Victor Barden: Music

• MP3 short clip, hi-fi play (broadband)
• MP3 short clip, lo-fi play (modem)

I’m letting my rock side out a little bit with this song. It started with the signature guitar lick and pretty much came together over a weekend. The lyrics essentially tell it like it is about where most Christians are in our walk with God. I performed it live in church for the first time shortly after writing it, and several of the men who don’t usually comment on my songs praised it.
There are many Christian songs in many styles dating back many years in which we ask God to have mercy on us and not to give up on us, but I felt that in this song God needed to get a word in edgewise. He will never give up on us; it is up to us not to give up on Him.
Chad Perron, a Christian singer-songwriter in his own right, and his wife, Vanessa, sang the backup vocals on this track with me. Chad sang the bottom note; Vanessa sang the top note, and I took the middle part and stood between them. When they were singing, “Don’t give up,” over and over at the end, they were ministering to ME and encouraging me not to give up on the Lord.

Lord, I know I’m called to holiness,
But there are some things I must confess.
There are too many times I haven’t been true
To the holy calling I have from You.

CHO: I really want to live for You,
Although it may not look as though I want to.
Lord, I really want to be all You would have me to be;
Don’t give up on me.
Don’t give up on me.

I get my butt kicked and enjoy every minute,
But I still don’t know what I see in it.
The joys of sin don’t last very long,
And afterward I’m not so strong.

CHORUS

Lord, You have had so much mercy
On me, I don’t know where to begin
To thank You, but I still need to know
How I can lay down my sin.

“My precious child,” the Lord unto me said,
“You need to get My Word through your head
And into your heart so you can be true
To the holy calling I have for you.

“I know you want to live for Me;
There’s nothing about you that I don’t see.
Nothing in this world can save you; I alone can set you free;
Don’t give up on Me.” (Repeat)

“Don’t give up on Me.”