Hello and welcome
back to another edition
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of You Can Write A Song.
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I'm so excited to take on
this particular program today
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because there's
going to be so much insight
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that Mr. Lanny Wolfe is
going to share with you again,
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I'm your host, Ryan Day.
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And we have the gospel
great songwriter with us
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Lanny Wolfe.
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And, Lanny, I've to
just, I have to say, Brother,
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your music and
your music ministry,
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your songs have
been such an inspiration
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to me over the years.
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In fact, I have to admit,
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I'm one of those
that oftentimes have found
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one of those songs that
was written by Lanny Wolfe,
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didn't realize it and think,
"I wonder who wrote this song."
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Ended up googling it,
looking it up and finding,
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of course, it's
a Lanny Wolfe song.
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But today on You
Can Write A Song,
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you're going to be taking
us through another element,
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another major
aspect of songwriting
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that has greatly affected
your songwriting over the years.
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Give us a
little insight on that?
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Yeah, basically, I'm
talking about inspiration.
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Inspiration is
where it all starts,
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without inspiration
nothing goes beyond that.
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And so I'm
really excited to share
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with the viewers today,
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inspiration that has
spun into wonderful songs
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that God has given me that have
been a blessing over the years.
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And folks like you
have sung them so well.
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Oh, well, thank you so much.
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It's always a blessing
to get to listen to you,
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to glean from you all
the wisdom you have to share.
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Again, we encourage
you to stick with us,
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don't go anywhere.
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We're going to come back in
just a moment to get started
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with Mr. and
Brother Lanny Wolfe,
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on how You Can Write A Song.
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Today I'd like to talk to you
about the inspiration triangle,
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not Bermuda Triangle,
the inspiration triangle.
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Inspiration by
definition is the process
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of being mentally stimulated
to do or feel something
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especially creative.
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The inspiration
triangle has three points.
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The first one is
being at the right place,
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at the right time, with
the right frame of mind.
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The occasion was a
church dedication in Columbia,
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Mississippi,
the Lanny Wolfe Trio
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was the featured
singing group at this event.
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The sanctuary was
new, it was beautiful.
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You could smell the fresh paint.
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The politicians and church
officials were all in place.
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The pews were all full.
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So as different
speakers were taking their turn,
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out of nowhere God dropped
some lyrics into my spirit,
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along with the melody.
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I hurriedly
scribbled the lyrics down
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on a service
program I was holding,
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didn't have time
to go to keyboard
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elsewhere in the building,
and work out a progression,
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or even sing the tune out loud.
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Even so, when the master
ceremonies called on the trio,
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I went to the pulpit
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and started
singing this new chorus,
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teaching it to the
other two members of the trio,
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the musicians
and the congregation
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all at the same time.
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Since that day,
this song has been sung
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around the world in
praise and worship services,
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church
dedications, baby dedications,
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weddings, funerals.
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Take a listen.
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Surely the presence
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Of the Lord
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Is in this place
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I can feel His mighty power
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And His grace
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I can hear the
brush of angels' wing
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I see glory on each face
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Surely the presence
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Of the Lord
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Is in this place Yes,
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I was in the right
place at the right time,
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But also had to be in
the right frame of mind
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that was receptive
to hearing God's voice.
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I would not have routinely
stopped at this gas station.
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But I was very close
to empty so on impulse,
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decided to stop and fill up.
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You couldn't pay at
the pump, so I went inside.
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As I handed my
credit card to the clerk,
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I couldn't help but
see a worn looking page
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from a tabloid paper
with Selena's picture on it.
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And the inscription,
"Selena we remember."
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The words we remember leaped
off the picture into my spirit.
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So I walked out of the store
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and immediately started singing,
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Lord, we remember you,
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and the words just
started pouring out.
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By the time I had gotten home,
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I had written the entire
chorus of Lord we remember you.
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Lord, we remember you.
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We remember your
suffering and shame.
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Lord, we remember
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You, You're dying
will not be in vain.
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We drink of the cup
and partake of the bread,
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remembering your body
and the blood that You shed.
