Who formed the heart
Who set the wheels in motion,
brings light to dark
stirs, then calms the ocean?
Don't have to look too far
the point of our devotion
Praise God,
wave perfect
Who inhabits
the praises of His people?
Who moves mountains,
whose greatness fills the grateful?
Whose Spirit moves upon the deep
our souls to keep faithful?
Praise God,
wave perfect
repeat first verse
The Lord hears the Surfer's prayer
The Lord hears the Surfer's prayer....
(Little Corona is the name of a section of beach in Southern California where each year hundreds of people come to get baptized in the waters of the Pacific. This song is dedicated to them.)
chorus:
Come on down to California Blue
Bring your old man
your old lady too
Plunge in, then out
you will be like new
Catch a ride, get inside
that big California Blue
For some it's just a gold rush
'cause fools gold does entice
But deep beneath the surface
lies a Pearl of Great Price
And to those who take possession
there's salvation, love, and glory
Their old clothes change to garments white
in this rags to riches story
So
I was in town so I thought I'd phone ya,
see how you're doin', and say "Aloha"
If you're inclined, we'll drive to California,
make our way out to Little Corona
Here seagulls are descending
like a flock of holy Doves
A promise of an endless summer,
sunshine and eternal love
And if you want a happy ending
of salvation, love, and glory
Climb down the cliffs to the surf and sand
where you'll hear the Old Old Story
chorus
Palm trees bending
Sets are heavy
Over dams
And over levies
God just sent a letter
And for some it breeds anticipation
Talk of permanent vacation
Wise guys read the weather
The Good Book maps
The Big Returning
So the fire burns
In the heart's a yearning
Deeper than the ocean
And "Surf's up!" cries the sinking swimmer
As the clouds move in
And the light grows dimmer
Resolve in our devotion
A good sailor knows
Which way the wind blows
The Word is heard
The earth is shaking
Troubles stirred
The waves are breaking
Over every nation
But remember, all you sons and daughters,
Jesus walked upon the water
And faith is our vocation
So we'll know just where we're headin'
A map and compass point to heaven
No time for indecision
Though the water's deep
And the wind it wails
Batten down the hatch and set the sails
We've got the right provisions
A good sailor knows
Which way the wind blows
A good sailor knows
Which root is apropos
In the meantime we'll be fishers of men
And our love line will find them
And gently reel them in
We've come through a tidal wave
up from an ocean grave
Earth and thunder
roll, but in sight again
sun shining bright again
Signs and wonders concealed
now revealed
Down and then up again
God fills our cup again
Grace is falling
rain for the thirsty man
Sinners and saints we stand
by our calling
Clouds lifting now
Set sail to an Endless Summer
We've been to an ocean floor,
stopped counting anymore
lost horizons
Some have abandoned ship
At times along the trip-
compromises
we know
take their toll
But through the changing tides,
faithful the One who guides
Our Redeemer
chooses to show the way
to strays and stowaways
Fools and dreamers come
to the land of the Son
chorus
Presumably a follow up to Alarma's "Endless
Summer"
You're the ride through
troubled waters
on tidal waves of
wayward daughters
Who is your saint?
Who is your martyr?
Who'll be your surfer girl?
Who'll sail on arks of
nails and lumber?
Who'll bear a cross of
nails and lumber?
"Who'll walk the plank?" the
angels wonder,
"Who'll be your surfer girl?"
Break me beneath the breakers
Save me, my Lord and Savior
Take me though there
are no takers
In, not of the world,
I'll be your Surfer Girl
You're the ride through
troubled waters
on tidal waves of
wayward daughters
I am no saint, I
am no martyr
but I'll be your surfer girl
I'll be your surfer girl
I'll be your surfer girl....
In the vein of Sir Walter Raleigh's poem, "The Nymph's
Reply to the Shepherd", which provides a response to the shepherd in Thomas
Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love."
