david knuckles

christmas music… creative times

davidknuckles — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:08:55 +0000

i have always found it enjoyable and challenging to rearrange music/songs. taking the essence of what was, and flipping it. rebuilding something fresh and new upon the foundation. it becomes thought provoking and re-challenges you. well at least it does for me. i find it can breathe new life into the mundane and complacent. a fresh coat of paint maybe? (why all the house metaphors…?)

i enjoy doing this with hymns and older worship songs, but i especially enjoy doing this with christmas songs. i have been working on the music for our gatherings in december and it immediately brightens my day to start recomposing these christmas songs. i find these times very creative for me. inspiring even.

please dont misunderstand. the creative process is indeed a fun and enjoyable thing for someone like me, but my hope and prayer is that it is just a means to an end. a catalyst that, as said above, re-challenges us.

in this season of life it becomes easy to replace the thoughts of Christ with things that glitter and shine, and shout “ho-ho-ho” as you walk by them in the store. we are fragile and easily distracted. so what do we do about it? what do you do about it? this helps me. it reminds me and help keep me engaged in what is true. i hope. i pray.

a very special hymnal, one of the old ones i have collected.

Filed under: culture, random, the Body, worship

#7in7… song number 6 – a prayer of un-forgiveness

davidknuckles — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:02:53 +0000

i havent had time to post all of my #7in7 songs. being that it ending yesterday, im trying to catch up.

a prayerof un-forgiveness
———————-

ive been away too long
and time stands still as the dawn

but moments that take you, mold you and shape you
begging you now to come home

im still holding on
a heart forever strong

a slow overtaking, one crippling and breaking
a moment like never before

take me away from here
let me escape
take me away from fear and hate
until all these feelings are gone

time has stopped unharmed
the smile has left me alone

this slow passing moment i reach out to grab it
but still she escapes from my arms

but moments that take you, mold you and shape you
leaving u still wanting more (but still you are left wanting more)

and ive been away…

#7in7… song 5 – what’s it gonna be (he or she)

davidknuckles — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 02:27:59 +0000

my wife is pregnant. about 18 weeks or so. we have been very excited to find out what we are having, boy or girl. this morning we had a successful ultrasound and the doctor seemed confident that he knew the gender. as i stayed up last night working on my final songs for the 7in7 challenge i found myself thinking about the ultrasound. i began thinking about how we would all react to the news… boy or girl. i began working on some lyrics around this thought and here is what i came up with.

keep in mind that we have two girls already, 3 and 5. the song is very personal to my experiences with my family and the way i knew they would react when we told them…

here is a rough track, computer mic into garageband. unpolished for sure… hope you enjoy!

whats it gonna be (he or she) by davidknuckles

what’s it gonna be
—————-

let me see your hand, baby, you wanted this for awhile
now its time, another step in life

i can see the heart, and an arm and there’s the head
when i close my eyes, i swear, i can see it smile

what’s it gonna be, he or she
will he be strong like his daddy
the love of his momma’s deep blue eyes
she or he
will she be everything i live for
make it three of the most beautiful girls
what’s it gonna be

walking to the door, photograph in hand
i see the little smiles, they know its time

they barely understand, but those eyes are worth a thousand words
they dance around the living room, cheering cause they know the big surprise

what’s it gonna be, a he or she
will he be strong like you daddy
the love of momma’s deep blue eyes
a she or he
will she be everything we live for
make it three of the most beautiful girls
what’s it gonna be

and just before its bed time
the little one says goodnight
and prayers a prayer that freezes us in time
in the morning we we wake up,
the oldest one will greet us
with kisses for the little one inside

———————————————–

by the way… its a boy!

Filed under: #7in7, family

#7in7… song number 4 – take me (the #7in7 theme song)

davidknuckles — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:07:28 +0000

yea, so… this afternoon i sat down and in jest i decided to take a few minutes and mess around writing a #7in7 theme song. i assure you, there is no need to say anything about how cheesy/pathetic/1994 that is. my wife has already made fun of me. i have made fun of myself. my dog even barked at me when i got home… but i actually got going and really enjoyed it.

so here is my song ” take me”, inspired from the many artists (i have followed on twitter) that have so enjoyed this time of community called #7in7. thanks to aaron and to all of you.

take me (the #7in7 theme song) by davidknuckles

take me (the #7in7 song)
—————————-

the last time i felt this way was a complex starry night
elevated to a deeper state of life

some thoughts that came to mind were faith hope and love
all of that and You took me in

now to share the thought
to say it all

seven thoughts in seven days
heart felt, simple ways - to find You

many voices with one song
begging them to sing along – to find You

if its too much to ask,
then let it pass
but take me

all the faces from the journeys past, they know what you have done
all ways you failed to make Him known

each face has the sadest smile, and i know His grace is more
even though the long nights take their toll

seven thoughts in seven days
heart felt, simple ways - to find You

many voices with one song
begging them to sing along – to find You

if its too much to ask,
then let it pass
but take me

so simple that a melody lived out to You
our fragile way to proclaim truth, but is it enough
lessons learned and thoughts convey Your truth
to broken hearts needing You – its a start

Filed under: #7in7, random, the Body, worship

#7in7… song 3 – streets (allelulia)

davidknuckles — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:35:35 +0000

i talked with a friend of mine the other day about his time in thailand sharing the love of Christ with the people of pattaya. read about his experience here. pattaya is the “sex vacation capital of the world”. this means there are thousands of young girls who grow up with this inevitability. as a father of girls this breaks my heart and scares me. i wrote this with these things in mind.

streets (alleluia)
————————

Marianna is lost somewhere between poverty and broken bones
every night is the last night that she will sleep alone

her heart begs for a road to walk that feels less like hell
a little girl needing time to grow, not ways to find a meal, but…

its true, she’ll do what she has to do

this alley way is a lonely place for her to call a home
but what the hell does she compare it with , the alley is all she knows

every night there’s a colder hand, colder than her bed
the cold hand tries to take her soul, it’s taking all that’s left and…

its true, she’ll do what she has to do

the city streets are crying, but our heads have turned away
their hearts are crying, but our hearts have turned away

alleluia
somewhere, somehow
alleluia
somewhere, somehow

somewhere, somehow
alleluia

Filed under: #7in7, culture, family, random, the Body, worship