly to “Joyous Lament” from the 2nd Love Song album. "Final Touch."
Nothing too dramatic to say about it... just a song of encouragement.
HIS WORD IS STILL HIS PROMISE
Lyrically, this song lyrically was faith camp 101, but I had not yet been exposed to the faith message when I wrote it.
It’s rather remarkable to me how much of it I 'got' in this song as later on, the faith message became an important aspect of my walk. I never went off into 'hyper-faith' as it was called, (confessing for BMWs , etc.) but faith principles impacted my life in a very real and positive way.
Seems like I was in a pop songwriting mode back then as I reflect upon this album. Many of the songs are hooky and commercial, not always my first consideration when I write.
SONG FOR A CHRISTIAN WEDDING
I wrote this for my wedding in 1971.
I didn’t think I could perform it live at my wedding as I was rather emotional in those days, and believed that I wouldn’t make it through the song without crying. So I decided to pre-record it and play the recording at the wedding. Problem was, I didn’t have any money for recording.
Thanks to the largesse of Buddy King- who had engineered the first Maranatha album at his home studio- I was able to record the song free of charge.
The original recording was really just a demo, and when it came time to think about recording it for public consumption, I felt it should be recorded more professionally.
As with many of my demos, they are often so much better in feel than the actual recording. I almost regret that the original version was not the one I released. Not that this one didn’t turn out well. It did. But something about the feel of the first impression of a song can often be better than the official recording.
The idea of the lyric was to first address my bride, then invite the Lord, and- in last verse- approach The Lord in the triune melding of our souls and spirits.
WINGS OF MERCY
Wow! Chords so difficult, I can’t even remember them without reading a lead sheet.
Somewhere I had seen either a ministry, or a church called, “Wings Of Mercy." I thought it was a great image, and wrote this bluesy kind of soul-balled around the idea.
Nothing too out of the ordinary here, just a solid evangelism song.
ALL I WANT
More pop-ballad songwriting.
One of my favorite all-time songs is “Whiter Shade Of Pale.” Every songwriter probably borrows from these classic chords- consciously or not- as did I.
This song was truly my heart cry and still is today. All I want is to be the 'Man of God' He wants me to be.
This song was an anthemic fitting ending to the album, and never ever was NOT in my mind to end the album.
One of my favorite lines I have written... “make the man become the sermon."
