SONG BITS: ALBUM #4 - ON A WING AND A PRAYER
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On A Wing And A Prayer
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
I heard the melody to this song first. The theme was of finally being in the physical presence of our Lord, in fellowship with Him in Paradise. I would soon work around this theme for the entire album - a spiritual journey of fellowship with our Creator. When the song was completed with the lyrics, I looked at the title and knew that it was perfect for an album title track.
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vocals: Abigail Strickland
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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vocals: Abigail Strickland
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
Things I Know
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
I heard this melody one morning as I was driving to work, along with the chorus part "and I hear Your voice, in the rolling thunder" and that very quickly developed into the rest of the song. The theme with this title is that there are things that we can be absolutely certain of and totally confident in - that the Lord has showed us the Way, the Truth, the Life, and that He will return again.
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lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
Just The Thought Of You
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
This song is very special to me - with vivid imagery (a sailboat out on the sea, at sunset). It can be about a man letting his woman know that his love is true, no matter what troubles lay ahead. . . but it's also a song about a man calling out to God, to help him with life's storms and deep waters. As long as he places his faith in God, he will "make it through" the stormy seas of life.
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vocals: Abigail Strickland
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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vocals: Abigail Strickland
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
An Empty Tomb
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
I was focusing on the scene in Matthew 28:1-8. By the time anyone got to the tomb, an angel of the Lord had come and rolled away the stone, saying "He is not here, for He has risen as He said He would". I think about that Empty Tomb, and what it means. Jesus now sits in the Highest Heaven, at the side of God, and He is as real as real gets. And no one can come to God except through Him.
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vocals: Jessica Magro
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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vocals: Jessica Magro
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
Stillness Of The Dawn
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
This song has the distinction of being the only song I had written as a full choir song - with SATB voice parts. It was difficult in the aspect of drafting a musical score, but the song itself had tumbled out easily. The words of this song are more like a prayer. They are a very personal expression of both my own times of trials as well as of God's unending grace and forgiveness.
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backing vocals: Emily E. Herring
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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backing vocals: Emily E. Herring
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
On My Knees
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
The particular phrase of piano rhythm of "On My Knees" sort of started the entire song and lyrics at the same time. Musically it's a fairly simple song, but served well to communicate the ideas that I wanted to express. It came about as I was reading Luke 11:1, in which Jesus had finished praying and one of his disciples said to him "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples". And Jesus Himself gives us what we call The Lord's Prayer.
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vocals: Abigail Strickland
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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vocals: Abigail Strickland
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
Somewhere Down The Road
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
The title "Somewhere Down the Road" was the chorus part, and I just worked back from that. The theme I used for this song was that in our walk with Jesus throughout life, we keep our focus on God's spiritual Kingdom and not on the here-and-now. There were two ideas that were important to me - that we "walk that narrow road", and that we "take each day and help us to start anew".
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vocals: Jessica Magro
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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vocals: Jessica Magro
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
We Lift Our Praise
writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics
The song's first verse was the amazing truth that in dying for our sins, Jesus conquered death through God's plan of salvation. Jesus was the proof to US, that we can also live again through our faith in Him and in His blood that was shed for us. The chorus lyrics contain a simple prayer "Jesus, remind us each day to rely on You, to guide us through the rain".
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vocals: Jessica Magro
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info
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vocals: Jessica Magro
lyrics page: Lyrics Info page: Info