From the Inside Out

I've been listening to a lot of Hillsong United recently, since our church has been doing some of their songs. This particular song touches my heart.



From The Inside Out

by Hillsong United
album: United We Stand (2006)

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2x
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out

Strong Hand Of Love

My friend Alex is a Mark Heard fan. He sings a number of his songs, including "Strong Hand Of Love":

STRONG HAND OF LOVE
by Mark Heard.
Down peppers the rain from a clear blue sky
Down trickles a tear on a youthful face
Feeling in haste and wondering why
Up struggles the sun from a wounded night
Out venture our hearts from their silent shrouds
Trying to ignite but wondering how

We can laugh and we can cry
And never see the strong hand of love hidden in the shadows
We can dance and we can sigh
And never see the strong hand of love hidden in the shadows

Young dreamers explode like popped balloons
Some kind of emotional rodeo
Learning too slow and acting too soon
Time marches away like a lost platoon
We gracefully age as we feel the weight
Of loving too late and leaving too soon

We can laugh and we can cry
And never see the strong hand of love hidden in the shadows
We can dance and we can sigh
And never see the strong hand of love hidden in the shadows

From Dry Bones Dance
Back to The Mark Heard Lyric Project

On The Verge Of Something Wonderful

I heard this on Sonshine FM the other day, and it struck me as a unique song. It's written by Darren Hayes, who has started out in his solo career after leaving Savage Garden:

A serpent, a rabbit
A walk in the forest
A tentative looking sun
A feeling, a moment
A bursting of bubbles
A panic to overcome

A samurai, an angel
An eloquent table
An AC that does not work
A road trip, a car wreck
A paperback novel
A lover who ain’t been hurt

When you let me go, now I’m on my way
When the world below, is cold and grey
On the verge of, on the verge of something wonderful
A resurgence, on the edge of something wonderful

For it, against it
Said he’d never meant it, but Harry still dropped the bomb
A trip to the dentist, the Hollywood black list
A moment that time forgot

When you let me go, now I’m on my way
When the world below, is cold and grey
On the verge of, on the verge of, something wonderful
At the edge of, on the verge of, something wonderful

You can dance in the devil’s shoes, you like walking in heels
There’s a decent living to be made in the selling out of ideals
You can lose your way in the big city
Get distracted and lost and feel pretty, Ooh, Ooh …

I want you, I need you
I don’t wanna please you, or belong to anyone
But life is for leading, for not people pleasing
A race that has never been won

When you let me go, when I’m on my way
When the world below, is cold and grey
On the verge of, on the verge of something wonderful
At the edge of, on the verge of something wonderful
On the verge of, on the verge of something wonderful
A resurgence, on the edge of something wonderful

Caedmon's Call

Someone asked me the other day where Caedmon's Call got their name from. After a quick Google search, I found the following on wikipedia:

The band's unusual name was inspired by Cædmon, an Anglo-Saxon monk who lived during the 7th century. Legend has it that Caedmon was afraid to sing in public due to a lack of musical talent, and shied away from occasions where he had to sing. One day, he heard God calling him to sing, but Caedmon refused at first out of fear. Eventually he decided to listen to God, and when he did, he sang beautiful verses that had never been heard before. Many songwriters tried in vain to write songs as good as or better than Caedmon's, but could not because Caedmon's songs came from God. Founding band members Cliff, Danielle, and Aaron decided on the name "Caedmon's Call" after all three heard this story during the same week and thought it was fitting.

Centre Isle

I love Caedmon's Call. One of the songs on their first album is "Centre Isle". I found the lyrics to Centre Isle the other day. It came with a footnote from the author:

In November of '95, the sister of a friend of mine from high school committed suicide. Having never been to a funeral, I was very apprehensive, especially since I had been asked to play a song during the service. Seeing her in that room along with all of those people who loved her and cared about her really made me think. I mainly wondered if whatever it was that had driven her to that point could have been worked out in that quiet room with that group of people. I suppose questions just lead to more questions. I wrote this song on the way back home in the car. (Derek Webb)

Thank God I'm back in my car
And driving home
And driving home
'Cause the air was thin and so cold
Back in there
It was my first time
Won't be my last time
And the questions rise
Expectations fall
In light of it all

There aren't words to say
Words aren't remembered
But presence is
A good friend once told me
And he was there
He was there
But she wasn't there
It's not fair
It's not fair

(Chorus)
What crimes have you committed
Demanding such a penance
That couldn't wait for five more minutes
And a cry for help
'Cause this room is so peaceful
And this room is so quiet
And I hate the silence
And I can't walk the center aisle

I've been here for over three hours
Behind the flowers
So beautiful and young
And so alive
And so in need of someone
Someone to talk to them
'Cause theirs are fragile lives

(repeat chorus)
And I think about my brother
And how I just stood there
With my hands in my pockets
And my heart in my throat

Thank God I'm back in my car
And driving home
And driving home
But in that place I leave
All my days of taking life for granted
And the words I wrote for her
And my best friend crying
And a young girl lying
On all our hearts
(repeat chorus)

It's that line that gets me every time: What crimes have you committed, demanding such a penance, that couldn't wait for five more minutes, and a cry for help...

