Their signature style is dreamy slow songs, with beautiful melodies.
The original band, including Mike Bitts (bass), and Steve Brown (drums), was formed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the early 80s when the members met during a Catholic school production of Godspell. Although all members of the band have contributed musically, Karen Peris does most of the group's writing.
Their eponymous debut album, released in 1989 (A&M Records), was produced by Larry Klein, then-husband of Joni Mitchell, and recorded in the couple’s basement recording studio. The album peaked on the Billboard charts at #167 in 1990, and the album’s second track, "Black Sheep Wall", released as a single in 1989, peaked at #22 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks. The album’s fifth track, "Clear to You", was used on the soundtrack of the pilot episode of Beverly Hills 90210. Klein also produced their 1991 follow up, Umbrella.
Their third and final A&M album, Glow, released in 1995 (A&M Records), Was produced by Dennis Herring, who had previously produced two records for Camper Van Beethoven. This album is a departure from Klein's heavier production style. Whereas the first two releases may have brought to mind The Sundays and The Cocteau Twins with their moody keyboards, Herring's lighter touch gave more emphasis to the group's guitar work and to Karen's vocals and lyrics.
Glow contains songs that appear on the soundtracks of the films Empire Records, and Dream for an Insomniac, as well as the television series Party of Five. The album’s second track, Bright as Yellow, peaked on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks at #33.
In 1999 the band recorded for a new label, Badman. Additionally, drummer Steve Brown left the band to pursue a career as a chef. On the subsequent album, Birds of My Neighborhood, Brown played drums and brushes on "Snow," but otherwise the group became a trio. Now bereft of drums, their sound took an even more acoustic direction. Some songs featured just Don and Karen, and a few, such as "She May Turn Around," featured only Karen's voice and instrumentation.
The 2000 release of Christ is My Hope, featuring religious music that had inspired them over the years, was independently released on their own website. Small Planes, released in 2001, featured outtakes from Glow and Birds of My Neighborhood. 2003's Befriended was their next "regular" album.
In 2004, the Innocence Mission released Now the Day is Over, a collection of lullabies. Except for "My Love Goes With You," all songs are cover versions, such as a stripped-down vocal and piano rendition of Henry Mancini's Moon River,
The Innocence Mission's new album We Walked in Song was released March 13, 2007.
When Mac Was Swimming
The Innocence Mission Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking around New Orleans looking for a birthday cake.
It was a great surprise to him so many people came.
Nobody knows, darling.
Nobody knows how they are loved.
Don't worry, my darling, the sun's coming up.
Let's get up early now, dive clear into the day.
Not wait to be embraced.
The flowers that grew, the things that happened
Since the day you came.
Nobody knows, darling.�Nobody knows how they are loved.
Don't worry, my darling, the sun's coming up.
The Innocence Mission's song "When Mac Was Swimming" is a song that encapsulates the idea of the universal feeling of love and appreciation that we all deserve but often overlook. This song is conveyed through the narrative of a past event during which the singer was running late to a surprise party for Mac, but despite their tardiness, the surprise was well-received by many individuals who came to the occasion. The singer emphasizes the importance of how little we truly understand the love we receive from our friends and family, and that sometimes, all we need is to appreciate the little things in life. The song's gentle, sentimental tone creates a feeling of comfort that encourages its listeners to observe their environment and find gratitude in the simple things around them.
One of the most significant takeaways from this song is that there is always love surrounding us, even if we are oblivious to its presence. The singer's regret of being late is overcome when they see the outpour of love their friend Mac received. The singer invites us to open our hearts to receiving and giving love to our loved ones. The song instructs us to take advantage of every day and embrace the goodness life provides.
The last verse of the song stresses the growth that has occurred since the day the singer met “you." It invites us to step out of our cars with open arms and embrace the goodness life has to offer us. This positive perspective teaches us to live in the moment and appreciate the experiences and people that continue to shape our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
When Mac was swimming I was running late,
While Mac was enjoying life, I was struggling to keep up or get things done.
Walking around New Orleans looking for a birthday cake.
I was in a new place, searching for something to make someone else happy, maybe to distract myself from my own worries.
It was a great surprise to him so many people came.
The effort I made was appreciated and successful, and it felt good to see someone happy, even if it wasn't me.
Nobody knows, darling.
Despite appearances, no one really knows what's going on in our hearts.
Nobody knows how they are loved.
We may feel unimportant or unloved, but others may see us differently.
Don't worry, my darling, the sun's coming up.
Things may be dark or difficult now, but there is hope and a new day to come.
Let's get up early now, dive clear into the day.
Let's be proactive and enthusiastic about what lies ahead, starting fresh and with intention.
Let's get out of the car with open arms,
Let's be ready to embrace whatever comes our way, without fear or hesitation.
Not wait to be embraced.
Let's not be passive or dependent, but take action and responsibility for our own happiness.
The flowers that grew, the things that happened
There have been positive changes and experiences despite the challenges we face.
Since the day you came.
The presence of someone special has made a difference in our lives and given us hope.
Don't worry, my darling, the sun's coming up.
Despite any setbacks or failures, there is always a new opportunity for growth and change.
Contributed by Scarlett B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.