The band's first official recording was the track "It's So Wonderful", released in 1983 on the compilation album What's Shakin', which also included early work from Undercover, Altar Boys and The Lifters. This song was one of the few times that lead singer Derri Daugherty wrote both lyrics and music; as the band developed, the majority of The Choir's lyrical output would come from drummer/percussionist Steve Hindalong. As Youth Choir, they released their debut album Voices in Shadows in 1984, with Mike Saurerbrey on bass; their first EP Shades of Gray followed a year later, when Dan Michaels joined the band.
The Choir made a high-profile move to Myrrh Records in 1986 with their next release, Diamonds and Rain. Dropping the "Youth" from their moniker, they would be known as The Choir from that point forward. This was followed by three more albums for Myrrh, which featured musical contributions from an array of Christian performers, including Charlie Peacock, Mark Heard, Steve Griffith of Vector and Gene Eugene and Riki Michele from Adam Again. The Choir's lineup also changed. Tim Chandler was the primary bass player until 1989's Wide-Eyed Wonder, as Robin Spurs replaced him on that album and tour, but she left the band during the recording of 1990's Circle Slide. Mike Sauerbrey returned to the band briefly for these recording sessions. Chandler would rejoin the lineup for the independently-released Kissers and Killers. Spurs would not play with the band again until 2017, when she performed on the Wide-Eyed Wonder reunion tour.
The Choir toured extensively during this time, notably as the first band on stage at the inaugural Cornerstone Festival in Chicago in 1984. They also performed at the Greenbelt Festival in England in 1986, and opened for Russ Taff on his nationwide tour in 1989. References to the band's tour experiences would remain an ongoing source of lyrical inspiration. During their Southern California period, The Choir's music was described by the Los Angeles Times as "magical songs that combine strains of murky psychedelia with pure pop." Billboard praised the band for its "dark poetic leanings, effects-laden guitars and strong melodic hooks". Hindalong's lyrics became known for their vulnerability and honesty, particularly about the challenges inherent in romantic relationships and the simple joys of family life.
Tears Don't Fall
Youth Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And strains to emphathize
He prays for hungry children
But tears don't fill his eyes
He hears men scream in darkness
And fears for their demise
He calls on God to save them
But tears don't fill his eyes
Tears don't fall, they don't fall down
He wants to be a soldier
But not enough to die
He loves the Man of Sorrows
But not enough to cry
Tears don't fall, they don't fall down
In the mirror I fear the man I see
And wonder how his heart grew cold
I lie awake at night and I curse this apathy
Where's the fire in this soul?
Tears don't fall, they don't fall down
The lyrics to Youth Choir's song Tears Don't Fall seem to describe a man who seems to be passionate and empathetic towards the problems in the world, but is actually detached and apathetic. The first stanza describes how he tries to pray for hungry children and fears for the men screaming in darkness, but he doesn't shed a tear. The repetition of the line "Tears don't fall, they don't fall down" emphasizes this emotional emptiness. The second stanza further highlights this dichotomy between his desires and actions. He wants to be a soldier, but not enough to die for a cause. He loves the Man of Sorrows, but not enough to cry.
The third stanza seems to switch focus to the singer themselves. They look in the mirror and fear the person they see, wondering how their heart grew so cold. They lie awake at night and curse their own apathy, wondering why they don't feel the fire in their soul that others seem to have. The repeating line "Tears don't fall, they don't fall down" takes on a more personal tone in this stanza, highlighting the singer's own emotional detachment.
Overall, the lyrics of Tears Don't Fall seem to be a call to examine our own emotions and motivations. It's easy to say we want to make the world a better place or fight for a cause, but it's much harder to actually feel those emotions and take action. The repetition of "Tears don't fall" creates a haunting and powerful refrain that emphasizes the importance of genuine emotion and empathy.
Line by Line Meaning
He feigns a heart of passion
He pretends to have genuine emotions
And strains to empathize
He tries hard to understand other people's feelings
He prays for hungry children
He asks God to help children who don't have enough to eat
But tears don't fill his eyes
But he doesn't feel sad enough to cry about it
He hears men scream in darkness
He hears men crying out for help while in pain or danger
And fears for their demise
And worries that they might die
He calls on God to save them
He prays to God to rescue them from their situation
But tears don't fill his eyes
But he doesn't feel emotional enough to cry about them
He wants to be a soldier
He desires to be a warrior who fights for his country
But not enough to die
However, he's not willing to sacrifice his own life for it
He loves the Man of Sorrows
He cares for Jesus who suffered so much
But not enough to cry
But he doesn't feel enough sadness to shed tears for Him
In the mirror I fear the man I see
When he sees himself in the mirror, he's afraid of the person he has become
And wonder how his heart grew cold
He's curious about how his feelings became numb and indifferent
I lie awake at night and I curse this apathy
He stays up at night and curses his lack of concern and empathy
Where's the fire in this soul?
He asks himself where his passion and determination have gone
Tears don't fall, they don't fall down
But he's unable to express his sadness through tears
Contributed by Nicholas G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.