Chris Wood - atheist spiritual - Come Down Jehovah

[termite2491]

Love this song and its meaning.

[spudcustardx1]

that will do for me, I could't have said it better

[PinkyinParadise]

As a Christian, I actually liked this. It's correct that paradise is here if you make it. But Jehovah has come down once already. I'm sure He's smiling at this musician and saying, "Been there, done that." Don't worry, he'll be back.

[TheMakemFolksinger]

Fantastic song and performance, Cheers The Makem Folk Singer

[kittytv]

this song is so beautiful, what is the meaning :) x

[brownsrd16]

life is an answer not a question

[gibsonmadella]

pahaha u people make me laugh, u shud hear yourselves. instead of having debates about religion and stuff, why not just listen to the music and enjoy it!

(i think martin simpsons version is better though)

[vdizhoor]

Paradise IS right here and today (i.e. the Kingdom of Heaven is in YOU). To not mention God, to refer to Goodness instead follows the Commandments expressed in the Old Testament. If we believe in Goodness and worship no man-made Ideas, we have no false idol and don't take God's name in VAIN. For excesses of the ego fuck things up. Myths are a metaphor. God is a personification of Good. Ancients warned against literalism. The Name of God was not to be known. God must remain hidden.

[trex457]

wow, i recall Satan himself tempted Jesus the son of God to come down and give all his GLORY UP so to speak.No Heaven is not Earth. you will never understand not today or the next life.

[Sines314]

@trex457 Well, I wager I won't be doing a whole lot of understanding when I'm dead.

What with the being dead and all.

[streetfootballer121]

u bieleve in jehova too??????? cau me too

[alicelookingglass]

Saw him supporting Dave Swarbrick the other night, very good indeed. However, this song lacks his energy and wit.

[ibitron1]

"It's us who must carry the blame.  It's us who must live with the shame".

[Leavesofthetree]

Love this song - 'what more could we possibly want?' what a deep longing question as we live in this world with its immense beauty and immense ugliness. Someone I met at the Union chapel gig called it an 'anti-god song'. I call it an 'anti straw god song' - a caricature of god that people make up to have a laugh knocking down again. And yes - he did come down and drink from the stream, sail on the seas, walk in the valleys, teach the 'children' and he listens to them even now.

[sammyhill69]

Does anybody know how I can get hold of Chris Wood's 'Listening to the River'?? I have looked everywhere. I have it on cassette but lost it when I moved to New Zealand! I'd be so grateful if anyone has any ideas! Thank you. God Bless.

[ukevids]

I second this request.

[jimebac]

Jehovah spent time scratchin his ass,ponderin' on great dreams,trimmin his beard & thinkin of all the lasses he'd never sycthed,dirty ol' bugger (eatin copious amounts of honey that the bees left in his cave) whilst Chris wuz downin pints of brown ale & compoqin one of the most beautiful songs ive ever heard & ps i love God !

[meyerjac]

I love it. I love it. I effing love it.

[nunojrs2]

good voice!

... and congratulations, because you mention the God's name!

Some people are ashamed to mention that name ... other people think the God name is Jesus Christ.

[mnbv990]

A wise song,very good.

[mcnalyl1]

One of my favourite songs of all time, even though I'm a Christian, the lyrics say much about 'us' humans, in the here and now.

Mike M .. Sussex

[MTAllenby]

I agree with you. I'm a Christian too and I think this songs speaks right into the human condition. Some Christians are 'so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.' I love this song, and I hope when when my time comes I can close my eyes and let go.

[FunBoy15]

Chris is an important songwriter... very inspirational music.

[youbintubinallday]

And you say that the "spell" here on earth is richer than you will ever know. Will you really tell the one who molded you, that you know more than him? Do you hear yourself? I will not say an insult to you, or take up abusive terms with you out of respect for Jehovah, but will you really lay in you death bed and say "I will expire, and those who believe in the promises of an everlasting life on a paradise earth are out of their minds"? Or will you say "I have not considered many all things."

[Artyfartyify]

But are you telling me you will never hunt for true happiness, happy in th knowledge that ul go to heaven. I think im gonna take my chances and try to find happiness hear, on eath. I dont know what lies after death, and no-one does for certain, but im sure, no matter how nice it is, life will be richer, and better. U must also remember that bad ries shape ppl,aswell as good times.

