On another continent, some 9000 miles from the United States, is a corner of the earth where there is no Internet, no electricity, no telephone. From wherever you stand, you see red dirt and sky, well-adapted wildlife, rock piles next to dirt roads that seem to go on and on forever. Desolate but not empty, the Australian outback offers people the chance to revel in the open space and solitary oneness this striking terrain provides. Had you traveled that same path years ago, you may have passed Jennifer Knapp along the way, a Grammy nominated, Dove Award winning artist, who was happy to let go of all the success she had to live a very different kind of life traveling to the most remote corners of Australia, looking to reclaim a part of herself she felt she lost in all the excitement of her accomplishments.
And then one day she decided to come back.
Before you start with any Eddie and the Cruisers comparisons, please note that Jennifer didn’t fake her own demise. She just decided to take a break, though at the time, she wasn’t sure she’d ever return. Considering Jennifer has over sold over 1 million records, spent years successfully playing to sold out audiences and had a considerable fan base, the choice wasn’t an easy one but definitely necessary. “I didn’t play, I didn’t write, my guitars collected dust for 5 years. I completely had to divorce myself from the whole thing because I never really took ownership of what music meant for me as an individual. I needed to figure that out, so I really left the music business with the idea that I may not ever do it again.”
At first, Jennifer set out to go to all the cities she had toured in, but never had a chance to visit. Growing up in a tiny town in Kansas, the trips across the US and Europe were exciting. This led to a jaunt to Australia, where she decided to stay. Walking away from her career wasn’t easy, as Jennifer was riding high on the wave of success. Having cultivated an audience within the Christian music spectrum, Jennifer’s first 3 albums were all critical and commercial successes. She won her first Dove Award in 1999 for Best New Artist, scored 2 Grammy nods and another Dove nomination in 2003. She opened for Jars of Clay, spent some time on the Lilith tour and continued to grow her audience, who clamored for more of her folk-rock message of spirituality and love. People magazine touted Jennifer as an “uncommonly literate songwriter,” but just as she was at the top of her game she…let go.
After seven years spent traveling, mastering the Playstation and spending time working at an antique store (and actually loving that she dreaded going to work in the morning like a “normal” person), Jennifer began to re-visit what made her happiest. “I had to go through a mourning process of walking away and convincing myself that it didn’t matter if I played music anymore. But it was hard, and the whole time I was gone, it was like I had a shadow following me. I began to return to it in my own private time, getting out my guitar, starting to play and falling in love with music again without any expectations. I just wanted to play because it meant something to me.”
Struggling with being a normal person with an abnormal occupation, Jennifer finally made peace with what she did best. “I was really enjoying the music I was playing at home. Half the record was written in Australia and as I played it, friends were responding to it. It fanned the flame. There are sad parts of working in the industry that made me feel disconnected, but I realized I was just afraid and was hiding. It seemed a shame that I could share my songs with people and I wasn’t doing it. I hadn’t worked in 7 years and there were fans on the Internet holding vigils for me to play again. It took me a long time to understand that connection and now it’s a passion of mine. In a true sense it’s a gift – you give it because you don’t want it back, and you want it to bless the person receiving it. What an amazing opportunity for me to have.”
Returning to Nashville, Jennifer holed up in the studio to begin recording the aptly named Letting Go, her fourth studio album. With Producer Paul Moak, best known as his work as a studio musician for artists such as Mat Kearney, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, at the helm, Jennifer had no intention of resting on past laurels. With Paul, they put together a whole new band of hungry young musicians and got to work. With the exception of longtime bass player Tony Lucido, the guys in the studio were musicians Jennifer had never even met before, who brought an energy she was craving. “All risk and high reward” is how she explains her new band with which she had an instant camaraderie.
While Jennifer made her initial mark in the Christian market, her time away made her realize that while she would never turn her back on that belief, she didn’t want to exclude any one else, either. As with past releases, she had gotten used to the focus on her song writing, that it was viewed as somewhat unusual for the Christian music industry. However Jennifer was always celebrated for her honesty and human approach to the divine, and she looks at Letting Go as a continuation of pushing those limits. “It was a struggle, because I was used to writing lyrics one way. I had to break that yolk to write a record that was honest about how I feel about life. It is the voice of people that I am concerned in preserving here, our right to express our deepest souls without the fear of condemnation. It’s my hope that the music feels legitimate and meaningful for whoever hears it. I wanted this record to reflect that.”
