The two families, the Watkinses and the Thiles, met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore. Sara Watkins studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. The band name came from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara Watkins' fiddle instructor.
Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass. Sean Watkins was only twelve years old at the time. At the start Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments. The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the 1990s, and the band members were home-schooled to accommodate their tour schedule. Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).
The group received two Grammy nominations: Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental for the song "Ode to a Butterfly". The trio was nominated at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award and were named one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.
In 2002 the band released their fourth album, This Side, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous releases which were purely bluegrass. Although the core influence of bluegrass remained, other genres such as indie rock and folk rock were present in their music included cover songs Spit on a Stranger by Pavement, and Should've Known Better by Carrie Newcomer.
In 2005 the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die? with more rock and pop influences. The album debuted and peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart.
In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer be recording as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period of time so band members could expand their musical horizons.
The band had plans to record its final performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in November 2007 but the idea was later "scrapped".
The band released a new album in the spring of 2014. They also played a handful of live shows and festival dates, including a concert at the Ryman Auditorium, the last venue the band played when it played its last show.
You Don't Have to Move That Mountain
Nickel Creek Lyrics
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Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
We must climb a great high mountain
To reach God's gracious kingdom
But in His words you'll find your strength
'Cause you don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
Well, the way is filled with pitfalls
And sometimes we may falter
But you can have His grace, my friends
On your knees down at the altar
'Cause you don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
You don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
The lyrics to Nickel Creek's song You Don't Have to Move That Mountain are a powerful message of faith and perseverance. The song speaks about the challenges that one may face while on a journey to reach God's kingdom. The mountain and stumbling block mentioned in the lyrics can be interpreted as obstacles along the way. The singer asks for help from the Lord in navigating the challenges and not necessarily to remove them from their path.
The first two verses speak about climbing a great high mountain to reach God's kingdom. However, the singer acknowledges that the journey is not an easy one and that strength can be found in God's words. This is a reminder to everyone that faith can help us overcome any challenge that we may face. The message in the song is about not giving up, but rather relying on faith to help overcome obstacles.
The last two verses talk about how the path to God's kingdom is filled with pitfalls, but one can have grace by turning to God in prayer. The singer acknowledges that the journey can be difficult but reverently asks for help in navigating the path. By doing this, the singer demonstrates strong faith and humility, recognizing that no one person can do it all alone. This song encourages us to find the strength that we need to overcome obstacles by turning to God's words and prayer.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't have to move that mountain
You don't need to physically move the mountain that stands in the way of reaching God's kingdom.
Just help me Lord to climb it
Instead, please provide me with the strength and guidance necessary to overcome this obstacle.
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Similarly, you don't have to physically remove any stumbling blocks that may prove to be an impediment on my journey.
Just show me the way around it
Instead, please help me find an alternate path to navigate around these roadblocks and continue moving forward.
We must climb a great high mountain
The journey to reaching God's kingdom is both arduous and pivotal.
To reach God's gracious kingdom
The ultimate goal is to be able to enter God's kingdom, which is a place of divine grace and enlightenment.
But in His words you'll find your strength
The strength to persevere in the face of such adversity can be found in God's teachings, as expressed through His scriptures.
If you will just believe them
One must have faith and trust in the words of God in order to derive strength from them.
Well, the way is filled with pitfalls
The path to God's kingdom is fraught with difficulties and challenges.
And sometimes we may falter
It is okay to stumble or experience setbacks along the way; what matters most is the ability to continue moving forward.
But you can have His grace, my friends
Through faith and devotion, one can obtain the divine grace of God.
On your knees down at the altar
One way to demonstrate such faith and devotion is through prayer and supplication at a sacred altar.
Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.