Wednesday, October 27, 2004

I haven't listened to much Charlie Peacock (well ... releases past 1994, anyway). I happened to look him up on Rhapsody to listen to whatever they had available, just to see what the guy was up to.

They've got this retrospective thingie, where Charlie has re-recorded a number of songs with folks he knows. It's called “Full Circle: A Celebration of Friends”. One song I've never heard of is “Monkeys at the Zoo” (link requires RealRhapsody to work; try Amazon for a sample). The lyrics thoughtful and challenging, and I recognized Mike Roe's voice singing on the tune, which was a bonus.

This one song has been on heavy rotation on my playlist. You've gotta like songs that have lyrics like “and I have been a-whorin' after things”. The whole song is just good and thought provoking. Probably doesn't mean much if you don't have the music, but I wanted to post the lyrics anyway.

BTW, these are Copyright 2004, 1995 Andi Beat Goes On Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

[Verse 1]
Will it be different now?
Or just the same?
Will I have learned anything?

Was it just a way
To spend a day or two?
Set aside for thinkin'
Thoughts about you

If that's all it was I had a good time,
But that won't be enough for me
Not this year, not anytime soon

[Bridge 1]
I have got to clean house
Gotta make my bed
Gotta clear my head
It's gettin' kinda stuffy in here
Smells sorta funky too
Like monkeys at the zoo;
and I have been a-whorin' after things
'Cause I wanna feel safe inside
That's a big fat lie
No amount of green, gold or silver
Will ever take the place of the peace of God

[Chorus (2x)]
Spirit
come flush the lies out
Spirit
come on, come on, flush the lies out

[Verse 2]
will I be different now?
Or the same?
Have I changed at all?

And if you were to dive deep inside my soul
Would you find Jesus there?
Or a gaping hole?
Should I be content with my beautiful life?

But that won't be enough for me, no,
Not this year, not any time soon

[Bridge 2]
I have got to clean house
gotta make my bed
gotta clear my head
It's gettin' kinda stuffy in here
smells sorta funky too
like monkeys at the zoo;
and I have been a-whorin' after things
cause I wanna get everything right
that's a big fat lie
no amount of green, gold or silver
the perfect body
another hot toddy
work for the Lord
fame and power
power and sex
a seat at the table at the Belle Meade country club
Here's the rub
Nothin' will ever take the place of the peace of God

[Chorus 2x]
Spirit
come flush the lies out
Spirit
come on, come on, flush the lies out

Will I be different now or the same?
Will I have learned anything?

So ... there you go.

Post Author: Rico
Thursday, October 28, 2004 12:16:44 AM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00) 

#     |  Disclaimer  |  Comments [3]
Thursday, October 28, 2004 4:01:10 PM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
Wait...Mike Roe remade Monkeys? That's probably my all-time favorite Peacock track. I've gotta get Rhapsody...
Sunday, April 10, 2005 1:33:57 PM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
Agreed. What a great song. Charlie Peacock is my all time favorite writer/arranger. Get the whole album that this remake is on. It is called Full Circle. A bunch of the artists the CP has produced and made famous have got together to do a whole album of Charlies classics. Sara Groves, Christine Dente, Toby Mac and the rest of the DC Talk boys, to name a few...A definite must buy for any Christian Music fan.
Fletcher Kane
Sunday, July 09, 2006 9:45:55 AM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
Ah, Charlie Peacock... writes music so catchy you don't even notice the deep theology until the third or fourth time you hear the song. I could have supplied samples from "Is the Brightness Still in Me" or "Insult Like the Truth" (both excellent examples), but you can Google as well as I can, so I decided on this excerpt from "Experience" (to really do this song justice, though, you have to hear him sing it; if you get the chance to do so, don't miss the subtle baritone sax lines throughout the song (best heard with headphones)):

There is a difference, a qualitative difference
Between what I know as a fact, and what I know as truth
It stands as a great divide to separate by thinking
From when I'm thinking foolishly and when I've understood

The facts of theology can be altogether cold
Though true in every way they alone can't change me
Truth is creative, transforming and alive
It's truth that keeps me humble, saved and set free

Straight up honesty, that's my obligation
That's the point when I obey the truth without hesitation
When faith gains consent of my stubborn will
And makes the irreversible commitment real

To the Jesus of my journey, to the Christ of crucifixion,
Resurrection and redemption, to the Father of mercy,
To the God of all comfort
Then and only then, truth begins its
Saving and illuminating work within the heart
And not a moment sooner, not one moment sooner

If there be no sympathy, there can be no understanding
You must surrender to a truth to really understand it
Oh, look at me, my opinion slipped out
But I'm under obligation, without hesitation
To speak the truth in love, speak the truth in love
Somebody said, "Opinion is the queen of the world"
I believe this goes way beyond opinion...
john
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