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.
Fear Only You
The Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I see in shades of gray
At the dawn of understanding
Praying for the full of day
And when the San Onofre sun goes down
On concrete power domes
I may shudder for a moment
But this world is not my home
I'm not afraid of the thunder in the sky
All I fear is the lighting in your eyes
For I love only you
And I fear only you
When the reverend waves his sword and cries
"Go save the golden dream"
From the terrace of his mansion
He won't hear the children scream
No, I will not fight the war he wages
Flesh and blood won't conquer me
But the demons know my enemy
Is my idolatry
I'm not afraid of the thunder in the sky
All I fear is the lighting in Your eyes
I'm not afraid of the rulers in this land
All I fear is the power in Your hand
For I love only you
And I fear only you
For I love only you
And I fear only you
The Choir's song Fear Only You speaks to the tension between the believer's desire to live in this world and the longing for something more eternal. The first stanza expresses a desire for clarity and understanding in a world that often seems opaque and overwhelming. The singer is not afraid of the thunder in the sky, the fleeting and external forces of nature but is ultimately held captive by the fear of their lover's power. It is only in the context of this relationship that the singer feels anything close to comfort and safety.
The second stanza begins with a criticism of the religious leaders who subscribe to a "golden dream" of material abundance but are blind to the pain and suffering of those around them. The singer refuses to participate in the wars that result from this misplaced set of values, recognizing that true victory is not found in flesh and blood. Instead, the ultimate enemy is the singer's own idolatry, their own fixation on worldly happiness rather than eternal Truth. The song culminates with a repetition of the refrain, that while the singer is not afraid of the various threats of this world, they do fear and love only their divine partner.
Line by Line Meaning
I dream in living color
I have vivid and detailed dreams
But I see in shades of gray
My reality is not as bright and exciting as my dreams
At the dawn of understanding
As I gain knowledge and insight
Praying for the full of day
I hope for a brighter and happier future
And when the San Onofre sun goes down
At nightfall in my surroundings
On concrete power domes
On top of the towers that generate electricity
I may shudder for a moment
I get nervous or scared briefly
But this world is not my home
I know that my true home is in heaven, not on earth
I'm not afraid of the thunder in the sky
I'm not scared of natural disasters or elements of nature
All I fear is the lighting in your eyes
My only fear and concern is disappointing and hurting the person I love
When the reverend waves his sword and cries
When religious leaders encourage people to fight for a specific cause or belief
"Go save the golden dream"
To pursue and preserve the idealistic version of a society or nation
From the terrace of his mansion
From a position of comfort and luxury
He won't hear the children scream
He is not aware of or doesn't care about the suffering of innocent people
No, I will not fight the war he wages
I won't engage in violence or support others doing it in the name of a belief system
Flesh and blood won't conquer me
I won't be defeated or influenced by physical harm or threats
But the demons know my enemy
I know and am aware of the inner struggles and temptations I face
Is my idolatry
My own tendency to focus on material possessions and worldly desires
I'm not afraid of the rulers in this land
I don't fear the people in power or authority on earth
All I fear is the power in Your hand
My only true fear is the power of God and not following His will
For I love only you
My love and devotion is solely for God
And I fear only you
The only one I am truly concerned with pleasing and not disappointing is God
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.