The result is the astonishing straightforwardness of Letting Go, an album of stripped back folk and country tinged rock that is as intimate as it is expansive. The musical warmth of Letting Go spreads throughout the record. From the wry opening words (“careful what you say, careful who might hear…”) of “Dive In” to the lyrical play of “Want For Nothing” and the evocative rocker “Inside,” Letting Go observes the world around it with captivating perception.
To say that Jennifer Knapp has come full circle would be a fair assessment. Beside the record release, Knapp has been asked to play on the re-vamped Lilith Fair tour, the first one in 10 years. Since Jennifer played on the last one in ’99, being asked to play the re-launch is very special, a reminder of why Jennifer came back to her musical roots. “There is a strong sense of community that has been in the back of my mind throughout this whole process. I want my core audience to find something familiar, but refreshed, on Letting Go. At the same time, I am so happy to throw off any cloak that has been put upon me that would make any music lover hesitate to listen to my music. I am so excited to bring all different types of people to my party. I’ve written this for them.”
Sometimes, you have to let go of everything to be able to come back.
----------------------------
Biography taken from: http://www.jenniferknapp.com/about
http://www.jenniferknapp.com
Mercy
Jennifer Knapp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flow through all my years
Ocean of mercy deep and free
Wash away all of my tears
River of healing flow through me
Lead me all of my days
Fountain of truth forever be
Pour your Spirit down on me
Like holy rain from above
River of healing, carry me
Upon the Father's love
River of healing let me be
Holy in every part
So Your living water reflects in me
The shape of my
Savior's heart
Faithful God Your grace will be
A refuge sure enough
River of healing, carry me
Upon the Father's love
River of healing, carries me
Upon the Father's love
In the song "Ocean of Mercy" by Jennifer Knapp, the singer is calling upon a "river of healing" to wash away their tears and lead them through their life. They ask for the "ocean of mercy" to guide them and pour down upon them like "holy rain from above". The lyrics also express a desire to reflect the shape of the savior's heart.
The river of healing and ocean of mercy are metaphors for God's grace and presence. The singer is seeking purification from their past, healing from their pain, and guidance for their future. Through the metaphor of the river, the lyrics also express a sense of continuous renewal and growth. The river flows through every part of their being, shaping them to reflect the shape of their savior's heart.
Overall, the song is an expression of faith in God's transformative power, a belief that the presence of God can heal and guide them through every moment. The use of water imagery also adds depth to the meaning of the lyrics, suggesting a powerful force that can shape and change us over time.
Line by Line Meaning
River of healing, carry me
I pray for something to guide me through the tough times and help me heal.
Flow through all my years
I wish this divine power to be an integral part of my life for its entirety.
Ocean of mercy deep and free
This blessing is vast, unbounded, and forgiving.
Wash away all of my tears
I want this entity to free me from my pain and sorrow and give me a fresh start.
River of healing flow through me
I want this power to course through my veins and help me grow each day.
Lead me all of my days
I pray for unwavering guidance from this power throughout my life.
Fountain of truth forever be
I want this entity to show me the path of truth and integrity forever.
Guiding all my ways
I pray for this power to help me make wise decisions and follow the right path.
Pour your Spirit down on me
I ask for an outpouring of the divine spirit to be with me and uplift me.
Like holy rain from above
I compare this spiritual rain to the one that cleanses and nourishes life on earth.
River of healing, carry me
I reiterate my request for this powerful entity to help me heal and guide me.
Upon the Father's love
I wish for this entity to be a reflection of God's unending love for me.
River of healing let me be
I ask for this entity to change me into a person who does good and spreads love.
Holy in every part
I ask to be made pure in all aspects of my being.
So Your living water reflects in me
I want to absorb this divine blessing and reflect it in my actions and words.
The shape of my Savior's heart
I look up to Jesus Christ as my savior and want to emulate his kindness and love.
Faithful God Your grace will be
I acknowledge God's faithfulness and the abundance of divine grace that I receive.
A refuge sure enough
I take solace in the fact that this entity is a reliable source of safety and comfort.
River of healing, carries me
I acknowledge that this entity is always with me, helping me navigate through life.
Upon the Father's love
I reiterate that this entity is a reflection of God's boundless love for me.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind