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.