Hilary Weeks delivers music with a rare combination of assuredness and tenderness. With inspiring lyrics and a voice audiences have come to love and depend upon, she shares her heart and insight drawn from everyday life.
Raised in Alaska, Hilary grew up carefree and introspective. The forests, streams, and inlets of her Anchorage home offered a wealth of opportunities for not only exploring, but quiet reflection as well.
“Growing up I spent a lot of time in the forest next to our house,” Hilary says. “It overlooked the ocean and often I would see whales out in the distance. It is still one of my favorite places on Earth. I could go there to be alone and think and pray and try to figure out life. It was my own secret spot where I could commune with Heaven.”
Such communion has always been a guiding theme in Hilary’s life - and music. After finishing her first song at the age of 14, she found her favorite topics to write about were those devoted to the Gospel. But becoming a bestselling, inspirational singer/songwriter was never something she planned.
“If someone had told me after I wrote my first song, that I would someday release seven CDs I wouldn’t have believed them,” she says. “And if they had told me that I would sing those songs in front of thousands of people, I would have run. I never had dreams or plans of becoming a singer or songwriter. I liked music. I loved it. It was just that simple.”
But one simple thing led to another, and her song “He Hears Me” was recorded on the 1993 Especially for Youth album. Three years later Hilary released her solo debut, He Hears Me, for which she was awarded Inspirational Album of the Year by the Faith Centered Music Association. She has since released six albums, her latest being If I Only Had Today (September 2008), as well as two collections of sheet music, The Hilary Weeks Songbook Vol. 1 & 2.
In addition to her solo releases Hilary has been featured on an extensive list of compilation albums and has been the recipient of numerous awards; but for every achievement, she credits the great love of Jesus Christ. And in spite of all the accolades and success, her most beloved moments are those spent with her family.
“I love being with my family,” Hilary (a self-described “homebody”) says. “They are the best thing in my life. I have just been so incredibly blessed. And in addition to a happy, healthy family, somehow, through encouragement of wonderful friends, support of a loving family, and guidance from a patient Heavenly Father my road has also taken me on an incredible musical journey.”
Hilary, her husband Tim, and their four daughters live in Utah.
Sandcastles
Hilary Weeks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Met a man with a plastic knife carving castles in the sand
He amazed me
I said, Hey, mister, man I need to know
Can you work that kind of magic on my soul
Can you heal a heart
Can you save me?
I'll never forget the words he said,
Sandcastles fall apart when the tide comes in
You can build them up with all your might, but in the end
When you wake up in the morning
It doesn't matter the shape or the plan
You just have to build them up again
He said, I'm pretty good at working the sand
But there's only one who can take your hand
And make you into someone good and strong
He's the Rock you need to build on
He won't be gone when the morning comes, like
Chorus
The wise man built his house upon the rock
And the foolish man, well, we all know where he went wrong
Cause sandcastles fall apart when the storms roll in
You can build them up with all your heart, but in the end
When the rains fall and the floods come
It doesn't matter how perfect your plan
Tey wash away like the shifting sand
Sandcastles fall apart when the tide comes in...
In Hilary Weeks's song Sandcastles, she sings about her encounter with a man on the beach who was carving castles out of sand with a plastic knife. The man's skillful use of the plastic knife impressed her and she asked him if he could use the same magic to heal her heart and save her soul. The man replied by saying that while he was good at working with sand, there is only one Rock that can make one good and strong, and that is Jesus. He then goes on to say that sandcastles fall apart when the tide comes in and storms roll in, no matter how perfectly it is built. The only foundation that can withstand the test of time is the Rock, Jesus Christ.
The metaphor of sandcastles is central to the song. The man on the beach carves castles out of sand, which represent the things in life that we invest our time and effort in. These things may look beautiful and impressive for a time, but they are ultimately temporary and can fall apart in an instant. The only true foundation for our lives is faith in Jesus Christ. This message is emphasized in the chorus, which echoes the biblical parable of the wise and foolish builders building their houses on different foundations.
Sandcastles is a poignant reminder that even the things we cherish the most in life can be fleeting and fragile. We need to invest our time and energy into things that really matter, like building a strong faith, and not get too attached to the things that are only temporary.
Line by Line Meaning
I went for a walk on the beach last night
I took a stroll near the ocean
Met a man with a plastic knife carving castles in the sand
I ran into a man who was making sand sculptures of castles using a plastic knife
He amazed me
His art impressed me
I said, Hey, mister, man I need to know
I asked him a question, 'sir, can you tell me'
Can you work that kind of magic on my soul
Can you heal my soul with your art
Can you heal a heart
Can you fix a broken heart
Can you save me?
Can you rescue me
He looked up and he shook his head
The man looked up and declined
I'll never forget the words he said,
I can always remember what he replied
Sandcastles fall apart when the tide comes in
Sand structures collapse when water falls upon them
You can build them up with all your might, but in the end
You can try to make them sturdy and strong, but eventually
When you wake up in the morning
When you get up the next day
It doesn't matter the shape or the plan
The structure's form or design won't matter
You just have to build them up again
You'll have to recreate them from scratch
He said, I'm pretty good at working the sand
He claimed he was proficient with sand art
But there's only one who can take your hand
However, there's only one who can guide you
And make you into someone good and strong
And transform you into a better and powerful person
He's the Rock you need to build on
He's the foundation that you should rely on
He won't be gone when the morning comes, like
He won't disappear when daylight arrives, unlike
The wise man built his house upon the rock
A clever person constructed his dwelling on a solid foundation
And the foolish man, well, we all know where he went wrong
We all know that the unwise man blundered
Cause sandcastles fall apart when the storms roll in
Due to the tempest's arrival, sand objects crumble
You can build them up with all your heart, but in the end
You can put your soul into making them strong, but finally
When the rains fall and the floods come
During a downpour or flood
It doesn't matter how perfect your plan
The arrangement's excellence won't matter
Tey wash away like the shifting sand
They vanish like sand washed away by water
Sandcastles fall apart when the tide comes in...
Sand creations break down when water advances towards them
Writer(s): Marc Antoine Vouilloux
Contributed by Keira M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.