Where Once I Feared To Walk - Lyrics

I recently was asked via email if I could put these lyrics on my blog and tell a little bit about the song. I got the lyrics up a few weeks back. That part was easy as they where already in a word doc on my computer. Now for a little info on the song.

This is the last song on the S&U album and was actually written with that in mind - which is a miracle if you knew the way I process. Actually this song was one of the easiest to write. Most times I fight hard for the lyrics, often witting a small novel before I'm satisfied. But this song just seemed to flow...

We lived in a little house halfway up the 4th fairway on a country golf course 20 miles north of Jackson MS. One night Carver - a good friend - came over to hang out. One of the things I loved to do when it wasn't 95 degrees with 95% humidity, was to go out and walk the golf course. The best time was dusk. Carver and I headed out that night, both of us eager to talk and also smoke the Cohibas my brother had smuggled in through Hatti. Though I'm not a big fan of cigars, there is something special about smoking an illegal cuban with a friend. That nights walk was like so many other walks with friends, we laughed, talked and dreamed of a future even better than the present. We remeniced and could see Gods goodness even in past pains. We were blessed.

Days later, as I scrambled for pen and paper, I recalled that night but this time it wasn't Carver but Jesus who walked beside me. The premise and lyrics for the first half of the song came from the memory of the walk. The second half and the last line "Here's to bigger dreams" came from a conversation with my dad where he quoted CS Lewis saying, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

As far as the music, I wrote half of the album on piano. This was one of those songs. I had always written from an acoustic guitar but I wanted to try something different with the S&U album. I wanted melody to drive the songs instead of rhythm - if that makes sense. So even though I couldn't really play the piano - at least not both hands at the same time - I feel like it worked.

And that's how the song came about, Jesus and I walking out at night dreaming about a future even better than the present and reminiscing about His past goodness. And though I was smoking a Cohiba, In my minds eye Jesus seemed more like a pipe kinda guy. I admit, it also might have had something to do with CS Lewis...

Where Once I Feared To Walk

We went walking out in a field, yeah late tonight

Could see our breath each dream exhaled beneath the half moon light

And this is life you said to me, this declared round your pipe

And this is where it all works out, in dreaming we're alive

And I have dreamt… still believe, I have risked and I have lost

But looking down I see my feet where once I feared to walk

So we go walking out in this field to claim our destiny

And if by chance it seems we've failed, then here's to bigger dreams