White Washed Tomb

A well meaning young man walked up to me after church a few years ago, shortly after Christmas. I was playing electric guitar that day, and was dressed in clothes my dear mum had bought me for Christmas. I had on new blue jeans and a new t-shirt with a dalmation sitting in front of a firetruck emblazened on the front,(my dad was a fireman and I'm still a proud son!).

The young man warmed up by asking if I had a minute to talk after the service, and naturally I said I'd be glad to. He began by praising my playing, insisting that we, as a band, must have spent a lot of time rehearsing, (yeah, right - whatever!).

He continued, confessing that he had had a hard time worshipping that day - because of what I was wearing! I didn't quite know what to say. Of course I was interested because I didn't want to cause my brother to stumble. I asked him about his background because I had not seen him before. He said he had grown up attending a church in Cairo, Egypt, where they all dress in their very best every week, even the man who wears his tux and sits in the front and falls asleep every service. I didn't know what to say. I wanted some time to consider what he had said, so I wished him well and prayed hard about it the next week.

Draw your own conclusions, but this is what I consistently hear God saying to me. Be real Jay. And beware those who would judge based on outward appearances, for the LORD knows the heart of all men and sees past our false fronts, whatever they may be. Beware the white-washed tomb.

WHITE WASHED TOMB

I’ve touched the hands
His cheek tasted my kiss
There ain’t no truth there baby, but
This is where it all begins

Follow me said the blind man
To the man who could not see
‘I’ll lead you from temptation’
‘But you’re gonna follow me.’
‘Baby, you’re gonna follow me.’

You look so good there in that
White washed suit
How much that cost you,
You white washed tomb?
I know your kind
I seen you before
Proud to place your pennies
On the eyes of the blind and the poor

One look into that mirror baby
I’ll tell you what you’ll see
It’s the hand of an angels ‘round the neck
Of that devil on top of me

Jay Duncan 2005

Into The Arms

As a child I used to spend a lot of time at my grandmother's place in South Surrey. Back then we called it White Rock - it seemed like such a luxurious place to visit - filled with old ladies, sunshine and waaaay too many seagulls for my dad's liking.

Grandma and Grampa had two big white Pontiac's in the driveway, ducks and chickens, geese and garter snakes, coyotes and her own little dog named Chico. She had more parakeets, cockatiels and parrots than you could throw a shoe at. And she always spoiled me. I would sleep in late, and she would wait til I woke up to ask how I wanted my eggs that day. Every day. She always woke up early to take care of the yard and the animals. She had this best friend who lived across the street - Dolly was her name and I think they were competative over who had more animals and roses and grass to cut. I loved this lady. She was for me, a safe place. And she lived a million miles away.

As a kid I often wished I could live there. My own house was the loud house on the street, with my sister and I always yelling over who would do the dishes, my brothers scrapping over who knows what, and babies and adults making their fair share of the noise too. I just always wanted to live in a quiet house.

Please don't get me wrong. I LOVE my family. But they will be the first to admit that we all know how to push each others buttons. Even now, when I go back to visit, I fall into the same role I always used to play with my sister, and I feel like a jerk most of the time. In fact, I think I've gotten better at the self-righteous aspect of my role - much to my embarrassment.

When I was 27 we discovered that Grandma had Alzheimers'. It was the beginning of a long and cruel road she would travel before falling into the arms of Jesus.
On June 1st, 2009, Margaret finally entered His rest. She is no longer battling for breath, or memories, or a smile. She is resting - in the best place she could be. She is fully who the Father made her to be now. No more pain, or hurtful relationships - no more let downs or disappointments. She is home. And we miss her.

