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This is an electronic version of my song Unshakeable. It’s completely different. The distorted harmonica parts were played by Rob Schroeder.
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Track 8- Harps on Fire
This next track is an electronic track that I made about 6 years ago. It’s a bridge to the next part of the album which is more electronic.
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Track 7- Come With Joy How do I describe this track? It’s different. My friend Justin and I wrote and recorded this song on a snow day in Baltimore, and the results are an explosion of 80’s hand claps and Neil Young and Crazy Horse styled guitars with 80’s tone. This track was a joy to make, and I hope it brings as much joy to you as it brings to me. Justin created a classier version with better vocals and lead guitar playing, but this version remains my favorite . I come with joy to the one saves me, Alleluia I come to see a banquet for me, Alleluia Now come with joy to the one who save you, Alleluia There’s nothing else that you could ever do, Alleluia On this road I travel Caught by the lies I stumbled and fell Looking back on my life I can see That on my own I’d go straight to hell. I come with joy to the one saves me, Alleluia I come to see a banquet for me, Alleluia Now come with joy to the one who save you, Alleluia There’s nothing else that you could ever do, Alleluia In a world full of idols That compete for my attention There’s Christ that breaks my bondage And leads me to salvation So I come with joy to the one saved me, Alleluia I respond when he calls me to be holy Alleluia Won’t you come with joy to the one who save you, Alleluia Let his light shine through you, Alleluia Eric Larson- Vocals, bass, lead guitar Justin- Drum programming, keyboards, acoustic and electric rhythm guitars
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Track 6- Unshakeable
This song was recorded with the full praise band at First Lutheran in Towson, Maryland. We recorded this song at the Glenwood Sound except for the accept guitar sound which I recorded with my own equipment.
Our band recorded three other songs during our time in the studio. We recorded an original song “Long Way Home” by Justin Field and two other worship songs “Revelation Song” and “You Never Let Go” that we would sing at our Sunday morning services.
Help us Spirit, give our will the power
We need you Lord, need you every hour
To overcome our sinful flesh
To breathe the breath of righteousness
Lead us Father, you made everything
In this dark world, give us hope to sing
You’re more than what we’ve hoped for
You’re more than what we’ve searched for
You’re what we can’t ignore
You’re more than what we’re waiting for
You pursue us with an everlasting love that can never be shaken
You protect us under the wings of Your love we can never be taken.
Lead us Jesus to pick up our cross
You’re the answer, for a world so lost
You’re more than what we’ve hoped for
You’re more than what we’ve searched for
You’re what we can’t ignore
You’re more than what we’re waiting for
You pursue us with an everlasting love that can never be shaken
You protect us under the wings of Your love we can never be taken.
The kingdom of God comes indeed without our asking
But we pray it may come to us.
The kingdom of God comes indeed without our asking
But we pray it may come to us.
The kingdom of God comes indeed without our asking
But we pray it may come to us.
The kingdom of God comes indeed without our asking
But we pray it may come to us.
You pursue us with an everlasting love that can never be shaken
You protect us under the wings of Your love we can never be taken.
Eric Larson- Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Justin Field- Lead Electric Guitar, Background Vocals
Tracey Parron- Background Vocals
Rich Parron- Electric Guitar
Elizabeth Olson- Piano
Rob Schroeder- Harmonica
Andy Todd-Drums
Here is a link to a youtube clip of a live performance of this song.
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Track 5- Father’s Hands
The last song I posted was special to me because I connect it to my marriage to Judy. “Father’s Hands” is special to me because I wrote and sang it for my son’s baptism. The song came very quickly to me because I had been thinking about the nature of baptism for awhile. It’s amazing what happens when an idea marinates in your brain.
We belong in our Father’s hands
Adopted through His holy plan
New life, a precious hope
A gift given by the Holy one
Alleluia
Dead to sin, raised to new life
Our life saved by His sacrifice
Wash away our filth & dirt
By grace heal our shame & hurt
Alleluia
A new birth, we belong
Guard us Lord from death & wrong
Satan’s power cannot compare
Let’s never leave His loving care
Alleluia
We belong in our Father’s hands
Adopted through His holy plan
Eric Larson-Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Piano
Rob Schroeder- Harmonica
Andy Todd- Drums
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Track 4- Blest Be the Tie that Binds
What is love? This is a classic Christian hymn played with just a little bit of swing. This song will always have a special place in my heart because I sung it to my wife at our wedding. It describes the nature of Christian love that unites Christians together in a different way than worldly love.
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.
Our Father makes us one
In Him our hearts unite;
When we His children share His love
Our joy is His delight.
Eric Larson- Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Rob Schroeder- Background Vocals, Harmonica
Andy Todd- Drums
You can also watch me sing it on YouTube here.
Track 3- Washed By Water (Where Is Your Voice- Album)
A new song!
Here is the third song on my web-only album of songs (if you want a hard or digital copy let me know and I’ll make this happen). Either way, let me know what you think of the songs.
Washed by Water Lyrics
Verse
If anyone says he has no sin
The truth is not in Him
If anyone says he has no sin
The truth is not in Him
But if we confess our sin
He is faithful and just
And will purify our wrong
And we who are far will be brought near
To the holy one of God
Chorus
We are washed by water
Cleansed by blood
Jesus makes us new
We are washed by water
Cleansed by blood
Jesus makes us new
You make all things new
Bridge
We’ve come from death to life
We’ve come pride to joy
We’ve come from despair to hope
Brief Lyrical Commentary: The opening lines in this song are taken from a scripture passage in 1 John 1:8-9. If you grew up worshipping with traditional Lutheran liturgy these words may be scorched into your brain like they are mine. The words in the chorus refer to the work Christ does to cleanse, forgive, and make us new by his death and resurrection. They also point to how God give us His grace through His Word, through the Lord’s Supper, and through Holy Communion
Brief Musical commentary: I originally recorded this song with distorted electric guitar, but after my friend Rob injected the song with wonderful harmonica awesomeness it just felt better as an acoustic track. I know, very enlightening. Thanks to Rob and Andy for their help on this track.
Eric Larson- Acoustic Guitar, Bass
Andy Todd- Drums
Rob Schroeder- Harmonica
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Track 2- Come and Dine (Album- Where Is Your Voice)
I wrote this song to be sung congregationally for communion during a worship service with the idea that the Lord’s Supper is a feast of God’s riches of forgiveness and new life. I hope you enjoy it.
Eric Larson-Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizers, Bass
Justin Field- Electric Guitar, electric piano,
Andy Todd- Drums
Rob Schroeder- Harmonica
Also, if you would like to download this song I have it up for sale on itunes and amazon.
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Track 1- Where Is Your Voice (Album- Where Is Your Voice)
I wrote this song in 2006 based around the biblical story of “Elijah and the Still Small Voice” (1 Kings 19:9-18). At the time of writing, I was going through a 2 year Bible study survey course. One of the interesting things presented to me in that class was that Jesus declared himself to be the true temple and presence of God. He spent a lot of time chastising the religious leaders for devoting themselves to this building while ignoring Him the true temple, the true presence of God, and the true Word of God (John 2:13-25).
All the drums that I recorded from Andy were recorded in the sanctuary of First Lutheran using a bare bones three drum mic setup. All the other parts I recorded at our home
Guitars, Bass, Vocals- Eric Larson
Drums- Andy Todd
Extra Vocals on Chorus- Justin Field
Harmonica- Rob Schroeder
This morning, I figured out how to enable comments. Let me know what you think. I would appreciate your feedback.
Over the next few days I am going to be posting songs that I recorded in the past three years for an album of music I am calling “Where is Your Voice”. These are songs that were mostly self recorded (one song was recorded in a professional basement recording studio) with the gracious help of some musician friends of mine from my old church, First Lutheran in Towson, MD.
During my wedding in 2008, my wife and I labored to make an album of songs, “Our Only Hope” that I previously recorded in my apartment. During her summer teaching break, my wife Judy burned 200 copies of the cd (not the ideal way to do this) that we passed out as wedding favors in August of 2008. I received a lot of good feedback about the cd and was pretty happy about how it turned out, but I always thought that I could make a lot better album, even if I recorded it all myself. The drums I used were drum samples that I programmed through a program called FL Studio, and the album didn’t seem to have the feel of those recorded with live drums.
Shortly after our wedding, Judy and I moved to Baltimore, and we quickly met some very good friends at our church. I gradually started asking these friends to play on new tracks that I was recording. The tracks that I will be posting on here are the results of that collaboration. Some of you have probably heard these songs either at church or on this blog, but the songs I am posting on here are songs in their final version which hopefully is an improvement.
I have not made physical cds of these songs or prepared them to be released as a digital download. It is fairly easy to do both of these, but I did not want to put forth the expense until I knew that there were people who interested in purchasing them. If you would like to buy a physical cd or download a digital copy on itunes or amazon, leave a comment on this blog, on facebook, or send me an email at elarso@gmail.com. It may take about a month but I will able give you the album the way you want it. If you just want listen to them here that is fine too. My hope is that you enjoy them, and that they help you grow closer to our “Great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. Stay tuned.
Here are some quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer taken from the Gospel Community Mission Collective blog.
Every day brings the Christian many hours of being alone in an unchristian environment. These are times of testing. This is the proving ground of a genuine time of meditation and genuine Christian community. Has the community served to make individuals free, strong, and mature, or has it made them insecure and dependent? Has it taken them by the hand for a while so that they would learn again to walk by themselves, or has it made them anxious and unsure?’ (92) ‘In their solitude they can shatter and tarnish the community or they can strengthen and sanctify it. Every act of self-discipline by a Christian is also a service to the community. Conversely, there is no sin in thought, word, or deed, no matter how personal or secret, that does not harm the whole community. When the cause of an illness gets into one’s body, whether or not anyone knows where it comes from, or in what member it has lodged, the body is made ill. This is the appropriate metaphor for the Christian community. Every member serves the whole body, contributing either to its health or to its ruin, for we are members of one body not only when we want to be, but in our whole existence. This is not a theory, but a spiritual reality that is often experienced in the Christian community with shocking clarity, sometimes destructively and sometimes beneficially.’ (92)
My song “Come and Dine” is now officially available for purchase on itunes and at the site
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/EricLarson.
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Here’s a fuller arrangement of my song Father’s Hands.
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Here’s a song by my friend, Justin Field, that he sung with the help of me, Andy Todd, and Elizabeth Olsen after our small group Bible Study last night. Andy Todd had a digital recorder in hand and recorded this magical moment. The song is called “Wait For Me”, and I think it’s barrels of fun.
This is a song “Unshakeable” I wrote and performed with the praise band at my church at Towson Fest on May 1, 2010.
