With sounds gathered from the landscapes of the American Southwest, chris and thomas’ music could just as easily find its home in the rainy hills of the early 1970’s English countryside. Combining American roots instrumentation with soothing vocal harmonies, the duo’s rustic sounds and heartfelt songs are filled with thoughtful lyricism.
chris and thomas became close friends at the historic art school in Liverpool where John Lennon and Paul McCartney had met up decades before. During their student years they found themselves in the bohemian surrounds of a group of painters, sculptors, renegades, holy men and metaphysical explorers who had made up much of Liverpool’s underground. They played the drunken Irish pubs till the sun shone and they sang for the Queen while they earned music degrees in film composition.
In the late 90’s the two had created “Cook Au Van,” a traveling cooking show. The vehicle for the show was literally an old gas board utility van that they had converted into a five star restaurant. Made from exquisite found objects, the van boasted water fountains, changing works of art and a fully functional wet bar. Inside the van, they hosted dinner parties for the Lord Mayor and countless British celebrities. After doing the circus lifestyle with the traveling restaurant and cooking for the likes of Jarvis Cocker, Bill Drummond, politicians and fine artists, the two had decided to turn back to their true love of music.
In 2003 chris and thomas arrived in Los Angeles, California. The duo’s live debut was on 11/18/03, opening up at the Hotel Café for singer/ songwriter Alexi Murdoch. Their unique live performance which involved playing with one condenser microphone and gathering around it like some modern day Carter Family, quickly earned chris and thomas a name on the L.A club circuit.
That was just the beginning. Returning from a weekend in Joshua Tree, the two were greeted by multiple phone messages from excited friends who had heard their song “Take These Thoughts” on L.A.’s influential NPR station KCRW. It was news to the pair. Their EP, Vista Street Sessions, was passed on by a mutual friend to the station’s tastemaker DJ /music director Nic Harcourt. Harcourt programmed the disc on his show, eventually included it on NPR’s syndicated Sounds Eclectic, which introduced a national audience to chris and thomas. Since then a lot has happened.
On air performances on KCRW and other radio stations followed with appearances at SXSW and other venues and festivals throughout the country. More radio stations have added chris and thomas to their playlists as their fan base continues to grow in the U.S., in continental Europe and in the UK.
“Take These Thoughts” recently won best song of the year in the Americana category at the Independent Music Awards 2006. The duo’s full length debut Land Of Sea was recorded with renowned producer/engineer Mark Howard (Bob Dylan, U2, Tom Waits). Howard, who used to work with producer Daniel Lanois for over ten years, has a very unique way of recording. He rented out an old sound stage in Hollywood the size of Abbey Road Studios, where he set up vintage recording equipment, Persian rugs, Victorian lamps and brought in legendary musicians to accompany chris and thomas on their record.
The record was first released in the UK in 2006 in conjunction with a 5 week tour and has gained critical acclaim and rave reviews (4 stars and runner up to album of the month in MOJO Magazine).
The US release includes the bonus track "Horse In The Sky". The song, penned by chris and thomas and Oscar nominated composer John Debney, is featured in the end credits of Garry Marshall’s new film Georgia Rule starring Lindsey Lohan and Jane Fonda.
chris and thomas’ woven harmonies and sparse instrumentation will make you think of big skies with small clouds.
Show Me The Way
chris and thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ahaaa
You know who this is
Brian Iannucci
The CEO, Chris Thomas
Girl let me show you
How we do it
Down south
Back road and watch
The stars come out
A little George Strait
Playing on the radio
And your pretty blue eyes
In the moonlight glow
Just you and me
Tangled up with
No place to go
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
How we do it down south
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
How we do it down south
Let me tell you
How we do it
In a my town
When di gal dem
See me
Dem go crazy
But I only got
Eyes for you
I'm here with
A different flow
Down South here to
Let you know
I never wanna be alone
I wanna be
Everywhere you go
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
How we do it down south
Sh-li-li-bang bang bang beng
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
How we do it down south
Sh-li-li-bang bang bang beng
Before the night is through
Is it you and me or him and you? Don't have to be
The rest of your life
But it's gonna be a hell of a night
Forget bout him
Mi nuh care whey him a sing
A you me wah
Fi be my baby darling
Forget bout him
Mi nuh care whey him a sing
From the isle of
J A to Tennessee, Nashville
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
How we do it down south
Sh-li-li-bang bang bang beng
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
How we do it down south
Sh-li-li-bang bang bang beng
Sh-li-li-bang bang bang beng
Girl let me show you
Gir,l let me show you
Girl let me show you
Girl, let me show you
Girl let me show you
How we do it down south
Sh-li-li-bang bang bang beng
The lyrics to Chris and Thomas's song Show Me the Way can be interpreted as a call to focus on the message of Jesus Christ rather than the distractions and temptations of the world. The opening verse talks about how the team is on a mission to spread the message despite the challenges they face. The lyrics also touch on the importance of repentance and resisting temptation, allowing God's light to shine through one's life and sharing the message of Jesus with others. The chorus emphasizes that the true focus should always be on Jesus and the freedom that comes with believing in Him, rather than worldly achievements or pleasures.
The lyrics also mention the transformative power of faith through personal testimony, such as the line "Turned a porn addict into a Jesus fanatic." The song also urges listeners to take the testing with the blessing or else they will not grow. Additionally, the lyrics make references to scripture and the power of faith, such as walking on water out in Texas and encountering Christ leading to a name change.
Overall, the song is a call for believers to stay true to their faith and to share the message of Jesus with others despite the challenges and distractions of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
KMF boy, we swinging for the fences
We are aiming high and putting in a lot of effort to achieve our goals.
Whole team on a mission fishing deep off in the trenches, yeah
Our entire team is dedicated to our mission and we are willing to work hard and face challenges to reach our goals.
Y’all love to talk favor speak blessings
Many people like to talk about receiving blessings and favor from God.
But not that many wanna preach about repentance, huh
However, not many people are willing to talk about the need for repentance and turning away from sin.
Why they do it like that though
We wonder why people tend to focus more on receiving blessings than on the importance of repentance.
Letting devils in see how they move through the back door
By focusing more on receiving blessings and not on repentance, people may be allowing the devil to enter their lives unnoticed.
Don’t give in to the scandal
We should not be swayed or influenced by negative or controversial situations or events.
Don’t you forget that the Lamb rose
We should always remember that Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death, showing us that we too can have eternal life.
So we raise the blood stained banner
We proudly proclaim the significance of the blood shed by Jesus on the cross as a symbol of victory over sin and death.
Tell’em from a blood stained man raised in Indiana
We share the message of the gospel as followers of Jesus, who shed his blood to redeem and save us, and we are doing so from Indiana.
All the way out in Cali cuz that’s how the Lord planned it
Even though we are from Indiana, we are sharing the good news of Jesus all the way in California, because we believe it is part of God's plan for us.
Turned a porn addict into a Jesus fanatic
We or someone we know was once addicted to pornography but through the power of Jesus Christ, we have been transformed into believers who are passionate about sharing the gospel.
Take me cross the planet
We pray that the message of the gospel reaches beyond any geographical or cultural boundaries.
Lord I am reusable
We ask God to use us repeatedly to fulfill his plans and purposes in the world.
God moves in us through the unusual
We believe that God works in mysterious and unexpected ways, and we are willing to follow his lead, even if it seems unusual to us.
I suggest you come alive after your funeral
We encourage people to fully embrace the new life that is available through faith in Jesus, even if it requires a spiritual 'death' to their old ways.
Take the testing with the blessing or you will not grow
We encourage people to view difficult circumstances and challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.
Tell’em no hype just Jesus
We emphasize the importance of focusing solely on Jesus and not getting caught up in flashy or trendy religious experiences.
Tell’em Christ life brought freedom
We proclaim that it was through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection that we can be set free from sin and death.
You can keep those achievements
We believe that worldly achievements and accomplishments are not as important as following Jesus and living a life pleasing to him.
Show me who do you believe in
We ask people to examine their beliefs and consider who they are putting their faith in.
Scripture in context, yes that is the reference
We believe that it is important to read and interpret the Bible in its full context to gain true understanding and wisdom from its teachings.
Walking on water out here in Texas
We may be facing challenging or impossible situations, but we believe that through faith in Jesus, we can overcome any obstacle.
Tell-’em faith gang, tell-’em faith gang
We are part of a community of believers who put their faith in Jesus and together, we proclaim the good news of the gospel.
When you encounter the Christ you’ll leave with your name changed
When someone has a personal encounter with Jesus, their life is transformed in a way that may lead to a change of identity or purpose.
We came from the same dirt muddy buddy
We are all human beings and come from the same origin, and we should treat each other with compassion and kindness.
You could tell something smell cuz they money funny
We can sense that something is not quite right or truthful when people are motivated solely by greed or financial gain.
Boy I push the plate away in Jesus name ain’t money hungry
We prioritize spiritual nourishment and obedience to Jesus over material possessions or wealth.
Yeah, you could save that for the fuddie duddies
We don't care about material wealth and view it as something that only holds value for those who do not understand the true treasures of the gospel.
They ask for the proof there’s plenty of evidence
People may question the validity of the gospel, but we believe that there is ample evidence of its truth and transformative power.
Peep what is heaven sent became our recompense
The blessings and gifts that come from God are more valuable and rewarding than anything we could earn or achieve on our own.
Tell’em the truth what I recommend
We believe it is important to share the truth of the gospel, even if it is not always popular or well-received by others.
Don’t hold-’em back cuz funds that they lack let-’em in
We believe that financial resources should not be a barrier for people to access the gospel message and we encourage others to be generous and share freely.
This world is sick but God gave us medicine so that settle in, yeah
We recognize that the world is broken and in need of healing, but we believe that Jesus is the medicine that can bring true restoration and wholeness.
Let His light shine through your lifestyle
We encourage people to live in a way that reflects the light and love of Jesus to those around them.
Go tell the whole world, represent
We are called to share the good news of the gospel with everyone and to represent Jesus through our words and actions.
Just Jesus
The message of the gospel is simple: it is all about Jesus and our faith in him.
Brought freedom
Through Jesus, we can be set free from sin and death and experience true freedom.
Keep those achievements
We believe that worldly achievements and accomplishments are not as important as following Jesus and living a life pleasing to him.
Show me who do you believe in
We ask people to examine their beliefs and consider who they are putting their faith in.
Just Jesus
The message of the gospel is simple: it is all about Jesus and our faith in him.
Brought freedom
Through Jesus, we can be set free from sin and death and experience true freedom.
Keep those achievements
We believe that worldly achievements and accomplishments are not as important as following Jesus and living a life pleasing to him.
Show me who do you believe in
We ask people to examine their beliefs and consider who they are putting their faith in.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Brian Iannucci, Chris Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind