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.
Intro
Rebecca St. James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Painted on a western sky
The thunder roars and the rain it falls
Over fields, over streams, over us,
You're over us...
Expressions of Your glory
Expressions of Your heart
You speak to us
Expressions of Your love
A message sent from Heaven
Walked among us as a man
The Son of God and Light of the world
Love divine, crucified, (and) made alive,
You're alive...
Oh Jesus make me
An expression of You
Expressions of Your glory
Expressions of Your heart
In all You are
You speak to us
Expressions of Your love
The opening song of Rebecca St. James's album, "Worship God," is called "Intro." The song starts with the image of a beautiful sunset painted in a rainbow of colors across the sky. Amidst the beauty, we hear the sound of thunder and the rain falling from the sky. Then the song shifts to a description of God's glory and heart being displayed through everything we see and experience around us. Essentially, the song is a call to worship God for all that he has done for us.
The next part of the song speaks about how God expressed his love for us by sending his son, Jesus Christ, to walk among us. Even though he was the Son of God, he became human and was crucified, dying for the sins of the world. But he didn't stay dead. He rose from the dead and is now alive, showing us the ultimate expression of his love.
The final part of "Intro" is a prayer to become an expression of Jesus Christ, much like the beauty of nature and the message of the Gospel, which speak powerfully of who he is. Overall, the song sets the tone for the entire album, emphasizing the idea of worshiping God for who he is and what he has done for us.
Line by Line Meaning
A symphony of color
The beautiful and vivid colors painted across the sky look like a musical performance.
Painted on a western sky
The sky in the west is colored by the sun's light.
The thunder roars and the rain it falls
The loud sound of thunder and the rain falling from the sky can be heard by all around.
Over fields, over streams, over us,
The rain and other elements of nature cover and affect everything around us.
You're over us...
God is always present and watching over us from above.
Expressions of Your glory
The beauty and majesty of the world around us reflect the glory of God.
Expressions of Your heart
The kindness and love found in the world is a reflection of God's heart and character.
In all You are
God's true nature and identity can be seen in everything He creates and does.
You speak to us
God's creation communicates His love and message to us, whether through nature or other means.
Expressions of Your love
The love that surrounds us is a constant reminder of the love that God has for us.
A message sent from Heaven
Jesus was sent to earth with a message from God.
Walked among us as a man
Jesus experienced life on earth as a human being.
The Son of God and Light of the world
Jesus is believed to be the son of God and a shining example of goodness and truth in the world.
Love divine, crucified, (and) made alive,
Jesus was killed, but rose again from the dead, demonstrating the power of divine love.
You're alive...
Jesus is believed to be alive and present in the world today.
Oh Jesus make me
The artist is expressing a desire to have Jesus in their life.
An expression of You
The artist wants to reflect the love and character of Jesus in their own life and actions.
Contributed by Liliana D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.