Randy Stonehill was born in Stockton, California on March 12, 1952, the son of Leonard Stonehill and his wife, Pauline Correia and is the younger brother of Jeffrey Stonehill.
He graduated from Leigh High School, in San Jose, California, then moved to Los Angeles where he stayed with pioneer Christian Rock singer, Larry Norman.
Stonehill's first album, Born Twice was released in 1971, with financial help from Pat Boone. The album—one side a live performance, the other side recorded in a studio—was recorded for a mere
$800US and according to Stonehill, "sounds like every penny of it!" [insert rim-shot here]
A year later, Stonehill made his film acting debut in The Blob sequel, Beware! The Blob (also known as Son of Blob), with Cindy Williams. He also made a cameo appearance in the 1973 Billy Graham film Time to Run, performing his song I Love You.
In 1976, Stonehill released the "Welcome to Paradise" album produced by Larry Norman with Andy Johns (The Who, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin) doing the engineering. This became a landmark album for the songwriter and was voted "3rd most important contemporary Christian album" in a mid-1980s poll of Christian music critics.(Contemporary Christian Music Magazine)
In the late 1970s, Stonehill then joined forces with Daniel Amos for the Amos n' Randy Tour. Stonehill would later provide backing vocals on several of Daniel Amos's musical projects.
1984, 'the album project "Celebrate This Heartbeat" Stonehill joined forces with longtime friend Phil Keaggy for the song Who Will Save The Children? The two later formed The Keaggy/Stonehill Band in 1989 with Daniel Amos bassist Tim Chandler and Swirling Eddie's David Raven on drums. Keaggy and Stonehill would also team up with singer Margaret Becker, drummer Joe English (former member of Paul McCartney and Wings) and others, in 1988 for the Compassion All Star Band's album "One by One".
UPDATED by Mark"The Shark" Christian
Ready to Go
Randy Stonehill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I shake my head and say, "This life's too short to play pretend,"
I know that Jesus called my name; he brought my heart to life again,
And you can read the look upon my face, and see my sights are set on a far, far better place.
I say, oh, get ready to go when the trumpet blows from the eastern sky,
Oh, get ready to go when they open the door to paradise,
That's right, that's right - don't forget your destiny,
Some people say that love will leave you lonely in the end,
I felt like that before; I finally found a faithful friend,
And Heaven works its holy plan by the mighty power of an unseen hand,
There's a shining home for you and me, and we're just reaching out for the one who holds the key.
Oh, get ready to go when the trumpet blows from the eastern sky,
Oh, get ready to go when they open the door to paradise,
That's right, that's right - don't forget your destiny,
Sing the song, carry on, know the best is yet to be.
Leave your burdens at the door; you won't need them any more,
The Father's promise will not fail,
Leave your tears, leave your fears, and don't you bother to forward your mail.
Oh, get ready to go when the trumpet blows from the eastern sky,
Oh, get ready to go when they open the door to paradise,
That's right, that's right - don't forget your destiny,
Sing the song, carry on, know the best is yet to be.
Some people say that hope is really just a fleeting thing because they've never known the hope that only God can bring,
And this might sound too good to be true, just the way that miracles often do,
Amazing grace is close at hand, and this song can't change your life...but I know that Jesus can.
Oh, get ready to go when the trumpet blows from the eastern sky,
Oh, get ready to go when they open the door to paradise,
That's right, that's right - don't forget your destiny,
Sing the song, carry on and know the best is yet to be,
That's right, that's right - don't forget your destiny,
Sing the song, carry on and know the best is yet to be.
Are you ready?
Are you ready to go?
Yeah now,
Come on everybody, get ready.
(ad lib)
The lyrics to Randy Stonehill’s “Ready to Go” are about the hope and joy that comes from a life of faith in Jesus Christ. The song is a rallying cry to live a life that is focused on eternal things, rather than being bogged down by the struggles and pain of this world. The first verse addresses the skeptics who believe that faith is just a desperate dream of weak men. Randy Stonehill counters this by saying that life is too short to play pretend, and that he has experienced the power of Jesus that has resurrected his life. For Stonehill, there is no doubt that he is headed to a better place, and this knowledge is reflected in the joy that is evident on his face.
