Kyle Knapp - Refugee

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Refugee - 2001 Tremulant Records

Though the concept of this album was inspired, in large measure, by the history of Europe's "eastern bloc" countries, the effects of tyranny can be found throughout all regions of the globe and in every culture of humanity (more..)

Track List (click for lyrics)

Paradise Lost
Lament for Romania
Refugee
It is a Good Thing
Under the Sun
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Thru a Baby’s Eyes
Y’Shua is Coming
Where You Are
Up, Chuck
Blessings Are To Share
Where Are the Sages?
Pressin’ On
You Are the One
The Star-Spangled Banner
Beside the Golden Door

Lament for Romania

words and music by Kyle Knapp

What has become of the laughter of the gypsies?

Or the tillers of the soil in their simplicity?

Did a faithless lover's promise leave your hope undone

when a veil of iron blotted out the sun?

I've seen a desecrated land where all that should be green is black

And the Danube is no longer blue

And the children choke in homage, in the incense of the smokestacks,

To the gods of unrelenting rule

Romania! In a world that killed your fathers,

Crucified your land and sky, poisoned all the water,

Sold you into bondage, took away your will to live,

Can you find the grace to heal and to forgive?

Romania!

We live our peaceful Western lives, disinclined to face the tears

of our kindred in their woe.

We ignore the voiceless victims of utopia gone awry,

Is the friend worse than the foe?

Romania! In a world that raped your daughters,

Crucified your land and sky, poisoned all the water,

Sold you into bondage, took away your will to live,

Can you find the grace to heal and to forgive?

Romania!

My heart is with you, but do you dare receive my love

After decades filled with promises and lies?

Oh my brave and broken people, can your ancient pain be healed?

Is there justice for the orphans of the world?

Romania! With your wounded sons and daughters,

Is there enough left to rebuild? Did you survive the slaughter?

While your struggle is unwon, until you live in peace,

I will plead your cause to Heaven on my knees!

Romania!

Refugee

words and music by Kyle Knapp

Standing out in the cold I see a refugee

To the empires of this age you've refused to bend your knee

Guess again! Do you really think you can make it on your own?

Someday you'll reap the seeds you've sown

Someday you'll cry, "Somebody rescue me!"

Do you think that anyone will hear your helpless plea, refugee?

Where're you gonna turn when the sky is falling down?

Try everything you know - hope is nowhere to be found

Forget the lies that you've been told! The answer's not within!

Only the cross of Jesus can free you from your sin

Someday you'll cry, "Somebody rescue me!"

Do you think that anyone will hear your helpless plea, refugee?

There is someone who knows your secret pain, refugee

Only one place to find shelter from the rain, refugee

Oh, no, it doesn't matter where you've been, refugee

You've got to learn to trust again

Don't think you're all alone - I'm a refugee too

But the Rock of ages took me in

His love is a mighty fortress - there's room inside for you

You can find security in Him

All of us are refugees from the cruelty of our times

No hope, no shelter, no peace of mind

You'd better put your trust in Jesus - He's the only true refuge there is

The power of death and life are His

and when at last you cry, "Somebody rescue me!"

I'm telling you the truth my friend, He'll hear your helpless plea, refugee

He's the only one that can heal your secret pain, refugee

Only one place to find shelter from the rain, refugee

Oh, you're welcome in the fold, refugee

It's time to come in from the cold

I'm telling you the truth, my friend,

He'll hear your helpless plea, refugee

He'll hear you, refugee

He'll save you, refugee

Come inside now.

It is a Good Thing

(lyrics adapted from Psalm 92)

It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord

To sing praises to Your Name

To declare Your faithfulness by night

Your mercies in the day

On an instrument of strings

A song that echoes thru the land

I sing for joy at the works of Your hands

For You, oh Lord, have made me glad!

How awesome are Thy works oh Lord!

Your thoughts too deep for man

Though some, in ignorance, may doubt your goodness

Oh, they just don't understand

That when the wicked seem to spring up like the grass,

And evil seems to grow, their end will come at last

Blinded by their greed, they can't see the end they're headed for:

To be wiped away forevermore

But You oh Lord, You reign on high forever! Forever!

And all who dare to stand against your glory will be scattered

But as for me, You've exalted my horn

Like the wild ox proud and free

Behold, a righteous man will flourish like a palm tree

Planted in the courts of God, with branches full and green

And when he's old, he'll bear a fruitful legacy

To declare of God my Rock, "There is no unrighteousness in Thee!"

It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord

And to sing praises to Thy name

And to sing praises to Thy name, Oh Most High!

And to sing praises to Thy name!

It is a good thing

It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord

Under the Sun

words and music by Kyle Knapp (inspired by the book of Ecclesiastes)

In this realm of here and now

Where meaning passes by like faces in a crowd

Where do I run?

Does it matter what I do

If there is nothing new under the sun?

You can only see so far

When you're looking with your eyes and not your heart

But is there anything beyond?

What the prophet said is true:

There is nothing new under the sun

Eyes are open but do not see

Everything is vanity

Ending just where we begin

Chasing the wind

There's a hope on the wing

In the voice of the Maker of all things

But when will we hear?

Take advantage of the day

It soon will fly away never to reappear

And all who play the game

will find wisdom and folly are the same

and death and life are one

Some hope as we endure that we can build a better world

But I've seen what man has done under the sun

Eyes are open but do not see

Everything is vanity

Ending just where we begin

Chasing the wind

So what is left for you, o man

but to find joy in the works of your hands

and in the wife of your youth?

This is the end of everything:

Trust the Lord - obey your King, as He's given life to you

Looking through His eyes you'll see

Glimpse into Eternity

At the end we've just begun

Under the Son

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

words and music by Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson, Victor Reina

I have climbed the highest mountains

I have run through the fields

Only to be with you

I have run, I have crawled

I have scaled these city walls

These city walls

Only to be with you

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

No I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I have kissed honey lips

Felt the healing in the fingertips

It burns like fire

This burning desire

I have spoke with the tongue of angels

I have held the hand of the devil

It was warm in the night

Left me cold as a stone

And I still haven't found what I'm looking for

No I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I believe in the kingdom come

Then all the colors will bleed into one

Bleed into one

But yes, I'm still running

You loosed the bonds

You broke the chains

Carried the cross of my shame

Of my shame, you know I believe it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

No I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I still haven't found what I'm looking for

Thru a Baby's Eyes

words and music by Kyle Knapp

You can only see God's Kingdom

when you're looking through the eyes of a child

If your eyes are on the world,

there's nothing to be seen that's worth your while

Since I became a baby,

my Father carries me across the miles

And it almost makes me cry

when I think of how the Lord has made me smile

You can't work your way to Heaven,

no matter how you try

And if a seed is gonna grow,

first it's got to fall to earth and die

Jesus gave His life, He said He loved us

I can't imagine why

But the seed of God is growing

in everyone who looks thru a baby's eyes

My little girl is growing,

a year or two from now she'll prob'ly say

"If Jesus came to save us,

why did He go away?"

Well, He's with us in the Spirit,

and He said he'd be beside us come what may

And now we're waiting on the Savior,

'cause we know He's coming back for us someday

Coming back someday.

You can live to please yourself, but when life's over

where is your reward?

But if you're looking thru the eyes of a child,

your life has been restored

To start your whole life over would cost a price

that no-one could afford

Ah, but Jesus paid it for us,

so we could come as little babes before the Lord

Yes, my Jesus paid it for us,

So we could come as little babes before the Lord

Y'Shua is Coming

words and music by Kyle Knapp

This world's become a dark place - there's tension on every face

Surely something's 'bout to hit the fan

Wars, famines, earthquakes - all creation groans in pain

For the coming of the Son of Man

We've seen the rebirth of Israel, false messiahs all around

And most people's love is growing cold

You know Y'Shua said it long ago, "watch and be ready"

Do you remember what you've been told?

A day is coming like you've never seen

Just in case you don't know what all this means...

Y'Shua is coming

The Lord is on His way

Y'Shua is coming

Today might be the day

Just like in Noah's day when the world kept carrying on

Like tomorrow didn't even count,

You know they all got swept away. Now when the final day has dawned

Will you know what it's all about?

When you hear the shout...

Y'Shua is coming

The Lord is on His way

Y'Shua is coming

Today might be the day

I see you studying the future. Do all the signs convince you

That you've got plenty of time to play?

Don't you know He said He's gonna come back when you can't anticipate it

He said, "No one knows the day!"

When Y'Shua comes back for you will you be prepared?

You'd better pray that day doesn't catch you unaware

Or don't you care?

Y'Shua is coming

The Lord is on His way

Y'Shua is coming

Today might be the day

In the Father's house there is a place for you to dwell

Y'Shua's coming back to take you to Himself

Don't you know the things He promised us are true?

Can't you hear the heart of God is calling out for you?

Calling for you...

Y'Shua is coming...

Is He coming for you?

Where You Are

words by Bob McDonald, music by Kyle Knapp

It was a cold winter's day in Omaha

The sun was glistening off the new-fallen snow

The weatherman said ten degrees for the high

Yet there's no other place I want to go

I only want to be where you are

And if I'm not then you're too far away

I want to be where you are

In your heart is where I want to stay

Well the pickup broke down coming home from work

And I didn't have the money for a tow

And wouldn't you know I would miss the last bus

But there's nowhere else that I'd rather go

I only want to be where you are

And if I'm not then you're too far away

I want to be where you are

In your heart is where I want to stay

Today Miami's high is seventy-eight

And Albuquerque hit the big eight-o

And here I am walking on ice-covered streets

Still there's only one place I want to go

I only want to be where you are

And if I can't be then I might as well die

I want to be where you are

So baby let's give it another try

I only want to be where you are

And if I'm not then you're too far away

I want to be where you are

In your heart is where I want to stay

Up, Chuck

words and music by Kyle Knapp (with apologies to Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang)

Have a seat and I'll tell a tale of Chuck, the flying car

Perhaps you've seen his headlights as he's sailing thru the stars

When his riders, girls and boyses

Join together happy voices

You can hear them singing from afar

OOOOOh.

Up, Chuck, let's go up, Chuck, Into the yonder, wild and blue

Up, Chuck, let's go up, Chuck, into the clear sky, me and you

Up, Chuck, and when we're up, Chuck

Oh how fine it feels

Up, Chuck, let's go up, Chuck

Our faithful friend on wheels

Remember now as you set out to find your pot of gold

Wherever there's adventure, there's danger too, I'm told

There's good reason to be cautious

This kind of ride can make you nauseous

When the wheels begin to leave the road

OOOOOOOOh.

Up, Chuck, let's go up, Chuck

Into the yonder, wild and blue

Up, Chuck, let's go up, Chuck

Into the clear sky, me and you

Up, Chuck, and when we're up, Chuck

Oh how fine it feels

Up, Chuck, let's go up, Chuck

Our faithful friend on wheels.

Up, Chuck, let's go up, Chuck

Our faithful friend on wheels

Blessings are to Share

words and music by Kyle Knapp

We may not have everything we'd like to

but at least we have a roof over our heads

and friends and family to come home to

hot running water and soft warm beds

Can you feel the longing

In the heart of a homeless child?

We have so much - he needs so little

To give him hope for just a little while

When you're warm and full, and all your needs are met

and you've never known hunger or despair

Sometimes it's easy to forget

That for others, one meal a day is like a castle in the air

Can you see the pain

In the eyes of a hungry child?

We have so much - she needs so little

To give her hope for just a little while

Tonight as you count your blessings

holding hands around the supper table there

giving thanks to Jesus for all that you've been given

remember, blessings are to share

Don't you love to watch children playing in the schoolyard

as they skip and run and throw and catch

taking arms and legs for granted, seldom give a second thought

to others who can only sit and watch

Do you hear the question

In the mind of a crippled child?

We have so much - he needs so little

To bring him hope for just a little while

Wouldn't you love to hear the laughter

In the voice of a grateful child?

We have so much - let's share a little

To bring them joy for just a little while

Where Are the Sages?

words and music by Kyle Knapp

Where's a generation gone - the ones we left behind?

The wrinkled hands, the weathered heads of gray

The knowledge of a lifetime locked behind their fading eyes

Does anybody hear a word they say?

And when they're weak we lock them up and throw away the key

Is the same fate in store for you and me?

Where are the sages?

The eyes that see how life has changed

The hearts that earned through pain the wisdom of the ages

Where are the sages?

Where are the mentors of our youth

To teach the truth not found in printed pages?

Where are the sages?

On the temples of our elders there's a crown of glory laid

But we live in an age that worships youth

Do we dare forsake the ones that God in His own image made?

For our blossom's pride will we sacrifice our roots?

The mountains crumble, beauty fades, eternal truth remains

But how can we learn it when our teachers are in chains?

Where are the sages?

The eyes that see how life has changed

The hearts that earned through pain the wisdom of the ages

Where are the sages?

Where are the mentors of our youth

To teach the truth not found in printed pages?

Where are the sages?

We must give honor where it's due for the curse to leave our land

Or when the judgment comes where will we stand?

With one hand reaching backward, and the other stretched before

A chain is forged to reach beyond the years

Will the circle be unbroken, and the fathers' hearts restored

Or in failure, will we realize our fears?

When the past's forgotten, tomorrow's here,

and we're daunted by the task

What will we answer when our children ask.

Where are the sages?

The eyes that see how life has changed

The hearts that earned through pain the wisdom of the ages

Where are the sages?

Where are the mentors of our youth

To teach the truth not found in printed pages?

Where are the sages?

Pressin' On

words and music by Kyle Knapp

Lord, I'm pressing on - I wanna run for the prize

For the high calling of God in Jesus Christ

All the things of this life, to me they're lost

They ain't worth nothing when you count the cost

I'm gonna leave it all behind and carry the cross

I'm pressing on

I know I'm not there yet, but there's one thing I've done

Leaving behind the things behind, I look ahead to the Risen One

I want to have the same attitude

That drove Jesus to die for me and you

No matter what it takes, or what I have to go through

I'm still pressing on

You know the grass will wither, the flowers fade away

Nothing but the word of our God will stand in that final day

When the castles of sand that we live in are washed away by fire

Will anything remain?

You don't own yourself, you were bought with a price

put your life in His hands

If you want to be like those who overcame by the blood of the Lamb

When I consider the cross on which my Savior hung

I gotta know Him and the power of His resurrection!

So, following His voice until His kingdom come,

I'm pressing on...

You Are the One

words & music by Vicki Lynn Whitesel

You are everything that's beautiful to me

You're beautiful to me

You are my strength - you are my sanity

You are my sanity

and You are the Light that beckons me

whenever I can't see

Jesus You...

You are the One, You are the One

You are the One I believe

You are my friend when all the others leave

When the others leave

And You are my comfort in the times I grieve

In the times I grieve

and You are the Light that beckons me

whenever I can't see

Jesus You...

You are the One, You are the One

You are the One I believe

I never knew love until You loved me

Not until You loved me

And I wasn't free until You touched me

Not until You touched me

I love You...

and I know, yes, I know

I know that You love me

Jesus You...

You are the One, You are the One

You are the One I believe

the Star-Spangled Banner

lyrics by Francis Scott Key, music and arrangement by Kyle Knapp

Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight

O'er the ramparts we watched stood so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air

Gave proof thru the night that our flag was still there

Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen thru the mist of the deep

Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes

What is that which the breeze from the towering steep

As it fitfully blows half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam

In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream

It's the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And thus be it ever when free men shall stand

Between their loved homes and the war's desolation.

Blessed with victory and peace, may this Heaven-rescued land

Praise the Power that has made and preserved us a nation

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!"

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave

Beside The Golden Door

excerpted from “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus

Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp

Cries she with silent lips

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me

I lift my lamp beside the golden door

This project is dedicated to the oppressed and downtrodden people of the world.

While the survivors of Hitler's holocaust plead "never again!", we who enjoy the blessings of "Western" prosperity remain largely untouched by the murder of Chinese dissidents, the torture of children in Sierra Leone, the oppression of Afghan women under Taliban rule, and the horror of human slavery, not just of blacks by whites but of whites, blacks, Asians and others, often by those of their own race. In more "enlightened" societies you'll find those who advocate euthanasia of the elderly and infirm, and who yawn with disinterest at the extermination of the unborn. From the Kurds of Iraq to the Vietnamese "boat people", from the Ixil Indians of Central America to the Nubian Christians of Sudan, lovers of truth and freedom everywhere are opposed by nearly every human government. Democracies and dictatorships alike seem to regard human bodies and souls as mere raw materials for the sake of their own profit. Even our beloved America is not without her share of guilt.

Alas, tyranny is not constrained by geographic boundaries; it is limited only by the seemingly inexhaustible well of evil that inhabits the hearts of men. Even knowing this, refugees by the score come to our country in search of the liberties that have been denied them in their own. But I wonder, where do you go to find freedom from the things that oppress your soul?

~kyle knapp 2001

Refugee - August 2001 Tremulant Records
produced by Kyle Knapp & John Guggenheim
recorded at Tesco Productions, Omaha NE
mastered by Eric Medley for Tremulant Records
order CD from the Sod House Records eStore
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“This project is dedicated to the oppressed and downtrodden people of the world.