I Wish We'd All Been Ready
ALSO RELEASED ON: In The Beginning, The Belfast Bootlegs, Agitator, Survivor, Solid Rock Sampler, Live At Cornerstone 2001, Restless In Manhattan, The Very Best Of Larry Norman, Road Rage, The Final Concert, Heartland Junction, 70 Miles From Lebanon, Live At The Elsinore, The Norman Conquest, Monsters, Monsters (SRA Edition), Wounded Lion, Pot O' Gold, The Trilogy Concert
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Version 1: Capitol / Beechwood mix
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Version 2 is a minor remix of version 1. It is mixed differently and possibly also re-sung, at least in part. Version 2 fades out differently too, leading to a small lyrical difference - the Larry Norman mix
Note: the South African Impact LP, Kingsway Right Price cassette and Kingsway CD reverse the stereo image |
Upon This Rock (All non Capitol LP and cassette releases)
Upon This Rock (Kingsway CD, 1989) Upon This Rock (Radio Promo CD, 1998) Upon This Rock (Illegal Noise Series CD, 2001) Upon This Rock (Collector's Edition, 2CD, 2002) Upon This Rock (SRSD-969 CD, 2003) Upon This Rock (SRDX-001 CD, 2008) |
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Version 3 is a live recording, performed solo with acoustic guitar
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Version 4 is a full studio recording
Note that on the DTS LP and Focus cassette releases of Planet, the stereo image is reversed. The Focus LP and cassette, and the Rhema LPs botch the fade out - the song ends abruptly rather than fading to silence |
Only Visiting This Planet [All vinyl and cassette versions]
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Version 5 is the same recording as version 4, but fades out a few seconds earlier
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7" Single, MGM PS 256
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Version 6 is a live band recording
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Version 7 is a live band recording
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Version 8 is the same recording as was used for version 4, but with a later fade out
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White Blossoms From Black Roots [CD and pre-release cassette versions]
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Version 9 is the same recording as was used for version 8, but fades out two or three seconds earlier
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White Blossoms From Black Roots [Cassette version]
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Version 10 is a live band recording, from the Flevo Totaal Festival in Holland in 1989. Larry is backed by the Finnish band Q-Stone and his brother Charles, together with several backing singers
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Version 11 is the same recording as version 4, but ending slightly earlier. Note also that the track split is botched such that the last second or so of this track is on the start of the next song
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Only Visiting This Planet [1993 CD version]
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Version 12 is a full studio recording. It is a remix by another artist
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Version 13 is a live studio recording, performed with the band Beam during rehearsals for the 1998 Flevo Festival in Holland
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Version 14 is a live recording, performed solo with acoustic guitar
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lyrics version 1
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head
He's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la-la la la la la la la la la la
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x5]
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head
He's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la-la la la la la la la la la la
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x5]
lyrics version 2
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head
He's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x4]
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head
He's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x4]
lyrics version 3
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come
And you’ve been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone
I wish we’d all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one’s left standing still
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come
And you’ve been left behind
La la la la la la la
La-la la la la la la
Ah da na-ah-ah
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come
An' you’ve been left behind
You’ve been left behind [x4]
Ah. Hallelujah [Spoken, by compere]
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come
And you’ve been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone
I wish we’d all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one’s left standing still
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come
And you’ve been left behind
La la la la la la la
La-la la la la la la
Ah da na-ah-ah
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come
An' you’ve been left behind
You’ve been left behind [x4]
Ah. Hallelujah [Spoken, by compere]
lyrics versions 4, 5, 8, 9 and 11
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
La la
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x3]
(Ah ah ah) [Repeated and harmonised to end]
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
La la
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x3]
(Ah ah ah) [Repeated and harmonised to end]
lyrics version 6
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled, crushed on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x2]
Don't be left behind
Don't be left
You've been left
Why
Why
Why
Why
Don't be left behind
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled, crushed on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x2]
Don't be left behind
Don't be left
You've been left
Why
Why
Why
Why
Don't be left behind
lyrics version 7
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
And two friends walking up a hill
One disappeared and one's left standing still
I hope we'll all be ready
There'll be no time to change your mind
When the son returns, don't be left behind
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones
I hope you'll all be ready
Children die, the days grow cold
A piece of
Gold, that's all people, oil, gold
There'll be no time to change your mind
There'll be no excuse for being blind
And the father will speak
The angels will come from high
The chariot will come down
Don't be left behind [x4]
No
Don't be left behind
Don't be left, don't be left
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
And two friends walking up a hill
One disappeared and one's left standing still
I hope we'll all be ready
There'll be no time to change your mind
When the son returns, don't be left behind
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones
I hope you'll all be ready
Children die, the days grow cold
A piece of
Gold, that's all people, oil, gold
There'll be no time to change your mind
There'll be no excuse for being blind
And the father will speak
The angels will come from high
The chariot will come down
Don't be left behind [x4]
No
Don't be left behind
Don't be left, don't be left
lyrics version 10
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
(I wish we'd all been ready)
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
(I wish we'd all been ready)
There's no time to change your mind (Ooh ooh)
The son has come and you've been left behind (Ooh ooh ooh)