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You said do this
in remembrance of me,
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and Lord, we remember You.
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So after I had written
the verses to the song,
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I made a special trip
back to the gas station.
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And I asked if
there would be any way
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that I could have that picture
of Selena that was on the wall,
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because now it was
very special to me.
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Without hesitation,
the clerk said, "Sure,
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if you'll just
bring us something
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to put up in its place.
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We only put it over there to
cover up a hole in the wall."
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Wow.
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Remember, Lord we remember
you is a constant reminder
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to me that so many
songs are written by being
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at the right
place at the right time
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with the right frame of mind.
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Even though I was
at the right place,
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and the right time, I
could have been in a hurry,
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gave my credit card
hurriedly to the clerk
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and never really looked
at what God really wanted me
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to see that day, and
to get more than a tank
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of gas from
this filling station.
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The second point of
inspiration triangle
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is what I call
something old, something new.
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I'm referring to
great music from the past
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that begs to have
gospel lyrics put to it.
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At age 23, with a very limited
classical piano background,
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I auditioned to be accepted
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into San Jose State
University's School of Music.
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I'll never forget
it. I was so nervous.
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I was 23.
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During my audition,
that both of my legs
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were shaking
uncontrollably in my pants.
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Even so by God's help,
thank God, I was accepted.
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One of the pieces
in my piano repertoire
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was composed by
Beethoven in 1801.
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It's the middle movement
from his Path,tique Sonata,
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Number 8, Opus 13.
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I fell in love with
this beautiful melody
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while working on
this music degree.
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And then some 20 years later,
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God prompted me to
put the lyrics on paper
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that would fit this
classical masterpiece.
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Because I was
attempting to marry my lyrics
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with such great music
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from one of the
greatest composers of all times.
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I was very careful
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to write very lofty
noble religious phrases.
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Praise the Lord
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From whom all blessings flow
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For He has washed
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And made me white
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as snow
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I'm redeemed
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From all my sin and shame
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For now
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and forever
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Praise His holy name
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And the Lanny Wolfe
chorus, praise His holy name,
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praise His holy name,
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to God be the
glory now and forever,
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praise His holy name.
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In the last several years,
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I couldn't resist
putting gospel lyrics
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to one of the most
well-known melodies in the world
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from Beethoven's 9th
Symphony, Ode to Joy.
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I wrote two sets of lyrics
to fit over this famous melody,
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and added a Lanny Wolfe
chorus in a vamp section.
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Take a listen.
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Holy, Holy, God Almighty
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Spotless Lamb for
sinners slain Worthy,
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worthy, thou at worthy Lord
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we praise Your Holy name
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We adore You, bow before You
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Let all of heaven
and earth proclaim
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You alone
deserve the glory Lord,
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we praise Your Holy name
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I love that.
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A final example
of something old,
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something new is the Lanny
Wolfe song to Christ alone.
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A few years back,
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I heard an
orchestra play a composition
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I'd never heard before.
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I immediately fell
in love with the melody.
00:10:00.70\00:10:03.53
With some research, I
found out that this tune came
00:10:03.57\00:10:05.93
from an old 17th
century Scottish folk tune,
00:10:05.97\00:10:10.14
O Waly Waly.
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I couldn't get the
tune out of my head or heart
00:10:11.94\00:10:15.21
and God gave me gospel words.
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For all the world
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He was crucified
00:10:27.32\00:10:32.19
Yet for me alone
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Christ would have died
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No greater love
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Has ever been known
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I'll give my praise
00:10:52.25\00:10:57.19
To Christ alone
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What a great
medley, what a great melody
00:11:02.49\00:11:04.49
and I enjoyed so
much putting words to it.
00:11:04.53\00:11:08.20
The third point of
the inspiration triangle
00:11:08.23\00:11:10.10
is what I call,
no pain, no gain.
