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Description
One of those songs I wrote in an hour and have spent the next ten years trying to get it right on tape. It has a crazy harmony structure and each verse is longer than some whole songs. I don't feel like I've quite gotten it right here. But, after a few years of recording, editing, cutting away whatever didn't work, and starting again, I just sat down last week and recorded live in two passes: one with vocals and rhythm guitar, and then I overdubbed a second guitar. Added a bit of bass and percussion later. There's a better take in me somewhere, but this is what it is for now. The full story on the song is on my song-a-week blog: http//web.mac.com/... . I messed up some of the words in this take, but because of the bleed on the microphones, I can't fix them without redoing everything. So, the printed words here are the "real" ones.
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Lyrics
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild,
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
Sun scorched the day and the night time ice dew shed,
desert beasts prowled, stone a pillow earth his bed.
Forty days and forty nights Satan sat on every rock,
saying lend me your years, carpenter,
for we must have a talk;
you’re hungry and you’re tired—listen to what I’ve said—
if you truly were the Son of God,
you’d change these stones into bread.
And Jesus said:
“It is written in the Word and it is written on my life,
it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled.
Why should I waste my power
to make bread from these stones.
It is written in the Word
man shall not live by bread alone.
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild,
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
Sunburn began to peel, skin felt leather dry,
boiling sand burned below the azure Jordan sky.
The devil took him to a high place
overlooking the whole world.
“All of this you see before you, I can give
or haven’t you heard—
all the kingdoms of this world are mine, all that you see,
and I’ll let you rule on my behalf
if only you’ll bow to me. Don’t you see.”
Then Jesus said,
“It is written in the Word and it is written on my life,
it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled.
Your power is usurped and your authority is phony.
It is written in the Word:
‘worship the Lord and serve him only.’”
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild,
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
Satan smoked a stogie, ran a magic carpet ride
back over the Jordan, over the walls and then inside
of the temple in the Holy City,
and parked on the highest spire.
“You need to prove yourself to me,
a sign is what I desire.
Is it not written
‘He will command his angels concerning you’?
Well, throw yourself from this temple tower
if you believe that this word is true. What will you do?”
Then Jesus said,
“It is written in the word and it is written on my life,
it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled.
Do you think twisting the Word of God leaves me distressed?
It is written in the Word:
‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild,
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
In temptation, remember Jesus
and from greedy goals abstain.
Let us watch the Lord in prayer,
for with him we endure pain.
Then when evil press us, flesh or spirit to assail,
Victor in the Wilderness, may we never faint or fail.
We shall always face iniquity for the Devil may be turned.
As Jesus did, we may defeat
evil with the power of God’s word.
And we shall say,
It is written in the Word and it is written on our lives,
it is written in the Word and we will not be defiled.
Oh, it is written in the Word
and it is written on our lives.
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
Sun scorched the day and the night time ice dew shed,
desert beasts prowled, stone a pillow earth his bed.
Forty days and forty nights Satan sat on every rock,
saying lend me your years, carpenter,
for we must have a talk;
you’re hungry and you’re tired—listen to what I’ve said—
if you truly were the Son of God,
you’d change these stones into bread.
And Jesus said:
“It is written in the Word and it is written on my life,
it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled.
Why should I waste my power
to make bread from these stones.
It is written in the Word
man shall not live by bread alone.
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild,
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
Sunburn began to peel, skin felt leather dry,
boiling sand burned below the azure Jordan sky.
The devil took him to a high place
overlooking the whole world.
“All of this you see before you, I can give
or haven’t you heard—
all the kingdoms of this world are mine, all that you see,
and I’ll let you rule on my behalf
if only you’ll bow to me. Don’t you see.”
Then Jesus said,
“It is written in the Word and it is written on my life,
it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled.
Your power is usurped and your authority is phony.
It is written in the Word:
‘worship the Lord and serve him only.’”
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild,
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
Satan smoked a stogie, ran a magic carpet ride
back over the Jordan, over the walls and then inside
of the temple in the Holy City,
and parked on the highest spire.
“You need to prove yourself to me,
a sign is what I desire.
Is it not written
‘He will command his angels concerning you’?
Well, throw yourself from this temple tower
if you believe that this word is true. What will you do?”
Then Jesus said,
“It is written in the word and it is written on my life,
it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled.
Do you think twisting the Word of God leaves me distressed?
It is written in the Word:
‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild,
forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled.
In temptation, remember Jesus
and from greedy goals abstain.
Let us watch the Lord in prayer,
for with him we endure pain.
Then when evil press us, flesh or spirit to assail,
Victor in the Wilderness, may we never faint or fail.
We shall always face iniquity for the Devil may be turned.
As Jesus did, we may defeat
evil with the power of God’s word.
And we shall say,
It is written in the Word and it is written on our lives,
it is written in the Word and we will not be defiled.
Oh, it is written in the Word
and it is written on our lives.
michael2
song. and i really like your voice. if there is a better take in you, it is totally unneccesary IMHO. like this version very much.