Songs in the Pipeline

Completed Songs

Come Let Us Sing

This song has come together quite quickly recently, and may be the first from the lyrical challenge mentioned in the New Album News. The chorus actually came from a two chord riff I've had knocking around for ages. So far lyrics and music wise I have a verse and a chorus, but it probably needs a bridge as well. In style it might be a straight forward medium paced song but with a rock edge, but I actually prefer a kind of tom laden drum rhythm that builds to a heavy ending.

Lift High

Another one that's been in the pipeline for ages. Some songs come quickly (Sinners Lament, Blues Skies), others take a while. It once had a chorus based on a passage from Ephesians but this was replaced with the current lyrics recently when the song morphed again into it's current state. Still needs the verses though! When it's done it's hopefully be a nice steady worship song that's a shade faster than the normal medium pace!

10th May - I've come full circle and decided that the original Ephesians based chorus is better, along with the verse melody. So I'm now trying do the lyrics as originally planned. I really does help to put an idea down for a while sometimes when it's a bit of a mish mash and see what sticks in your mind, coming back to it later.....

27th Aug -  and so saying it helps to put it down, it's on the change again, as I've lifted the chorus out to use with another idea that is similar to the initial one above, but faster and with a tom driven verse...it really is just a case sometimes of mucking around with ideas until something clicks.

Blue Skies

The bulk of this song came very quickly following a conversation I had with a friend recently about their current plight. Has a slow rocky feel, with a building middle section perhaps reminiscent of Delirious. I'm very close to finishing this one now. The needed third verse is half done, it just needs two more lines, but I'm waiting so I can be sure it's the right two lines and not just some rubbish that fits!! I'm still keen on this song but the new album is slowly shaping up to be worship material (even in the broadest sense) so this will almost certainly be left off at the moment.

Angels Bow Down (working title)

One of those songs that just came out of jamming a few chords and humming melodies. One verse and a chorus at the moment but ideas for the rest jotted down. A sort of bouncy and medium paced.

Look at Me (working title)

This only has this title because 'when you look at me' fits one of the lines. I've had this neat little acoustic based riff for a while now, and want to use it for an acoustic based song that will involve a few other people not currently in the 'core' band for recording.

Untitled Soul Survivor Idea no1

I've been working on this idea using the cut capo that covers only the A, D and G strings, and have found some nice chord sequences and a melody that sounds ok. Just need some words to get a feel for the song. Has the feel of a slow but uplifting type of song.

Will You Come?

Currently one of the 'oldest' songs in the list, this medium paced worship song was started at a Passion for Your Name worship leaders retreat in Dec 2004 and finished early 2005. It has a specific theme about coming before God in reconciliation as broken people. It's used at RBC occasionally but only when the occasion fits the theme. It also uses a style I've tried before whereby the first verse and chorus are in the 1st person and the 2nd (and indeed the rest of the song) are in the 3rd person, giving both a personal and a corporate feel.

My Saviour

Will You Come may not be quite the oldest, but this one is! Most of the lyrics were written during the recording of Here I Stand, around a melody I'd had for a while. It's only been played once, at the launch gig for Here I Stand. I keep threatening to rewrite it as it's far too long to be a worship song but at the moment it will stay as it is, possibly being the closing track for the album as it has a slow building feel about it. As the title might suggest it's a general theme about Jesus Christ and who he is. There is a section at the end using as many different names for God as possible, collected one afternoon by email from Heather Clarkson, who has never actually heard the song she contributed to....

The Heavens Tell (Maker of the Universe)

Straightforward worship song based around Hebrews 12 v28-29 written in early 2006. Medium paced (aren't most worship songs?!) but with a worshipful bridge that slows the pace. Has a less common verse-chorus-bridge-verse-chrous-bridge arrangement which makes it a little different. Is the only song so far to be taught to a non-RBC congregation, as it got an airing at Spurgeons college whilst I was still studying there.

Break the Chains

A contemporary rock song written very quickly when Dan Green and I resurrected SoundStory for a couple of gigs back in Sept 2005. Based around a simple chugging chord sequence with some simple lyrics about allowing God to 'break the chains around my heart'.

I Will Sing (W&M: Menlove / Cherrill)

The first fruits of a song writing collaboration with Matt Menlove, written at the tail end of 2006 from an initial idea of Matt's. We managed to write a fast one! Once again, a corporate style worship song with a fairly generic praise theme about our Holy and Worthy Saviour. We even managed to write in a building, repeating bridge that seems to be in vogue these days.

All For Love (W&M: Cherrill / Menlove)

The second song written with Matt. A slower number, more of a ministry song than a worship song with a theme of why we always seem to have to get to the bottom before laying everything at Jesus' feet, turning to why Jesus died for us in the chorus, as born out by the title. Written at the same time as I Will Sing, from an initial idea of mine. 

10th May - Panning out to be an acoustic song which I'm thinking of getting someone in to duet lead vocals on.

Sinners Lament

One of those quick-fire songs that you have to drop everything to get down before you forget it. A song of repentance that came about from a real situation I found myself in one morning that required forgiveness.

10th May - also will probably be an acoustic song with little added.

Declaration

1st March 2008 - After a lot of deliberation, this song's pretty much ended up as it was. Sometimes you just have to put stuff down and pick it up again much later on. I can't remember what caused me to change my mind on the lyrics but I'm happy with them now. It might get an airing in Church soon. It's got a nice steady rhythm and as the title suggests its a declaration of faith, and has a male/female echo in the verse. Has always been written with going first on the album in mind if only because of the title and style.

20th Nov 2008 - it's finally gone for a lyric check with Jerry!!

Your Love is Greater

If you recognise this title then you're probably right. I've been toying with the idea of re-recording one or two tracks from Here I Stand to give them the full band treatment, but having already done My God last year for the BU, this is the only one really worth attempting because it was written more with a full band in mind.

I Will Praise You

Straight out of seemingly nowhere one evening I got this song almost in it's entirety. It is influenced by one I was listening too at the time but only really the key and one line in the lyrics. I even got a decent riff for the intro and links between verses. It sounds a bit high but in fact it's no higher than The Heavens Tell. Similar in pace and feel to Tim Hughes' Almighty God. Now in for lyric checking.

Make Me More Like You

20th Nov 2008 - Not sure where this song came from really. It's a slow one, using almost the same chord sequence for verse and chorus. Uses a familiar chunk of Psalm 139. It might make a better ministry song than a corporate worship one. For recording though, I've go a big lively Delirious? like coda to go on the end. Now in for lyric checking.