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This
album was recording at Folly's End Church in Croydon, England, in spring
of 2000. The band was a collection of some genuinely outstanding musicians:
Dave Markee on bass, Henry Spinetti on drums, Norm Barratt on electric
guitars, and Dan Cutrona on keyboards. Dan and Paul Milner (who also engineered,
mixed and mastered) co-produced the project.
Here is a list of the songs from the album, with a few notes about each one. Click on the titles to hear a sample!
- Close to You — This is the track everybody talks about! It captures a totally unplanned moment of Holy Ghost hilarity that happened as we were trying to record "Gross to You" (see below). Amazingly, I've had testimonies of God touching people powerfully – healing hearts and bodies – as they listen to this track.
- On the Rock — This is a "conversion " of the classic Danny & The Juniors' tune "At the Hop." The lyrics were written while I was in Uganda in 1994, and the first doo-wop group I sang it with was a trio of precious Ugandan sisters.
- Temporary Alien — I once had to fill out a form which asked about my citizenship status. I checked "U.S. Citizen," of course, but looked at the options just for fun. One of the boxes was marked "Temporary Alien," which seemed so appropriate – after all, Jesus said that we are "not of this world." By the way, the first line is genuinely autobiographical: I really was born in Chicago in 1951.
- The Son-shine of Your Love — One of the first bands I ever really got into in the late '60s was Cream, and this song was one of their classics. For me the chorus says it all: "I've been waiting so long to be where I'm going, in the Son-shine of Your love!"
- Burnt P.H.L.E.S.C.H. — The theme of this song is the process of heart purification that basically boils down to self being consumed by the fire of God. The spelling of "phlesch" is an old joke started by the guys in my band, Isaac, way back in the mid-'70s when this song was first written. We used that spelling for flesh in the Pauline sense of the carnal nature, to distinguish it from the mere physical flesh.
- The Ballad of Job (Righteous Man Blues) — Some people still struggle with the issue of why bad things happen to good people. I tend to be more amazed at how much good happens to bad people – like me! Still, not every occasion of suffering in our lives can be directly traced to a specific sin, and we need to be reminded of that, both to help us in our own pain, and also to keep us from erring as Job's friends did when we seek to comfort others.
- Roll Over John Calvin — Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" was no doubt written in response to some critic's comment, "If Beethoven could hear this so-called music, he would roll over in his grave!" Some people might have a similar opinion about some of the works of God today. But I am convinced that, regardless of what he might have thought way back when he was ministering here on earth, John Calvin is now completely in favor of everything God is doing! I wonder what he'll say about this song when we meet someday in heaven.
- White Robes — A parody of another Cream tune, "White Room," which really sounds like worship to me. I actually hear massive choirs singing "Alleluia!" during the introduction chords, but couldn't get it to happen for this recording. Maybe someday . . .
- Giant-eaters — Caleb said, "Do not fear the inhabitants of the land, for they are bread for us!" I think the point is that the more we overcome, the stronger we get!
- Falling Asleep (in the Lap of Delilah) — A song inspired by a sermon I heard years ago. The preacher's climactic phrase, "There he was – falling asleep in the lap of Delilah!" struck me both with its spiritual significance and its nice rhythm.
- Born to be Mild — A parody of the Steppenwolf classic, "Born to be Wild," this song offers a little different flavor for Palm Sunday! It has a special meaning for me, because several times I have received a word that I am a donkey (no surprise there!) that Jesus will ride on (that's the good part!).
- (God's going to be) Gross to You — The song we were trying to record when Track 1 happened. You have to imagine it being sung by Moses to Pharaoh. It's a good way to memorize all 10 plagues in order. Other than that, I have no "spiritual" justification for this song!
For ordering information, click here.
