This song is the product of a fruitful collaboration with my friend, Sandy, and developed from two lines of thought: we both admire and are inspired by the work of John Barry, and wanted to produce a song influenced by some of his classic motifs; we also wanted to write a song about the crucifixion but told in a different way - Jesus being God's secret agent in His master-plan to save the world.  For the closet fan, there are several references in the lyrics, some obvious, some less so - but enjoy spotting them as you listen.

LYRICS:

The heat of the sun, a blade that strikes the life from land;
The sweat of the brow that stings the dreams;
The shade of a tree its branches wide out to the sky;
A man looks into the jaws of death.
The iron of the spikes is mingled with the iron of life,
The blood of this innocent is shamed;
The tree casts its shadow and a veil of darkness falls;
A man looks into the eyes of love.
Torn from the mind true love turns away;
This one stands alone for the world.

From heaven with love,
Eternity swallows time.
The thundercall sounds.
The man with the name for your life only cries,
That you're only born twice,
The living daylight floods from the golden sun.

A view to a kill upon a barren dusty peak;
An awesome defeat for lords of light?
A curse thrown with vengeance brings all hatred bearing down;
Another desires this all high crime.
His pain sears the conscience of this worthless minded crowd.
Turning, He meets the soldier's eye.
Nobody does it better, it's finished to the last,
His Majesty's sacred service done.
Torn through the years true love finds a way -
It's better to die and let live.

From heaven with love...

The Man With the Name - latest version

When I visited Ghana I discovered that in the Fanti language there is a word for Jesus they use that is the same as that of a mighty warrior chieftain - Osaaberimay.  This was the inspiration for this song.  The verse is different in that it is spoken as a prayer of praise.  A song for spiritual warriors.

LYRICS:

Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay,
Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay.

0 God or" Light, of heaven above,
How can I express my love?
When I think of all You've done,
It's all fulfilled within Your Son.
I'm overwhelmed with every touch that comes from You
And there are such wonders for my mind to hold,
I need Your strength to make me bold.
A warrior of praise You'd have me be,
Not of mediocrity.
To give the whole of strength and thought,
Considering how I've been bought.
In every breath of spirit and soul
To live Your life the only goal,
And through life's fabric yield to see
Your kingdom in reality

Lion of Judah
We give You praise
Lifting our hearts and hands before You.
Make us expectant to see the day
When we'll rise with one voice and one thought of our God.
So let the roar of love ring out in the mountains, over valleys and
flooded plains.
Let the cry be heard in every town and city,
Let it resound again.
Prepare the way for mercy and justice
That our enemies might cringe and fall
At the roar of our Lion King (Lion of Judah, Lion of Judah).
At the roar of our Lion King (Lion of Judah, Lion of Judah).

Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay,
Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay, Osaaberimay.

Eager for Your light to shine to every friend that You call mine,
The veil of darkness blazing bright as love consumes the evil night.
Compassion flowing deep and wide,
Salvation on its rapids ride;
Announcing through its hooves of foam,
The white horse comes to take us home.
The sword of truth will set us free
Who claim the fruit of this pure tree.
Beyond the goal our lives will be
Your kingdom in reality.

Lion of Judah
We give You praise...

The Lion of Judah

A song encouraging us to focus in the right direction and to be expectant of his return.  It has a strong synth driven rhythm throughout.

Lyrics:

Look up, look up for a new day is dawning;
See the radiant King.
He rides upon the wings of the morning,
Turn your face to the light and welcome him in.

The time is right in the nations
For Your moving in power,
Our hearts cry revival,
0 God, is this Your hour.

Look up, look up...

The way for healing and wholeness
Is open for all to claim.
Release the fruit of Your victory,
Revive our country again.

Look up, look up...

We delight in Your radiance
To shine through all that we do,
A perfect transformation
In hope, in spirit, in truth.
Bring the weight of Your glory upon us;
Living coals that imbue Your desire.

Look up, look up for a new day is dawning,
See the radiant King,
He rides upon the wings of the morning
Turn Your face to the light and welcome him in.

He comes in power upon the white horse,
Hooves flashing fire and the rays of the sun.
He comes in glory upon the white horse,
Hooves flashing fire and the rays of the sun.



New Day

A song about the perfect love of God the Father shown in the sacrifice of Jesus.

Lyrics:

Given freely, perfect grace,
Now can we look upon His holy face?
A face that's haunted by such love;
A love that comes from the deep heart of God.

Given freely, perfect truth,
All is revealed in His living proof,
Proof that points to His great love;
Love that comes from the deep heart of God.

Perfect love, a love that will never end,
Perfect love, a love that is free,
Perfect love, a love I can't comprehend.
If I climb the highest mountain You will greet me with Your perfect love.
If I sink into the ocean, in the deep, You'll bring Your perfect love.
If I travel to the farthest west or east, there is Your perfect love,
I cannot escape the reach of Your embrace:
Perfect love.

Given freely, perfect light,
Glory burning with heaven's delight,
A glorious touch to cleanse our minds;
A love that comes from the deep heart of God.

Perfect love...

Given freely, perfect life,
Through pain and suffering and sacrifice.
A sacrifice of One for all;
A love that comes from the deep heart of God.

Perfect love...

Perfect Love

Thinking of how David really went for it and praised God, it made me think about what sort of song I could write if I really let go.  And this praise party was the result.

LYRICS:

I praise You, I praise You,
I lift Your Name on high,
I praise You forever, beyond the day I die.
You're the only one for me who filled me with such love,
You show me something new each day,
I just can't get enough.
For Your presence is so real,
When You touch me, Lord, You heal,
When You speak my fears simply melt away.

I praise You, I praise You,
I shout Your name out loud,
I'm laughing, I'm dancing,
I'll stand out in the crowd.
What a feast awaits us all when heaven's gates fling wide,
Wild horses cannot hold be back, I'll race in with the tide,
I'm now open to a love
Far greater and above
Everything I've ever loved before.

I'll praise You in the highest heaven,
I'll praise You from the depth of my being once again
I praise you with a song wholly my own.

I love You, embrace You with everything I have.
I'm manic, don't panic,
I may seem quite mad,
But when blessings rain from heaven
Like fresh rain upon dead ground
You can't guarantee what happens
When God strolls right into town.
Let the instruments begin,
Raise a fanfare for the King,
This is where the party comes to life.

I'll praise You in the highest heaven,
I'll praise You from the depth of my being once again,
I praise You with a song wholly my own.

Turning round and upside down,
The finish and the start.
Everything in Him is found,
Life's poet in my heart.

I'll praise You in the highest heaven,
I'll praise You from the depth of my being once again.
I praise you with a song wholly my own.


The Manic Song

I am happy in the person I am. Jesus loves and accepts me and that makes all the difference. Life is about who I am, not what job I do, so my satisfaction comes from being able to use my knowledge and creativity to the best to engage with others and improve their situations. The pursuit of a career is an illusion. I love music, drama, dance, writing and teaching. Worship is at the centre of my being and if I cannot praise God and Jesus with my heart, voice, hands and mind, life loses its meaning. I hate poverty and injustice and will not rest until I see it eradicated. I love the incredible beauty of this world and its life, particularly Africa and the Antipodes, and, whilst understanding the logic and reasoning, behind them, find the blinkered presumptions behind evolutionary theories, excluding a potential creator, irritating, whilst the evidence can suggest otherwise. I'm laid back, enjoy meeting new people, giving hospitality, and my food and drink (probably a little too much). I love to escape with a good book and movie, and my life would be so much poorer without the quinisentially essential Dr Who, which I've watched since I was knee high to a grasshopper.

j p goodwin

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