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind (Ooh ooh)
The son has come and you've been left behind (Ooh ooh ooh)
You've been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
(I wish we'd all been ready) Wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
(I wish we'd all been ready)
There's no time to change your mind (Ooh)
The father spoke, the demons dined (Ooh ooh)
Our father spoke, the demons dined (Ooh)
The son has come, don't be left behind (Ooh ooh ooh)
Don't be left behind
Don't be left behind, yeah-eh yeah-eh yeah yeah yeah
Don't be left, don't be left behind
Left behind
Don't be left, don't be left behind
Everyone got trampled on the floor
(I wish we'd all been ready)
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
(I wish we'd all been ready)
There's no time to change your mind (Ooh ooh)
The son has come and you've been left behind (Ooh ooh ooh)
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind (Ooh ooh)
The son has come and you've been left behind (Ooh ooh ooh)
You've been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
(I wish we'd all been ready) Wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
(I wish we'd all been ready)
There's no time to change your mind (Ooh)
The father spoke, the demons dined (Ooh ooh)
Our father spoke, the demons dined (Ooh)
The son has come, don't be left behind (Ooh ooh ooh)
Don't be left behind
Don't be left behind, yeah-eh yeah-eh yeah yeah yeah
Don't be left, don't be left behind
Left behind
Don't be left, don't be left behind
lyrics version 12
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x4]
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind [x4]
lyrics version 13
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you been left behind
Oh a man and wife asleep in bed
She’s hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone
I wish we’d all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears, one’s left standing still
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
A-how could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones who die
I hope they’ll all be ready
People, gold, oil, guns, wars, AIDS
I hope you’ll all be ready
‘Cos there won’t be time to change your mind
And no excuse for being blind
The son will come
The clouds will open up and the son will come down
And those who were ready
They will go home
And those who aren’t ready
They’ll be left behind
They’ll be left behind
Don’t get left behind
Don’t get left behind
Wo-oh oh oh
Don’t get left, don’t get left, don’t get left be-behind
Wa-oh
Wo-ah-oh
And on that day he who once walked among us will walk again in our midst, but this time as king
Every head, every knee, every eye, every mouth, every ear, everyone [Spoken]
Don’t get left
Don’t get left
Wah-ah-ah-ah ah ah oh oh oh oh wo-oh-oh wo-oh-oh wo-ah
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you been left behind
Oh a man and wife asleep in bed
She’s hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone
I wish we’d all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears, one’s left standing still
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
A-how could you have been so blind
The father spoke, the demons dined
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones who die
I hope they’ll all be ready
People, gold, oil, guns, wars, AIDS
I hope you’ll all be ready
‘Cos there won’t be time to change your mind
And no excuse for being blind
The son will come
The clouds will open up and the son will come down
And those who were ready
They will go home
And those who aren’t ready
They’ll be left behind
They’ll be left behind
Don’t get left behind
Don’t get left behind
Wo-oh oh oh
Don’t get left, don’t get left, don’t get left be-behind
Wa-oh
Wo-ah-oh
And on that day he who once walked among us will walk again in our midst, but this time as king
Every head, every knee, every eye, every mouth, every ear, everyone [Spoken]
Don’t get left
Don’t get left
Wah-ah-ah-ah ah ah oh oh oh oh wo-oh-oh wo-oh-oh wo-ah
lyrics version 14
Life was filled with guns and war
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come, 'n' you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears, one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
La la
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones who die
I hope they'll all be ready
People, gold, oil, guns, wars, AIDS
I hope you'll all be ready
'Cause there won't be time to change your mind
And no excuse for being blind
The clouds will open up, Jesus will come down
Those who believe in him will go home
And those who don't believe will be left behind
Don't get left behind [x3]
Everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come, 'n' you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears, one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
La la
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones who die
I hope they'll all be ready
People, gold, oil, guns, wars, AIDS
I hope you'll all be ready
'Cause there won't be time to change your mind
And no excuse for being blind
The clouds will open up, Jesus will come down
Those who believe in him will go home
And those who don't believe will be left behind
Don't get left behind [x3]
This song seemed to flow out of me. I used very little effort in bringing the words and music together. Even lyrics like "a piece of bread could buy a bag of gold" seemed to come out of nowhere. I found it very hard to sing without crying. I felt like I was pointing my finger at the audience and shouting out condemnation. As gentle as the melody seemed, the lyrics had a severe authority to them. I finally stopped singing the song altogether, because performing it bothered me so. But other people began singing it and I could see that it was a song of kindness, softly warning people that they would be called into accountability someday, perhaps at the end of the world as we know it. This song seemed to have a strange effect on people. It disturbed them deeply, but in an evocative way. Also, people felt that the song was very old and had been around for many years - like a folk song from another country.
People didn't believe I had written it because it wasn't rock music. They seemed to think of it as though it had always been hovering around in the mists of time and that, simply, they had only recently become aware of it. The song travelled all over the world and was translated into many different languages, not at the behest of the publishing company but spontaneously by Christians in different cultures. Even today it seems to have a bit of a strange effect on the young people who feel they've discovered it for themselves through groups like DC Talk and local church bands.
People didn't believe I had written it because it wasn't rock music. They seemed to think of it as though it had always been hovering around in the mists of time and that, simply, they had only recently become aware of it. The song travelled all over the world and was translated into many different languages, not at the behest of the publishing company but spontaneously by Christians in different cultures. Even today it seems to have a bit of a strange effect on the young people who feel they've discovered it for themselves through groups like DC Talk and local church bands.
Larry grew up reading in the bible about the return of Christ but never heard any preaching on it. He decided to write a song about it and talk about it in concerts, not realising that the second coming would be a centrepiece topic in the coming years within the Jesus Movement. This song has been translated into more than a dozen different languages and probably recorded in more contrasting cultures and countries than any of his other compositions.