Rebecca was born in Sydney, Australia, to David and Helen Smallbone. She is the oldest of seven children, and currently lives in Los Angeles with Jacob. Rebecca took the name St. James from her grandmother, as it was her maiden name. Her album ‘’God’’ was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1995. Also, ‘’Pray ‘’ was certified Gold by the RIAA on the last week of September 1999.
Rebecca's musical career began in 1990 at age 13 when she began opening shows for CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) artist Carman during his Australian tour which was promoted by her father's company, David Smallbone Promotions. That same year she recorded her first album, Refresh My Heart. In 1991 she moved to the United States upon signing with ForeFront Records, and took her stage name at the label's request.
In 1999 Rebecca received a Grammy Award for her album ''Pray'' in the Best Rock Gospel Album category. Rebecca is the eighth Australian artist or group to win a Grammy Award.
In 2003 she played the part of Maggie (Mary Magdalene) in the !HERO rock opera.
Rebecca is an open supporter of teenage sexual abstinence, and has become an unofficial spokesperson for True Love Waits. The single "Wait for Me", from her 2000 album Transform, encourages waiting to have sex until after marriage. Later that year it also became the title and focus of a 46-city tour. James wrote the song herself on a tour bus, and it became instantly popular. The song was also used on the TV program The O.C. Rebecca's first book, titled Wait for Me: Rediscovering the Joy of Purity in Romance, was published in 2002 and further addressed the issue.
In November of 2005, Rebecca released her highly anticipated album If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something. After not putting out a new pop/rock album since 2000, this album combines Rebecca's overall versatility in vocal and song writing to the finest degree.
Rebecca sang a song on the 2005 soundtrack, Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia called "Lion" for which she won a Dove Award.
A Special Edition of If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something was released in November 2006 and included two acoustic tracks and other special features.
In 2007. Rebecca released her live CD\DVD aLIVE In Florida featuring some of her No. 1 hits as well as fan favorites.
In 2008, two compilation albums, The Ultimate Collection (Double Disc) and Greatest Hits featuring some of her biggest hits were released. The same year she also released a new book called Pure: A 90-Day Devotional for the Mind, Body, & Spirit which broke into Top 10 at #9 on the CBA bestseller's list in Feb 2009. Pure is also nominated among the Top 3 books of 2009 for the youth/teen market.
The September 09' release of Loved, (Hachette/Faithwords) and the fall national film release of Sarah’s Choice capped 2009 as one of Rebecca’s most creatively diverse years.
Above All
Rebecca St. James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms, above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what You're worth
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die, rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all
The lyrics of Rebecca St. James's Above All are a beautiful representation of the greatness, majesty and love of God. The song celebrates the superiority of God over everything in existence. The opening line, "Above all powers, above all kings," affirms that God is above all systems of governance, every person who holds power, and every force or authority in the universe. Even the wonders of the natural world and everything created by man pale in comparison to the power, wisdom and greatness of God, who has existed since before the creation of the universe. The lyrics go on to state that there is no measure for God's value or worth, surpassing even the wealth and treasures of the earth.
The second half of the song speaks of the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. The lyrics, "Crucified, laid behind the stone, you lived to die, rejected and alone," are a powerful reference to Christ's crucifixion and his burial in a tomb, and the idea that he was alone in his suffering. The metaphor of Christ being like a rose that is trampled on the ground is a stirring image that evokes strong emotions. Despite this, Christ still thought of humanity, and demonstrated the ultimate act of love and redemption by taking the fall for our sins, and ultimately rising again. The tagline, "Above all," serves as a reminder that even through this ultimate sacrifice, God and Jesus are still above all things in the universe.
Line by Line Meaning
Above all powers, above all kings
You reign over everything, including rulers and authorities.
Above all nature and all created things
You are supreme over all of creation, both seen and unseen.
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
Your knowledge and understanding surpasses that of all people.
You were here before the world began
You existed before anything else was created.
Above all kingdoms, above all thrones
You are higher than any earthly kingdom or position of power.
Above all wonders the world has ever known
You are greater than any miracle or marvel that has ever been seen.
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
The value of worldly possessions cannot compare to Your infinite worth.
There's no way to measure what You're worth
You are priceless and beyond our understanding.
Crucified
You were put to death by crucifixion.
Laid behind the stone
You were buried in a tomb.
You lived to die, rejected and alone
Your purpose in life was to die for our sins, and You were treated with rejection and isolation.
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You suffered greatly, even though You are magnificent and beautiful.
You took the fall and thought of me
You sacrificed Yourself to save me from my sins, even though I am unworthy.
Above all
You are the highest, the greatest, the most important.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lenny LeBlanc, Paul Joseph Baloche
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind