As of 2006, she has released nineteen albums. Thirty-two of her singles have reached the Number 1 position on Christian radio national airplay charts. These include "He Is Exalted", "God Is In Control", "We Bow Down" and "The Warrior Is A Child". She has received five GMA Dove Awards, and three American Songwriter Awards.
Some of Paris' songs have been included in the hymnals by a variety of churches including the United Methodist church and various Charismatic churches. In recent years, Paris has focused on recording new versions of some of her worship standards and writing new praise and worship music in contrast to contemporary Christian pop songs that she released the latter 1990s.
Her uncle, Loren Cunningham is the founder of Youth With A Mission, while her family started Ecclesia College in Elm Springs, Arkansas, where her brother Oren Paris III is president and father Oren Paris II is chancellor. Paris herself studied theology and sacred music, though she has claimed to have placed little emphasis in her formal studies on composition or songwriting. Beyond songwriting, she is the author of four books, three of which focus on contemporary Christian theology.
She and her husband Jack Wright have one child, Jack Paris Wright, born April 29, 2001.
Although widely associated for much of her career with Star Song Records, EMI switched her over to the Sparrow label in 1996, before her contract ended after 2003. In 2005, she switched to Michael Coleman's INO label.
House of Cards
Twila Paris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We climb the mountain of ambition
One by one
And we bow at the altar of tradition
One by one
Somebody tell me what are we building?
Temporary by design
And all the schemes of man will crumble
Are we wasting precious time?
Are we wasting precious time?
Stone by stone
We build a Kingdom to perfection
Stone by stone
And we search for our safety and protection
In a home
Somebody tell me what are we thinking?
You know the house of cards will tumble
Temporary by design
And all the schemes of man will crumble
Are we wasting precious time?
When there is only one Kingdom
One place to hide
Only one Kingdom
Come and find a place inside
Come and find a place inside
Come and find a place inside
Because a house of cards will tumble
Temporary by design
And all the schemes of man will crumble
Are we wasting precious time?
Are we wasting precious time?
Are we wasting precious time?
Are we wasting precious time?
The song House of Cards by Twila Paris is a reflection on the fragility and transience of human accomplishments. The lyrics use the metaphor of building a house of cards to depict the futility of our pursuits and the ultimate insignificance of worldly success and possessions. The first verse invites us to consider the paradoxical nature of our ambitions. We climb the mountain of ambition one by one, but we also bow at the altar of tradition, suggesting that we are driven by both personal desires and social expectations. The repeated question, "Somebody tell me what are we building?" points to a lack of clarity and purpose in our endeavors.
The second verse continues the metaphor of building, but this time using the imagery of stones and a kingdom. We strive for perfection and safety, seeking comfort and security in our homes and possessions. However, the rhetorical question, "Somebody tell me what are we thinking?" reveals a sense of doubt and uncertainty about the value of our pursuits. The chorus then echoes the warning that the house of cards we are building is temporary and will eventually crumble, as all human schemes and accomplishments are bound to fail. The final lines offer a hopeful alternative, inviting us to seek refuge in a different kind of kingdom, one that offers lasting and true security and peace.
Overall, House of Cards invites listeners to reflect on the transient nature of human life and the need to seek deeper and more significant values beyond our worldly success and possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
One by one
We climb the mountain of ambition
One by one
And we bow at the altar of tradition
One by one
We pursue our own goals and follow the customs of our society, one step at a time.
Somebody tell me what are we building?
We question the purpose of our actions and wonder if they have a meaningful impact.
You know the house of cards will tumble
Temporary by design
And all the schemes of man will crumble
Are we wasting precious time?
We recognize that our efforts to build something on unstable ground will eventually fail, and we wonder if we are wasting our time with such endeavors.
Stone by stone
We build a Kingdom to perfection
Stone by stone
And we search for our safety and protection
In a home
We strive for an ideal world, slowly and steadily, while seeking security and comfort within our own homes.
Somebody tell me what are we thinking?
We question the logic and reason behind our thoughts and actions, and seek deeper understanding.
When there is only one Kingdom
One place to hide
Only one Kingdom
Come and find a place inside
Come and find a place inside
Come and find a place inside
We realize that there is only one true path to salvation and inner peace, and invite others to join us in finding it.
Because a house of cards will tumble
Temporary by design
And all the schemes of man will crumble
Are we wasting precious time?
Are we wasting precious time?
Are we wasting precious time?
Are we wasting precious time?
We reiterate that our attempts to build something unsustainable are ultimately futile, and question whether we should spend our limited time and energy on such endeavors.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
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