To listen online, it is posted on our ReverbNation, CLICK here below:
Holiness Shall Reign (live 1978) on RN
Found a cassette tape of our performance of “Holiness Shall Reign” at the Steubenville Youth Conference in 1978(!). This may be primitive, but it is so strong and joyful! AND it is revealing in several ways.
First, this is before several of the core members of the band got there. Sure, there’s Mike, Dave, Chuck and myself. But Denise? Greg, our lead guitarist? Tony, our drummer? would not be arriving till just after this. Despite their absence, you can hear many of the same elements present already that would perdure to make “Living Waters” what it is.
Already, you can hear my group-concert writing style beginning. Songs like “Light of the World” and “He That Is In Us” are right around the corner.
The song is chock full of Scripture including all the Beatitudes (!) and really leads to an attitude of holiness, prayer and spiritual joy. Most all the things we’ve done have avoided the low-quantity, repetitive, shallow character of some of the worship music that can be heard out there. I am reminded of St. Ephrem the Syrian, the “Harp of the Holy Spirit”, who routinely wrote heavily theologized songs specifically refuting heresy (!) using Scripture and holy joy. I think our group has been gifted in much the same way - this song shows we had our special character right from the start.
Jimmy was our first drummer and I think he does such a great job on this! Those repeating two snare cracks on the pre-chorus are notable among several catchy, memorable riffs. Everything he does here serves the song perfectly.
Joline was our strong lead female singer but I can’t remember who else was singing at this particular show. In these early days, we were still doing a lot of prayer-meeting-style unison choruses, but it anticipates many wonderful vocals to come. I love Dave’s echos, like he will do later on “Home is Where the Heart Is”.
Dave’s bass shines on this song just as it does on “The Lord Will Come” at this same concert, foreshadowing all the stellar work he would do later, such as on “There’s a Woman” and “Roll the Rock Over”.
Mike has just the write piano touches on the verses, as always. I think he is a musical wonderman.
Danny and I are playing guitars, but they are not heard at all on the original tape! I decided to record a couple of guitar tracks based on what we played, to fill in the overall sound of the song. I think I blended everything together pretty well.
The lyrics include a paraphrase of the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5, emphasizing our trusting response. It also has several Messianic gems from the Old Testament, such as Isaiah 11 which talks about the Messiah’s Holy Mountain, the New Sion, the Church. I was heavily reading Scripture in those days! Our then new name, “Living Waters”, FLOWS out in this song, as it would in so much we would do. We ARE Living Waters, an image that could not be more Scriptural and Apostolic. Here are the lyrics!
Holiness Shall Reign
By Mark Lajoie 1978
CHORUS
Holiness shall reign on all of God’s Mountain! (2x)
BEATITUDES
Blessed are you poor! You’ll own my Father’s Kingdom
And for those who mourn there’ll be a Father’s comfort
If your heart is pure, you will see God forever
If your mercy shows, it will be shown back to you
If you thirst for good, you will be filled with justice
If you spread my peace, you will call God your Father
If you’re hurt for Me, your reward is great in Heaven
PRE-CHORUS
The Kingdom is here! The Kingdom is near!
The Kingdom is among you!
CHORUS
VERSE 1
Victory like the dew God rains upon His Mountain
As we drink the New Living Waters from His Fountain
PRE-CHORUS
CHORUS
VERSE 2
Break in shouts of joy! For God redeems His People
He was born a Boy and died to conquer evil
PRE-CHORUS
CHORUS
PRE-CHORUS (2x)
Share this post