"There Is a Reason" is not a bad song. Millions of believers cling to Romans 8:28. Is that a bad verse? If every artist who tweaked a song for better airplay apologized, who would not apologize? I really liked Overdressed. It had your fingerprints all over it, and I mean that in a good way--your Rabbit Energy did well. Theodicy is HARD, whatever your stand. That's where you discover what your actual foundation is. As for me, there is One Who, on a coming Day, will dry every tear (Rev. 21:4). Only when the first things pass away will we be even close to getting the answer to "why."
Thank you, John. That's very kind. I do really love that record, too. I agree with you 100%. I think my regret has been that (A) I knew my posture in writing the song, and (B) I've lived more and have seen people hurt, have been hurt, and have hurt others by the careless use of those truths. The scripture being used to wipe aside the pain, as if knowing we're on our way to the hospital should make the ambulance ride not hurt. I don't think this song is the meanest kid in the gang, but I know I would write a very different song today. Thanks for your kindness, man.
Well, I'm ... thankful.. for this. I sort of missed Caedmons from 2003-2008 so was fun just recently to discover these albums when the re-release of the self-titled stuff was happening. Bummed I missed out then. I don' think There is a Reason is awful - so much of music is the meaning hitting at just the right time in life, so who's to say it wasn't just what someone needed at that time?
That said, it's also refreshing to see you not 'hate' it, but just reflect on your motivations being a bit off perhaps.
I love this so much. Thank you for sharing your ever-growing, striving-for-faithfulness heart. Love the new music, love the new writing. You are loved.
I'm glad you wrote it. My wife and I had four miscarriages before our daughter was born and we spent a lot of time praying and hoping for a healthy pregnancy. By the miracle of modern medicine, our fifth try worked and we now have a wonderful 16 year old daughter (and a wonderful 14 year old daughter because of the same miracle). When our oldest turned 1, I made a video slideshow for my family of her first year and used There is a Reason as the background music. It fit what we felt.
I understand that we had been blessed and its easy to say there is a reason when the thing you hope for come true and we don't always get those things. It can also be used to say get over the awful thing that happened because God has a reason. But the song gave us plenty of joy looking back and seeing God's hand through our pain to a brighter day.
I've been back and forth with this song over the years during different times of suffering. Sometimes I've found it encouraging, and other times I've hit skip. I love the notes that play right after the phrase "there is a reason." They seem to have a disonnance that does some of the work of saying true things to yourself even when they don't feel true or comforting. As a person who's tempted to wallow, I need those reminders sometimes. And the fact that they're on the same record with songs that say more comforting things seem to balance out the "get-over-itness."
I do appreciate your apology though, as well as your increased sensitivity. When we know better, we can do better, right? I'm thankful for your heart here, and that you've been able to keep making awesome stuff.
I spent most of 1998 to 2009 frantically moving around the country. “I’ll be home soon” was a familiar soundtrack in my drives. I think I wore out the radio on my car. Simple put: my favorite song you’ve written. Might be nostalgia.
The songs that take me back and help me reflect and inspect have my greatest respect. Similar: Matt Wertz’s Behind a Smile. He doesn’t play it much.
I rediscovered your music thanks to The Rabbit Room and Leonard the Lonely Astronaut in the early 2010s. When I started listening to that album, I realized your voice sounded so familiar. It hit me that you were lead singer of a band I loved as a teenager in the late 90s: The Normals. Thanks for writing honest, impactful, beautiful music that has stuck with me for decades.
I'd add: Is it funny? I guess in your trade, being funny can turn you into Weird Al Yankovic. 😬 However, when writing, it's critical to me. Check out my post to see what I mean.
A brave post, to be sure. I used this song a ton for a few years at my previous church, never thought twice about it. I'm fully with you in that I would not use it now (although sonically it's still a bop ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), but back then I thought 1) truth and feeling are opposites, and truth must always win, and 2) if it's a truth that God is fully sovereign, then we should lean into the implications of that as hard as we can.
Andrew, thank you for your honesty and ability to look at your past, see your mistakes, and own up to them. I was encouraged.
On a completely different note, my first exposure to you was your last album with The Normals, "A Place Where You Belong." I'm fairly certain it was in a pile of CDs free for employees that I took home from the Christian radio station I worked at in high school (probably with a singles from Relient K and other bands that AC station wasn't going to play).
I'm ashamed to say I took it home and it got lost in the shuffle until a couple of years later when my college roommate played me some songs by The Normals and a spot in the back of my head remembered that album. When I was home for break, I dug it up, and I quickly fell in love with it. Now, to hear "I'll Be Home Soon" again was a great moment and reminded me of the beauty of that album. I'll have to throw that back into the rotation along with your recent reminder of "A Liturgy, A Legacy,..."
Your posts always challenge me and make me smile. Thanks for writing.
