6/17/13 - Song #1: A Figure From The Deep
The song "A Figure From The Deep" marks the beginning of the year-long Radio Haggard project. All songs posted are free downloads. The lyric tells the story of a sailor in the 1800s who begins to drown in a storm, but is rescued just before he dies. The mysterious figure who rescued him rose from the depths of the sea and accompanied him until he safely washed ashore.
The song style focuses heavily on the Radiohead element of this musical experience. The low bass/baritone vocals is a modest nod to outlaw country. Some of the harmonies and clean guitar tracks are a nod to the Beach Boys. You put it all together, and you have a, well, an interesting sound, to say the least. I'm still getting used to it myself. I might redo some of the tracks and re-mix later on down the road to smooth out some of the performances on the recording, but it will do for now. I wanted to get this project started ASAP! No more delays! I sincerely hope that some brave soul out there, even just one person, downloads this song and enjoys it.
How do the lyrics refer to a miracle, you might be asking? Well, it's a metaphor for something that happened to me. In early January 2003, I began having lung problems and trouble breathing. On a Sunday morning, I was praying to Jesus when I felt a presence in the room. I had a distinct feeling that someone was nearby, though I could not see anyone. In my mind's eye, I saw a vivid picture of Jesus walking towards me in the room. The presence in the room felt holy and powerful as if a majestic lion had just walked in. I wanted to fall to my knees. It was beautiful but a little scary too. No one feels entirely safe around a lion. The next moment, I felt two hands press hard against my chest -- so hard that I stumbled back! I cried out in surprise and fear, but then in awe. In that split second, my lungs had been healed. I could breathe freely as if I had finally gotten free from a stuffy room into open air. I didn't feel like I was suffocating. I didn't feel like I was drowning. I will never forget that incident as long as I live. If I ever had any doubts that supernatural things happen in the Christian life, those doubts are long gone. I don't go looking for miracles as if I were a storm chaser seeking a thrill. I seek intimacy with God through a personal relationship with Christ, and sometimes He allows amazing things like that to happen, for His own reasons. I can't claim to know why He does those things sometimes and other times He doesn't. I don't try to analyze it as if it were a science. I'm just along for the ride.
6/9/13 (one week before official start of the Radio Haggard Boys Miracle Project)
This song, though not part of the official Radio Haggard Boys Miracle Project, is a precursor to it. It came about when I began tinkering with the RHBM idea. The lyric of the song focuses on themes of nostalgia, missing one's childhood hometown and remembering old friends and memories. The past always seems to have a golden sheen to it, like the early dusk glow of a summer afternoon. This song is a melancholy, but peaceful tribute to the sweeter chapters of one's past.