1) The Choir were a ro… Read Full Bio ↴There have been two bands known as The Choir:
1) The Choir were a rock band in the mid-1960s from Cleveland Ohio, best known for the oft-covered song "It's Cold Outside". With the addition of singer Eric Carmen, they became The Raspberries in 1970. The band consisted of Dann Klawon on rhythm guitar, Dave Smalley on vocals & rhythm guitar, Wally Bryson on vocals, lead guitar, & bass, and Jim Bonfanti on vocals & drums.
2) The Choir (originally The Youth Choir) is an atmospheric alternative Christian rock band, led by Derri Daugherty on guitar and vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums -- who also writes most of the band's lyrics -- and Dan Michaels on lyricon, electric flute and saxophone. Originally formed in Southern California in the early 1980s, the band members moved to the Nashville, Tennessee area in the 1990s. Past members include guitarist Marc Byrd and bass guitarists Michael Sauerbrey, Robin Spurs, Bill Batstone, and the late Tim Chandler.
Each band member also has a depth of musical history outside of The Choir. Hindalong produced four successful City On A Hill albums, writing the well-known song "God of Wonders" with Marc Byrd. Daugherty has been a member of the Christian-alterna-pop-supergroup The Lost Dogs since it started in 1991, and Hindalong joined the group in 2006. Chandler was the bass player for years for Daniel Amos and that band's alter egos The Swirling Eddies, and passed away in 2018. Byrd was a member of Common Children, recorded with his wife Christine Glass as Glassbyrd, and is currently half of the post-rock duo Hammock. Michaels has been a Senior Vice President of Fair Trade Services (formerly INO Records) since 2000.
Children of Time
The Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To trouble our theology
What goes up still comes down
But where is Heaven if the world is round?
The cosmonauts were first in space
To look for God and find no trace
With a killer cloud or reason for rhyme
The devil enlightens the children of time
The children of time
The children of time
When boys and girls love what they feel
They "lick the earth" and swear it's real
With a silver syringe before bells chime
The devil entices the children of time
The children of time
With a fast injection
For the children
Beware proud creatures of the night
Who close eternal windows tight
With a triple cheer at the scene of the crime
The devil endorses the children of time
The children of time
The children of time
The devil enlightens the children of time
The devil entices the children of time
The devil endorses the children of time
Father have merciful eyes for the children
The children of time
The children of time
The children of time
The children of time
The children of time
The children of time
The Choir's song Children of Time delves into the idea of humanity's search for spirituality and meaning in a world that continuously challenges our beliefs. The opening lines reference the historically significant voyage of Christopher Columbus and how it affected our understanding of theology. The song questions the existence of heaven in a spherical world, as Columbus's voyages disproved the previously held belief that the world was flat. The reference to "what goes up still comes down" highlights the idea of gravity and the inevitability of life's ups and downs, regardless of one's beliefs.
The second verse calls attention to the advancements in science, particularly in reference to the Soviet Union's cosmonaut program. Despite their search for a higher power, the cosmonauts found no evidence of God in space, leading to further questioning of our spiritual beliefs. The line "the devil enlightens the children of time" implies that the search for spirituality in a world that offers so many distractions can often lead to negative influences and a lack of true understanding.
The song's chorus repeats the line "the children of time" and implies that every generation is a product of its time and must navigate the challenges that come with it. The closing line, "Father have merciful eyes for the children," calls for compassion towards those searching for meaning and understanding in a world that can often feel overwhelming and confusing.
Line by Line Meaning
Columbus sailed across the sea
Columbus journeyed across the ocean.
To trouble our theology
To challenge our beliefs.
What goes up still comes down
Things that go up eventually come back down.
But where is Heaven if the world is round?
If the world is round, where is Heaven located?
The cosmonauts were first in space
The cosmonauts were the first in space.
To look for God and find no trace
They searched for God, but found no evidence.
With a killer cloud or reason for rhyme
With no explanation or justification.
The devil enlightens the children of time
The devil is the one who guides and teaches the youth.
The children of time
The youth.
When boys and girls love what they feel
When children feel things that they love.
They 'lick the earth' and swear it's real
They enjoy life and find it to be meaningful and true.
With a silver syringe before bells chime
Before it's too late.
The devil entices the children of time
The devil seduces and attracts the youth.
Beware proud creatures of the night
Be wary of those who seem confident and sure, even at night.
Who close eternal windows tight
Those who shut themselves off from spiritual enlightenment.
With a triple cheer at the scene of the crime
A celebratory gesture at the moment of wrongdoing.
The devil endorses the children of time
The devil promotes and supports the young generation.
Father have merciful eyes for the children
God, have mercy on the youth.
The children of time
The young generation.
The children of time
The youth.
The children of time
The young generation.
The children of time
The youth.
The children of time
The young generation.
Contributed by Elizabeth N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.