be afraid

(started 1999 / finished 2004)

Ok so I wanted to really rock out on a song! "Be Afraid" had a long way to go coming into recording. I had the idea as to what I wanted, and the lyrics were complete, but I needed help on the arrangement and I got that help from Mike Bailey (engineer/producer) and Jay Snider (drums). We pretty much sat in the studio and played around with the concept and eventually this is where it took us. It's a little harder than usual for me, but what can I say, I dug it!

I began this song in Australia in '99 while touring with a college band out of Fresno, CA. We were there for month singing in schools and churches. By that time I was pretty comfortable singing in front of people, and it was so much fun in the band because I was surrounded by friends, but our leader on that trip challenged me in not only singing about my faith, but also in speaking. I had to give a testimony during our concerts sometimes to introduce Oyster and Superman - two songs of mine that we did on that trip. For some reason the whole speaking thing really wigged me out, but I was in scripture (sorry, I don't recall where) and I came across a verse telling me to "fear not" when speaking about Christ. "Be Afraid" was just a play on words.

Nostalgia once again, fingers on the rim
What a crying shame, I smashed my windowpane

Beautiful day, coming my way
Wants to devour me, until beauty I won't see

Do not be afraid, for I am with you, not afraid
Do not be afraid, for I'll receive you, not afraid

Easy come, easy go, ebb the tide, stop the show
Can't remember what I did, in the darkness where I lived

Do not be afraid, for I am with you, not afraid
Do not be afraid, for I'll receive you, not afraid

You ask me why, I told you how
You asked me when, I told you now
I said go and you said see
I told you locked you told me free

Do not be afraid, for I am with you, not afraid
Do not be afraid, for I'll receive you, not afraid

Thousand moments, thousand nights, thousand angels in the sky
Thousand reasons to believe, just one Son to receive.