1. |
On A Day Before Rain
04:37
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These are the generations of heaven and earth, when they were created
The whole world was dry
Not a cloud in the sky
Just a mist that covered the land
No trees and no fields
No green things to yield
Good scooped up some dirt with his hands
On a day before, day before rain
God took the dirt and mist
made some mud with it
And fashioned a form like you and me
It looked like a man
This thing in God’s hands
It was just mud, it didn’t breathe
On a day before, day before rain
God inhaled, then breathed into
The man, who came alive!
God made to spring
Every green leafy thing
And set the man to work and to tend
“In this garden of trees
You may freely eat
Save from these two, or they will be your end.”
On a day before, day before rain
God said, “It’s fair
That someone should share
the work, that man not be alone.”
The man felt a dull ache
Then beheld his mate
And said “Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone.”
On a day before, day before rain
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2. |
Take A Bite
02:52
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“Would you like an apple dear?
They’re shiny, red and sweet!
So I’ve heard, I haven’t taken a bite
but they’re pretty and I’d like to eat?
I also hear if we partake
we’ll become smart and wise
doesn’t it look succulent?
Go ahead and take a bite!”
Take a bite!
You know you want to!
Take a bite!
You know you long to!
Take a bite!
You know you’re tempted!
And who want to resist temptation?
“Look at us, we’re naked dear.
How did we not know?
This strange feeling of embarrassment
I think I need some clothes.
What if God sees us like this?
We should find a place to hide.
Here among the fig trees
we’ll be safe when God walks by.”
I took a bite,
and it was her fault!
I took a bite,
but blame the serpent!
We both took bites
and now we’re sorry.
Are you sure that we can’t stay here one more night?
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3. |
About The Voice
03:07
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Grandfather Abraham first heard the voice
on an ordinary day like today
it told him to pack up all that he had
and move to a land far away
When he got there
he found it full of people
and so he wandered
he never really settled down
Grandfather Abraham next heard the voice
tell him “go out and count all the stars
All of your children as many as this
and you a blessing spread far.”
Grandmother Sarah
never knew quite what to make of
the voice’s promise
so empty with nothing to show off
and so grandmother tried to give the voice a little help
then Abraham would have an heir
resentment and jealousy, it worked about as you’d expect
soon there was laughter in the air
Grandfather Abraham last heard the voice
when it told him “now go kill your boy
The one that is dearest, the one that I promised
the one who will bring the world joy.”
And so he bound him tight
and raised the knife to slice his throat
the child of laughter gazed in horror
at the things that he now knows
about the voice
it stayed his hand
but nothing’s the same
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4. |
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So you want to save the world
you want to do a lot of good that goes a long, long way
and you see, in my dreams,
the need to save some food for an unrainy day
well, I can’t sleep until something’s
done to make the whole world safe
here’s my ring and my scepter
now you can rule in my place
Well, I’m impressed
you’ve got the graneries full and they’re bursting
and now everybody
comes to us if they are hungry or thirsting
So first we’ll take all their money
payment for the good we’ve just done
and when they’ve nothing to give us
we’ll own them all, everyone!
Even you
Remember who you work for!
Be careful what you give to Pharaoh!
Even when you seek to do good
You may have saved all of Egypt
But it will not end in the way that you think that it should
Because the power to give can be the power to take
And the power to build can be the power to break
And the power to free can be the power to enslave
So careful what you give to Pharaoh!
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5. |
I Will Not Let Israel Go
04:15
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There’s blood in my soup
and a frog in my boot
and gnats buzzing round my head
I’m sweaty and thirsty
and probably stinky
and I think I would rather be dead
But I’m still the king
and I run everything
despite what I hear from this Moses
So, who’s got the clout?
I will wait The Lord out
and I will not lt Israel go!
No I will not let Israel go!
No I will not let Israel leave!
Who will build my monuments?
Or labor in my pyramids?
Or grovel in the shadow of my glory?
You may not leave!
The air’s filled with flies
All the livestock have died
I’ve got boils painful to thre touch
The hail is crunching
the locusts are munching
it’s so dark that I cannot see much!
I may still be king
but does it mean anything
every time I run into this Moses?
I knew I was warned
When the Lord took the first born
get out, Israel can go!
Yes I will, I will, let Israel go!
Yes I will, I will, let Israel leave!
Wait! Who will build my monuments?
Or labor in my pyramids?
A grovel in the shadow of my glory?
Come back to me!
I will, I will, hunt you down! I will, I will, bring you back!
There you are, against the sea! Now you cannot escape me!
Where’d all the water come from?
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6. |
Are We There Yet?
02:15
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Are we there yet? Have we finally arrived?
Are we there yet? Did we really survive?
The sand, the heat, the endless miles of desert that we crossed
Despite the cloud and fire leading we felt that we were lost
Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
Are we there yet? We’re tired of the fare
water from the rock and bread out of thin air
Forty years of only that we’re longing for a change
Something crisp and something green and maybe a bit strange
Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
When we first laid eyes upon the Canaanites
They were big and strong and much too tough to fight!
We whined to God again
We wished that we had been
Snuggled down Egypt every night!
We weren’t looking for a fight!
Are we there yet? This time we’ll be good!
Let us in our promised land, and we’ll do what we should!
