From the Salmon

A few days ago, I offered up a whole mess of music for your Christmas downloading pleasure. So for this final installment of Friday Advent Lyrics, I thought I’d return to an album that isn’t available for download: Signature Sounds’ Wonderland compilation. This is probably one of my top three Christmas albums, particularly for songs like last week’s ”American Noel” and this week’s sublime selection: Richard Shindell’s “Before You Go.”

In my humble opinion, I’ve saved the best for last. This might the simplest song yet, but it’s also the most rich. As a tender prologue, it’s a perfect song for Advent.

But it’s so much more than that.

With a few spare words, Shindell paints for us a portrait of a relationship beyond our understanding and yet familiar in so many ways. This is Philippians 2 in first person — the hesitancy and staggering humility of Incarnation.

Enough setting the scene. Great art should show, not tell. And I’m doing way too much telling, when I should just let Shindell’s art shine.

“Before You Go”
by Richard Shindell
from the Wonderland compilation

Love, just a word before you go
Just a few things you should know
Come and sit here by my side
Love, how I wish that you could stay
There can be no other way
I must send you on your own

Love, here’s a place and here’s a name
Love, she will hold you in her arms
And show you who you are

Love, you’ll be hungry, you’ll be weak
You’ll be tempted, you’ll be free
To turn away from me
Love, dressed in rags and far from home
You will wander all alone
You will wonder where I am

Love, you will laugh and you will cry
Love, you will live and you will die
But only for a while

There’s a world that you must bear
They’re waiting for you there
To lead them from the night
And bring them to the light

Love, here’s a place and here’s a name
Love, she will hold you in her arms
And show you who you are
She will show you who you are
She’ll show you who you are

Purchase “Wonderland” at Signature Sounds
Purchase “Wonderland” at Paste Music

Have a blessed Christmas. If your church isn’t open on Sunday, find one that is.