INTO THE ARMS

For Margaret

I’d say good-bye
But words don’t come easy
I'm not sure she hears me now
Not sure she sees me

So I’ll hold her hands
Watch her eyes take on twilight
Loosen my grip
I give up the fight

She will fall into the arms of her Maker
Lift her gaze to the One, who refused to forsake her
Finally free of the pain, like a songbird she now sings
She will fall into the arms of her Maker

She held me close
When my mama left my daddy
When push came to shove
When he treated her badly

So now I hold her close
Watch her eyes take on twilight
I loosen my grip
She gives up the fight

And she falls
Into the arms
Of her maker

Jay Duncan 2007

Waiting For You

Ahhh. I love this song. It always reminds me of a period in my life that was spent with super cool people in the small town of Bendigo, Australia. Big deadly spiders, big brown snakes and learning to drive stick on the wrong side of the road. It was quite a time. It was also a time where I was pressed so far out of my comfort zone - I couldn't believe it. Looking back I can see that God was preparing me for what would come next - Africa. And fatherhood. Noah, (pic above), has been an answer to prayers that have been hidden in the deepest recesses of my heart for years and years. I am eternally grateful for the chance to be a father to this little lad.

WAITING FOR YOU

Mercy falls
From your lips
Bittersweet like a good-bye kiss

The setting sun on the western shore
Depths that lead me to your door
Leave me waiting for you

You are
Hope everlasting
Faithful eternal
Father forever
Humble divine

You love
Justice and mercy
Your burden is light
You place your hand on my shoulder Lord
It’s you I can’t deny

Familiar strains of a melody
Enticing me like a promise ring
Leave me waiting for you

The moonlit trail of a mystery
Fingerprints of a coming King
Leave me waiting here for you

Its You

Jay Duncan 2005

The Lights Up Ahead Song

I love this song. Its my first driving song, written when I bought my first 'sports' car, (does a Honda Prelude count? You be the judge!). One of my favorite drives is between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-To-Sky highway. Surrounded by nature, curvy roads and a bit of horsepower...and somehow I turned it into a song about the coming kingdom. Go figure!

THE LIGHTS UP AHEAD SONG

You have shown me where I bleed
On this old highway you made for me
Where sea-to-sky meets the open road
I grab the throttle and I let her go
I really let her go

I love to sit here and watch the miles go by
I could drop the pedal - really let her fly
Through hairpin turns or the straight away
I round the corner and the heavens give way…
The heavens give way

I see the lights up ahead
Breaking through and taking back
Everything that was and is,
And forever will be His

Now I call shotgun on every ride we take
I could still grab the wheel but that’d be the big mistake
I used to know a short cut through this part of town, but
Ever since I’ve come to know you I love this long way around

Jay Duncan 2005

Something

Originally called 'The Make-Up Break-Up Song', I changed the title after finding the love of my life. I just couldn't sing it the other way anymore! We changed a few lines to better suit the new direction it took on and bada bing bada boom. There you go. Bob's your monkeys' uncle - or so they say. Anyways, this one goes out to the one I've fallen deeply in love with - the one I drive crazy on a daily basis,(I like to think of it as 'faithfully' finding new ways to drive her to the brink...)
(thanks to Pia Antturi for the pic)

;P

SOMETHING

There’s something in the air
Something on the street,
Something about the places
Where lonely people meet

There’s something about this girl
Makes him want to run away
Something in his heart
Begging him to stay
- There’s something about this girl

Now there's something 'bout this boy
Makes him want to be a man
To stand up straight and tall
To fight for all that he can
- There’s something ‘bout this girl

What he lacks in courage
He’ll make up with faith
He’ll find a blue sky lining,
Brighten up her day
She’ll find love on her windshield
A rose at her door
He’s laying it all on the line
- there’s something ‘bout this girl

Now there’s something in his eyes
Somehow it ain't fair
How he’ll pull at her every heart-string
Lay her heart out bare

There’s something about his arms now
Where there’s room for just one girl
There’s just no way around it
There’s something inside this man that knows
There’s something about this girl

Jay Duncan 2005

Maybe Tomorrow

Sometimes songs come from a place thats familiar, and sometimes not. Sometimes its just that the creative juices are flowing and its fun to squish every bit of gooey goodness out of that fruit. This wasn't one of those. This was inspired by a friend whose journey in this life seems to be a lump of coal. He has days that are great but most days seem to be the dumps. One weekend a few years ago, I felt the Lord gave me a word for my friend. That word was 'floodplain'. It was a call to persist after God in the hope of better days. Floodplains are vast expanses of flat land which are usually dry, but sometimes give way to great fertile seasons of rain - in due time, I hope my friend and I will both see our lives in perspective. We are a part of His story, not the other way around. Wait for the rain. Wait for the rain. So tired of waiting...

MAYBE TOMORROW (SONG OF THE MARTYRS)

How long O Lord?
How long my God?
Will you leave me here
With your enemy so near?

When floodplains like deserts lie
When the moon– she’s starving for light
When every river of hope is run dry
Maybe tomorrow

Where could we go?
To whom would we run?
For it’s You alone
You have the words of life

When floodplains like deserts lie
When the moon – she’s starving for light
When every river of hope is run dry
Maybe tomorrow

Maybe you’ll be here tomorrow
But maybe today
(Yeah I’m hoping for today)

How long O Lord?
How long my God?

Jay Duncan 2005

Louder Than Words

This is a funny song for me. Its a song of contrast and frustration over who God is and His desires for the complete restoration of all of creation; in stark contrast to our inadequate and lame attempts to live out the radical life He called us to.

Written as I wrestled with the idea of church and all it was meant to be and all it isn't. Please find this one peppered with lines of hope - even if it's hard to see!

LOUDER THAN WORDS

Let justice – find mercy
May humble hands – find dignity
May all who are poor find a treasure in You
All who are captive find their freedom in You

You are touching - the untouchables
Cleansing - the open wound
You pour healing water on the nations
To the orphan your love’s going to prove

Jesus, your actions speak louder than all my words

You bring a cup of cold water to the feverish one
Your tears form a river where the healing gets done
For the daughter of Zion under a burning sun
Or the child on a garbage heap Looking for his lunch

Jesus, your actions speak louder than all my words
Jesus, your actions speak louder than all my words

You help the homeless – find refuge
The lonesome - find a friend
May all who are orphaned find a Father in You
May all men find a reason - to look for You

Jay Duncan 2006

Lead Me To The Rock

Where do you turn when you're tired and dry? Back to the beginning. Back to the place where we all meet Jesus, sooner or later. Back to the cross.

LEAD ME TO THE ROCK

Lead me to the Rock
So much higher then I
Lead me to the cross once more
Whereto love I resign
You alone are Refuge
A great strong tower
Long before creation
A strong-armed Lover

Lead me to the house of my God
Whereby His Words I’ll be broken
Cast upon Loves’shore
Shipwrecked sin forever stolen
You alone are Refuge
A great strong tower
Long before creation
A strong-armed Lover

I long to dwell in your house forever
I long – for the comfort of your shelter

I long to dwell in your house forever
I long – for the comfort of your shelter

Jay Duncan 2006

Jesus Drives A Cadillac

My biggest fear on this record is that people I know might wonder if they are implicated in the lyrics to this song. Nothing could have been further from my mind as I wrote this. Sitting in a guesthouse on Zungwai hill in the Mpigi district of Uganda, I wondered about the things I believed which led me to that point in my life. I was far more naive then, and I believed I had some good answers to the question of poverty.

It was on that hill that I began to wonder about the true nature of poverty - where it comes from, whom it afflicts and why. I became increasingly aware of my arrogance - in believing that I could make a difference on a scale that most could not.

On one level, the song does take a shot at the prosperity gospel, and how silly it is to believe that Jesus calls us to be rich in monetary terms, or even in terms of health. The 'health and wealth' gospel is alive and well in Uganda - due in large part to International tele-evangelists who are no longer taken seriously in North America, but have found a new home in Ugandan TV sets. Answer me this - which one of the disciples did he tell to go out and make a lot of money in order to be able to expand the kingdom or bless the poor? None. Never. Not one. 'Follow Me'. Thats what I remember Him saying. God doesn't need your money mister.

In another verse I take a shot at the way our culture pre-supposes the 'annointing' of the extremely educated, and others in positions of authority within our churches. One of the wisest men I've ever listened to said over and over that the gospel was not for the wise but for the simplest of people - the Lord Himself preferred the company of fishermen to the self righteous religious folks with all the right answers. Maybe this song is about finding myself in the latter group too often. Maybe I'm looking to encounter Jesus in the depths of who I am instead of just my head.