00:11:10.13\00:11:14.10
One of the most cherished
hymns of the church, it is well,
00:11:14.14\00:11:17.27
was written in 1873
from an inkwell of pain
00:11:17.31\00:11:20.88
at the moment Horatio
Spafford was overcome with grief
00:11:20.91\00:11:24.41
when his ship
from America to England
00:11:24.45\00:11:26.75
came to the same place
where his four daughters,
00:11:26.78\00:11:30.29
who were sailing on a
ship ahead of him drown.
00:11:30.32\00:11:33.36
Overcome with
unspeakable sorrow,
00:11:33.39\00:11:36.02
Horatio bent over the
ship's railing and wrote,
00:11:36.06\00:11:39.29
"When peace like a
river attendeth my way,
00:11:39.33\00:11:43.00
when sorrows
like sea billows roll,
00:11:43.03\00:11:45.93
whatever my lot, thou
hast taught me to say,
00:11:45.97\00:11:49.14
it is well, it is
well with my soul."
00:11:49.17\00:11:53.88
I would have to say that
many songs God has given me
00:11:53.91\00:11:57.25
have also been born out of pain,
00:11:57.28\00:11:59.81
sorrow or discouragement.
00:11:59.85\00:12:02.62
I was preaching a
sermon during a midweek service
00:12:02.65\00:12:05.55
at a Bible College
in St. Louis, Missouri.
00:12:05.59\00:12:08.69
It was mandatory
that the students attend
00:12:08.72\00:12:11.03
unless they had to work.
00:12:11.06\00:12:13.03
The chapel was right
above the dining hall,
00:12:13.06\00:12:15.53
and the normal
routine for Wednesday evening
00:12:15.56\00:12:17.63
was that the
students would go downstairs
00:12:17.67\00:12:20.30
to the dining hall after
the chapel service was over
00:12:20.34\00:12:24.04
for hamburgers and fries.
00:12:24.07\00:12:26.34
So at the end of my sermon,
00:12:26.37\00:12:29.08
I asked the
students to come to the altar
00:12:29.11\00:12:31.75
and pray and
recommit their lives.
00:12:31.78\00:12:34.68
So, they came, but they
did a patty cake token prayer,
00:12:34.72\00:12:40.26
and quickly made their
way to the dining hall.
00:12:40.29\00:12:44.26
I was so
discouraged, I was crushed,
00:12:44.29\00:12:47.30
because I had
preached my heart out,
00:12:47.33\00:12:49.56
and I felt the
students didn't get
00:12:49.60\00:12:51.53
what I wanted them
to get for my sermon.
00:12:51.57\00:12:54.47
So there in an empty chapel,
I found myself on the floor,
00:12:54.50\00:13:00.18
under the nine foot grand piano.
00:13:00.21\00:13:02.61
It was there that
I wrote the chorus,
00:13:02.64\00:13:05.85
To Whatever it Takes.
00:13:05.88\00:13:07.52
And whatever it takes
00:13:07.55\00:13:12.39
To draw closer to You, Lord
00:13:12.42\00:13:17.86
That's what I'll be willing
00:13:17.89\00:13:22.26
To do
00:13:22.30\00:13:26.60
And whatever it takes to be
00:13:26.63\00:13:32.94
More like You
00:13:32.97\00:13:36.78
That's what I'll be willing
00:13:36.81\00:13:41.18
To do
00:13:41.22\00:13:44.45
The right place
at the right time,
00:13:44.49\00:13:47.16
and with the
right frame of mind.
00:13:47.19\00:13:48.86
I now realize that
had the students stayed
00:13:48.89\00:13:51.86
at the altar
longer, making me feel
00:13:51.89\00:13:55.16
that they had gotten my sermon,
00:13:55.20\00:13:57.53
then the world would
never have gotten my song.
00:13:57.57\00:14:00.64
So in hard
times, or times of pain,
00:14:00.67\00:14:03.24
or sorrow, don't be
quick to blame the devil.
00:14:03.27\00:14:06.27
It just might be that God
is up to something in our lives
00:14:06.31\00:14:10.18
that can only be born
out of our grief or pain.
