Former members include Derek Webb (guitar, vocals; left the band in 2003 to pursue a solo career), Aaron Tate (songwriting duties), Aric Nitzberg (bass guitar), and Randy Holsapple (hammond organ).
Recently Derek Webb rejoined the band.
Expectations
Caedmon's Call Lyrics
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And he heard that Jesus would fill him up
Maybe something got lost in the language
If this was full, then why bother?
This was not the way it looked on the billboard
Smiling family beaming down on the interstate
When our dreams won't rise up from their sleep
And the reaching of the steeple felt like one more
Expensive ad for something cheap
This was not the way it looked on the billboard
Smiling family beaming down on the interstate
He dressed up nice for the congregation
Scared somebody's gonna find him out
Through the din and the clatter of the hallelujahs
A stained-glass Jesus sings.
This was not the way it looked on the billboard
Smiling family beaming down on the interstate
The song "Expectations" by Caedmon's Call is about a boy who has high expectations for his faith, but is let down by what he finds. He hears that Jesus will "fill him up" but finds that maybe something got lost in the message, because if what he's experiencing is supposed to be "full", then why bother? The boy sees the smiles of a perfect family on a billboard promoting the idealized version of the faith, but this is not what he finds in reality.
The second half of the song expresses the disappointment that comes when our dreams don't match reality, and the temptation to blame someone else for that. The reaching for the steeple, a metaphor for our spiritual aspirations, feels like just another expensive advertisement for something that turns out to be cheap. The boy goes to church hoping to find meaning, but feels like an imposter, dressing up to hide his fear of being found out as someone who doesn't quite belong.
The final lines of the song bring us back to the billboard, with its smiling family and the same message that used to inspire hope, but now feels hollow. The stained-glass Jesus within the church sings to the boy, a gentle reminder that perhaps the faith he sought was never meant to be advertised on a billboard or sold as a product to fill up empty souls.
Line by Line Meaning
That boy had the highest of expectations
The boy had great hopes and dreams.
And he heard that Jesus would fill him up
He believed that Jesus would satisfy all his needs.
Maybe something got lost in the language
Perhaps the message wasn't conveyed properly.
If this was full, then why bother?
If what he was promised was already fulfilled, why bother striving for more?
This was not the way it looked on the billboard
The reality doesn't match the idyllic image presented to him.
Smiling family beaming down on the interstate
An idealized family portrayed in an advertisement.
And you know that we all try to blame someone
We often look for someone to blame when things don't go as expected.
When our dreams won't rise up from their sleep
When our aspirations don't materialize.
And the reaching of the steeple felt like one more
The effort to reach spiritual fulfillment feels like another pointless pursuit.
Expensive ad for something cheap
The promise of something valuable ended up being false advertising.
He dressed up nice for the congregation
He presented himself well for the church service.
Scared somebody's gonna find him out
He was afraid someone would discover he wasn't as devout as he appeared.
Through the din and the clatter of the hallelujahs
Amidst the noise of the congregation's worship.
A stained-glass Jesus sings.
The image of Jesus depicted in the stained glass appears to be singing.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MICHAEL BEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind