Messiah
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Version 1 is a live performance with a full band
Note that the Phydeaux LP of Stop This Flight has a longer fadeout than the other versions, and includes two or three seconds of the introduction to the next song Note that on The Best Of Larry Norman, the introduction is faded in and slightly shorter than on Stop This Flight |
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Version 2 is the same recording as version 1, but is about a minute shorter due to most of the introduction being edited out. The crowd noise at the end fades out earlier too
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Version 3 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 4 is a live recording, performed solo with acoustic guitar during a concert in Northern Ireland, where it was part of a sort of end times medley
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Version 5 is the same recording as version 1 but with a short section near the end removed, making the song several seconds shorter. Also, some crowd noise is removed from both the start and end
Note that are very slight differences in the fade in and fade outs across these albums, but those only affect crowd noise |
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Version 6 is the same recording as version 3, but with a lot of crowd noise and introductory chords removed from the start. Some of the introductory chords however are retained on the end of the preceding track
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Version 7 is a live recording, performed solo with acoustic guitar during a concert in Utah, in the 1980s
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Version 8 is a live recording, performed with a full band during a concert at Biola University in California, on September 21st, 1986
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Version 9 is a live recording, performed solo with acoustic guitar during the UK Tourniquet tour in 2001
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lyrics versions 1, 2 and 5
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took the world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the saviour calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force x2
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the angels calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Descended upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And in that moment
The chosen of Israel cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came
Messiah Messiah
(Messiah Messiah Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force x2
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) Took this world by force
Messiah took the world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the saviour calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force x2
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the angels calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Descended upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And in that moment
The chosen of Israel cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came
Messiah Messiah
(Messiah Messiah Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force x2
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) Took this world by force
lyrics versions 3 and 6
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force
Messiah Messiah Messiah
He took this world by force
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
An' I could hear the saviour calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force [x2]
Wo-oh-I see a light from the north
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Marched upon the armies of Israel
I see a light from the north
And on that day the chosen cried out for Messiah
And messiah came
Messiah Messiah Messiah
(Messiah Messiah) Messiah (Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah Messiah Messiah took this world by force) Messiah Messiah he took this world by force
Messiah Messiah (Messiah) then he took this world by force
(Messiah) Messiah (Messiah) Messiah (Messiah took this world by force)
Messiah (Messiah Messiah took this world by force) Messiah
(Messiah Messiah Messiah took this world by force) ???? Messiah
Good night, God bless you [Spoken]
Messiah took this world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force
Messiah Messiah Messiah
He took this world by force
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
An' I could hear the saviour calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force [x2]
Wo-oh-I see a light from the north
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Marched upon the armies of Israel
I see a light from the north
And on that day the chosen cried out for Messiah
And messiah came
Messiah Messiah Messiah
(Messiah Messiah) Messiah (Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah Messiah Messiah took this world by force) Messiah Messiah he took this world by force
Messiah Messiah (Messiah) then he took this world by force
(Messiah) Messiah (Messiah) Messiah (Messiah took this world by force)
Messiah (Messiah Messiah took this world by force) Messiah
(Messiah Messiah Messiah took this world by force) ???? Messiah
Good night, God bless you [Spoken]
lyrics version 4
Under his love I'm convicted but forgiven
Under his love I've somehow passed the test
Although my life gets busy then I start missing him
Somehow I, under his love I've passed the test
Under his love, under his love I've passed the test
Without him I'm a tree without roots
I'm the lonely star of David in Beirut
I can't make it through without him
And I just don't know what to do
Without him I'll never know what's true
I'd be all alone and lost without you
Under your love I'm convicted but forgiven
He's an unidentified flying object
Coming back to take us home
Under your love I'm convicted but forgiven
In the midst of the war
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
Under his love I'm convicted but forgiven
Under his love I've somehow passed the test
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could see people dying
I could hear children crying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah, Messiah, Messiah took this world by force
He took this world by force
Man and wife asleep in bed
An' 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
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
Then I could hear the saviour calling
And Messiah, Messiah, Messiah, he took this world by force
Messiah, Messiah, Messiah, he took this world by force
Messiah, Messiah, he took this world by force
He will take this world by force
He will take this world by force
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones who die
I hope you'll all be ready
People, gold, oil, guns, bombs, AIDS, Iraq, Iran, Armageddon
I hope we'll all be ready
'Cause there won't be time to change our minds
And no excuse for being blind
The clouds will open up and Jesus will come down
Those who believe in him will go home to be with him
And those who don't believe will be left behind
Don't get left behind
Messiah, Messiah, don't get left behind
Messiah, Messiah, but don't get left behind
He's an unidentified fly, coming back to take us
Don't get left behind
Open up your mind and don't get left behind
He will take this world by
Tell me over and over and over and over again my friend
That you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
Under his love I've somehow passed the test
Although my life gets busy then I start missing him
Somehow I, under his love I've passed the test
Under his love, under his love I've passed the test
Without him I'm a tree without roots
I'm the lonely star of David in Beirut
I can't make it through without him
And I just don't know what to do
Without him I'll never know what's true
I'd be all alone and lost without you