00:14:10.21\00:14:14.95
On one of our tours as our
team was setting up equipment
00:14:14.98\00:14:18.42
for an evening concert
in Chesapeake, Virginia.
00:14:18.45\00:14:21.02
I realized that I
wasn't feeling well.
00:14:21.06\00:14:23.49
I told the group
00:14:23.53\00:14:24.89
that we wouldn't plan on going
out to eat after the concert
00:14:24.93\00:14:27.26
because I sure
didn't feel up to it.
00:14:27.30\00:14:30.73
And I didn't
really feel like singing
00:14:30.77\00:14:32.57
that evening or ministering.
00:14:32.60\00:14:33.94
But as the trio started singing,
00:14:33.97\00:14:37.87
I got so engrossed in
ministering to the crowd
00:14:37.91\00:14:41.04
that I forgot about
my physical condition.
00:14:41.08\00:14:43.58
And then at the
end of the concert,
00:14:43.61\00:14:46.08
it dawned on me that
God had actually touched me
00:14:46.11\00:14:49.88
during the concert,
00:14:49.92\00:14:51.42
and I was
feeling great and hungry.
00:14:51.45\00:14:54.22
It was at that moment
that God gave me the chorus to
00:14:54.26\00:14:58.33
A Brand New Touch. Listen.
00:14:58.36\00:15:00.50
Lord, You know I
need a brand new touch
00:15:00.53\00:15:06.60
My strength from
yesterday is gone
00:15:06.63\00:15:13.48
But if you'll give
me Lord another touch
00:15:13.51\00:15:19.75
I'll have the
strength to carry on
00:15:19.78\00:15:25.82
In retrospect, I realize
that God didn't just give
00:15:25.85\00:15:29.49
this song to me, for me,
00:15:29.52\00:15:32.33
but also for the
countless number of folks
00:15:32.36\00:15:34.96
who have testified
as to how much this song
00:15:35.00\00:15:38.00
has meant to them,
00:15:38.03\00:15:39.40
and how it has helped them
make it through one more day.
00:15:39.43\00:15:43.30
For much of my life,
00:15:43.34\00:15:44.67
I've had to deal
with a physical condition
00:15:44.71\00:15:46.51
called cellulitis,
which would from time to time
00:15:46.54\00:15:50.48
attack my ankles.
00:15:50.51\00:15:52.58
So in case you didn't know,
00:15:52.61\00:15:54.58
cellulitis is an
infection of the deeper layers
00:15:54.62\00:15:57.39
of the skin.
00:15:57.42\00:15:58.75
And if it's not
treated promptly,
00:15:58.79\00:16:00.36
it can spread
through the body quickly,
00:16:00.39\00:16:02.59
and it can be life threatening.
00:16:02.62\00:16:04.26
So case in point on a
50 voice college crowd tour
00:16:04.29\00:16:07.96
some years back at a
church in Cincinnati, Ohio,
00:16:08.00\00:16:12.17
due to a flare up of
cellulitis in one of my ankles,
00:16:12.20\00:16:15.20
I was in extreme pain
through the entire service.
00:16:15.24\00:16:18.84
As soon as the concert ended,
00:16:18.87\00:16:20.71
the pastor rushed me to
the nearest emergency room,
00:16:20.74\00:16:23.65
where doctors
admitted me as a patient,
00:16:23.68\00:16:26.21
and I was wheeled
to a hospital room.
00:16:26.25\00:16:29.15
It was in that room
00:16:29.18\00:16:30.95
that a nurse was taking my blood
00:16:30.99\00:16:33.69
that I had what I
call a moment of truth,
00:16:33.72\00:16:36.83
as I realized
the vital importance
00:16:36.86\00:16:40.46
of this substance called blood.
00:16:40.50\00:16:43.26
Without blood carrying oxygen
to all the tissues of the body,
00:16:43.30\00:16:47.14
none of the other components
of the body can function.
00:16:47.17\00:16:51.57
I had a
spiritual moment realizing
00:16:51.61\00:16:53.61
that the blood of Jesus
Christ was not just like
00:16:53.64\00:16:57.95
the blood that the
nurse was drawing from my arm.
00:16:57.98\00:17:01.72
His blood, it
was precious blood.
00:17:01.75\00:17:04.65
It was blood
from a spotless Lamb
00:17:04.69\00:17:06.89
that purchased my redemption.
00:17:06.92\00:17:09.26
It was at this very
moment in that hospital room
00:17:09.29\00:17:12.73
that God gave me
this song, Precious Blood.
00:17:12.76\00:17:16.23
For His blood was not just blood
00:17:16.26\00:17:21.44
Of another spotless lamb
00:17:21.47\00:17:26.91
But His blood was precious blood
00:17:26.94\00:17:32.11
For it washed the sins of man
00:17:32.15\00:17:37.59
And His blood, it healed my body
00:17:37.62\00:17:43.02
And it set my spirit free
00:17:43.06\00:17:48.90
I'm so glad
00:17:48.93\00:17:51.53
His precious blood Still flows
00:17:51.57\00:17:55.87
From Calvary
00:17:55.90\00:18:01.24
And I realized that
00:18:01.28\00:18:03.28
if I had not had a
cellulitis attack in Cincinnati
00:18:03.31\00:18:07.02
that evening,
00:18:07.05\00:18:08.55
this song would
never have been born.
00:18:08.58\00:18:11.99
So, no pain, no gain.
00:18:12.02\00:18:15.86
It was another time and place,
00:18:15.89\00:18:17.46
this time at a hospital
in Jackson, Mississippi,
00:18:17.49\00:18:21.06
for the same thorn
in my flesh, cellulitis.
00:18:21.10\00:18:25.10
I was in the
hospital for a week stay.
00:18:25.13\00:18:28.07
And I was very honestly
feeling sorry for myself
00:18:28.10\00:18:31.37
until interns came in
for the other patients
00:18:31.41\00:18:34.81
sharing my room.
00:18:34.84\00:18:37.11
And as they were
wheeling him out,
00:18:37.15\00:18:39.25
I noticed that he had no feet.
00:18:39.28\00:18:44.15
Till then I'd
felt sorry for myself
00:18:44.19\00:18:47.26
and was counting on leaving
the hospital in a day or two
00:18:47.29\00:18:51.49
walking out on two good feet.
00:18:51.53\00:18:53.53
It was at that moment
that I wrote this song.
00:18:53.56\00:18:57.57
In everything
00:18:57.60\00:19:03.64
Give Him thanks
00:19:03.67\00:19:07.11
Give Him thanks
00:19:07.14\00:19:11.48
In everything
00:19:11.51\00:19:17.42
Give Him thanks
00:19:17.45\00:19:24.33
In the good times
00:19:24.36\00:19:27.70
Praise His name
00:19:27.73\00:19:31.23
In the bad times do the same
00:19:31.27\00:19:38.04
In everything
00:19:38.07\00:19:41.61
Give the King of kings
00:19:41.64\00:19:45.15
All the thanks
00:19:45.18\00:19:51.75
The gain of this song
00:19:51.79\00:19:53.12
would never have been
written without the pain
00:19:53.15\00:19:56.62
of a week's hospital stay.
00:19:56.66\00:19:58.93
Although we normally
associate the word pain
00:19:58.96\00:20:01.26
with physical discomfort,
it can also be emotional,
00:20:01.30\00:20:05.03
take various forms, including
depression and rejection.
00:20:05.07\00:20:09.00
For example, I went
to my publishing company
00:20:09.04\00:20:12.34
with enough songs for
two second coming musicals.
00:20:12.37\00:20:15.94
They quickly
dismissed my proposal,
00:20:15.98\00:20:18.45
saying churches wouldn't buy
00:20:18.48\00:20:19.85
a second coming musical project.
00:20:19.88\00:20:22.08
But most churches
do Christmas musicals,
00:20:22.12\00:20:24.69
so let's do that.