[Artyfartyify]

fanally-this song is beutiful. i think that the ppl who fight over its meening have lost the true message of this song. life is beutiful

[youbintubinallday]

I have never heard a song that made less sense than this song. You are telling Jehovah to descend and drink from waters that he made for you to drink. You are saying that we live in a paradise when over an eighth of the population is malnurished. Either you are ignorant of this fact, or you are eating the bread of selfishness. Then you condradict yourself when you say there is nothing more lost and insane than man and his mischieve. Really, do you say that this is paradise?

[pvuf431]

'eating the bread of selfishness' ... ?

I think you are riding the bicycle of terrible prose.

[youbintubinallday]

What is it that you do not like about the manner in which I expressed the idea of someone acting selfishly? What would you rather me say?

[pvuf431]

The faux biblical language

[hakanozelguitarist]

lol!!!

[flashtin166]

@pvuf431 I forget about this comment, when I return here it always makes me smile.

[InParticularNobody]

@pvuf431 ...and with your stabilisers on at that...

[PeterOzanne]

You missed the point: he's saying this creation is so wonderful - but that we humans misuse is, creating misery instead of looking after it. This creation is so wonderful, but humans are destroying it by selfishness and arrogance. Sound familiar? It should! It's the Bible story of the Garden of Eden (just in different words). A paradise that man's mischief damaged. The same message as in the song. OK? Jesus also said heaven is here, now, within you.

[MTAllenby]

Hee, hee. "I've never heard a song that makes less less than this song". What a dishonest thing to say.

How about this by the Bay City Rollers.

"well we sang shang-a-lang as we ran with the gang doin doo wop be dooby do ay"

Does that really make more sense than this song?

Please use your words with wisdom.

[randomlightningman]

Well said it makes less sense than any song HES ever heard....just cause you've heard a more confusing song, doesn't me he has:).....

[youngaikidoka]

it's saying Heaven AND Hell are all hear on earth, we don't need promises of a paradise, nor do we need the threats of hell, we experience all these as we live, when so many religious members concentrate on what will happen when this life of heaven and hell is over. it's a song that's telling you to live your life as you see fit, because nothing can be better or worse than it is here already. And if you retort with a religious "but..." i'll get medieval on your ass :)

[huxylady]

A wonderful song- I saw Chris with The Imagined Village and immediately became a huge fan! Surely the idea of 'Paradise on Earth' , as I have always understood it, is a call to humanity to stop focusing on an 'afterlife' that may or may not exist, and instead try to do good and to love and help your fellow humans in the time span you have on earth. Call me a hippie but I think it is a wise way to live.

[carollizc]

Not a hippie, at all: Every age and ever nation and culture has its voice calling for a little common sense. This world is indeed Paradise, if only we had the sense to treat it wisely and with the same compassion we should share with each other.

[louwhatling]

As an artist myself I must say Iv only just come across this. really like it. Great voice x

[louwhatling]

Chris this is great, only just come across u and must say, as an artist myself, I really like your voice.

[Elimy93]

I saw him live :)

[ArrogantAtheist]

Atheists FTW!!

[milywful]

this is breathtaking,

he just makes it look so effortless

[mow19]

2 (contd.) - Christianity teaches that man can choose between both Good and Evil. This is the whole meaning of the Fall - we are able to purposively do good or do evil in a way that animals cannot. We can build concentration camps and we can build hospitals. I don't think this downgrades human moral responsibility.

Organized religion and the Church - tainted with human bullshit. But remember - the corruption of the best is the worst of all! Peace X

[Agar101]

i thought on earth as it is in heaven is just to show that we should do as god's wills wherever we are, not to imply that the two are alike?

and well i'm not hating with thisbut it might be nice to get an actual civilised discussion going on on youtube;

what makes you actually believe in this stuff? 'cause i just can't see it personally and i'd like to know how anyone else does.

[mow19]

no it doesn't imply that the two are alike, otherwise there would be no work to be done! rather it invokes us to do that work because of the current reality of that gulf.

[mow19]

Beautiful song. Can't fault the melody but as a Christian, I would like to question some of the implications of the lyrics.

1. This idea that God's kingdom is in someway detached from this world. That God's heavenly purpose for us is to take us away somewhere else. As Jesus said in The Lords prayer - "thy kingdom come, thy will be done ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN"

2. That Christianity promotes either an overly good view of humanity, when in fact the Devil is really human evil personified.

[ukevids]

"when in fact"

What fact? That's a belief, not a fact.

[mow19]

I think support of any fact or belief entails a degree of "personal" knowledge (Michael Polanyi)

[PeterOzanne]

Agree with a lot of what you say, but I think: 1. Chris Wood is simply highlighting the common misconception of so many nominal Christians who think the Kingdom of God is somewhere else: it's hard, infected by the materialistic view, to even think that it's within us - a teaching sadly undervalued within the Church.

