Praise and Worship Songs
Song Writing
Tenth Avenue North – Times (Lyrics + Review)
Sep 7th
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I was recently introduced to Tenth Avenue North while in Canada and they have quickly become my favourite and most listened to band. They have amazing heart-felt, worshipful music – without it being “typical church music”. The band has a way of addressing thoughts in a fresh and very melodic way, as is displayed in the song that I want to review today.
Below you can listen to one of their most amazing songs called Times. Listen to it and enjoy in praise and worship with Tenth Avenue North.
TIMES – Tenth Avenue North
Songs Theme:
This song beautifully portrays the call of a desperate person, searching for God in times of struggle and hardship. It expresses the need to tangibly experience God by feeling and hearing. You hear the writers struggle with feeling worthy of God’s touch and his inability to share with God the inner workings of his life, because he is too ashamed.
But the response by God in this song is what really makes this song such a refreshing and healing, as God responds to this persons cry with an amazing chorus going into great detail that His love is ALWAYS there, and NEVER FAILS!
Song Writing Style:
I love the creativity in the writing of this song. As you read the first verse you will notice a pattern evolving of each emotion being carried to the next emotion. This really draws the listener to the lyrics and really effectively communicates the emotions that the song writer is feeling.
The structure of this song is very unique also. It doesn’t seem to have a bridge, and seems to be very similar throughout, but this does not come across as a bad thing, but instead allows you to focus on the chorus (which happens to be quite long!)
The depth of the chorus is one other thing that I really like. While most writers would cut the chorus to 4-6 statements, you will find that the chorus is 15-20 statements long. This allows the writer to really express the love of God and cover all bases, without having to leave a time (where God’s love is present) out.
Conclusion:
This is a beautifully written song, and sounds fantastic. I believe this song truly shows off the depth, talent and also worshippers heart of Tenth Avenue North, and I would strongly suggest that you at least check out this band.
Times – Tenth Avenue North (Lyrics)
I know i need you
I need to love you
I love to see you, and its been so long
i long to feel you
i feel this need for you’
and i need to hear you
is that so wrong?
now you pulled me near you
when we’re close i fear you
still im afraid to tell you
all that i’ve done
are you done forgiving?
or can you pass my pretending?
Lord i’m so tired of defending
what i’ve become
what have i become?
i hear you say “my love is over,
its underneath, its inside, its in between
the times you doubt me, when you can’t feel
the times that you’ve questioned ‘is this for real?’
the times you’ve broken, the times that you mend
the times you hate me and the times that you bend
well my love is over, its underneath
its inside, its in between,
these times you’re healing
and when your heart breaks
the times that you feel like you’ve fallen from grace
the times you’re hurting
the times that you heal
the times you go hungry and *are tempted* to steal
in times of confusion and chaos and pain
im there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
im there through your heartache
im there in the storm
my love i will keep you by my power alone
i dont care where you’ve fallen, where you have been
i’ll never forsake you
my love never ends, it never ends
Song Writing Inspiration (Twitter Poll Results)
Sep 4th
Song Writing Inspiration
Sometimes as song writers we go through dry spells, where no matter how hard we try or how long we sit at our piano or guitar – nothing comes out. It is like we have run empty of creativity and can’t seem to find inspiration anywhere.
But then again, sometimes it is the complete opposite. I can go through times where I can write a new song each day for a whole week (not saying they are all good). This got me thinking about why this happens. Why do we seem to through these cycles of constant inspiration then no inspiration. Why can I sit down with my guitar and write the majority of a song in 20min, where everything seems to flow so easily, and then not be able to write anything new for a month?
It all comes back to inspiration, so I put the question out to the @IHeartWorship Twitter followers, to see where they drew they inspiration when it comes to song writing.
Where Do You Get Inspiration For A Song?
LaCyn@IHeartWorship anywhere and everywhere. God can inspire me no matter what I’m doing.
Alejadukes2006@IHeartWorship personal time with God, relationships, people, just people in the street.
ViMad@IHeartWorship the inspiration source is God but the nature, the society ,the situations inspires us to write songs with content to worship
emmanuelgee@iheartworship I get it from moments in my life, and/or what God has spoken to me. Just pray
The thing that I love about all these answers is that it always came back to two things, LIFE and GOD.
LIFE and GOD
Everywhere that we look, every moment of our day, we encounter people, problems, beauty, love, hope, despair, rejection, affliction, persecution, hope, justice, injustice, the joy of a new friendships, the loss as someone departs from our lives. Everyday we are given countless opportunities to see not only the result of man’s sin and the impact that it has had on our world, but also the beauty of seeing God’s grace, His mercy, His love and His hope shining into these situations as His people carry on the work that He started. There is inspiration for songs everywhere, but are you open to seeing them? You have to allow God to open your eyes and soften your heart to what is going on around you.
My Story Of Inspiration
I great example of this was recently when I was in Canada. I was watching a documentary on MTV about the poverty in Africa and my heart just started to break seeing the lack that they had. How whole countries were starving while we sit in the comfort of our homes.
So as I am watching this documentary, I start crying out to God, “What can I do? I need to do something!” As I am praying this they do a close up of this one young African boy and something just grabs me. Now I have seen a lot of ads and documentaries about Africa as it’s a passion of mine, but never has an image been so burnt into my mind. The hurt in his eyes burnt into my soul, and suddenly these lyrics start pouring into my head and by the end of the documentary I had the majority of this song written with music!
So Far Away
[v 1.]
As I look into your eyes my heart is breaking
I am moved,I am moved
Standing on the outside looking in
What can I do, What can I do[chorus.]
You’re so far away
It feels like there is world’s in between us
But I see your pain and I know I must try
To reach out to you[v 2.]
As I look and see you smiling despite your pain
I am moved, I am moved
The face of countless millions needing us now
But what can I do, what can i do[chorus]
You’re so far away
It feels like there is world’s in between us
But I see your pain and I know I must try
To reach out to you[bridge]
I can’t sit in comfort while millions are dying
I can’t pretend everything is alright
With young children fighting and so many dying
This injustice has gone on to long[chorus]
You’re so far away
It feels like there is world’s in between us
But I see your pain and I know I must try To reach out to you
You’re so far away
But my heart won’t let you go
Now I know that this song won’t help feed that young boy, but what God did was allow me to express exactly how I was feeling at that time so that every time I come back and read those lyrics, or jump on my guitar and start playing that song, I will be taken straight back to the place that I wrote it and remember the promise that I made that day and know that even though I probably can’t reach that one boy, he is the face of millions that I can help.
Have you ever been inspired so strongly to write a song? I’d love to hear your story. So please leave a comment below!