After rewriting much of the worship vocabulary and reshaping the modern musical landscape of the Church over the past ten+ years and 14 albums, Delirious? has decided to call it quits at the end of 2009.
For all the complaining I might do about Jesus is my boyfriend-type praise songs, I have always appreciated the lyrical depth and musical integrity of the Delirious? crew. Though we might be inoculated to their power from overfamiliarity, there is something so deeply true about the following lyrics, taken from the chorus of Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?
Open up the doors and let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring Your hope, songs that bring Your joy
Dancers who dance upon injustice
In our quest (pipe dream?) to build a community that actively engages God’s purposes in the world, we want to see worship and justice wed together in powerful ways. Our desire to become the change we hope to see in the world is fueled by the love who first came down to us.
We’d love to see more joy and authentic expressions of freedom in our gatherings (maybe any expression!), but it would be tragic for it to stop there. A true worship encounter with God does something to us — healing, restoration, joy and hope fill us and then flow out from us, both on a personal level and in the bigger picture of redemption.
Thanks, Martin and company, for the music.
wow. Deliriou5? was always top of my list but this is a huge development…
Wayne — Yes, I was surprised at how sad I was to read the news. Their songs have provided the soundtrack to so many meaningful moments for me. Sigh.
…
“find me at the river, find me on my knees”
“I’ve been standing with the fatherless
We’ve been learning how to pray
All we’re asking is the gracewe need to live a better way.
We’ve been longing for the walls to crash
That hold us from the truth.
Let’s pray that hope comes to the world”
“Here i am in that old place again
Down on my face again
Crying out i want you to hear my plea
Come down and rescue me”
and one of my fav
“Come free me Oh Lord
Come save me Oh God
For I have known the hand of the Lord
I have felt the eyes of the Lord on me
Come meet me Oh Lord
Befriend me Oh God
For I have seen the extent of your fame
I have found the maker of heaven and earth
Heaven knows, I’m coming back this time
I ‘m guilty of this crime
Cos I’ve been walking out on you
I’ve run across the world
And walked in barren lands
You’ve knocked this fool right to the floor
I’m coming back again”
makes me wanna sing these again,
yes… many tears wept over these lyrics…
[…] It Aint So, Deliriou5? 10 07 2008 Found out thru Daniel So @ headsparks.com that praise band Deliriou5? is calling it […]
Wayne — Dude, I’m getting tears in my eyes just reading those lyrics again. “Find me in the river” is one of my favorites as well.
“You split the earth with rivers
You split my heart in two…
You filled with the ocean with tears for the broken
You came and filled me too…
You came as a thief, You’ve stolen my fear
You captured my heart again…”
Man, they sure don’t write songs like that anymore, do they?
i feel like we’re on a camp bus singing old tunes together…. :)
gotta hit you up someday when we’re down south…