(for Kerry Livgren)
You were asleep
and now your eyes are open
Into the deep
It's here your heart gets broken
and life begins again
And God is moving here
somewhere beneath this cold, dark wave
A tragic miracle
helped you find the way back to love
And as you weep
a holy Dove's in motion
Your soul He'll keep
above the tears that formed this ocean
In time you'll breathe again
And God is moving here
when faith is shaken to the core
A kind of tragic grace
too awful to ignore
takes you down
takes you
Into the deep
that's where your heart gets broken
and life begins again
Kerry Livgren was a founder of the group Kansas, and later went on to form the group AD after his conversion to Christianity.
chorus:
And if you wanna be a thrill seeker
well, give a slip to that boy
It takes a man to pray
Another thrill seeker
Well then, ship ahoy
and anchor away
Land lubber, land locked
Who'll kick you off the big rock
and out into the open sea?
You talk back, walk plank
Someone's gotta pull rank,
combat your lack of energy
chorus
Knees weak, yellow streak
runnin' down the back seat
Driver meets his Waterloo
Land sakes, land ho
no go and a no show
Cool it or you lose your cool
chorus
Why don't you cut that rope
admit you're wrong,
that you got as much hope
as the day is long
You're just hangin' out
and the slack is gone
You're gonna hang yourself
from the fence you're on
Still Small Voice beneath the ocean roar
Two old friends still strangers on the shore
chorus:
There's no doubt
we'll (They) see the sun come out again
that faith wins out
and love will (has) find (found) us (them) in the end
We'll (they) see the sunshine
Grace and mercy for you and I
Empty shells and driftwood on the beach
We're these as well, still love's within our reach
chorus
And God alone knows
what our hearts conceal
Afraid to expose
things to dark to reveal
but this love's for real
so let the Son shine
Still small voice beneath the ocean roar
Two old friends confess their hearts are poor
chorus
We'll see the Son shine
Grace and mercy for you and I
She's really stricken by that bronze-skinned idol
with his dubious smile and a promise of revival
He strikes a pose
a perfect note
Hands her a rose
and another quote from his Bible
chorus:
(Surf's down) Here's an artificial wave by the Astroturf
(Surf's down) If the water's flat, he'll pay for surf
(Surf's down) By inflatable palm trees on the shifting sand
(Surf's down) She plays beach blanket bingo with her plastic man
He'll pay for surf
She likes the feel of that lukewarm water
and the guy seems concerned like a heavenly father
Lends her a hand
'cause he's the man
With the tanning bed tan
and lambs to the slaughter
chorus
It's a happy ever after little vignette
He says "Baby, let's sail into the sunset"
But you don't get far
on a chlorine sea
Now she's back home
and he's history (just another reject)
chorus 2
(Surf's down) Here's an artificial wave by the Astroturf
(Surf's down) If the water was flat he paid for surf
(Surf's down) By inflatable palm trees on the shifting sand
(Surf's down) She played beach blanket bingo with her plastic man
Now she prays for surf
She prays for surf
Now she prays for surf
This life is such a violent tide
tosses us from side to side to side
Fast forward like magnetic tape
then dragging like a riptide day to day
Bounced around like surfers on a board
but when we hit the beach of Evermore
There'll be sunshine, no more hard times
on the Gold Coast, the Gold Coast
Dancing all night on the north side
where the Spirit frees us
And the wind cries, "Jesus - Selah"
The setting sun, the Southern Cross
the crimson moon, the limbo of the lost
The breaking waves of saving grace
against the shining shore where angels play
We'll light a candle in the sacred sand
And celebrate the luau of the Lamb
There'll be sunshine, no more hard times
on the Gold Coast, the Gold Coast
Dancing all night on the north side
where the Spirit frees us
And the wind cries, "Jesus - Selah"
Sister Mariana Trench
has got the faith that moves mountains
You can find her after church
on a bench by the fountain
And if you wanna just believe
you'll perceive her devotion
And if you wanna see faith at a fever pitch
Mariana Trench;
the deepest part of the ocean
Sister Mariana Trench
she'll be praying and fasting
She's got a Bible in her hand
She's got the Life Everlasting
You might find you've fallen in
her depths of holy emotion
If you're trading doubt for faith,
she can make that switch
Mariana Trench;
the deepest part of the ocean
She's got the love of God so deep
it will make you weep
with a word, inspire
And above her head you'd swear
there's a halo there
In her eyes burns a holy fire
Sister Mariana Trench
she's old, but she's able
to look into your soul
and put her cards on the table
(She's) no good at mincing words
She's got the Book and it's open
If you're neither hot or cold
she'll kick you off the fence
Mariana Trench;
the deepest part of the ocean
the deepest part of the ocean
the deepest part of the ocean...