00:20:24.72\00:20:26.52
At that point, the
president of the company said,
00:20:26.55\00:20:29.02
"Lanny, why don't you
write a song about Isaiah 9:6?"
00:20:29.06\00:20:34.86
Even though I went away
from that meeting feeling
00:20:34.90\00:20:37.00
very discouraged that my idea
had been so quickly shot down,
00:20:37.03\00:20:41.60
I went home, wrote a
song based on Isaiah 9:6.
00:20:41.64\00:20:46.27
So my trio
started singing the song
00:20:46.31\00:20:48.14
and we actually
were very pleased
00:20:48.18\00:20:50.15
with how congregations
were responding to it.
00:20:50.18\00:20:52.81
So I brought it back to a
subsequent committee meeting.
00:20:52.85\00:20:57.42
The CEO who had assigned
this song wasn't impressed.
00:20:57.45\00:21:02.19
His response was,
00:21:02.22\00:21:03.86
"Lanny, I don't think we
should put it in the musical
00:21:03.89\00:21:07.06
and furthermore, Lanny,
you can write a better song."
00:21:07.10\00:21:11.73
Talk about being shot down.
00:21:11.77\00:21:13.67
I felt very defeated.
00:21:13.70\00:21:15.77
Nonetheless, I begged,
00:21:15.80\00:21:17.44
bartered, pleaded
until he finally gave in.
00:21:17.47\00:21:21.28
Orchestrator Don Mars
did a first arrangement
00:21:21.31\00:21:24.18
that the CEO didn't like either.
00:21:24.21\00:21:26.58
He told Don to tear
it up and start over.
00:21:26.61\00:21:29.05
At that point, I suggested
we do a choral arrangement
00:21:29.08\00:21:31.89
that would feature a duet.
00:21:31.92\00:21:33.56
So Don did.
00:21:33.59\00:21:34.92
His next arrangement
finally got the CEO's approval.
00:21:34.96\00:21:38.49
When the song was mixed down,
00:21:38.53\00:21:39.96
the Benson Company was
blown away by what they felt
00:21:40.00\00:21:44.27
and immediately
sent out fortifies,
00:21:44.30\00:21:46.43
remember those,
to radio stations,
00:21:46.47\00:21:49.20
the rest is history.
00:21:49.24\00:21:50.61
In February of '84,
Sandi Patti and Larnelle Harris
00:21:50.64\00:21:54.94
got Grammys for
their performance
00:21:54.98\00:21:56.64
of More than Wonderful.
00:21:56.68\00:21:58.88
In April of '84, the song
got Gospel Music Association
00:21:58.91\00:22:03.28
song of the year and I
received a double award
00:22:03.32\00:22:06.05
for Songwriter of the Year.
00:22:06.09\00:22:08.82
For He's more
00:22:08.86\00:22:13.53
Wonderful Than my mind
00:22:13.56\00:22:17.90
Can conceive He's more wonderful
00:22:17.93\00:22:22.70
Than my heart can believe
00:22:22.74\00:22:25.71
He goes beyond
00:22:25.74\00:22:28.51
My highest hopes
00:22:28.54\00:22:30.98
And fondest
00:22:31.01\00:22:33.01
dreams
00:22:33.05\00:22:38.09
He's everything He's everything
00:22:38.12\00:22:41.66
That my soul Ever
longed for Everything
00:22:41.69\00:22:46.96
He's promised And so much more
00:22:47.00\00:22:50.73
More than amazing
00:22:50.77\00:22:54.77
More than marvelous
00:22:54.80\00:22:57.87
More than miraculous
00:22:57.91\00:23:01.01
Could ever be
00:23:01.04\00:23:03.45
He's more than wonderful
00:23:03.48\00:23:07.35
That's what Jesus
00:23:07.38\00:23:09.78
Is to me
00:23:09.82\00:23:14.09
Lessons to be learned,
00:23:17.36\00:23:19.16
not just in your songwriting,
00:23:19.19\00:23:21.36
but every aspect of your life.
00:23:21.40\00:23:23.23
Don't get discouraged
when things don't go your way.