JESUS DRIVES A CADILLAC

Jesus wants me to drive a Cadillac
I’m not sure I wanna give this Corolla back
All my friends tell me don’t worry
Cuz’ Jesus – he ain’t in a hurry

He’s a North American who knows what’s good for the world
His eyes are blue and his teeth shine like pearls
All his friends on TV promise me a life of ease
If I could just believe…

Jesus drives a Cadillac
An Escalade through Hell Dorado
Down streets of gold, from Toronto to San Antonio
This Jesus drives a rusted Cadillac

Jesus only speaks to the Super Literate
He's got a double Phd. in
‘Seven Easy Steps To Kingdom Prosperity’
everything I see was created just for me
if I could just believe…

Jay Duncan 2007

Mambo On The Rooftops

I'm a little bit of a late starter. I discovered Pearl Jam 10 years late. I discovered The Tragically Hip and the Black eyed Peas 10 years after they were cool. So it was no surprise to me when I finally started reading books I'd heard folks talking about forever and found them to be life changers. Did they really change my life? I wish I could say no, but that would be untrue. My understanding and experience of Gods' heart for us all, (including ALL of creation), has changed dramatically since I began reading. C.S.Lewis, in particular the Narnia Chronicles, was the first in a long line of books that has blown my 'worldview' to pieces. Funny enough, this has become a favorite at our church, and is based on one of the last, most critical lines of 'the Chronicles'.

Mambo On The Rooftops

Further up
Further in
Where the Lion sings
And all good things begin

That’s where we’re going
When the winter ends
Into the Promised Land and the river of life
Where we’ll dive in….

We will…
Dance in the river
Two step in the streets
We’ll be…
Singing with the Spirit
Forever waltzing with the saints
We will…
Mambo on the rooftops
Charleston in the rain
Hallelujah will be the song
Our feet will always sing

No looking back
No looking down
No more tears here,
Now laughter is a holy sound
So we run the race
And we run to win
Into that Promised Land and the river of life
Where we’ll dive in

Jay Duncan 2005

Speechless

Originally recorded as 'Here I Am' in 2003 on the Homesick recording, this song came out of an experience I had in prayer a few years earlier. As I was praying, late at night just before bedtime, I sensed the Lord in front of me, facing me. 'Be quiet' were the words i heard inside my head, (not an audible voice), and I was filled with a sense of awe which has kept me quiet before Him ever since. I wrestle with every form of worship and communication with God to this day. I am fully confident in His goodness, but harbour a great sense of frustration over my inept prayers, worship, and faith.

SPEECHLESS

Your eyes, speak the truth
Your mouth, beckons me
Your hands, have parted every sea
Water and Passion, wash over me

Here we are Lord
You and me
Here we are Lord
And I can’t speak

Touch my eyes, that I may see
Heal my ears, ‘cuz I long to hear
The strong jealous voice - I hold so dear
Voice of my Lover, calling me

Where You are, I long to be
When You move, I'll be on my feet
Touch my mouth, for I am unclean
Touch my hip Lord, I'll never leave

Here we are Lord
You and me
Here we are Lord
Why can’t I speak
J.Duncan 2003

Jay Duncan

Child of God. Sometimes as childish as they come, thats me. Sometimes I play guitar, sometimes I play with machinery, and sometimes I play at being an adult.

I guess we all wear a lot of hats. I've been trying to take my hats off for years, but they keep showing up in my closet - usually behind a skeleton or two.

I'm glad my friends helped me make this record. They sure didn't do it for money. I know I didn't. I selfishly made it for myself. It chronicles my struggles with faith and self and poverty. If I'm glad about one thing, it's that the story isn't over yet. And if you look close, the story's not about me either.

I am eternally thankful to my beautiful wife Irena for her support as we made this record. Despite a lot of hard times, when I wanted to stop the recording, she encouraged me to continue. Three years later - well its ALMOST done.

Thank you to everyone who played a part or hung in there when it was hard and slow going. Especially fond of you all equally...

jd

Brett Zeigler

Brett is best known for his skills at the keyboard, but he is perhaps more valuable as an all 'round musician. He carries with him a veritable cornicopia of noise makers and helped out from time to time with the production of this record. Brett has played all over with everyone from The Wildings to Graham Ord and currently is the tech director at Peace Portal Alliance Church in South Surrey, BC. Brett also got hitched last year to the wonderfully talented Julia. Together they've come to be known as 'Brulia'.