In a dream of mine
it's always surfin' time
There's a beach with perfect weather
and no closing sign
And the surfer's know
it's the place to go
'cause your tan never fades there
and the surf's so fine
And the junks all free at the 7 Eleven
And if you catch the perfect wave
it'll take you to heaven
So bring your girl and bring your guy
and make it on down to Surfer's Paradise
chorus:
Let's get together, yeah, let's get together (at)
Surfer's Paradise
Don't hesitate, don't think twice
Shorts and bikinis will suffice
You can wear 'em all day and night (at)
Surfer's Paradise
And the beautiful sea
is always eighty degrees
There's no sharks in the water
and no knobby knees
And you don't pay tax
And you don't need wax
There's no sand in your sandwich
There's a tropical breeze
Toes on the nose
and your engine's revvin'
Well, what do you know
you're hangin' eleven!
So praise the Lord and bet your life
You gotta make it on down to Surfer's Paradise
And the junks all free at the 7 Eleven
If you catch the perfect wave
it'll take you to heaven
So bring your girl and bring your guy
You gotta make it on down to Surfer's Paradise
Lonely in the red blazing sun
Waiting for the moonlight to come
Kneeling in the sand all undone
Lovely fool, I can see you crying
All your tears are Mine
Pearls from pebbles form
Take your time, oyster in the sand
Let the seed be sown
It will rise
Lift your eyes and watch the tide's parade
Slowly souls are polished to white
Slowly darkness gives way to light
Slowly patience harvests the night
Sunburnt saint, take My benediction
Bless the sea again
Pearls from pebbles form
Take your time, oyster in the sand
Let the seed be sown
It will rise
Lift your eyes and watch the tide's parade
Storm clouds rush the shore
Ocean fills with tears
Life speeds up, time slips by
Minutes measure up to years
The sun breaks through the clouds
Blinking briefly on the bay
Casting diamonds here and there
Just before it slips away
chorus
The last day of summer
drifts out on the wind
Never returning
still it's not the end
It's just the last day of summer
wake up from the dream
Life goes on until it's gone
night is never empty as it seems
As the shadows fall
Somewhere someone lights a fire
Dancing like a distant sun
Like a walker on a wire
As fragile as a flower
As mighty as a tidal wave
A prayer rises on the wind
A seagull cries as if to say
Chorus
Sunset has no hidden meaning
Only beauty, silent as time
Melting slowly into the sea
As stars like angels rise and shine
(instrumental)
Inside our walls
the great wild ball is turning
freed from touch
replacing love with learning
We go down
don't know how
everybody's
surfin' now
On the screen
the lovers' dreams are burning
two stars crossed
electric loss and yearning
Sight and sound
the King is crowned
and everybody is
surfin' now
Press the flesh
the soul against your finger tips
through the wire
your desire's
to crawl inside of it
in spite of it
by the light of it
you go down
Caught in the net
the heart and head are squirming
sons and daughters
"neath dark waters churning
Sinking down
they might drown
and everybody's
surfin' now
Everybody's
surfin' now
Everybody's
surfin' now