SONG STORIES: "Hallelujah, He's Alive" from the new album 'Release the Sound'
I’m going to start my little story of my songs with ‘Hallelujah He’s Alive’, which I wrote with David Fitzgerald – an amazing worship leader/songwriter/good friend from Florida, USA.
So how did the song come to be? Well, to explain that, I have to explain how Dave and I became friends, which is a pretty cool story.
A couple of years ago I was ploughing through facebook looking at people’s facebook updates – as you do when there is not much going on. I came across a u tube link on someones page (who knows whose!), and saw this crazy video of a guy using his ipad like a giant iphone. I don’t know why, but it was just funny. I laughed. Then I thought – who is this guy? Dave Fitzgerald. Dave Fitzgerald? I have not heard that name before. So next thing I do a google (as you do!) and headed to a pretty cool website that revealed to me that Dave is one pretty amazing songwriter and worship leader. I immediately loved his stuff. So, as all good face bookers do, I added him as a friend with a note that went something like “Hey you are pretty cool, and your giant ipod vid was pretty funny).
Next thing you know we are chatting back and forth and Dave graciously posted his latest album all the way across the seas to my home. Then spanned countless weeks of playing it – in the car, at home, on the plane. It is such a great record (Hope of Heaven). I started playing it to all my friends. Everyone just loved it.
Fast track to around 12 months later, and Dave is finally making a trip to the Land down under to minister. Did I want to have a go at writing a song? Heck yeah! Except that I had just found out a few weeks earlier I was pregnant, spending most of my days throwing up….and I have never even met the guy. Would we get on well enough to even write song? Could I get through a writing session without reaching for the toilet bowl? Only time would tell.
Finally, there’s a knock on the door. And there’s Dave, and Anton (my manager). After the initial hello’s we spent about an hour talking – it was like I had found a long lost brother. I felt like I had known this guy since I was born. Finally we sat down to write.
We spent about 1 ½ hours working on a song, which I honestly can’t even remember. I’m sure if I pour through some of my garage band files I will find it hiding. Then finally, our time was up and it was time for Dave to go. “I have another idea for a song”, he says. “Maybe I can throw it at you and next time we get together we could have a go”. Well, the rest is history. Within ten minutes we had written the anthem “Hallelujah, He’s Alive”. I loved it straight from the beginning. I love how we can have our own plans, and then God just turns up. It changes everything.
I knew straight away it was a special song, but as we began pre production and the song selection process, the more I liked it. Then, when we finally recorded the basic band tracks in the studio, momentum began to build. By the time The Melbourne Gospel Choir came in to sing backing vocals on it, I was totally immersed in the spirit of the song. Every time I would play it I couldn’t help but raise my hands and worship.
Then I thought, this song is really special – maybe I should ask Dave to sing on it? Considering he lives in the states and I had not even recorded my own vocal yet, this was going to be interesting. Would Dave even want to do it? Well, as you can hear, it all worked out – Dave had a friend who owned a studio in Florida (Thanks Inertia studios), he went in and recorded his vocal even before he heard mine or the choir singing on it. We just trusted the process and let God work out the rest. The power of technology is pretty mind blowing too.
By the time I got to sing my vocals, I felt so blessed, because Dave was singing his heart out, the choir was giving their all, the band had played incredibly, all I had to do was open my mouth. I feel so humbled by how this songs has turned out.
Nevertheless, I didn’t know if anyone else would feel the same way. The album was only released on good Friday (three weeks ago). Within that time, my heart has leaped at all the stories, emails and u tube links of people singing this song all over the world. It was so special to sing it on Easter sunday at Hume ridge Church of Christ in Toowoomba, Qld – it’s the perfect song for Easter! The most amazing experience recently was leading it at my home church a few weeks ago. I sang the first line and the congregation erupted into worship. The band couldn’t even play. I couldn’t even sing. The congregation was on fire – the revelation that our God is alive, and death has no sting had awakened all of our hearts. It was so beautiful.
I think the thing that is the most amazing to me, is that every time I sing it I get more unveiling revelation on how alive our God is. It’s such a simple truth – sure, we know He’s alive, sure, we know He’s conquered the grave – that’s the essence of the Gospel. But I don’t know about you, but it’s a truth that has been so ingrained that I was almost numb to it. Since I have started singing this song, I am overwhelmed by how powerfully simple that truth is – He’s ALIVE!!!! My spirit keeps saying “Don’t you get it? He is really alive!!!!! There are lots of gods around, but He is the only God that died and rose again!!! He’s alive!!!!!”.
I feel so blessed that Dave and I were the pouring vessels that God chose to fill to release this song. I hope it’s a song that fills your mouth with praise and your heart with worship like it has ours.