The Story Behind...(I'll Drive Yesterday)

Track 6 on my latest project, So Human, is titled, "So, I had this dream..." It's a scene where I'm sitting down with my engineer/producer, Mike Manthei, and discussing the upcoming song. On the track, Mike and I are at a diner, talking about the title to track 7, "I'll Drive Yesterday." Now, there are some things you should know about this scene as it plays out on the CD. First, Mike and I were never at a diner. (Well, I mean we've had lunch together several times but this taping didn't take place at a diner.) Instead, we recorded the scene right there in the recording studio. I sat down on a stool, under the microphone, with Mikey (that's what I call him) sitting next to me. For a little more realism, I actually had a plate in front of me. On the plate was a slice of bread and a butter knife. I cut up the bread and ate it while we talked. The background noise you hear on the track was actually recorded a couple of weeks earlier--at my workplace. I sat a microphone and a small digital recorder out on a table in our cafeteria and just recorded people eating, talking, walking by. But the story I tell in the scene is true. The song really did come about as the result of a dream. Like I explain in track 6, I dreamed I was on stage in front of a massive crowd. My band began this chunky rock groove and I shouted in a pseudo-British/Australian/Cockney accent, "This song's called I'll Drive Yesterday!" And the crowd went nuts. They were screaming and yelling. But then I woke up. I didn't know how the song went. All I had was a title. Meanwhile, my guitarist, Brian DeKam, had written a cool guitar groove for another song that we ended up never using. But I really liked the music tracks. So I stole those music tracks and wrote the words to I'll Drive Yesterday to go with them. About the song: So I sat down and tried to figure out what the heck the words, I'll Drive Yesterday could possibly mean. And the only thing that I could come up with was God's promise...of taking those pains and sins of the past and throwing them away. Have you been lied to? Cheated on? Hurt? That was yesterday. God will drive it away. I also wanted to paint a picture of how holding on to past hurts can affect you:

"Yesterday's a prison. A room without a view.

A judge without a pardon and no remorse for you."

and contrast that with the hope that comes through Christ, who says:

" I'll Drive Yesterday all away and leave it all behind you

there'll be nothing to remind you of yesterday. It's gone today

and the pain and sorrow life put in your way, that was yesterday."

I think my favorite part of the song is the bridge. It has a bit of a "scat" feel to it and the message is, I think, important:

"All of the baggage, all of the scars

all of the wreckage left on your heart

you've gotta let go, it'll tear you apart

you've gotta give it away.

Ah man...that was yesterday."

So there you have it. Some truth. Some deception. But the real story behind the song whose title confuses so many folks upon hearing it the first time. Hope you enjoy!

The Story Behind...(Here I Am)

A lot of folks have been asking me about the meaning or story behind some of my songs. So, I thought I'd go through each of the songs on my new album, So Human, and give a little insight into my messed up head! Ha! At first, I thought I'd just go through the album, track by track, but instead I think I'll start with the song that gets the most questions--Here I Am. First off, let me say that it's always tricky to try to write a song from the perspective of Jesus. To presume that I could possibly speak for my Savior is a bit daunting. But I wanted to tell Christ's story--from His perspective. This song is really Jesus telling the story of His life. And it starts...in the womb. What must it have been like to go from being fully God, to being God in the form of a human baby? So the first lines, "what is this skin that covers me?" is Jesus examining this new flesh around His body. In the following verses, He talks about growing up as a child in a world of mortals. He mentions the miracles that He's performed. I admit, I threw in my own supposition in the second verse. I wondered how lonely our Savior must have felt. "Five thousand here, I'm still alone" He says, speaking of how different He must have felt. "Oh they gather how I feel, but not one asks how I feel--not ever." I wondered if anyone ever asked Jesus how difficult it was to be God on Earth. I don't recall any scripture that shows anyone displaying this kind of concern for Him. How terribly isolating that must have been! The chorus, "Here I am, I'm ready to be everything that you want me to be" means something different everytime. The first time, it's the baby Jesus talking to his earthly parents--Mary and Joseph. It's Him saying "Hey, I'm your baby. I'm your child. I'm ready to be all those things that parents want from their babies--the wonder, the excitement, the love, the reliance on you for my needs, etc." In the second chorus, Jesus is being arrested by the soldiers, to be taken off for execution. In this chorus, He's saying "You want me to be the scapegoat? I'll be that for you. Want me to bear the punishment that you so desperately want to give out? I'll do that for you." And in the final chorus, Jesus is on the cross, speaking to His Heavenly Father. "Here I am" He says, "I'm ready to be the fulfillment of your plan. I'm ready to take on the sins of this world for you, Father. I'll be what you need me to be." And finally, in the final verse, Jesus experiences something else for the first time. "What is this sin that covers me?" Here's a man that knew no sin, then suddenly found Himself covered in all the sins of humanity. Wow. I should also point out that the orchestration was done by a good friend of mine, John Doryk, with NightSky Sound Design. He's an amazing composer and added just the right touch to this song. So there you have it. That's the story/meaning behind Here I Am. Hope you understand it a little better...and enjoy it!

A Fistfight with God

It's been a few years, but there was a point in my life when I challenged God to a fistfight. Can you imagine? What gall. What pride. What arrogance. But I was so angry at Him (for reasons I won't disclose here) that I challenged Him. "Show me your face," I said, "and I'll punch you in the nose." Well, I'm over it now. God, in His gracious and merciful way chose not to pummel me with something as simple as a breath, but instead chose to humble me. Heal me. Love me. What an amazing God. And I have found that my struggles now aren't so much with Him, as with myself. Oddly enough, I opened my Bible this morning and found a section of scripture from Romans that I can really relate to. Thought I'd share it.

For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,

But I see another law in my members,

warring against the law of my mind,

and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin

which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am!

Who will deliver me from this body of death?

-Romans 7:22-24 (NKJV)

I think Paul and I must've had a lot in common. I wrestle daily with myself. But I take some solace in the very next verse he wrote:

I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God

but with the flesh the law of sin.

I find comfort in knowing that, even though he struggled with sin, Paul's mind was on God. Paul's mind was on the one who conquered sin. And I pray that I'm able to keep my mind there too.

Beats and Eats Contest!

Win a $50 gift card to your favorite restaurant,

plus an entire discography of Tim Glenn Music!

Hi gang!

We're launching a new contest here at Tim Glenn Music. Sure, it' a contest that will require a little work on your end, but I think it will be worth it.

Basically, here's the gist: You join the Tim Glenn Music Sales Force, telling your friends about Tim's new CD, So Human. The "salesperson" who sells the most CDs between May 1st and June 26th will win the grand prize. (There are 2nd and 3rd place prizes too!)

Wait a minute...isn't this just a ploy to sell more CDs? Absolutely! But rather than just asking you to help me sell CDs, I thought you deserve at least something for your efforts! So, help me sell CDs and I'll give you some music...and some food--or Beats and Eats! Get it?

For a listing of the official rules, go to www.timglennmusic.com/contest.

If you still have questions, leave them here as a comment or send us an email at info@timglennmusic.com

Good luck and God bless!

My DVR has ruined my life!

Don't get me wrong. I love my DVR. Without it, I wouldn't be able to keep up with my favorite shows: NCIS, Big Bang Theory, Heroes and 24. I also wouldn't be able to record an occasional movie. But the thing I love most about my DVR (besides being able to skip annoying commercials) is that it allows me to rewind and play back any part of a program I need to. Anytime an actor mumbles a line and I'm like, "What did he just say?" I can rewind and play it again. I love that! If the baby starts crying right when an important scene plays...I can pause the movie or show and pick it up after I've calmed him down. Okay, after my wife has calmed him down...but hey, I'm holding the remote. I've only got one free hand! :-) The point is, the DVR is an amazing magical box that makes sure I never miss scenes or lines from programs ever again! And that's the problem. I want that technology for everything! The DVR has made me lazy. It's given me the mentality that, if I miss something, no worries--I can just go back, rewind and hear/see it again. When I'm in a meeting and I miss something my boss says, I want a remote control with a rewind button. When I'm listening to the radio and I think, "Man, I love that song! I'd love to hear it again!"...I wish I had a DVR for my radio! When my wife tells me what to pick up at the grocery store and I get there, only to think, "Milk, eggs, apple juice...and what else?" Oh, if only there was a DVR for life! DVR...I love you...and hate you!

Baby Grayson is here!

Okay, okay...perhaps it was a bit presumptuous of me to assume I knew when our baby boy was going to get here. On March 24th, I wrote a post on this blog titled, "Two Weeks." Well...SIX DAYS LATER, Grayson arrived! I'm perfectly fine with being wrong about this one. I was so anxious to hold our little guy. Both he and mommy are healthy and doing great...it's a true blessing! Grayson Troy Glenn arrived at 9:18am on March 30th, 2009. He weighed 7 pounds, 7.3 ounces and was 19 inches long. If you'd like to see more photos, check out my facebook page. I've just uploaded an album of photos there. God bless! And thank you to all who were praying for a safe and healthy delivery! tim

Two Weeks

We are two weeks away from having a new baby in the house. The question I've been asked more than anything is: "Are you ready?" Well, the baby's room is done. (I'll post pictures in a day or so.) We have the diapers, the clothes, the lotions and all that stuff. But preparing for a child is much more than that, isn't it? In some ways, I don't think you can ever fully "prepare" for the arrival of a baby into your life. You just don't know what to expect. So yeah...we're ready...but in some ways, we're not. But that's part of the excitement too...to see what this beautiful gift from God is going to be, once it's "unwrapped." I am amazed at this plan of God's. I'm in awe of His design to have a baby grow in a mother's womb. This tiny little life, with a beating heart, a functioning brain, a circulatory system, lungs and other vital organs...all working in harmony...inside another human body. It's amazing to me. I keep asking Jen what it feels like to have him inside her. She says she can't fully describe it. Oh, what a tremendous blessing that must be! I can't wait to see what little Grayson Troy Glenn is going to look like. I can't wait to hold him in my arms...to run my fingers across his tiny little face...and count his tiny little fingers and toes. Two weeks. I just can't wait.

Lip Syncing

"The times they are a' changin'..." Dylan sang. And indeed the are. It used to be, that if a musical artist was caught lip-syncing it made them a laughing stock. Think Milli Vanilli, 1990. When it was revealed that they never even sang their hit songs, it ruined their (pseudo) careers. Girl, you know it's true. But now flash forward 20 years and lip-syncing is no longer a career killer. In fact, some say it's the norm. What?

Jennifer Hudson's powerful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at the SuperBowl...lip-sync.

But rather than calling it a controversy, some "journalists" dared call it a "non-troversy." "People expect it these days", they say.

WHAT???

EVEN SPRINGSTEEN'S BAND faked it at the SuperBowl. (Although he apparently really sang--but the band wasn't really playing.)

It's been reported that Britney Spears' entire Circus Tour is lip-synced. (But then again, when you start off with no talent, lip-syncing is a logical progression.)

Good grief...even hardcore rapper 50 Cent got caught lip syncing.

Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe it's old fashioned to think that vocalists should be able to...well...vocalize.

Is it possible that all we care about these days is seeing a pretty face, or a sultry body in a revealing outfit, gyrating and grinding on stage...and oh yeah, if she can sing, that's a bonus?

Look, I know that it's tough to run all over stage and dance and sing at the same time. I do. But I'm willing to forego 8 costume changes and watching you grind your hips on every dancer on stage, if you could just sing the song!

But that's the problem. So many arists CAN'T sing the songs. In the studio, they autotune their vocal tracks til they hardly sound human anymore. And when it comes time to perform live, there's no way they can recreate it.

It's time we got back to artists performing live...really live. It's time we expected singers to sing. I don't mind if you miss a note or two. Just be real. Just sing.

Everyone Eats

What did you have for dinner last night? I had chicken tacos. And they were delicious. But as I was sitting at the dinner table with my wife and son, somewhere a child was going to bed hungry. Somewhere, a mommy had to tell her children, "I'm sorry, there's just no food tonight." There's enough in this world to make sure no child goes to bed hungry. NO child should starve. Everyone should eat. Today is Compassion International's Global Food Crisis Day. To learn more, and to do your part, click here.

"Honoring God"

What's in a name? No, seriously...what does your name really say about you? In the Old Testament, people were known by the meaning of their name. For example Abram, in the original tongue, meant "father of many."Abram later changed his name (well, technically God changed his name) to Abraham, meaning "father of many nations." This week, my pastor pointed out that Abraham carried these names when he wasn't even a father yet. Imagine how odd it was to be called "father of many" when he was just a young man. Wouldn't it have been weird, when he was 8 years old, to be called "father of many?" Or when he grew older, and got married--imagine the pressure that must have been on him! Especially he found out that he married a woman who was considered barren. She was told that she would never have children. Of course, we know the rest of the story, that Sara did end up having children...and Abraham DID become a father but not until he was in his 80's. Yeah...80 plus years of bearing that name without children. But God also fulfilled his namesake and made Abraham the father of many nations.

"Father Abraham...had many sons...many sons had father Abraham!" the old song goes.

My name is Timothy. Broken down in Greek, it's Timo Theos...or "honoring God." I don't know if I ever realized the burden that name means til now. I can honestly say that I have not spent much of my life "honoring God." What pressure that is! I'm so glad that we don't use names the way they did in Old Testament days. Imagine me introducing myself as "honoring God." "Hi! My name is Bob. What is your name?" "Honoring God." Man, I'd really have to live it, to be able to say that in public, huh? I take solace however that, in time, God fulfilled Abraham's name. I hope He'll do the same with me. I hope He'll help me get to a place that, when people think of me they think, "honoring God." But I'm so far away from there right now. I now know what Abraham must have thought each time he heard his name. "Honoring God." Wouldn't it be nice to be able to live up to that name? What does your name mean?

My Grandson!!!?

So, last night was father/son night for me and Morgan. We went to a local place called Li'l Biggs, which has a game room for kids and all you can eat greasy pizza. It's pretty inexpensive and there are a lot of games for kids to play. Morgan loved the giant sandbox, skeeball...and the giant jumper room. So, Morgan bounds out of the jumper room and picks up a toy guitar and pretends to start playing it. (He loves playing his toy guitar at home.) Only, I wasn't sure if the toy was part of the game room or if some kid brought it. So I turned to a lady, whom I would guess to be in her late 40's/early 50's and ask: "Is this part of the gameroom? Is he allowed to play with that?" "Yes, the kids can just pick up any of these toys and play with them," she answered with a smile. A cordial, quick conversation, right? Then she hits me with this: "So...how many grandchildren do you have?" What!!?? Did you just call me a grandfather? Heck, I know my age is catching up on me, but geez...grandpa!??? "This is my son," I answered, "and I have another one on the way...due next month." Then I abruptly turned my back to her and walked away. What the...? RUDE!

The Race Is On!

WAY-FM's "My Church Band Rocks" Contest is now underway. They had some problems early on with the online poll, but it's working now

Will you please click on the pic below...it will take you to a page where you can scroll down and see the headphone graphic. Please vote for my song, So Human!

VOTE FOR MY SONG!

I need your help. WAY-FM is hosting a contest for local artists. It's called the "My Church Band Rocks" contest. They're highlighting different local artists and asking people to vote. The title song from my new album, So Human, is in the contest. Simply go to this page on Facebook and vote! (You'll have to scroll down to "polls" to see the list of contestants.) Thanks for your support! tim

Read My Sermon, on the ONE Campaign Website

The ONE Campaign is hosting a Sermon Challenge..asking pastors and others to contribute sermons that focus on ministering to the poor. I submitted a sermon I wrote a while back, titled You-The Miracle Worker. You can read it here. Please check it out. Leave a comment.

25 Random Things About Me

I'm a little hesitant to write this post. Mostly because it seems so self-involved. "Here are some things that I think will make me interesting to you." Ya know? But I've been asked to play along by a couple of friends, so I'll indulge. Here are 25 random things about me. And you just might not find any of them interesting.

1. I have artificially inseminated a cow. Yep...got all up in Bessie's bidness. Used to work on a ranch and it's one of the many disgusting things I had to do.
2. I stole a car once. It's a really long story. I was young. Took my best friend's car and drove 1200 miles away. He didn't press charges and I eventually just bought the car from him.
3. I love to eat raw potatoes. (With a little salt. Mmmm.)
4. I'm extremely claustrophobic. As in, I absolutely "lose it" if I'm confined in a small space.
5. I hate bugs. I squeal like an 8-year old girl if I find one on me.
6. I have traveled to 9 different countries. Bolivia, Canada, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Kenya, Peru, Philippines, Thailand
7. I have ridden a bull in a rodeo. His name was Black Sabbath. I only lasted one second!
8. I'm an introvert. In fact, if I could spend most of my day not interacting with anyone, I'd be ecstatic.
9. I don't believe in aliens. I do believe there could be some amoeba-like living substance on some planet somewhere, but I don't believe there are any creatures on other planets.
10. I fantasize about dying...everyday. For as long as I can remember, I've imagined dying at least once every day of my life.
11. I have horrendous nightmares. Usually about larger than life animals (alligator the size of a school bus or a bear the size of a U-haul truck) chasing me.
12. I have jumped out of an airplane. Twice. One tandem, one solo.
13. I hate to read. Love to write...but hate to read. Seriously, who has the time to read an entire book anymore these days?
14. I have started writing two different novels. And lost interest in both. Maybe if I enjoyed reading more?
15. Someday, I want to own a 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible. Mostly because it's the year I was born and I just think they are cool!
16. I used to be on television. Morning news anchor for 7 years. Actually won some awards! (Spent 7 years as a television producer before becoming an anchor.)
17. I love superheroes. Don't know why, but I've always been fascinated with Superman, Batman, etc.
18. I'm horribly depressed at how ugly I've gotten. I'm not aging well. I know it shouldn't matter. But it does.
19. I'm terrified of being a bad father. I'm just that much in love with my son. I don't want to screw it up.
20. I enjoy cooking. Especially when I get to experiment and try new things. I make a mean chicken fried steak, by the way.
21. I have never tried illegal drugs. Although, technically alcohol is a drug and I did engage in some underage drinking in high school. (Not proud of it.) But I've never smoked pot or done any other illicit drug.
22. I'm addicted to Diet Coke. Thank God it's not an illicit drug!
23. I don't drink coffee. Love the way it smells. Hate the way it tastes. But for some reason, I've been given at least $15 in Starbucks gift cards per year for the past four years.
24. At one point, I thought I was going to be a pastor. But I have too much respect for the profession to taint it.
25. I'm an aggressive driver. If you're in the fast lane going slow, I should have the right to run you over.

Jobs I've Had

So I was talking with some friends the other night when our discussion turned to the jobs we've held at various times in our lives. I started thinking about it and...wow...I've had a lot of different jobs! The one thing that's been consistent for the past 20 years is that I've been doing music. But the list below is how I actually paid the bills (and supported my music "habit."):

1. Ranch Hand--digging postholes, feeding cattle on a south Texas ranch
2. Grocery Store Bagboy/Stockboy--Churchill's Food Store, Three Rivers, TX
3. Grocery Store Assistant Produce Manager--Churchill's Food Store, Three Rivers, TX
4. Cook/Clerk at McDonald's, Beeville, TX
5. Land Surveyor's Assistant, Beeville, TX
6. Construction Crew--roofing/interior/insulation, Pettus, TX
7. Newspaper reporter--Bee Picayune, Beeville, TX
8. DJ--KISS-FM, Brownwood, TX
9. Car Salesman--Hyundai Dealership in Riverside, CA
10. Telemarketer--San Antonio, TX
11. Satellite Operations Specialist--KENS-TV, San Antonio, TX
12. Retail Sales--Gadzook's Clothing Store, Waco, TX
13. Television Master Control Operator--KWTX, Waco, TX
14. Youth Pastor--1st Methodist Church in Hewitt, TX
15. Television News Producer--KWTX-Waco, TX
16. Television News Producer--WTVC-Chattanooga, TN
17. Assistant Manager, Eddie Bauer Store, Colorado Springs, CO/Aurora, CO
18. Television News Producer/Reporter/Anchor--KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO
19. Television News Anchor--KRDO-TV, Colorado Springs, CO
20. Media Director--Rocky Mtn. Calvary, Colorado Springs, CO
21. Worship Leader--fill-in for a number of churches in Colorado Springs, CO
22. US AdvocacyRadio Manager--Compassion International, Colorado Springs,CO
23. Product Marketing Director-US Advocacy--Compassion International, Colorado Springs, CO

And yes, there's at least one "story" behind every one of those jobs. But I won't bore you.

So...now it's your turn. List the jobs that you've had in your life.

I'm going to be in the Smithsonian!

--Now, before you start your jokes about "that's where all old relics go..." hear me out. Bible Across America is a neat project that is making its way across the country. And it just so happens that they are at the National Pastors Convention that I'm attending in San Diego right now. Here's how it works: The group is asking 31,173 people to each hand-write one verse of the Bible. That's right...write it out on a page. One person per verse. These pages will then be submitted into the Smithsonian Institute as a "modern day copy" of the Today's New International Version of the Bible. My contribution was to write out John 11:42:

"I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit

of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

How cool is that?

But get this: as I grabbed the pen and started to ink out my portion of Scripture, I suddenly felt overwhelmed. I imagined the scribes of old who would roll out scrolls of the ancient text and copy it word for word. What a powerful thing. What a responsibility. What an honor. And then, it hit me--"what business do I have, writing out Scripture? I'm no scribe. I'm not worthy of writing this down."

God's word is so precious. Far too valuable to be taken lightly--especially by someone who is such a wretched sinner as myself. As I placed the tip of the pen on the paper, my hand began to shake. I worried that I was going to screw something up. What if I misspelled something? What if I left a word out? What if lightning struck me for daring to transcribe the Holy Word of God? It was painstaking. It was horrifying!

I managed to get through it without any lightning strikes or mistakes. I guess once it's made public, you can critique my work yourself! Ha!

Anyway, it's a neat project that has Americans writing out the Bible. I love it. Just wanted to tell you about it.

Music City

I love Nashville. I really do. The atmosphere is just contagious. I love that you can walk for several blocks downtown and hear live music pouring out of the various clubs and bars. The music scene in Colorado Springs is virtually non-existent compared to Nashville. I'm sitting in the Colorado Springs airport at 7:00am, waiting for my 8:00 flight. I'll be in Nashville til Tuesday...then I'm off to San Diego for two days. Gonna be tough to be away from home for that long. My son is in his "cling to daddy" stage right now and it's just so hard to say goodbye to him. (Truth is, daddy is in his "cling to Morgan" stage" too. Ha!) I wish I could say I was going to be doing some music on this trip, but I'm not. Sad to go to Music City and not do any music! Both trips are work-related...doing stuff for Compassion International. Speaking of music, my single, Open Up the Darkness, is now #10 on the Christian Radio Weekly Indie Rock Charts. Sweet! Thanks to all of you who are supporting my new album, So Human. If anything exciting happens during the trip, I'll write about it. Blessings!

I'm on the Cover!

It's been a good week here at Tim Glenn Music. First, my single, Open Up the Darkness, jumped to #14 on the Christian Radio Weekly Rock Charts. Yeehaw! Next, I'm going to be the featured article in Front Yard Worship Magazine for the January/February issue...which comes out next week. I'm even on the cover! Here's a sneak peek:

And...as if that wasn't enough...

I'm also featured in Christian Radio Weekly's daily e-newsletter that goes out to thousands of Christian radio stations across the country. I wrote the devotion for the issue. It's titled, "Lesson in Grace." Here's a sneak peek at that too:

Thanks for all of your support! If you're in the Colorado Springs area this weekend, I have two gigs. Would love to see you at one, or both! They're both FREE!

Friday, January 16th First Baptist Church Friday Night Coffee House 317 E. Kiowa St. Colorado Springs, CO 7:00-9:00pm

Saturday, January 17th Salvation Army Youth Worship Service 908 Yuma St. Colorado Springs, CO 5:30pm

First Pic

Hi gang!

Got a first picture of our soon-to-be-here son, Grayson.

Jen had a 3-D ultrasound on Friday and wouldn't you know it, Grayson is just like his big brother! He kept his hand over his face almost the entire time! (Little stinker!)

But we did get to see his healthy little heartbeat. And watch him move around a bit. He opened his eyes some...opened his mouth...and even sucked on his hand.

Then, for one quick second, we managed to get a nice profile shot:

So exciting! We're only three months away from due date!

Blessings!

Tim