2. Woods is saying EXACTLY that: Satan is human evil personified, but that a very prevalent mistake in Christianity puts the blame on an "external" Devil, instead of us

[Connorc48]

I love Chris Wood but i must admit Martin Simpson really made this song his own, but none the less truely brilliant the words move me. :)

[naith1984]

Chris Wood is just fantastic.

[DeanMorrison]

This is simply wonderful - been waiting for a long time for song such as this to come along... :)

[airconwarehouse]

Religion has been used for thousands of years to control people. Some of the worst attrocities in the history of the world have been committed in the name of religion by people who have been brainwashed.

Keep your religion - I don't need it it.

Nice one Chris, be seeing you at The Met in Bury next Friday.

[mow19]

Corruptio Optimi Pessima!!!

[marjoriem2]

Beautiful! I've been a fan since seeing the Imagined Village in London, the last night of their first tour (2007.) I live in the US so that's my excuse for not knowing about Chris Wood until that night. This is a great song and I am glad to have discovered it here.

[allyoursphotography1]

see also Dear God, and God will f*** you up

[pHHHz]

bottom line - this is all there is - good and bad - make the most of it

awesome song

[nagtykab]

I saw Chris at a luchtime concert at Newcastle uni last week. His songs are soo meaningful and relaxing - v impressed!

[ndlxs]

Incredibly beautiful song, and I think it has something to offer for believer and non-believers alike. A very insightful comment below, that you can hear the longing for God, or if you prefer, a longing for meaning.

After all, what a concept...God comes down to earth as a man...seems to be it's been tried...

[youbintubinallday]

What a blasphemous song.

[youngaikidoka]

bloody idiot, you need a life, and you need listen to the lyrics and the message this song tells

[angryman9]

what a moronic comment

[youngaikidoka]

i love the tone of his guitar, anyone know the make?

i love Chris Wood, he's inspiring, and beautiful, even if that doesn't show through his appearance! haha!

great song

[brainsxv]

Chris's guitar was made for him by a bloke called David Oddy. Just named Folk Singer of he Year 09 and Best Album "trespaser"" by BBC Check it out!

[TheMrDobbins]

@brainsxv that's a Fylde Orsino, the David Oddy's the other one with the slotted head

[asrael1200]

lol the comments bout christianity make me chuckle... wotever, says i...

other than that, well done - awsomely expressive playing and fab voice too. well done says I :-)

[halcyonhalogen]

Beautiful. You may find that when it comes to it, Chris, you love life more than you realise. Nice to think everything can be just so; but my journey has taught me that running the race is what it boils down to. Yes, there'll be rest. But we have to get to the end of the story first. And the law has been laid down. So better to stick with the script I reckon and take our ease as and when we can find it. Come down Jehovah: let's finish this round. It'll be battle stations at the ready.

[MYABUTTREEKS]

What a gorgeous vocal melody. Great job.

[hammelsburgh]

lovely song, I repeatedly listen to it. But still, the lyrics lack sense. The author should have addressed them to some other deity, Shiva, Vishnu, Allah or so, because Jehovah, the triune God of the Bible, is in the New Testament explicitly portrayed as having come down, not only to be made like his creatures and to enjoy fellowship with them, but to suffer a shameful death in order to save and deliver his people.

[PeterOzanne]

There is no "other" deity; only different cultural descriptions of the transcendent Reality beyond ego. However, "Allah" refers to the One, whereas Shiva and Vishnu merely represent 2 aspects of the Hindu trinity, I think. Regards, Peter.

[hammelsburgh]

Thank you, Peter. But what about the New Testament bit of my comment? Greetings, Christian Beese

[PeterOzanne]

Your NT bit is perhaps an example of why so many feel Christianity is out of touch. Like most Christians, you emphasise the "sacrifice" idea, and neglect to mention that it's WHAT HE TAUGHT that can transform lives. And is what he taught understood? None of us can imagine what it's like to experience the world WITHOUT seeing it through the habitual fiction of "ego". Only if thought calms down can one see that "god" and "heaven" are right here, and "hell" is a state of mind. It's not "elsehwere"

[PeterOzanne]

That, to me, is the "sense" of the lyrics. When the "divine" or transcendent, ego-free state of mind is forgotten (as always happens), many religions create an image called "god", and mistakenly worship that. That's actually a form of idolatry. Also, the more this SEPARATE being is imagined, the further "he" seems from everyday life. That very distance, which has pervaded Christian and other traditions, is the reason for this song. I hope I have expressed myself clearly - words only hint at it.

