Song Stoires

Sunday
Originally entitled “Friday (But Sunday Is Coming)”, from the title of the well-known sermon and book of the same name by Tony Campolo. Following on from the ideas in those sources, this song’s verses deal with the dark realities of the world we live in, where the Friday of Jesus’ crucifixion acts as a metaphor for our experiences of those realities. As the Gospel stories clearly show, Friday happens, but Sunday is inevitable. Sunday is the resurrection, the day when all our meager hopes and wildest dreams come true, the day we as believers look forward to despite our present condition. This is a “hang in there” song; Sunday is not so far away!

New Creation
A “theology” song, based on Romans 7-8. Paul describes believers as “new creations in Christ Jesus” : “the old has gone, the new has come”. This has all been sermonized and lectured and written about and sung for centuries, nothing new here, but it’s a truth that should cause us to celebrate much more than we do. It’s also not mere theology for me, but a personal experience of God that I still can’t get over.

World Undone
Originally began life as “Most High”, a very fast rocker that we completely re-invented for this record. A bit of ye olde “rocks cry out”, I have to confess, although from an odd angle. This song went through a torturous re-incarnation in the studio (including two complete lyric re-writes, something I’ve never done before), but ultimately turned into an unforgettable “aha!” moment when we realized what we’d achieved.

Alright
This is actually a song for Africa, and for South Africa (our country of origin) in particular. It began life as an insignificant half-completed demo back in 2004, and has become a hymn for Tree63 and all our South African fans who we debuted it for on our 2007 South African tour. The lyrics can be applied to anyone having a struggle, and everyone needs to be reminded that “this too shall pass”, but Africa is definitely the heartbeat of the song.

Foolishness
A meditation on the “foolishness of God”. Paul talks about the apparent reversal of priorities in God’s kingdom, and that it is the “foolishness” of God that has led to mankind’s salvation. One of my better lyrics, if I say so myself.

There is a Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken
I had this title floating around for years before I finally found a song for it! A title like that (taken from Hebrews 12:28) sounds like it should write itself, but it took a few attempts. The song talks about our assurance that while everything we know and love may be transient, the kingdom of God is inviolable and firmly, absolutely unshakable. Good news in times like these.

Almighty Silence
A confessional lyric. This might have originally been entitled “Summer Autumn Winter Silence”, since I try and deal with the seemingly seasonal bouts of clamming up I go through in my dysfunctional relationship with God. I’m immensely proud of this lyric, and the song itself is a little bit of a homage to Roy Orbison. I’d love him to have sung this!

Walking home with You
Potentially a song of fatherly exasperation from God’s point of view! A really simple strummer of a song, although the “God’s viewpoint” lyrics are not always easy for everybody to swallow. This song was originally kicked off “The Answer To The Question” for that very reason, but thankfully it finally has a home now.

Not as this World
Another very personal confessional lyric, this one with an odd title. It’s based on something Annie Dillard said in relation to Jesus’ words in John 14:27: “I do not give to you as the world gives”. God confuses and exasperates us with the opposite of what we ask and beg him for, and then we look back and realize just how wisely and patiently he has dealt with us, and we’re amazed. And thankful. Nevertheless, this is the song of an exasperated believer trying to figure it out.

Becoming
A song for that growing body of discontented believers who love Christ and have a hard time with church as we know it. A change is in the air, a quiet revolution is taking place and we quite possibly have a better chance now of becoming effective followers in The Way than many previous generations of believers. It’s an invitation to join the movement! Officially Tree63’s shortest-ever ‘proper’ song and already a live scorcher.

The Revolution
Originally entitled “Godspeed”, this song had another subject matter until I got a bee in my bonnet. It’s taken me this long to write about something other than myself, and I’m embarrassed to admit it, but finally, a song about our collective responsibilities as believers. Finger-pointing, accusatory, banner-waving, boat-rocking, galvanizing, fundamentalist-baiting, uncomfortable… rock ‘n roll!