The second verse is about the power of love, particularly the love of God that never leaves us lonely. Stonehill acknowledges that there are those who don’t believe in the hope that God can bring, but he knows from his own experience that there is nothing like it. He sings about the shining home that awaits us in Heaven, and how we are reaching out to God to unlock the door. The chorus repeats the message that we need to get ready to go when the trumpet blows from the eastern sky and when the door to paradise is opened. We should leave our burdens and tears behind because the Father’s promise will not fail, and the best is yet to be.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people say that faith is just the dream of desperate men,
Some individuals believe that trust in a higher power is nothing more than a figment of the imagination conjured up out of desperation by people in dire straits.
I shake my head and say, "This life's too short to play pretend,"
I disagree with that negative outlook and choose to live my life authentically since our time on Earth is limited.
I know that Jesus called my name; he brought my heart to life again,
I recognize that Jesus Christ has touched my soul and re-ignited my passion for life.
And you can read the look upon my face, and see my sights are set on a far, far better place.
My joyous disposition and unwavering gaze reveal that I'm focused on a brighter, otherworldly destination.
Oh, get ready to go when the trumpet blows from the eastern sky,
Be prepared to depart this mortal coil at a moment's notice when Jesus returns to Earth, as prophesied in the book of Revelation.
Oh, get ready to go when they open the door to paradise,
Anticipate opening the door to heaven when your time on Earth comes to a close.
That's right, that's right - don't forget your destiny,
Indeed, don't forget that fulfilling your ultimate destiny involves accepting Christ and striving to lead a wholesome life in accordance with his teachings.
Sing the song, carry on and know the best is yet to be.
Sing hymns of praise, persevere through life's trials and tribulations, and understand that the ultimate rewards are yet to come.
Some people say that love will leave you lonely in the end,
Some people posit that opening yourself up to love and vulnerability is a recipe for heartache and disappointment down the road.
I felt like that before; I finally found a faithful friend,
While I once shared that apprehension, Jesus has become a stalwart and trustworthy confidant in my life.
And Heaven works its holy plan by the mighty power of an unseen hand,
God's divine plan is executed in mysterious but powerful ways that aren't always perceived by the human eye.
There's a shining home for you and me, and we're just reaching out for the one who holds the key.
Our eternal dwelling place is a glorious and resplendent abode that we can only hope to unlock by adhering to Christ's teachings.
Leave your burdens at the door; you won't need them any more,
All of your past hurts and worries will vanish once you enter heaven, so feel free to leave them behind and embrace your new existence.
The Father's promise will not fail,
God's covenant of love and redemption is ironclad and cannot be broken.
Leave your tears, leave your fears, and don't you bother to forward your mail.
There is no use dwelling on the things that cause you to cry or feel anxious, and there's no need to keep reliving your experiences once you've passed away.
Some people say that hope is really just a fleeting thing because they've never known the hope that only God can bring,
For some individuals, hope is something that feels like it slips through their grasp since they've never experienced the transformative hope that arises from having a relationship with God.
And this might sound too good to be true, just the way that miracles often do,
The message of salvation through Christ might seem too good to be true--much like miraculous occurrences--but to those who believe, it is a fact of life.
Amazing grace is close at hand, and this song can't change your life...but I know that Jesus can.
God's abundant mercy and forgiveness are always within reach for those who seek them, and while a song alone can't fundamentally alter your existence, Christ's love has the power to do so.
Are you ready?
The question posed to the listener is whether they're adequately prepared to pass on from their mortal life and enter into the next.
Are you ready to go?
It's a more pointed follow-up asking if they're prepared to leave this world and enter the next one, as everyone must do eventually.
Yeah now,
An informal expression of encouragement towards the listener.
Come on everybody, get ready.
A call-to-action encouraging all listeners to make sure they're ready for the eventual journey into the afterlife.
Contributed by Charlotte S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.