My New Favorite Song

Anyone who knows me well is aware of the fact that my all-time favorite musician is Sting. He has a style that no one can duplicate and a purity to his voice that is second to none (not to mention his amazing vocal control and freakishly vast range). All that to say, it should come as no surprise that I've listened to each of his albums more than a few times. But, the other day, I actually "heard" one of his songs for the very first time. Perhaps that's because I was able to steal away some time alone and the music wasn't drowned out by a crying baby or a 3 year old constantly demanding snacks. For the first time I was able to pay attention to the lyrics of the song and I was amazed at what I heard.

I'm familiar with some details of Sting's background after having read his book, "Broken Music" , and none of it aligns with the words he wrote to this song. It left me wondering what personal experience prompted him to pen these lyrics as they are such a beautiful picture of life without Christ and the freedom that comes with the salvation that only He can give.

(I recommend opening the following link in another window)

http://www.esnips.com/doc/80649d4f-dabb-4237-8409-3e86dd555e2d/Sting---Dead-Mans-Rope

Dead Man's Rope

A million footsteps, this left foot drags behind my right
But I keep walking, from daybreak 'til the falling night
As days turn into weeks and years
And years turn into lifetimes
I just keep walking, like I've been walking for a thousand years

Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,

If you're walking to escape, to escape from your affliction
You'd be walking in a great circle, a circle of addiction

Did you ever wonder what you'd been carrying since the world was black?
You see yourself in a looking glass with a tombstone on your back.

Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away in anger, walk away in pain,
Walk away from life itself, walk into the rain .

All this wandering has led me to this place

Inside the well of my memory, sweet rain of forgiveness
I'm just hanging here in space

Now I'm suspended between my darkest fears and dearest hope
Yes I've been walking, now I'm hanging from a dead man's rope

With Hell below me, and Heaven in the sky above
I've been walking,
I've been walking away from Jesus' love

Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away in anger, walk away in pain
Walk away from life itself, walk into the rain

All this wandering has led me to this place

Inside the well of my memory, sweet rain of forgiveness
I'm just hanging here in space

The shadows fall
Around my bed
When the hand of an angel,
The hand of an angel is reaching down above my head

All this wandering has led me to this place
Inside the well of my memory, sweet rain of forgiveness

Now I'm walking in His grace

Now I'm walking in His grace

I'm walking in his footsteps , walking in his footsteps,
Walking in his footsteps, walking in his footsteps,

All the days of my life I will walk with You
All the days of my life I will talk with You
All the days of my life I will share with You
All the days of my life I will bear with You

Walk away from anger, walk away from pain
Walk away from anguish, walk into the rain.