The City Harmonic is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 2009 in Hamil… Read Full Bio ↴The City Harmonic is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 2009 in Hamilton, Ontario. Elias Dummer (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Eric Fusilier (bass), Aaron Powell (guitar), and Josh Vanderlaan (drums) collectively make up The City Harmonic. Their music has been described as "nostalgic Brit-pop meets campfire sing-along mix that features raucous gang vocals along with agile, soaring anthems crafted to include the listener". Musically, their sound is often compared to artists like Coldplay, Keane, Aqualung, The Fray, or Arcade Fire. In 2011 they won three Covenant Awards from GMA Canada for New Artist of the Year, Recorded Song of the Year and Modern Worship Song of the Year and a Juno Award for the 2013 Christian/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year.

The band released their debut EP, Introducing the City Harmonic, on November 23, 2010 in Canada and the United States, Their début single, "Manifesto" appeared in the charts in several categories.After appearing on the K-LOVE Morning show on February 8, 2011, Introducing The City Harmonic rose to No. 5 on the iTunes sales charts in the Christian & Gospel Albums category. As of May 4, 2011, "Manifesto" remained on Billboard Magazine's Christian charts for 15 weeks.The song has also been featured as the walk-up song for Oakland Athletics outfielder Seth Smith, was recently played at a San Diego Padres game, and was selected as the anthem for the National Day of Prayer celebrations in Nashville.
The EP was also released in January 2011 in Britain.

The band released their first full-length album titled I Have a Dream (It Feels Like Home) on October 18, 2011. On the iTunes Christian/Gospel chart it hit No. 1 in Canada and stayed in the top 4 in the U.S.On November 5, 2011 it peaked at 34 on Billboard's 'Christian Albums' chart, and at 6 on the 'Heatseekers Albums' chart. A song from this album, "Holy (Wedding Day)" was released on September 21, 2012. As of January 22, 2012 it had reached 39 on the Billboard chart of Christian Songs and had the fifth biggest jump.
The group was nominated for a 2012 GMA Dove Award for "New Artist of the Year."
On April 20, 2013, the band won a Juno award for Christian/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year.

What I Want
The City Harmonic Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

May my life speak louder than words
And what I’m saying
Is "Jesus, I’m sure You’re what I want"
Yeah, that’s what I want

These words ain’t cheap, no, they bleed on the page.
I see what I’ve been and that needs to change
And that’s what I want

Yeah, You’re what I want
Ha–la–la–lelujah, yeah
Hallelu
Ha–la–la–lelujah, oh yeah
What I want is You

I want to sing, sing and mean every word
'Cause what I’m singing is "Joy to the world"
And that’s what I want, yeah,
That’s what I want

So go on sing, sing, all of heaven and earth
But don’t just sing, be, and be every word
That’s what I want, yeah,
That’s what I want

Ha–la–la–lelujah, yeah
Hallelu
Ha–la–la–lelujah, oh yeah
What I want is You

(Hallelujuah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah)

Ha–la–la–lelujah, Hallelu
What I want is You.

Overall Meaning

The City Harmonic's song "What I Want" is a heartfelt tribute to Jesus and a call to action for Christians. In this song, the singer is speaking to Jesus, telling Him that he wants his life to speak louder than words. He wants to be the kind of person who embodies his faith, rather than just talking about it. He acknowledges that these words are not cheap, they require effort, sacrifice, and a deep commitment to his faith. He sees what he has been and realizes that it needs to change, and that Jesus is the one who can help him to make that change.

The singer also wants to sing joyfully and with meaning. He wants to be able to sing "Joy to the world" and truly mean it. He wants to be a person who brings joy and positivity to the world, rather than negativity or cynicism. He encourages others to do the same, to not just sing but to be every word. The singer truly believes that Jesus is what he wants, and that he can find true joy and fulfillment by following Him.

Overall, "What I Want" is a powerful call to action for Christians. It encourages us to live our faith every day, to embody the values and teachings of Christ in our lives. The song also celebrates the joy and positivity that comes from a life of faith.

Line by Line Meaning

May my life speak louder than words
I want my actions to speak louder than my words, showing my faith and commitment to Jesus

And what I’m saying
In what I say, I express that Jesus is what I desire

Is "Jesus, I’m sure You’re what I want"
I am certain that I want Jesus more than anything else in my life

Yeah, that’s what I want
I am confident that Jesus is what I truly desire

These words ain’t cheap, no, they bleed on the page.
The words I am singing have deep meaning and come from the depths of my heart

I see what I’ve been and that needs to change
I am aware of my past flaws and mistakes, and I am committed to changing my ways

Ha–la–la–lelujah, yeah
I joyfully express my praise for Jesus

What I want is You
I only desire Jesus

I want to sing, sing and mean every word
When I sing, I want my words to carry genuine meaning and expression of my heart's desires

'Cause what I’m singing is "Joy to the world"
I sing to bring joy to the world, proclaiming the message of Jesus

So go on sing, sing, all of heaven and earth
I encourage everyone to sing, joining together with heaven and earth in worship of Jesus

But don’t just sing, be, and be every word
It's not enough to just sing the words, we must live out their message in our lives

Ha–la–la–lelujah, oh yeah
I continue to joyfully express my praise for Jesus

What I want is You
Once again, I declare my desire for Jesus above all else

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ALBERT ELIAS, ANDRE KNIGHT, ANGELO BADALAMENTI, IAN HEYWARD, JAMES TODD SMITH, KIJANA ELCOCK, LESLIE PRIDGEN, M. OLIVER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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