by the way

top music picks for the week:

James Blunt -- Back to Bedlam

and

Kirk Franklin -- Hero

i got "back to bedlam" when i was in NY with josh earlier in december. i'd heard the first two tracks all over the radio and it seemed worth checking out... i don't think there's a bad track on the whole disc... it's an amazing CD... and if *you*'ve never heard of it, you are hereby required to look into it.

upon request, jenny gave me "hero" for christmas. i love all of kirk franklin's past albums, so it seemed this would be a good choice too even though i've only heard "looking for you" (track 2) on the radio before i got it... there are tracks i like more than others, but the ones i like less are still really good, and the ones i like better are simply AMAZING. my two current favorites are "hero" and "imagine me"

hero lyrics:
~~~~~~~~~~~
The heavens were silent
The earth weeped in pain
Nations were trembling and hope never came
A Terror filled the air
And it wouldn't go away
We needed a hero to come and save

Famine and hunger,
Disease in the land
The hatred the killing taking lives from your hand
Creation waits through the darkness we pray
Tell me where is the hero to come and save

Through the nails
Through the thorns
From the hill to the grave
Was a voice in the distance the lamb that was slain
My soul had no song and my debt I couldn't pay
When I needed a hero you came and you saved

To the homeless
The widow
The fatherless son
To the sick and the broken alone with no one
Lift up you head your hope is on the way
When we needed a hero you came and you saved the day

When the curtain had closed
And it felt like the end
When your blood caught the fall and took away every sin
Even though men deny
You're the only sacrifice
That loved us enough you loved us so much Lord
That you gave your life see you saved my life

Now I can see you I'm no longer ashamed
Your power I feel see our lives have exchanged
Every wrong is erased, Jesus
You are my hero you came and you saved (x2)
You are my hero you came and saved The day
~~~~~~~~~~~~

while the words are great on their own, if you haven't heard them coupled with kirk and a mass choir, you have no idea what you're missing out on... hero's my second favorite track on the disc though... it's a close 2nd to "imagine me"... lyrics:

~~~~~~~~~~~
Imagine me, loving what i see when the
Mirror looksat me 'cause I imagine me
In a place of no insecurities
And i'm finally happy 'cause
I imagine me...

Letting go of all the ones who hurt me
'Cause they never did deserve me
Can you imagine me?...

Saying no to the thoughts that try to control me
Remembering all you told me
Lord can you imagine me?...

Over what my mamma said
And healed from what my daddy did
And I wanna live and not read that page again

[Chorus:]
Imagine me, being free, trusting you totally
Finally i can...
Imagine me
I admit it was hard to see,
You being in love with someone like me
But finally i can...
Imagine me...

Being strong and not letting people break me down
You won't get that joy this time around
Can you imagine me?...

In a world where nobody has to live afraid
Because of your love, fear's gone away
Lord can you imagine me?..

Letting of my past
And glad I have another chance
And my heart will dance

Imagine me.
~~~~~~~~~~~
again, nice words on their own, but AMAZING when you put it altogether with the music.

summary: "back to bedlam" is rocks, and "hero" is spectacular.

check them out.

the end.