[hammelsburgh]

You don't do justice to his teaching, if you exclude the thought of sacrifice, because its a central part of it. "If I will be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me", which signifies his sacrificial death on the cross.

And Christianity is by no means out of touch, but is in fact not only the most persecuted, but also the fastest growing religion today.

[kynoceph]

Christianity the most persecuted? Don't make me laugh. Only if you consider people making fun of you on a bulletin board as persecution, which is the most persecution the majority of "Christians" get.

[hammelsburgh]

You are very wrong if you consider the global situation.

[kynoceph]

The Global Situation? Excuse me, but according to many sources, 2.1 BILLION people worldwide (33% of the world's population) are Christian. 75% of all people in the US and Canada say that they are Christians. If they're being persecuted, they must be persecuting themselves. Christianity is also responsible for the Inquisition, for the Salem Witch Trials, the Crusades, the massacres of European Jews. If they are persecuted they persecute back.

[hammelsburgh]

Canada is no problem. Have you ever tried to convert to Christianity in a Muslim country or in China or India, or even to convert to Protestantism in Austria? In that case you would know what I mean.

[kynoceph]

First of all, are you telling me that in AUSTRIA, Protestants are "persecuted?" They chase them down the streets with torches perhaps? Hadn't heard about that one. Second, try converting to Wicca in Mississippi. Trust me, on persecution Christians give as good as they get.

[hammelsburgh]

I haven't been to Mississippi, but in Austria they can give you a hard time. And what about the other countries I named? They persecute Christians according to the laws (be it sharia or communist or other) of their countries, which you can not say about Mississippi (or Austria of course). But anyway we are getting a bit carried away with our discussion, it hasn't got much to do with the song any more.

[mow19]

@kynoceph rebellion against money, power, superficiality, pornography ... this is the Christian life. Not just proclaiming Jesus on bulletin boards, but choosing to let Him change our lifestyle. Tends to be quite tricky!

[vdizhoor]

@mow19

Not a rebellion, but moderation. We are creatures of this world, and naturally have various drives. They key is to tame them, to discipline oneself. To let go and grow up. Not to crave, but enjoy. Every religion at the core is a key to happiness, but it is corrupted by those who don't get it into a system of controls and self promotion. It isn't about going to heaven after death, its about getting their in life. Its about returning to Paradise by growing up.

[hakanozelguitarist]

you have a new fan. i came here via the Martin Simpson version and love this -its very moving, as much for the performance as the words. Come play in the west of Ireland!

[potatoehead54]

can someone tell me where to get the lyrics from please?

[hakanozelguitarist]

lol well you can always write them down like i just did!! remember the good old days when people used pen and paper?

[potatoehead54]

infact i did write them down but im not sure they are entirely correct you sarcastic bastard.

[PeterOzanne]

Well, if you are unsure about any words or phrases, you can always ask the community here: people are mostly friendly, and if I succeed in working out the lyrics, I for one will happily share!

[robindavies24]

I don't see the song as atheist merely poetic. There are extremes of evil and good in the world...genocide is pure evil.....but the simple love felt say for a partner, son or daughter is pure goodness.

[hammelsburgh]

Love for your family would be only natural, pure goodness would be love felt for your enimies, what do you think?

[robindavies24]

What key or open tuning is played here please

[lostbusker]

As an educated guess, looks like he's playing in CGCGCD (capo'd at 2nd, so it's in D). Great song.

[PeterOzanne]

I just tried it; definitely CGCGCD. I saw him at Sidmouth recently - excellent.

[stephanielmason]

Anyone who says that Paradise is here on Earth as he sings is willfully oblivious or maliciously indifferent to the tremendous amounts of suffering in this world. He says that there is nothing as evil as what is inside man, and, as a theist, I would agree. The irreconcilable contradiction in his atheology is that there can be evil without God. Evil is a relative term, to say that there is evil,there must be good, i.e. to recognize that the universe is not solely indifferent matter. He needs God.

[FSMUnicorn]

I don't think you're meant to take the "Paradise on earth" literally. It's just the nearest we're going to get.

And evil and good are subjective? Shock horror.

[stephanielmason]

The atheist needs to find paradise on earth; there is no other option. I don't think that evil and good are subjective, but there are times in life when the choice we have to make isn't between good and evil, but between the lesser of two evils because sin and evil have permeated every atom of this world. people of faith know that there will be a day when this changes. As theist, it is really sad to hear the hopeless expressions of atheists. You can hear in the song how much he longs for God.

[FSMUnicorn]

Other option: simply realise "paradise" is unobtainable, and have as good a time as you can.

How can sin permeate atoms?

How does it sound like he needs God? Which god anyway? What a ridiculous statement.

[iloveken222]

no you can't. i know him well. i know that he is one of the most contented people on this earth, and god is that last thing he longs for.

[jacobsladder72]

i think you have completely missed the point of Chris's song, Stephanie. I think it's really sad that a "theist" like yourself can listen to such a beautiful, thoughtful, and above all, peace-wishing song as this and use the words "really sad" and "hopeless". I hope you find peace because you sure ain't got it now.

[PeterOzanne]

Stephanie, hi! Good news! He DOESN'T simply say "it's paradise", ignoring suffering. In verse 3, he says there is evil, caused by humans. So paradise is only potentially or conditionally here on earth - but those words don't fit well in verse or poetry! "God" is right here, if by "god" one means the world you see when you let go of ego. That only happens when we're not tyrannised by thought. And that only happens when we are patient. Jesus, Buddha, and others taught inner quiet. That's all.

[jfmolyneux]

@stephanielmason "he needs god"

god is the last thing that Chris Wood needs.

[MTAllenby]

@jfmolyneux You've got to love language. Both an atheist and a Christian could agree with the statement "god is the last thing that Chris Wood needs."

[hammelsburgh]

Well, Jehova did come down, didn`t he. He died a criminal's death to save his people.

[TomRAFC]

hi, can anyone send me the MP3 of this song? i have been hunting it for ages!

[bshound]

You can download the song from Chris's MySpace page and convert it into an mp3 or capture it from the audio stream.

[3monkeysfolkclub]

Dude - rather than trying to get this wonderful song for nowt (or should I say a steal - because that's what you would be doing), why don't you just go and buy the CD!!! (Trespasser)

[stupidvid]

hmm!he is atheist but at least he knows that theres a God up there n his name is Jehovah.

[kharndog]

are you dumb...? he wouldnt be an athiest if he believed in god... if your unsure what I mean go find a dictionary and look up the word, also look up "irony", "contradiction" and "oxymoron" while your at it

[afiltercalledman]

I fail to see how that is an atheist spiritual. Other than the fact that obvious contradiction of the words.

But other than that, I really, really liked the song.

Seriously...the song was awesome. To be honest, I don't think I've heard anything from professed Christians that was as sincire as that.

Kudos!

[b4rneypup]

Errrrr....are you sure? Have another listen and then maybe you'll get the point.

[afiltercalledman]

I got that point...but if you read the bible that's what it says about Jehovah...get it?

[iloveken222]

What?

He's not a professed Christian, he's an atheist.

????? I thought that was obvious.

[afiltercalledman]

a mix of words my friends...I am saying that what he is saying is more sincire than Christians themselves. Read it again...

[RODADY2]

Spiruality is all about how we relate to the rest of the world. Do we see ourself as the center of everything? Or as part of something greater. Atheist don't believe in a literal God, but see "God" as a metaphor for the mutual love that preserves us as a community, as a society. Fundamentalist American type "Christianity" contorts this to allow its adherents to remain very self-centred and materialistic. Thus it is a contradiction in terms to be a spiritual fundamentalist.

[randompalindrome]

you got on later with jools hollands. Well done. Do you think thats better than getting featured? Maybe not but its is real telly and jools

[Klarkster]

Na I got it from the 'later' website. Check description. :)

The episode this song comes from, as far as I can tell, was the one with Chris playing alongside 'Imagined Village'. Pity they only did one song on the show that went out on TV. :(

[kurtilein3]

5 stars and favorited, really great.

almost every time you make a video, i think that it really is one of those videos that deserve more attention.

i would like to re-upload one of your videos, maybe ``pale blue dot´´ or ``delusion´´ to my channel to support you by getting my subscribers interested in your channel, if i have your permission ;)

[Klarkster]

Thx Kurt, yes you may feature one of my vids if you wish. I couldn't think of anyone better to do so. :D Although I expect we share many of the same subscribers? (that's an assumption)

I'd love to make more but I have a pretty busy schedule at the moment. Hopefully i'll have more time soon :)

Keep up the good work on your channel too, I'm a frequent watcher. :)

[kurtilein3]

could you tell me your 3 personal favourites on your own channel? that would make it easier for me to choose ;)