00:23:23.26\00:23:26.53
God may have a better way.
00:23:26.57\00:23:29.34
If I would have gotten my way,
00:23:29.37\00:23:31.74
and we would have done
a second coming musical,
00:23:31.77\00:23:34.04
the song, More than Wonderful
would never have been assigned
00:23:34.08\00:23:37.51
and consequently, never written.
00:23:37.55\00:23:39.91
So thanks, Bob McKenzie,
00:23:39.95\00:23:41.48
for turning down my
second coming musical proposal.
00:23:41.52\00:23:44.65
Secondly, believe in what
you do what God gives to you.
00:23:44.69\00:23:49.96
If I hadn't believed in the song
00:23:49.99\00:23:51.56
that got passed through my pain,
00:23:51.59\00:23:53.50
it could have been
aborted by the same person
00:23:53.53\00:23:56.40
who had assigned it.
00:23:56.43\00:23:57.83
Even though I wrote
what became Song of the Year,
00:23:57.87\00:24:01.34
had it never
been given the chance
00:24:01.37\00:24:03.10
to be included in my
second Christmas musical,
00:24:03.14\00:24:06.44
it would never have
been heard on radio stations.
00:24:06.47\00:24:09.11
It would never have
had a Sandi Larnelle duet
00:24:09.14\00:24:11.71
that propelled it to number
one on the gospel radio charts,
00:24:11.75\00:24:15.65
and it would never have
had the worldwide exposure
00:24:15.68\00:24:18.39
that it received.
00:24:18.42\00:24:19.75
Oh, and by the way,
00:24:19.79\00:24:22.12
I've written six more
Christmas musicals past the one
00:24:22.16\00:24:25.49
that more than wonderful was in
00:24:25.53\00:24:27.33
and every single one of them
ends with a second coming song.
00:24:27.36\00:24:33.03
That's God's plan.
00:24:33.07\00:24:34.40
To summarize, I
would like to remind you
00:24:34.44\00:24:37.44
that inspiration for
song ideas are everywhere.
00:24:37.47\00:24:40.78
You just never know
00:24:40.81\00:24:42.14
when something
will cross your path
00:24:42.18\00:24:44.25
that could prompt
a lightbulb moment.
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.38
Always make sure
you're in God's right place
00:24:46.41\00:24:49.35
at the right time.
00:24:49.38\00:24:50.72
And always, most importantly,
with the right frame of mind.
00:24:50.75\00:24:55.06
Your assignment
is to write a song
00:24:55.09\00:24:57.53
incorporating something
old with something new,
00:24:57.56\00:25:02.76
or a song born out of
some pain in your journey
00:25:02.80\00:25:06.90
that you feel
could be an inspiration
00:25:06.94\00:25:09.54
for others in their journeys.
00:25:09.57\00:25:11.67
So get your
pencil and paper out,
00:25:11.71\00:25:13.84
get ready to start writing.
00:25:13.88\00:25:16.95
In response to Bob
Mackenzie's remark,
00:25:16.98\00:25:19.28
"Lanny, you can
write a better song,"
00:25:19.31\00:25:22.32
that I certainly
didn't want to hear
00:25:22.35\00:25:23.89
when he gave it to me.
00:25:23.92\00:25:25.55
Actually, 30 some years later,
00:25:25.59\00:25:28.62
Bob, I actually have
written a better song.
00:25:28.66\00:25:32.16
It may not
become Song of the Year
00:25:32.19\00:25:34.20
like More than Wonderful did,
00:25:34.23\00:25:36.13
but from a
songwriter's standpoint,
00:25:36.16\00:25:38.53
I can honestly
say that the new song
00:25:38.57\00:25:41.94
that God inspired me to
write a couple years back,
00:25:41.97\00:25:46.24
Glorious Church is
really a better song.
00:25:46.27\00:25:50.75
Now, you may have not heard it,
00:25:50.78\00:25:52.71
but you can check
it out for yourself
00:25:52.75\00:25:54.88
on the new 3ABN
project, Give Him Glory.