Steve Klassen

Steve grew up in Abbotsford, BC, surrounded by a vibrant music Christian music scene. The son of the infamous Lando Klassen, Steve was infected from an early age with a love for all things musical. He takes a creative and collaborative approach to every project he works on, and is known for his big hugs, big heart and generous talent. He's recently started his own recording studio, Suite Sound Studios. The great love of his life is his new wife Courtney, and a close second, thier dog Gracie.

Roy Salmond & Whitewater Studio

Roy Salmond has produced hundreds of records, and engineered, played on, or written for countless more. Still, ask him which one is his favorite, and he’s likely to give you a grin and tell you a story about one of his many creative heroes, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. When Wright was asked which of his own designs he liked the best, he always answered, ‘The Next One’, Salmond will explain, just before he tells you that for him, too, his favorite project is The Next One.

Jon Perkins

Jon has been around the worship scene in Vancouver for quite a while and has played with The Wildings, Russ Rosen, Worship Invasion and Kenny & Tracy Rhan. He is a songwriter, producer and a gear junkie with great integrity. In the last few years he has become a husband and a father. He once told me his next record would be a childrens' album - I hope we won't have to wait too long to hear it!

Daphne Rockstar

Daphne lives in Langley B.C. with her 4 kids Jonathan, Jathan, Christian and Haley. She teaches singing, drums, guitar and piano from her home and is a woman's kickboxing instructor at World Class Martial Arts in Langley. Daphne has passion for music, recording and martial arts and has been involved with numerous projects and conferences around the world for the past 25 years.

Daphne got invovled in this album because she believed that these songs needed to be heard. She believes that God uses music to heal and change people. Her hope is that this album will become a favourite and will deposit the presence of God into your soul.

Kenton Wiens

Kenton Wiens has been interested in music his whole life. He tried a number of instruments as a youngster at home, school and church and settled on the drums in junior high school. The drums were a perfect fit for one with a mild melodic impairment and an aversion to harmonic prison. He can be found behind a drum kit or on a bicycle around Vancouver.

Jon Anderson

Jonathan Anderson is an artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist living in Langley, BC, with his wife and 2 children. Equally comfortable on the stageas in the studio, Jonathan has been playing music since his early days in
childhood piano lessons, through high school jazz bands and choirs, through
his first band and the many subsequent bands to follow. He’s as likely to be
found playing drums, bass, keyboards, banjo, or lapsteel as he is to be singing
or on the guitar.
Jonathan has toured all across Canada, Germany, Denmark, Holland and
the UK and has performed at many of the major music conferences in North America
(New Music West, NXNE, SXSW, CMW, WCMA, Junofest and the Halifax Pop Explosion)
and has shared the stage with the Weakerthans, Julie Doiron, Josh Rouse, Joseph Arthur
and many more. He has released 1 solo album under his own name and 4 cds with his
musical entity Jonathan Inc. (with a 5th to be released within the year). His songs
have been featured on TV shows (scrubs, degrassi jr high, falconcrest) and
independent films alike.

These days Jonathan finds himself making music more and more in the studio
having caught the production bug and discovered a real love of sonics, arrangingand collaboration with other artists and songwriters. He's produced albums with
many different solo artists and bands including Stabilo, Sheree Plett, Lance Odegard,
In Medias Res among many others and frequently appears as a guest musician on
other albums. For more info visit: www.buenavistaaudio.com

Garth Bowen

Garth is currently in his 30th year of teaching high school music at Hugh Boyd Secondary in Richmond, specializing in Jazz Education, African Drumming, Music Comp & Studio Production. He began writing songs and playing instruments as a boy and then during studies in music UBC he played clubs, and bars. During this time came some great solo experiences opening for the bigger Christian Acts. At some point, family and work life directed creative energies into his students. Both of his sons went through his jazz bands and drumming classes. Since the late 80’s Garth has worked on the side as worship leader, camp director, community band director and completed a Masters Degree in Jazz Education. Running showcase performances with many talented people and playing music with good friends such as the Wildings and Graham Ord have been precious. Some think his fiddling is pretty freaky and that’s because he’s still young at heart. He now enjoys summer resuscitation on the Sunshine Coast with his wife Barb and two golden retrievers. Garth was blessed to meet Jay and work with some great folks on this project. He finally produced his own Christmas CD in 2008, entitled “A Single Birth.” You can contact Garth at gobowen@shaw.ca or www.garthbowen.com.