Under your love I'm convicted but forgiven
He's an unidentified flying object
Coming back to take us home
Under your love I'm convicted but forgiven
In the midst of the war
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
Under his love I'm convicted but forgiven
Under his love I've somehow passed the test
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could see people dying
I could hear children crying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah, Messiah, Messiah took this world by force
He took this world by force
Man and wife asleep in bed
An' 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
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
Then I could hear the saviour calling
And Messiah, Messiah, Messiah, he took this world by force
Messiah, Messiah, Messiah, he took this world by force
Messiah, Messiah, he took this world by force
He will take this world by force
He will take this world by force
Life is filled with bombs and guns
Heaven help the little ones who die
I hope you'll all be ready
People, gold, oil, guns, bombs, AIDS, Iraq, Iran, Armageddon
I hope we'll all be ready
'Cause there won't be time to change our minds
And no excuse for being blind
The clouds will open up and Jesus will come down
Those who believe in him will go home to be with him
And those who don't believe will be left behind
Don't get left behind
Messiah, Messiah, don't get left behind
Messiah, Messiah, but don't get left behind
He's an unidentified fly, coming back to take us
Don't get left behind
Open up your mind and don't get left behind
He will take this world by
Tell me over and over and over and over again my friend
That you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction
lyrics version 7
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the saviour calling
Messiah Messiah Messiah
He took this world by force [x2]
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah Messiah Messiah
Took this world by force [x2]
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Descended upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And in that moment on that day
The chosen of Israel cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came
Messiah Messiah
Messiah Messiah Messiah
He took this world by force [x2]
He took this world by force [x2]
Messiah took this world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see the cities falling
I could hear the saviour calling
Messiah Messiah Messiah
He took this world by force [x2]
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah Messiah Messiah
Took this world by force [x2]
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Descended upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And in that moment on that day
The chosen of Israel cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came
Messiah Messiah
Messiah Messiah Messiah
He took this world by force [x2]
He took this world by force [x2]
lyrics version 8
Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, um the peace talks, the summit, the accord, the lies, the politics, the desolation, the deceased, the end. But not the way men have conceived it. The way God has written it down. So that he who has eyes and he who has ears are not surprised by what's coming. If you're not a christian you should become one. There's no point in living without God, now or in eternity. You know what's right and you know what's wrong and you know that you can't be good enough to be the way you know you should be. You know who Jesus is, you've grown up in America, you have friends who are christians. This is Biola. This is California. An' this is Jesus [Spoken]
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could see people dying
I could see cities falling
I could hear babies crying
I could hear the angels calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force [x2]
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the saviour calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force [x2]
The bible says that the bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Marched upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And on that day
The chosen cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came
Messiah Messiah Messiah
(Messiah)
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) Ah
(Messiah)
(Messiah)
(Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah)
Good night, God bless you [Spoken]
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could see people dying
I could see cities falling
I could hear babies crying
I could hear the angels calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force [x2]
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the saviour calling
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) He took this world by force [x2]
The bible says that the bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Marched upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And on that day
The chosen cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came
Messiah Messiah Messiah
(Messiah)
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) He took this world by force
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah) Messiah
(Messiah took this world by force) Ah
(Messiah)
(Messiah)
(Messiah took this world by force)
(Messiah)
Good night, God bless you [Spoken]
lyrics version 9
Messiah came [Half sung]
Okay. This is gonna be your part for this song. Eh, it's called Messiah and your part goes like this [Spoken]
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Ah force or force or wh', you know [coughs]. Okay, shall we try that? One two three four [Spoken]
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see cities falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Okay next time I want you to add harmonies of your own devising [Spoken]
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the saviour calling
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force
Messiah, (messiah, messiah), he took this world by force
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Marched upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And on that day
The remnant cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came [Spoken]
Messiah, Messiah, Messiah
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Messiah, messiah, messiah, messiah (messiah), he took this world by (force)
Messiah, (messiah), messiah, (messiah), he took this world (by force)
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Okay. This is gonna be your part for this song. Eh, it's called Messiah and your part goes like this [Spoken]
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Ah force or force or wh', you know [coughs]. Okay, shall we try that? One two three four [Spoken]
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Messiah took this world by force
Messiah took this world by force
I could hear children crying
I could see people dying
I could see cities falling
I could hear the angels calling
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Okay next time I want you to add harmonies of your own devising [Spoken]
Red clouds blotted out the sun
Darkness fell on everyone
Rivers of blood were running
I could see the armies coming
I could see their weapons falling
I could hear the saviour calling
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force
Messiah, (messiah, messiah), he took this world by force
The bear from the north
And the dragon from the east
Marched upon the armies of Israel
And slaughtered them
And on that day
The remnant cried out for Messiah
And Messiah came [Spoken]
Messiah, Messiah, Messiah
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]
Messiah, messiah, messiah, messiah (messiah), he took this world by (force)
Messiah, (messiah), messiah, (messiah), he took this world (by force)
Messiah, messiah, messiah took this world by force [x2]