00:25:54.92\00:25:59.25
So remember,
00:25:59.29\00:26:00.62
it's never too late for
God to give you something new,
00:26:00.66\00:26:03.96
and sometimes even better
than what you already had.
00:26:03.99\00:26:08.76
So now it's your turn,
00:26:08.80\00:26:10.13
got the paper
ready, got the pen in hand,
00:26:10.17\00:26:12.63
get ready to
share with the world
00:26:12.67\00:26:14.70
some experience that
may have been born out
00:26:14.74\00:26:16.60
of pain in your life
that could be a blessing,
00:26:16.64\00:26:19.57
and shared with so many
other folks around the world.
00:26:19.61\00:26:23.04
Get ready, go.
00:26:23.08\00:26:24.41
Wow, Lanny, thank you so
much for all of that wisdom.
00:26:31.62\00:26:34.86
I've been sitting here as
I did before taking notes,
00:26:34.89\00:26:37.29
writing down all of
these amazing things
00:26:37.33\00:26:39.19
that you've
been sharing with us,
00:26:39.23\00:26:40.70
you know, being
in the right place
00:26:40.73\00:26:42.30
at the right time,
in the right frame...
00:26:42.33\00:26:44.90
Right frame of
mind. Right frame of mind.
00:26:44.93\00:26:46.47
And I have to say
I struggle with that.
00:26:46.50\00:26:48.10
Because while I have
good ideas from time to time,
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.71
I'm not as perceptive as maybe
you are, some other people are.
00:26:50.74\00:26:54.41
And so I think
it's something old,
00:26:54.44\00:26:56.01
something new, going back
00:26:56.04\00:26:57.71
and taking some of those
old, inspirational tunes...
00:26:57.75\00:26:59.68
Great music.
It's powerful stuff.
00:26:59.71\00:27:01.82
And, of course,
no pain, no gain,
00:27:01.85\00:27:03.45
who would have
thought that using the things
00:27:03.49\00:27:06.05
you're going through, the
problems and the struggles,
00:27:06.09\00:27:08.62
and the times of discouragement
and sorrow in your life
00:27:08.66\00:27:11.13
that God would birth or
out of that would be born
00:27:11.16\00:27:14.23
one of the
greatest songs ever written.
00:27:14.26\00:27:16.46
I just, I love
your music, Brother.
00:27:16.50\00:27:17.83
I love the way your mind works.
00:27:17.87\00:27:20.04
You know, this is very similar
00:27:20.07\00:27:21.40
to the last program in the sense
00:27:21.44\00:27:23.04
that we're learning
how we can glean ideas,
00:27:23.07\00:27:26.21
and how we too, you at home,
00:27:26.24\00:27:28.54
me sitting here
again, I'm not a songwriter,
00:27:28.58\00:27:30.45
I'm a singer, but I
feel like I'm empowered now
00:27:30.48\00:27:32.95
with the tools to be
able to write a song.
00:27:32.98\00:27:34.55
And so I certainly appreciate
all that you have given us
00:27:34.58\00:27:36.92
during these last
few minutes together.
00:27:36.95\00:27:38.89
Thank you so much, Ryan. Amen.
00:27:38.92\00:27:40.39
And the challenge
for everybody out there
00:27:40.42\00:27:41.82
is like making sure
that wherever the right place
00:27:41.86\00:27:44.93
is and the right time
00:27:44.96\00:27:46.29
is that they are in
a right frame of mind
00:27:46.33\00:27:48.83
because God may want
to give them something.
00:27:48.86\00:27:50.97
That's right. Praise God.
00:27:51.00\00:27:52.47
Again, we thank you at home
00:27:52.50\00:27:54.10
for taking the
time out of your day
00:27:54.14\00:27:55.50
to be with us today.
00:27:55.54\00:27:56.87
Until next time,
00:27:56.91\00:27:58.24
we hope to see
you again right here
00:27:58.27\00:27:59.61
on You Can Write A Song.
00:27:59.64\00:28:00.98