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.
The High Countries
Caedmon's Call Lyrics
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In this line of pale strangers, should I go or stay?
The whole field of vision, fades beneath me now
And the houses spread for a million miles, in this gray town
And the weight of glory, if you held it in your hand
It would pass right through you, so now's your chance
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
In the high countries?
We are just pilgrims of the great divorce
I am witness to the light and I am captive to my own remorse
And the weight of glory, if you held it in your hand
It would pass right through you, so now's your chance
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
In the high countries?
You drink the cup to the bottom, but it burns in your hands
The cup was poured out on the Maker instead
Out on the green plains, I am but a ghost
Bound up with all that I call "mine", still the light grows
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
In the high countries?
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
In the high countries?
In the high countries?
In the high countries?
The song "The High Countries" by Caedmon's Call speaks about the journey of life and the choice between staying where one is or moving forward in search of something more. The opening lines speak of a bus station in the midst of rain, surrounded by strangers. The singer is stuck, unsure of whether they should go or stay. The song then explores the concept of the weight of glory - the idea that if one were to hold glory in their hand, it would pass through them. Essentially, the glory is an intangible feeling that cannot be grasped physically.
The chorus asks the question, "would you fall to pieces in the high countries?" This could refer to a sense of vulnerability that comes with exploring new and uncharted territory, both physically and emotionally. As the song progresses, the image of pilgrimage is evoked, with the singer being a witness to the light but also a captive of their own remorse. The weight of glory is once again mentioned, with the idea that one should take the chance to experience it because it cannot be held.
Line by Line Meaning
A bus station, in the stream from the rain
At a bus station, out in the pouring rain
In this line of pale strangers, should I go or stay?
Among these unfamiliar faces, should I leave or remain?
The whole field of vision, fades beneath me now
Everything I see is disappearing from my sight
And the houses spread for a million miles, in this gray town
The endless rows of houses stretch out before me in this dreary city
And the weight of glory, if you held it in your hand
The immense presence of divine beauty, if you could grasp it personally
It would pass right through you, so now's your chance
It would be too great to hold onto, so seize the opportunity now
Would you fall to pieces
Would you crumble and break apart
In the high countries?
In the places where we can reach toward the divine
We are just pilgrims of the great divorce
We are mere travelers passing through this earth, separated from the divine
I am witness to the light and I am captive to my own remorse
I see the truth but am held captive by my regrets
You drink the cup to the bottom, but it burns in your hands
You consume everything and yet it causes immense pain
The cup was poured out on the Maker instead
The suffering was originally meant for the divine
Out on the green plains, I am but a ghost
In the vast open spaces, I feel insubstantial and insigificant
Bound up with all that I call 'mine', still the light grows
Even with everything I claim as my own, the divine presence still increases
Contributed by Jason W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.