"He Is Risen" genre: Progressive Rock
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	An Easter song whose lyrics need no real explanation. The extended instrumental passage in the middle conveys the turmoil, confusion, & eventual triumph that the disciples must have felt after discovering the empty tomb on Jesus' resurrection day.
	CD: Everlasting Arms   Label: Everlasting Arms Records & Publishing Credits: Edward Jerlin/James Martin/Mark Polak
	Story Behind the Song This is the 4th track on Everlasting Arms' initial CD release in 1997. "Everlasting Arms" is myself, Pastor James Martin, & our wives Kirsten & Meredith. I usually play all the instruments & all of us sing. Part of the melody was written by Mark Polak, the lead singer in one of my old bands in the early '90s. He had an idea for a song called "Join In The Dance." His original idea was to try to inspire someone to stop watching life pass him by, and "join in." We never finished the song before the band broke up. I really liked the melody, however. So a few years later, when I was putting a tape together of music I had written for Pastor Jim to put words to, I put this one on the tape. I had reworked and added to the music quite a bit. Jim liked it and thought it would be great for Easter. I then changed a few lines of lyrics to make them fit the original melody a bit better. When it came time to do the album, I felt as if the song needed an instrumental section that would express the turmoil, confusion, and eventual triumph that surrounded the circumstances of Christ's resurrection. The musical passage in the middle was a piece I had written a long time ago that was still waiting for a home. After writing a few linking sections, it worked really well in this setting. Then, at the end of the piece, I was thrilled when many of the musical themes were able to weave in and out of each other simultaneously over the chorus! Then, the idea of having my wife Kirsten sing at the end really seemed to put a punctuation mark on the whole song and bring it around. It was Jim's idea to have me sing this one, not mine! So except for Kirsten's vocal at the end, I'm playing all the instruments & singing all the vocals on this. Lyrics He Is Risen, Allelujah! He Is Risen, Praise the Lord! There are those who doubted He could rise, that He is truly risen, they can't believe their eyes. Miracles, they would explain away. But a risen Savior calls us out of darkness, and into life today... CHORUS: Roll that stone away from your heart, He is the Way, Truth, & Light. Accept what is given. Believe Him today. He is the living Bread of Life. At the tomb believers can found, who realize an empty tomb is really quite profound, Now our doubts, have vanished in the night, when our risen Savior conquers death, embracing us, in a brand new light! Repeat Chorus

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