"There Is a Reason" is not a bad song. Millions of believers cling to Romans 8:28. Is that a bad verse? If every artist who tweaked a song for better airplay apologized, who would not apologize? I really liked Overdressed. It had your fingerprints all over it, and I mean that in a good way--your Rabbit Energy did well. Theodicy is HARD, whatever your stand. That's where you discover what your actual foundation is. As for me, there is One Who, on a coming Day, will dry every tear (Rev. 21:4). Only when the first things pass away will we be even close to getting the answer to "why."
Thank you, John. That's very kind. I do really love that record, too. I agree with you 100%. I think my regret has been that (A) I knew my posture in writing the song, and (B) I've lived more and have seen people hurt, have been hurt, and have hurt others by the careless use of those truths. The scripture being used to wipe aside the pain, as if knowing we're on our way to the hospital should make the ambulance ride not hurt. I don't think this song is the meanest kid in the gang, but I know I would write a very different song today. Thanks for your kindness, man.
Well, I'm ... thankful.. for this. I sort of missed Caedmons from 2003-2008 so was fun just recently to discover these albums when the re-release of the self-titled stuff was happening. Bummed I missed out then. I don' think There is a Reason is awful - so much of music is the meaning hitting at just the right time in life, so who's to say it wasn't just what someone needed at that time?
That said, it's also refreshing to see you not 'hate' it, but just reflect on your motivations being a bit off perhaps.
I love this so much. Thank you for sharing your ever-growing, striving-for-faithfulness heart. Love the new music, love the new writing. You are loved.
I'm glad you wrote it. My wife and I had four miscarriages before our daughter was born and we spent a lot of time praying and hoping for a healthy pregnancy. By the miracle of modern medicine, our fifth try worked and we now have a wonderful 16 year old daughter (and a wonderful 14 year old daughter because of the same miracle). When our oldest turned 1, I made a video slideshow for my family of her first year and used There is a Reason as the background music. It fit what we felt.
I understand that we had been blessed and its easy to say there is a reason when the thing you hope for come true and we don't always get those things. It can also be used to say get over the awful thing that happened because God has a reason. But the song gave us plenty of joy looking back and seeing God's hand through our pain to a brighter day.
I've been back and forth with this song over the years during different times of suffering. Sometimes I've found it encouraging, and other times I've hit skip. I love the notes that play right after the phrase "there is a reason." They seem to have a disonnance that does some of the work of saying true things to yourself even when they don't feel true or comforting. As a person who's tempted to wallow, I need those reminders sometimes. And the fact that they're on the same record with songs that say more comforting things seem to balance out the "get-over-itness."
I do appreciate your apology though, as well as your increased sensitivity. When we know better, we can do better, right? I'm thankful for your heart here, and that you've been able to keep making awesome stuff.
I spent most of 1998 to 2009 frantically moving around the country. “I’ll be home soon” was a familiar soundtrack in my drives. I think I wore out the radio on my car. Simple put: my favorite song you’ve written. Might be nostalgia.
The songs that take me back and help me reflect and inspect have my greatest respect. Similar: Matt Wertz’s Behind a Smile. He doesn’t play it much.
I rediscovered your music thanks to The Rabbit Room and Leonard the Lonely Astronaut in the early 2010s. When I started listening to that album, I realized your voice sounded so familiar. It hit me that you were lead singer of a band I loved as a teenager in the late 90s: The Normals. Thanks for writing honest, impactful, beautiful music that has stuck with me for decades.
I'd add: Is it funny? I guess in your trade, being funny can turn you into Weird Al Yankovic. 😬 However, when writing, it's critical to me. Check out my post to see what I mean.
"I'll be home soon" is a song I've come back to again and again. Enjoying this new recording.
I saw you in NJ for a solo show and requested "I'll Be Home Soon" beforehand. To me you seemed surprised, but maybe not. Great song.
https://youtu.be/GmCYiulZ4Mk?si=Z2TwSs4FbShDmL84
Also love "Hold the Light."
https://youtu.be/Jm5plgGZ7qU?si=b08hnPrldVYiDtIn
A brave post, to be sure. I used this song a ton for a few years at my previous church, never thought twice about it. I'm fully with you in that I would not use it now (although sonically it's still a bop ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), but back then I thought 1) truth and feeling are opposites, and truth must always win, and 2) if it's a truth that God is fully sovereign, then we should lean into the implications of that as hard as we can.
Andrew, thank you for your honesty and ability to look at your past, see your mistakes, and own up to them. I was encouraged.
On a completely different note, my first exposure to you was your last album with The Normals, "A Place Where You Belong." I'm fairly certain it was in a pile of CDs free for employees that I took home from the Christian radio station I worked at in high school (probably with a singles from Relient K and other bands that AC station wasn't going to play).
I'm ashamed to say I took it home and it got lost in the shuffle until a couple of years later when my college roommate played me some songs by The Normals and a spot in the back of my head remembered that album. When I was home for break, I dug it up, and I quickly fell in love with it. Now, to hear "I'll Be Home Soon" again was a great moment and reminded me of the beauty of that album. I'll have to throw that back into the rotation along with your recent reminder of "A Liturgy, A Legacy,..."
Your posts always challenge me and make me smile. Thanks for writing.