Peterson’s artistic successes may be surpassed by his skill in connecting people, embodied in the Rabbit Room online community (RabbitRoom.com), which gathers contributions from authors, songwriters, and pastors, encouraging creativity and referencing its ultimate source. The thread of community, also a theme of Counting Stars, imbues his beloved annual Christmas show, Behold The Lamb Of God, a long-running multi-artist tour based on Peterson’s original Christmas album of the same name. In all of these works, Peterson’s listeners can hear reminders that community, beauty, and hope all point back to the God “who gave music the power to carry his light into the darkness.” Andrew, his wife Jamie, and their three children make their home in Nashville.
Let There Be Light
Andrew Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the hands of Bill Monroe
When Chet played guitar like a walk in the park
Like a prodigal son coming home
They spoke into being the work of their hands
From the void of the wire and the wood
And they stood on the stage
And they sang and they played
(chorus)
Let there be light
Let there be love
Let there be light, let there be love
Let there be music
Now, Arron's a preacher and I play guitar
And Jim, he can tune up your Ford
Dave is in law school for 800 years
For the sake of the sick and the poor
The work of our hands is the salt of the earth
The music we make is the light of the world
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
When your spirit is hovering over the deep
In the image of God just look into that darkness and speak
Let there be light, let there be love, let there be music
So let the mandolin play like a mother's embrace
Let the fiddle be warm as a smile
Let the guitar be bright as a friend at your side
When you're lost on a long lonely mile
Let the music be sweet as the washing of feet
And as gentle as a kiss
Let the love that we feel be as light as a reel
And as real as the love we give
Copyright 2003 New Spring Publishing, Inc.
In Andrew Peterson's song Let There Be Light, he pays tribute to the great musicians who have left an indelible mark on the world of music. He begins by mentioning the legendary Bill Monroe, who made the mandolin sing like a bird, and Chet Atkins who played the guitar with such ease that it sounded like a walk in the park, like a prodigal son coming home. Peterson follows this with the message that the music created by these artists was not just mere sound, but a work of their hands, born from the void of wire and wood, which they deemed good after playing it on stage.
In the chorus, Peterson calls for more light, more love, and more music in the world. He extols the virtue of the work of their hands, and says it is the salt of the earth, while the music they make is the light of the world. He encourages people to let their light shine by inspiring others with their music, be it as sweet as the washing of feet, and as gentle as a kiss. He concludes by urging those who are still hesitant to express themselves through music to look into the darkness and speak, to let there be light, love, and music.
One interesting fact about the song "Let There Be Light" is that it is the title track of Andrew Peterson's seventh studio album, released in 2008. Another fact is that the album was produced by Ben Shive, who co-wrote the song with Peterson. It is also interesting to note that the album was nominated for a Dove Award in the category of "Inspirational Album of the Year." Additionally, the song has been covered by various artists, including Francesca Battistelli, and was featured in the 2016 film "I'm Not Ashamed."
The lyrics of the song are rich in biblical references, reflecting Peterson's strong Christian faith. This is not surprising as Peterson is known for his commitment to creating music that espouses Christian values. Peterson has been praised for his ability to create music that is both inspiring and thought-provoking and has been compared to other great songwriters like Rich Mullins and Bob Dylan.
Chords:
Capo 3
Verse:
G C G C D G D
G C G C D G D
G C G C D G D
G C G D G D
Chorus:
C G D G
C G D G
C G D G
C G D G
Bridge:
C D G
C D G
C D G
C D G
Outro:
C G D G
C G D G
C G D G
C G D G
Line by Line Meaning
When the mandolin sang like a bird on the wing
Bill Monroe played the mandolin so beautifully that it was reminiscent of a bird soaring through the sky.
In the hands of Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe was the one playing the mandolin with great skill.
When Chet played guitar like a walk in the park
Chet played the guitar with such ease that it looked like he was taking a relaxing stroll through the park.
Like a prodigal son coming home
Chet's guitar playing was like a prodigal son returning to his loving father.
They spoke into being the work of their hands
Bill Monroe and Chet created beautiful music through the skillful use of their instruments.
From the void of the wire and the wood
They created music from the lifeless wires and wood that made up their instruments.
And they stood on the stage
Bill Monroe and Chet stood on a stage to display the music they had created.
And they sang and they played
They used their voices and instruments to create a beautiful sound.
And they said that it was good
They recognized the beauty of the music they had created.
Let there be light
May there be an awakening of light and hope.
Let there be love
May we all show love and compassion to one another.
Let there be light, let there be love
May we all strive to create a more loving and hopeful world.
Let there be music
May music be a source of inspiration and beauty in the world.
Now, Arron's a preacher and I play guitar
Arron is now a preacher and the singer plays the guitar.
And Jim, he can tune up your Ford
Jim has the skill to repair a Ford car.
Dave is in law school for 800 years
Dave is studying law for a long time.
For the sake of the sick and the poor
Dave is studying law to help those who are sick and poor.
The work of our hands is the salt of the earth
The work that we do with our hands is important in the world.
The music we make is the light of the world
The music that we make can bring light and hope to the world.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
May our music and work shine with positivity and hope.
When your spirit is hovering over the deep
When one's spirit feels lost and wandering.
In the image of God just look into that darkness and speak
Speak into that darkness with hope and love, reminding oneself to have faith.
So let the mandolin play like a mother's embrace
Let the mandolin play music that feels nurturing and comforting.
Let the fiddle be warm as a smile
Let the fiddle play music that feels welcoming and friendly.
Let the guitar be bright as a friend at your side
Let the guitar play music that feels supportive and encouraging, like a good friend would.
When you're lost on a long lonely mile
When one feels lost and disoriented while traveling a difficult journey.
Let the music be sweet as the washing of feet
Let the music be refreshing and humbling.
And as gentle as a kiss
Let the music be tender and soothing.
Let the love that we feel be as light as a reel
May the love we feel be as joyful and lively as a dance.
And as real as the love we give
May the love we feel and give be authentic and genuine.
Contributed by Anna F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.