World Service: Song By Song
Last modified: 01 Nov 2003
Artist: Delirious?
Label: Furious Records
Date: Nov 2003
World Service
Release Date: 15th December 2003
GRACE LIKE A RIVER I'm really pleased with this song. It came from a real fresh encounter with the Grace of God that I experienced last year. I'm amazed by the mystery that I am loved unconditionally, and that there is nothing I can do to earn that love. Hebrews 4 talks about us "drawing near with confidence to the throne of grace that we may find mercy and receive grace in our time of need". What's great for me is that I don't have to feel like I'm on "cloud nine" all the time but I can jump in the "Grace River" anytime because Jesus sympathizes with our humanity and has made a way for the imperfect to experience the perfect. See Hebrews 4: 14-16 - Stu G
RAIN DOWN This song started life as a Stu G. guitar riff and immediately inspired the Rain Down melody and lyric whilst jamming in a sound check. We were in America at the time touring and I'd gone for a walk to get some fresh air before the gig. As I walked the biggest, blackest storm cloud hung above me. 'Looks like tonight, the sky is heavy, feels like the winds are gonna change' was born that night and triggered off the direction for a song of Gods love and judgment pouring down on us. - Martin
GOD IN HEAVEN I'd always wanted to write a modern day version of the hymn' To God be the Glory' Stu and I had these verses for a while but couldn't find the chorus we needed so we just put it on the shelf for a while. One morning I literally woke up singing these words and melody and they became the song it is today. We can't wait to do it live! - Martin
MAJESTY (HERE I AM) This is another "Grace Song". McPherson guitars provided me with a fantastic new acoustic guitar last year and one of the first things I played, as I was trying it out, was the opening few chords of "Majesty" this coincided with my "head on collision" with God's Grace and the words just started to pour out I wanted it to reflect the heart of the hymn "Just as I am without one plea" the feeling of coming to God with all my fears, faults and doubts and yet being beckoned into the "presence of His Majesty" because of the "greatest love of all" We're really pleased to have the Hillsong choir on this track and also chuffed to have written a song that is touching the heart of churches and yet cool enough to currently be number one in the MP3.com guitar rock chart - Stu G
INSIDE OUTSIDE This song is a bit of a departure stylistically for us very simple musically and quite spacious. The verses capture the feeling of being surrounded by God's love and unable to escape from that love. (Psalm 139) The pre-chorus and chorus embraces that fact and goes on to say that we wouldn't have it any other way. Some may find it a bit too simplistic, for others it will be there favourite song. - Stu G
FREE A lot has happened for Delirious? over the years and it's a discipline to hold fast to the values that you believe in. Often you can be swayed into doing things to satisfy other people's agendas and this always leads to disaster. It is a revelation to know that we are 'Free' to be what God made us to be and be proud of that at all times. To sing 'I'm alive when I'm alive in you' is a true statement as happiness can only be found in God. - Martin
EVERYONE KNOWS This is a really fun song it started life as a wedding song for Jon and Kristen that I never finished (I've never admitted to that before!) and when I played a few of the bits to Martin we decided to try and finish it. Love is at the heart of the gospel and I think that we are known by the way we allow love to invade our lives and then by how much we give away. I hope I'm someone that allows the fire of God's love to grow in me and spread out to others. - Stu G
WITH YOU My favourite line in this song is 'Got to keep these clean hands dirty if I'm gonna stay awake' It's about walking with God and not settling for mediocrity, still willing to get your hands dirty and yet raise up clean hands in worship to him. These are some of my favourite guitars on the album and again will be great to do live. - Martin
MOUNTAINS HIGH In December of 2002 a very dear friend and uncle to my wife died suddenly on a Swiss mountain of a heart attack. It was such a feeling of shock and bewilderment and a massive loss to all those who knew him in the church. The same night when everyone was asleep I went to the piano and this song poured out as a lament for just having lost a great man. It's always tempting as a Christian to find a happy ending in everything and we on purpose decided to leave the questions unanswered. God never promises a happy ending but always promises to give us Grace to walk through the things he has ordained. This song is for John. - Martin
I WAS BLIND This is a simple song about Gods kindness and how it constantly amazes us. It's incredible to think that despite God knowing us, he still loves us. This is one of the most moving pieces of music on the album for me when it crescendos into a holy noise, crying out to God to 'Let it Shine on us' - Martin
FEEL IT COMIN ON Again this song started life as a Stu G guitar riff and I had some words that immediately fell into place. It was virtually written in the studio which is uncommon for us and has become a band favourite being very 'Investigate-esk' at the final build up. The song is about brokenness and not knowing what the future holds apart from the fact that God is with you. There is a lot of talk in the bible about 'Leprosy' and how crippling it is, this song is about leprosy of the 'heart' and how our own sin can separate us from God. - Martin
EVERY LITTLE THING I wrote this song whilst holidaying in France in the summer of 2003.I had the privilege of playing it to John Thatcher (senior) and he immediately loved it. None of us realised that I would be singing it at his funeral a few months later. We had the honour of our friend Daniel Bedingfield sing backing vocals on it which was the icing on the cake. - Martin