Monday, February 27, 2006

Break out the hairspray

Since I posted these songs from the concert, I figured I`d go ahead and post some older stuff that I recorded a few years back. These are VBR MP3s, so they`re a little bigger than you average MP3 file; I just wanted to preserve as much sound quality as possible. One of them is not even a whole song. "Until the End of Time" was my first foray into home recording, followed by "You`re Holy"; a half praise-half rocker. "Love Song" is the heaviest of them all. I think it`s also the tightest (did a scratch-track of the guitar part first). If anyone wants the lyrics, I`ll post them. Otherwise, enjoy

Until the End of Time

You`re Holy/ Love Song

Sunday, February 19, 2006

The Concert

I know it's been a little while since the concert. I apologize.
I had to learn a whole new genre of computer software to make this post. Renata went to the concert with her camcorder, and it's taken all this time to find the drivers for her equipment, a program to extract the video files, and a program to convert the files to .avi format. There are times that I dislike the information age...
I must also apologize for the audio; there's some sort of "hiss" during strumming that I think is resultant of the volume at which the guitar was recorded. If you're not paying attention to it, it goes away.
To watch the files, you'll need the Xvid codec for your media player. Just download it and install. If you have any problems, email me and I'll try to help you out. I put the lyrics to the songs in the previous 3 posts.
Major muito obrigados to Renata for recording the songs. letting me borrow her camcorder to extract them, and putting up with my emotional shrapnel while trying to get everything to work.

The concert itself was pretty fun. There was classical violin, lots of acoustic acts, a live band, another band made up entirely of family members (including the mom!), a gospel choir, etc... The couple who organized it last year weren't here to do it again, so it was a little off-the-cuff and lasted an extra half-hour. They gave me 12 minutes instead of the regular 10 because the songs ran a little over during rehearsal. As a result, I didn't get the opportunity for the gospel preamble I wanted. You'll hear the little I managed to pull off on the first song. Comments are appreciated; especially nice ones...haha! Enjoy.

1-Traces of the Fall
2-Dead Air
3-Forever Yours

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Traces of the Fall

This song is about 2 1/2 - 3 years old. Pre-Japan; it comes from a beautiful time in my life when I lived in a truly Acts 2-ish community. Wisdom flowed like water from the tap, and I really feel like this is my signature song to date.
It started as a little progression that sounded lovely with a falsetto line behind it (the part after the chorus). I really wanted to include it in a song, and later, as I wrote another part that also had falsetto (the break in between verse lines), I knew they should go together. The lyrics were the last thing to come, and, as they developed, they began to mimic the examples of godly men in Hebrews 11. The chorus takes a cue from I Corinthians 3:12-15.
I totally flaked and forgot the last verse when I played it live. Pity, it's kind of the focus of the song...

Traces of the Fall

He takes the axe and starts to work upon the trees
In a hundred years the rains will come
His family the only ones to survive . . . new life

He takes the dagger in his hand and holds it high,
As he looks down at his son upon
The altar in the hopes that he won't die . . . alive

CHORUS
For the tests are sure to come;
Prove our faith or be undone;
The worth of work, the day will bring to light.
Gold, steel, hay, wood, or straw;
The fire refines them all;
What burns away are traces of the fall.

He takes the staff and holds it high over the sea.
As the waters part, the people start
To make their way along the dry ground

He takes the trumpet in his hand and blows it hard;
While all around him, people shouting,
Triumphant; the walls come tumbling down

CHORUS
By its fruit the tree is known.
In our works His glory's shown;
His majesty reflected in our lives.
Gold, steel, hay, wood, or straw;
The fire refines them all;
What burns away are traces of the fall.

He takes the cup His Father's giv'n and drinks it down;
Through the thorns and nails, our God prevails,
And shows us what our lives ought to be like .

Dead Air

This song came from a dark time in my life. It was winter of last year that I was going my own way; blaming God for separation that was entirely my fault. The lyrics originally accused Him of the theft (You stole my life...).
People have told me that they really like the music of this one, so I felt compelled to redeem it. Looking back on that time in my life, the re-written version much more clearly reflects my situation and what I needed to do to remedy it; namely, confess my sin and draw near to Him.

Dead Air

You're the One who heard every word I said
And I've checked the obituaries; You're not dead
So why haven't I heard from You in such a long while?
I've tried ringing You and singing to You, clinging to You;
It's all futile

Did I do something to make You go away?
Have the ties we're bound with all been severed
Since I turned to my own way?

CHORUS
I just can't believe my ears
There's nothing here
It's like I'm talking to the air again

he stole my life; he stole my joy right out from under
Yeah, he robbed me of my very soul; took it off like plunder

Was this his intention all along:
To bring me here, break me down, and string me along?

CHORUS

A final time; entreating to reply
Now that all the debts are confessed, I just wanna draw nigh

It's almost time for me to close this up
I'm hoping by this last ring's end You'll pick it up...

CHORUS

Restored my life, restored my joy, and awe, and wonder
Your rod and staff before my soul; comfort from the thunder

Forever Yours

This is the most recent of the 3 songs. The music was around for a little while, but the lyrics came last October.

Forever Yours

I`ve been down and I`ve been weak
I`ve had to turn the other cheek
Just to chase the dream of You

It`s been hard and it`s been long
It`s been more than I can put into a song

`Cause when the moment comes
to turn into a sage
Who and what You are to me
Can`t be put into words upon a page...

CHORUS
Forever You are my God
Forever spirit is who We are
Forever You are one:
Father, Spirit, Son
And forever You have won
My heart, my soul, my life:
Forever Yours

I`ve been lost and all alone
Broken down and so unknown
Wondering if the words were true

The touch of Your voice was oh, so sweet
Made my joy and my life complete

You answered everything
With just a simple word
"Faith" was the victory;
Glorius, it overcomes the world!

CHORUS

There were times when trust was in a short supply
Sin so deep, the roots had choked my very life
And, through it all, who You are: merciful and mighty, never changed
You stay the same...
Forever!

And when the moment comes
To turn into a sage
Thank you, Lord, eternally
That who and what You are cannot be caged!

CHORUS

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Butterflies

Well,
I finished the first rehearsal today for a charity concert I'm playing in next Thursday. The 2 hour concert is for
Free the Children and will include a host of performers.
I'm pretty nervous about playing, actually. On a good day, I get about 15-30 minutes of practice, but that's half the week or less. I'll be playing either 2 or 3 original songs during my alloted time slot (10 minutes), some filler for the video presentations, and guitar for the theme song, which will finish the concert. All told, that's pretty close to my average practice time, which means my fingers will be throbbing during the last number. Of course, that doesn't include any practice they may ask for the day of, either, so I'm a little concerned.
My final worry is that I haven't played publicly in a while, and only 3 times in the last year; I don't want to screw up.
The originals are Christian songs, sometimes blatantly so. If it's possible, I would like to explain them a little bit to the audience and get a little gospel presentation in there. I don't know how they will react; although the concert is in Japan, there will be many westerners there, and I've noticed an increasing hostility to Jesus in "modern" western countries.
Please pray for me. This is an excellent opportunity to share the gospel with over 200 people. Pray that God gives me the courage to speak boldly, and the words to cut to their hearts. Also pray that the music goes smoothly; nothin' like jittery fingers to make a guitar sound awful and trip up a singer.
I'll try to post the lyrics to the songs I'm playing on the blog soon.
Thanks in advance for your prayers,
Bedtime...zzzzzz