As a way to introduce the new records, I thought I would blog song by song to give you some insight into the writing, recording, production and story of each of the songs. Here is the next installment.
Song By Song – Home
The idea for this song was around for so long that I honestly don’t recall when it first came to me. Like I mentioned in the first blog, songwriting is truly a mysterious thing. I’m almost certain the idea predates our move to North Carolina, so that puts it at least 10+ years old.
I believe the chorus came first followed by the bridge. The bridge is a reference to Romans 7:24: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The answer to the question is in the rest of the book of Romans and the whole of Scripture. But I went for years without verses for this song, nothing ever seeming to breakthrough. Eventually, the first verse came to me. This only mounted the pressure! Now, I had a framework, a syncopation that the second verse would have to follow. Finally, about 3 years ago, I think, the second verse came. The notion of a coming storm, a rising sea to wash away all that is not built on the Rock. Paul also says in Romans that creation is groaning, like a woman in childbirth. Who cannot see that around us? Not to get political, but I kind of chuckle at people who say climate change isn’t real in some sense or form. I’m 40 years old, and the weather is definitely not what it was like when I was a kid in the 1980’s! But why would we be surprised by this? Creation has been falling apart since Adam and Eve were forced out of the garden, and it will continue to do so until Christ returns and makes it all new. It is also reasonable to assume that the decay and pain of creation’s fall will intensify and speed up as we draw nearer to Christ’s return, again a parallel to the pain and struggle of childbirth. So, it is all coming unglued, right down to our very hearts. And only the Blood of Jesus can make that right.
As my faith has become more reformed, I’ve struggled a bit with the wording of the bridge. Now, I’m getting into deep theological waters here that I do not fully grasp or understand, but bear with me. I was raised in an escapist dispensationalism that certainly stressed the idea that Heaven and the New Earth meant not the earth and creation we now know. Rather, it interprets the Scriptures to say that God is going to destroy what we now see and make a new creation where His redeemed people will dwell with him for eternity. But, I feel the Scriptures pulling me toward a belief that the first earth and the former things passing away means that God is going to redeem His creation – that the soil we toil in today will be made right like my heart and soul will be. So, I view my lines in the bridge from this vantage point now. “This is not my home”. I take “home” to mean my body of sin and death – the fallenness of me, my neighbor and the entirety of creation. And the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection will be the power that rescues me and all of creation.
This is the only song that I ever told Larry Carman exactly what I wanted him to play on the drums. I think he still resents that, but I always had a definitive sound in my head. He played it to perfection if that’s any consolation to him. Kevin is so great with sounds and playing what is needed at the exact moment. It was fun to take his spacious parts from the last chorus and use it to create an intro of sounds. John Ray surprised me with his string parts using the bow on the upright bass. I was blown away when I first heard them. The suspense of the parts in the intro and in the bridge pair so beautifully with the lyrics. And of course, Michael Kinchen’s organ became the glue to hold all of the parts together. It truly became a fitting title song.
Since this is the title song, I also want to mention the cover painting. The painting is an original piece, “Introduce Me To Autumn”, by Eric Peters. I first met Eric in 2010 when Mary and I had him come to Sarasota to do a show at our church. Eric is an amazing singer/songwriter, but he’s always had a difficult time moving product and making a living as an independent artist. Over the years, he’s dabbled as a substitute teacher and a used book connoisseur. He also operates his own lawn care business. A few years ago, he launched into visual arts where, I believe, he is showing himself to be very talented. In the summer of 2019, Eric posted a lot of his paintings for sale. When I saw “Introduce Me To Autumn”, I knew it would be the perfect cover for the Home record. I promptly bought the painting and then worked out a deal to use the painting for the cover. Please check out Eric’s music, books and visual art at ericpeters.net, and support a great artist and a wonderful person.
Check back in a few days as I continue to go song by song with “7-23-10”.