When Joshua orders us to march on Jericho
All he has to do is point, we’ll take our swords and go
We promise, yes we promise!
(well, maybe not)
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7. |
Jawbone
03:09
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Samson with the long flowing hair
was the strongest man in the world
and he could never resist
the smile of a pretty girl
at the wedding banquet
he behaved most haughtily
they tried to kill him
but he beat them easily
there’s always a jawbone around when you need one
there’s always a jawbone around when you need one
they’re so handy!
for fighting!
and smiting!
Samson was captivated
by the comely lass Delilah
“Come,” she said “and tell me
what makes you such a powerful fighter.”
He lied a time or two, and then told her
“Baby, it’s my hair!”
She shaved his head and gouged his eyes out
and then bound him there
never a jawbone around when you need one
never a jawbone handy when you need one
Such a pity
'cause this ends badly
Samson spent the last of his days
in a grimy little temple
and with the last of his strength
he killed a bunch more people
the moral of this song
the point I want to leave you with
being such an awful flirt
can leave you blind and captive
so keep a jawbone handy you might need one
(that goes for you ladies)
keep on a jawbone handy just in case
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8. |
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David schlepped armor for Saul the king
when facing Goliath he took out his sling
a stone carefully flung hit the fiend in the head
he fell on his face and then he was dead
but David had to be careful
Saul became jealous for what he had done
and all the success he won
David fought Saul but twice spared his life
at war and cornered Saul fell on his knife
David was crowned king of all Israel
he battled the Philistines and they all fell
and then he marched upon Jebus
took it and made it Jerusalem
his people all said “Amen!”
Cedar and stone, bronze and gold
“A house I will build, and our God it will hold.”
The Lord said to David, “I do the building
gathering, blessing, anointing, fulfilling!
And you, your house and your throne
I establish forever before me
a kingdom eternally!”
David danced all night
danced with all his might
he whirled and he twirled, like a fool he adored
he swayed and he prayed out his heart to the Lord
Our God.
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9. |
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Light shines in the darkness
So brightly in the darkness
Shines out in the darkness
for the upright
Hallelujah, happy are they who trust in the word of the Lord!
Their children are many and mighty and righteous, abiding forevermore
Light upon light shines upon all who dwell in this place
Those who show mercy, who live with compassion, receiving the love of God’s grace
Light shines in the darkness
So brightly in the darkness
Shines out in the darkness
for the upright
Hallelujah, happy are they whose trust is firm in the Lord!
They do not fear, they are steadfast, their honor is restored
Grace upon grace, they give to the poor as God has given to them
They will not be shaken, their hearts strong forever to ages of ages amen!
Light shines in the darkness
So brightly in the darkness
Shines out in the darkness
for the upright
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10. |
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Well after Saul & David & Solomon
There was Jeroboam
Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri
Ahab and his wicked queen Jezebel
Elijah fought her priests on Mt. Carmel
And after them came Ahaziah,
Joram, Yehu, Yehoahaz,
Yehoash and another Jeroboam
Zechariah, Shallum and Menachem
Pekahiah, Pekah and Hoshea
And after this Assyria laid waste to the kingdom
the line of kings of Israel ceased to be
because they worshiped many idols
gods of stone and wood cannot redeem
Well after Saul & David & Solomon
There was Rehoboam
Abijah, Asa and Jehoshaphat
Yehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah
Joash, Amaziah, and Uzziah
And after them came Jotham
Ahaz and Hezekiah
Manasseh, Amon and Josiah
Yehoahaz, Yehoiakim
Yehoiakin, lastly Zedekiah
who was hauled in chains to Babylon
not to be heard from again
Jerusalem was burnt and turned to rubble
Yehoiakin lived in comfy exile
The line of Jesse waiting to redeem
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11. |
No People, No Pity
04:53
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You are not my people
You don’t have my mercy
So says the Lord:
in your lies you went astray
you rejected all I taught
and followed your own ways
the righteous and the poor
you plunder and enslave!
you silence prophets
and profane my name!
You are not my people
You don’t have my mercy
So says the Lord:
why do you hope so soon
the day of the Lord comes
for you, it’s darkness and it’s gloom
I hate your worship!
I hate your offerings!
I don’t accept them
let my justice pour down
like a stream!
You are not my people
You don’t have my mercy
I sent down terror and anguish upon them!
the sword to strike down all their soldiers
And I will take them to captivity again
Everything of theirs I will disperse
You are not my people
You don’t have my mercy
You will all be scattered
You will serve your enemies
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12. |
The Day is Coming
03:49
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The day is coming says the Lord
But now says the Lord who created you all
I redeem you and I know your name
when you walk through the fire
or pass through the waters
you will not drown or feel the flames
The day is coming says the Lord
And now says the Lord I will gasther you back
from the places I scattered you to
the the east and the north, from the south and the west
fear not, for I am with you!
The day is coming says the Lord
The people who walked in the darkness have seen a great light
the chains that confined them were broken by justice and might
and a child born to them whose power will only increase
wionderful counselor they”ll call him and prince of peace
The day is coming says the Lord
Today I make new the covenant I
cut with the people I called
my law I write in them, their sins I forgive them
they are mine, and I am their God!
The day is coming says the Lord
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C.H.Featherstone Chicago, Illinois
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