Its a cry for help ...

All Will Turn Out Fine

This year I'm going to write music again. I thought I'd start by pulling out all the songs I'd ever written, and putting them all together. Below is the lyrics to the one I'm working on recording now.

All Will Turn Out Fine

© Paul Mulroney 1996

V1
Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever make the grade
Someday, somehow, I won’t be afraid
To walk by faith and not hold back
Whatever, come what may
Someday, somehow, I won’t be afraid

Ch
I see the Then and don’t know When
All this dreamin’s for
I see the signs and don’t know Why
Heaven seems so far
I see the Now and don’t know How
In all of these dark and troubled times
That all will turn out, all will turn out
All will turn out fine

V2
It seems the road I’ve set upon has dangers by the way
Someday, somehow, I will find the way
They beckon with their false perfume and lead so far away
Someday, somehow, I will find the way

Ch

V3
I hear a soft familiar voice cry gently on the wind
Someday, somehow, I’ll find my rest in Him
Resting in my Saviour’s arms I know I’ll finally win
That day, somehow, I’ll have my rest in Him

Ch
I’ll see the Then and I’ll know When
All this dreamin’s for
I’ll see the signs and I’ll know Why
Heaven seemed so far
I’ll see the Now and I’ll know How
In all of those dark and troubled times
That all has turned out, all could turn out
All has turned out fine

Don't worry be happy ...

I was listening to the song written by Bobby McFerrin called "Don't worry, be happy" the other day. The lyrics from Digital Dream Door are below:

Here's a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry, be happy.
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy.
Don't worry, be happy now.

(Chorus)
Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy.
Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy.

Ain't got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don't worry, be happy.
The landlord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don't worry, be happy.

(Chorus)
(Look at me -- I'm happy. Don't worry, be happy.
Here I give you my phone number. When you worry, call me,
I make you happy. Don't worry, be happy.)

Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
Ain't got no gal to make you smile
Don't worry, be happy.
'Cause when you worry your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
Don't worry, be happy.

(Chorus)
(Don't worry, don't worry, don't do it.
Be happy. Put a smile on your face.
Don't bring everybody down.
Don't worry. It will soon pass, whatever it is.
Don't worry, be happy.
I'm not worried, I'm happy...)

My wife said "Didn't he commit suicide?". The ultimate irony I guess. Well, I thought it'd be interesting to find out for sure. I couldn't remember his name, but a quick Google search revealed all.

It seems that rumours of his death are greatly exaggerated. Bobby is alive and well, and still doing stuff, which is a good thing.

So, no ultimate irony this time.

Great Big Stupid World

I love Randy Stonehill. One of my favourite songs is "Great Big Stupid World". The following lyrics I found on the Daniel Amos website:

Great Big Stupid World

©1992 Words and Music by Randy Stonehill Terry Taylor
Recorded by Randy Stonehill for his album "Wonderama" (1992)
Well we worship at the shroud of Elvis
And we're waiting for that money from Ed McMahon
And we're drinking from the Perrier fountain of youth
While we follow what the daily horoscopes saying
Taking lethal doses of MTV
Delving into pet psychiatry
Trying to treat cancer with a fruit juice cure
And waiting for the Beatles reunion tour

'Cuz it's a great big stupid world
And we're feeling kinda queasy as it turns around
Great big stupid world
And we're never really sure if we're up or down
We're on a dirt clod out in space
Where it stops nobody knows
If Jesus came back today
They'd try to book him on the Oprah Winfrey show
'Cuz it's a great big stupid world
Great big stupid world

Well we're hot on the trail of Big Foot
And we're wearing the crystals to feel the power
We're hoping that the creatures from outer space
Come to set us free in that final hour
Trying to tell the future from the lumps on our heads
Getting melanoma from our tanning beds
Channeling Houdini with Shirley MacLaine
And trying to figure out what the dolphins are saying

CHORUS

Well it's a Great-Big-Stupid world
Dumb dumb da dumb dumb baby it's a stupid world
It's a great big stupid, great big stupid
Great big stupid world

Well we're studying the National Enquirer
Is it true Sonny Bono is the Anti-Christ
We debate if T.V. wrestling is really a sport
While we're testing rock 'n' roll and it's effect on mice
Bonding with our little computer screens
Getting anorexic on our Lean Cuisines
Turning plastic surgeons into millionaires
So everybody finally gets to look like Cher

It's a great big stupid world
And we're feeling kind of queezy as it turns around
Great big stupid world
And we're never really sure if we're up or down

It's a great... big... stupid world Dumb dumb da dumb dumb baby it's a stupid world etc., etc., etc.

My boys like Randy too. They're a bit young for the references, so I explained all of them except the one about Ed McMahon. Being an Aussie, I have no idea who he was. I guessed he might be some politician or something. It seemed reasonable at the time. Anyway, a look on Google recently showed who he really was - a game show host on American TV, and the face for the American Family Publishing sweepstakes. In this role he used to appear unannounced on the sweepstakes winner's doorstep and present them with a whopping great big cheque. I guess the Australian equivalent would be like waiting for the Reader's Digest sweepstakes. Doesn't quite have the same ring about it though ...