Gethsemane. For me, what happens there is perhaps the most important moment in the Bible. The Crucifixion comes shortly afterwards, yes, but it is in the garden that Jesus wrestles with the implications of what He is about to do and - crucially - decides to go ahead with his Father's plan. God as man, placing the holiness and perspective of the former ahead of the fear and anguish of the latter - it always has and always will move me in a profound way.
This song about that night is available for free download on my Reverbnation page. I hope you'll enjoy listening to it in the lead-up to Easter. Please, if you're involved in a church or any other situation in which the song might be a useful resource, feel free to use it as such, and contact me if you'd like the chord sheet. Otherwise, please share as often as you like - this song is about the message, not the money.
Enjoy.

Gethsemane

You Are Not My Son
The Christmas story is one of the most compelling ever told. It includes politics, hardship, incredible natural and supernatural phenomena, all centred around the birth of a world-changing child.
Mary gets plenty of attention in the story, and rightly so. 
Her acquiescence to a stark, bewildering call on her life is inspiring for the steel it required and for the grace with which she performed her role.
Joseph, however, is left, by and large, to lurk in the shadows. He’s an important part of the unfolding tapestry, but by definition – it’s a virgin birth – he has not been as involved in Jesus’ arrival as his young wife, and he has relatively little say in the way matters play out.
But Joseph – on that night when there is no room in the inn; when they Magi follow a star from a faraway land; when shepherds abandon their flocks for a while for a more important task; when Herod starts to sense that there’s a threat to his supposed supremacy – becomes a father. He has no direct biological link to the infant whose arrival is heralded by angels, but he has a role to play in the child’s care. That is true in Jesus’ first few hours on Earth as it is throughout his childhood and becoming a man.
This song tells Joseph’s story.

You Are Not My Son

Everyone goes through tough times. Everyone experiences depression, or something like it. Which makes it ironic that we all feel so alone at the time. A couple of years ago, I went through a period where, due to the breaking down of a part of my career I had enjoyed perhaps more than any other, I lost a lot of self-confidence, motivation and happiness. In short, my mojo went missing, and it put a lot of strain on me and on my relationships with my nearest and dearest. The lyrics for this song explore the journey back from there, and particularly the complexity of knowing that such droughts are often only for a season and that, as a Christian, I believe in and follow a God who has a plan and cares for me, even if I can’t see Him working and am stressed and frustrated.
That uncertainty will, I feel, resonate with a number of listeners who may be in, or have been in, similar emotional situations. I hope they will also relate with the note of cautious joy on which the song ends, in that place where the worst is past but there is much work yet to do. Strength to you if this is your situation. And if you are strong but know someone who could benefit from the sentiments expressed in the song, please pass it on – no payment required.

Centre Stage
Music & lyrics by Bruce Dennill © & ℗ 2016
Produced by Bruce Dennill & Ralph Martin
Engineered by Ralph Martin
Mixed by Ralph Martin
Live recording on 29 April 2017 at Ralph’s International House Of Tea

Credits:

Bruce Dennill: Vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul Elliott: Piano 
Stefan Vos: Lead guitar
Ralph Martin: Drum, percussion and strings programming

Centre Stage

This remix takes You Are Not My Son, a song about the conflicting emotions Joseph, earthly guardian of Jesus, must have experienced during the first Christmas. Finnish producer Slag enjoys taking the work of collaborators - in genres ranging from pop to folk and gospel - and morphing it into experimental electronic pop.

You Are Not My Son - Bruce Dennill * Slag's Finland Remix

You’re living your life, working hard and generally enjoying yourself. To most observers, it looks as though everything is going well – and for the most part, it is.

And yet, something is missing.

It’s not an easily definable something. It has to do with calling; with purpose; with vocation. Success and satisfaction as they are usually defined don’t quite fill the gap that you feel at your core, and the search for that fulfilment can be a dispiriting process. Without a strong focal point, many will wander off their chosen path, getting no closer to their goal and risking severe setbacks if even the dissatisfaction of their previous circumstances now begins to seem relatively positive.

That focal point may be task or a perspective; either philosophical or practical. You may be pointed in that direction by a friend, or a partner, or your faith in God.

Whatever the case, I wish you luck as you look for that ideal, courage and strength as you avoid the journey’s pitfalls and the comfort – through this song – of knowing that you are not alone. We’re all in this together.

Something To Do

The Biblical story of Jonah is usually best remembered for the bit with the chucking a guy into the sea and his getting swallowed by a giant fish. To be fair, that’s strong material – the action, the drama…

But what I found most interesting in the book is the over-arching moral theme of the narrative. A man is told, quite clearly, to do something. Said man actively chooses to disobey the instruction, going to considerable lengths to try to escape the consequences of the decision. Those consequences soon catch up with him, and he ultimately reaches the goal he was expected to – though not without being argumentative and, frankly, annoying about the whole thing.

Obvious metaphor? Jonah is all of us – well, certainly me – and we all have a number of Ninevehs to confront; challenges we want to avoid or at least only observe from a distance, but which require our involvement and commitment if we are to make any progress with our lives.

Good luck on your way to Nineveh. Avoid the fish.

Nineveh

What it says on the tin, really - a plea to be accepted. But also a statement regarding my confidence in who I am.

Take Me As I Am

Fear's not a bad thing - it keeps you out of serious trouble and makes you a stronger person once you conquer it.

Fear

There's a message in here somewhere, about someone who helps you throughout the different stages of your life, whether you deserve it or not. It's not terribly subtle. It's not meant to be. It IS catchy, though. Enjoy.

Someone

Some tunes for your listening pleasure. Hopefully. Feedback and debate welcomed. Love your work.

Bruce Dennill

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