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.
If You're Listening
The Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the earth with His hands
He breathed into my soul
When He made the woman
Too well for anybody's own good
He had to know how
How they wouldn't heed His advice
So they had to leave paradise
Has the sign of covenant
Dimmed in your sky?
Will we ever find gold?
Follow all seven stripes across my eyes
Am I young or old?
It is reward enough to survive
Men less fortunate have been skinned alive
I'd rather be forgiven than enlightened
Grace is a gift even more refined than magic dust
Mercy a quality more divine than trust
If you're listening to me now
If you're listening to me now
I wouldn't blame you anyhow
For runnin' me out of town
I have not suffered nearly enough
For the crime that I've done
I hear laughter above
I have angels who love me
I'm a lucky one
For the sins that I've committed
Against trusting friends I've outwitted
I might've been staring into the barrel of a gun
Grace is an offering more refined than magic dust
Mercy a quality more diving even than trust
If you're listening to me now
If you're listening to me now
I wouldn't blame you anyhow
For running me out of town
Grace is a gift even more refined than magic dust
Mercy a quality more divine than trust
If you're listening to this song
If you're listening to this song
I hope you find it in your heart
I hope you find it in your heart to forgive
I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me
Every wrong
The Choir's song "If You're Listening" is a thought-provoking and introspective piece. The first stanza alludes to the creation story in the Bible, and the idea that humanity was expelled from paradise due to disobedience. The lyrics invite listeners to reflect on the state of their own lives and the covenant they have with their beliefs. The singer then questions whether this covenant has faded, and if they will ever find something as valuable as gold. The seven stripes across the singer's eyes may represent the seven deadly sins, or seven virtues that they must follow to find redemption. The last two lines of the stanza express that simply surviving can be rewarding, and that forgiveness is a more desirable outcome than enlightenment.
The second stanza explores themes of guilt and remorse. The singer admits to having committed crimes against their friends, and confesses that they may have even been deserving of punishment. Despite this, they receive the gift of grace and mercy, qualities that are even more divine than trust. The chorus repeats, calling out to anyone who will listen, and expressing a desire for forgiveness.
Overall, "If You're Listening" is a deeply introspective song that invites listeners to reflect on their own lives and relationships, and to consider the value of forgiveness and grace.
Line by Line Meaning
When the Father formed man
When God created man
From the earth with His hands
Using the earth as the primary material for creating man
He breathed into my soul
God gave life and a soul to man
When He made the woman
When God created the female companion for man
Too well for anybody's own good
She was created perfect, perhaps too perfect
He had to know how
God knew that humans would not listen to His advice
How they wouldn't heed His advice
God knew that humans would disobey Him
So they had to leave paradise
As a result of their disobedience, humans were expelled from heaven
Driven away from that garden long ago
The expulsion from heaven happened a long time ago
Has the sign of covenant
The promise God made with humanity
Dimmed in your sky?
Has your faith in God wavered?
Will we ever find gold?
Will we ever achieve true success?
Follow all seven stripes across my eyes
Follow my experiences and learn from them
Am I young or old?
Does my age matter?
It is reward enough to survive
Simply living is a reward
Men less fortunate have been skinned alive
Others have suffered more than me
I'd rather be forgiven than enlightened
Forgiveness is more important than knowledge
Grace is a gift even more refined than magic dust
Grace is a precious gift from God
Mercy a quality more divine than trust
Mercy is even more important than trust
If you're listening to me now
If you're paying attention to my words
I wouldn't blame you anyhow
I don't blame you for anything
For running me out of town
For rejecting me
I have not suffered nearly enough
I feel guilty for my wrongdoing
For the crime that I've done
For my sinful actions
I hear laughter above
I feel like God is laughing at me
I have angels who love me
Despite my sins, there are still those who care for me
I'm a lucky one
I'm fortunate to have support and love
For the sins that I've committed
For all the bad things I've done
Against trusting friends I've outwitted
Because I've betrayed those who trusted me
I might've been staring into the barrel of a gun
I could have faced punishment for my actions
If you're listening to this song
If you're paying attention to these lyrics
I hope you find it in your heart
I hope you can forgive me
I hope you find it in your heart to forgive
I hope you can find it within yourself to forgive me
Every wrong
For all the bad things I've done
Contributed by Gianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.