The Players

I've never done another recording like this one. It's been 2.5 years in process. Its starting to feel a bit more like an epic than the snapshot I intended it to be. All good I guess. In the midst of it all we've had some highs and some lows. hope it is worth it in the end - though I have no idea how to define 'worth it'.

So here is a bit of a snapshot of each of the players. Most everybody played multiple instruments or made themselves useful in other equally important roles.

The Songs

Songwriting has become a diary for me. It helps me vent. It helps me explain myself in ways I can't in conversation, and in learning the great value of re-writing I've come to write and re-write for the sheer pleasure of the creative process. While some parts of the songs are true and factual, some are not. Some are a vague word picture of a reality I have a hard time putting into words. Some are fun and though you might think I'm poking fun at an aspect of society, such as the prosperity gospel in Jesus Drives A Cadillac, on a rather serious level, I'm actually poking fun at myself. I hope I can shed a bit of light on whats behind the songs here. Thanks for reading! Here's the list...

1. Here we Are
2. Into The Arms
3. Mambo On The Rooftops
4. The Lights Up Ahead Song
5. Jesus Drives A Cadillac
6. Louder Than Words
7. Waiting For You
8. Something
9. Lead Me To The Rock
10. Longing For The Moon
11. White-Washed Tomb
12. Maybe Tomorrow

and possibly...
13. All Creation

Who Did What?

It takes a bunch of good souls to make something like this. Here are the players and the roles they played...

The Band
Kenton Wiens - drums
Jon Perkins - bass guitar
Brett Ziegler - piano & keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals, toy piano, Wurly
Jon Anderson - lap steel & electric guitars
Garth Bowen - electric violin
Daphne Rademaker - backing vocals, acoustic & electric guitar
Steve Klassen - backing vocals, 12 string electric guitar
JD - acoustic & electric guitars, lead vocals

Production
Engineered by Steve Klassen
Produced by Daphne Rademaker
Additional Production by Steve Klassen and Brett Ziegler
Additional Engineering by Daphne Rademaker and Roy Salmond
Recorded at Whitewater Studios in Surrey, BC, c/o Roy Salmond
Mixed at Suite Sounds Studio, Abbotsford, BC
Mastered - not yet???
Executive Producer - JD

A Long Road

The last time I saw Steve we made a list of all the signifigant events that have taken place in the lives of the people on the record. It's been over 2 1/2 years in the making, and probably five years in the writing - so I guess its no surprise that some important things happened along the way.

Irena and I were married.
Steve and Courtney were married.
Brett and Julia were married.
Irena and I had our first child, Noah Lukian.
Jon & Katie had their first daughter.
I spent 3 months in Uganda teaching two students.
I spent 3 1/2 months in Uganda teaching 11 students.
Kenton biked across Canada.
Kenton had knee surgery.
I moved numerous times.
I had a few vehicles.
My grandmother died.
Steve's grandmother died.
I worked for a church I fell in love with by accident.

I'm sure I'm missing lots, but you get the picture. Needless to say, I am stock piling the new song ideas for the next record in 10 years!

How Did This Happen?

Knowing nothing at all about blogging I've decided to use a blog to replace the sixteen page booklet that would have accompanied my new cd. Maybe no one will ever read it - and maybe no one will ever hear the disc - who knows? The disc is huge for me. A real learning curve on so many levels.

I wanted to find a way to share whats behind the disc, and to tell about the special people who helped to make it a reality, and I wanted to talk about the songs themselves and the stories behind them - the journey that led to making another record.

It seems I make a new record every 5 - 10 years. Slow like molasses over an open fire in the middle of an Albertan snowstorm - you know they're melting, but you're also frightfully aware you may freeze to death before they're good and gooey.

Thats all for now. Keep your stick on the ice and your eye on the sparrow.