Ben Harper stated "I have now spent a considerable amount of time with all of them, and I know for certain, they see what we won't, they see what we don't, and they see what we can't. It is an honor to be in their presence and to know they are my friends. I thank them for the singing lessons, and more importantly I thank them for teaching me that blessings are a privilege, not a birthright, and are never to be taken for granted.
What started out as me working with them on a couple of tracks, blossomed and bloomed into an entire record in eight days. It all happened so fast. If it weren't for the recordings that prove that this magic actually happened, I would not be entirely aware of what went on. "
Church House Steps
Ben Harper And The Blind Boys Of Alabama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sat down upon the church house steps
I sat down upon the church house
Down upon the church house steps
With all my hopes and dreams
All of my regrets
I sat down upon the church house steps
I sat down
I sat down upon the church house steps
With all I have lost
And with all I have been blessed
Oh - I sat down
Oh - I sat down
Oh - I sat down upon
I sat down upon the church house steps
I reached to the sky
As I hung my head and wept
Oh - I wept
Oh - I sat down
Oh - I sat down
I sat down
Oh - I sat down
If these wings should fail me
(Won't you) meet me with another pair
"Church House Steps" is a song by Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama about a person who is in a reflective mood and is seeking redemption. The song begins with the singer sitting on the steps of a church, contemplating his life and all the hopes and dreams he had that didn't come to fruition, and all of his regrets. The singer seeks solace and redemption in the church, where he can confront the loss he has experienced, while being grateful for the blessings he has received.
As the chorus repeats, we find the singer reaching up to the sky, indicating an appeal to a higher power. At the same time, he is crying, suggesting that he is releasing pent-up emotions, laying them out at the church's doorsteps. It is also worth noting the line "If these wings should fail me, meet me with another pair," which is a plea to the divine to help the singer persevere through their struggles. This signifies the end of the song, suggesting that redemption is possible if one's faith is strong enough.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh - I sat down upon the church house steps
The singer describes sitting on the steps of a church
I sat down upon the church house steps
The singer emphasizes sitting on the actual steps of the church
I sat down upon the church house
The singer repeats the image of sitting on the church itself for emphasis
Down upon the church house steps
The singer again stresses sitting on the steps of the church
With all my hopes and dreams
The singer brings up the notion of dreams and hopes
All of my regrets
The singer also acknowledges feelings of regret
With all I have lost
The singer reflects on past losses
And with all I have been blessed
The singer also acknowledges blessings in life
I reached to the sky
The singer reaches upwards, symbolizing an attempt to connect with the divine
As I hung my head and wept
The singer also reveals feelings of sadness and grief
If these wings should fail me
The singer refers to wings as a metaphorical tool for rising above trouble
(Won't you) meet me with another pair
The singer beseeches that he needs help to overcome obstacles
Oh - I sat down
The singer again describes sitting down
Oh - I sat down
The singer repeats the previous line again for emphasis
I sat down
The singer once again describes sitting
Oh - I sat down upon the church house steps
The singer repeats the opening line for emphasis
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BEN C HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind