Daniel Amos – Stone Away

Rediscovering a song that has rolled around in my head for two decades without my really paying attention to the lyrics. For that, Terry, I am sorry. Terry Scott Taylor is one of the most talented musicians and songwriters out there. So to know that an artist has put so much thought and clearly prayer and anguish into his work and to just let it wash over… Well, let’s just say I have always appreciated his work, but I am now finding a new depth and power to it.

I have long loved the group Daniel Amos, as I have said many times, but lately, as I return to their albums, I am struck again by the depth and power of their music and lyrics. Who writes a song that includes Buechner, Dorothy L. Sayers, CS Lewis, and GK Chesterton?! Or an entire album inspired by William Blake? These are rare artists indeed. ¹For the record, I had come to love those authors long before DA came out with this album, but it further explains why I love their music. Our interests clearly run parallel. This song, “Stone Away,” speaks for itself, but speaks to me at this time because, well, I think you can figure that out.

Stone Away

from the album “BibleLand”

Words and Music by Terry Taylor, Tim Chandler, and Ed McTaggart

©1994 Twitchen Vibes/B-1 Music/ Chenka-Chenka Music/ Word Music, ASCAP

Just as I was leaving

Just as I stopped feeling

Just as I was dying

and every word denying

I felt the wound

saw the empty room,

‘Cos you had flown away

and just when I was sleeping

and just as I stopped breathing

and just when I’d grown colder

and thought that it was over

felt kingdom come

blood on my tongue

rolls the stone away

Now you fall like a shadow I cannot touch

And faith itself is half the battle, I don’t have much

(roll the stone away, roll the stone away)

Just as worlds were ending

and just when I was winning

and just as the door was closing

and just as my hand was folding

the whole earth shakes

the stronghold breaks

so you can fly away

Now you fall like a shadow I cannot touch

And faith itself is half the battle, I don’t have much

(roll the stone away, roll the stone away)

Well, it’s good to know

you own my soul

and you have flown away

So how can I deny you

when I’ve walked beside you

Well I’m just a coward crawling

and I am an angel falling

Oh carry me

and bury me

then roll the stone away

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  For the record, I had come to love those authors long before DA came out with this album, but it further explains why I love their music. Our interests clearly run parallel.