Victor Barden: Music

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)
• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)

The words of three ministers inspired this song. Pastor Kevin Cross, who was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Claremont when I started attending there in 1989, used to refer to a certain kind of churchgoer as a “pew potato.” This term defines a person who occupies a pew on Sunday morning but does little else in the church. Later I heard a minister by the name of Joe McCord quote a minister whom he did not name (so I can’t either), who said that many people who are singing “Standing on the Promises” can often be found sitting on the premises. I could feel a song begging to be written, so I did so, completing the song in 1998. It is the way a pew potato would sing this hymn if he is being honest.
I didn’t want to deal with a copyright hassle, so I didn’t record it for the first CD; I have since learned that the hymn from which this song came is public domain (written in 1886 by someone who died in 1928), so not only is it on this CD, its alternate title is the title of the CD.

Sitting on the premises of Christ the King,
I’m just here so I can hear the choir sing.
Trying not to get roped into anything,
Sitting on the premises of God.

CHO: Sitting, sitting, sitting on the premises of God the Savior,
Sitting, sitting, I’m sitting on the premises of God.

Sitting on the premises is what I do,
Hope to God they don’t make me do something new.
Yes, in fact, my name is written on this pew.
Sitting on the premises of God.

CHORUS

Sitting on the premises, but I must run
If by noon the pastor’s sermon isn’t done
‘Cause the football game is coming on at one,
Sitting on the premises of God.

CHORUS x 2