Front Row – Liner Notes

FRONT ROW 1982

Produced by Brown Bannister

Executive Producer/Michael Blanton

Engineer/Jack Joseph Puig

Remix Engineer/Bob Clark

Recorded by Malcolm Harper of Reelsound Recordings, Austin, Texas

Recorded live at Lincoln Center in Ft. Collins, Colorado

Remixed at Great Circle Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee

The Band:

Acoustic piano/David Meece

Keyboards and synthesizers/Shane Keister

Drums/Keith Edwards

Guitar/Brent Rowan

Bass/Craig Nelson

Background vocals/Donna McElroy, Kim Flemming, Glenda Smith White

Additional Musicians:

Guitar/Jon Goin

Percussion/Mark Morris, Farrell Morris

Horns/The Nashville Hornworks: George Tidewell

Billy Puett, Buddy Skipper, Roger Bissel, Dennis Solee

Photography/Larry Dixon

Album design/Barnes & Company

Graphic design/Paul A. Place

Special Thanks To:

Stan Moser, Neal Joseph, Dan Raines and all my friends at Word, Inc.

Wes Yoder and the Dharma Artist Agency for booking.

Blanton/Harrell Productions for productions assistance and direction

Sally Keith for doing such a super job of promoting the concert dates and for believing in me back when few others did.

Keith Whipple and KBRN for their promotion assistance and friendship for all these years.

The great people of Ft. Collins, Colorado, and surrounding areas for their enthusiasm, cooperation, and support of this project.

Very Special Thanks To:

Brown Bannister and Mike Blanton for being the ones most responsible for the success of the most exciting project I’ve ever been involved with. (Well, we did it again bro’s and against insurmountable odds. Thanks for being my “Best friends. I love you both.)

JESUS (David, Front Row, Chronology)

Words & Music by David Meece
Copyright 1976 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music

All of the words I’ve heard people say
Of all that they’ve known
Haven’t helped me find the way that
Knowing you has shown
Now I can see through you Lord
The path that I couldn’t find
And I feel the sun come shining through
When Lord you’re on my mind

Refrain:
Jesus – You’re my soul and my strength
You’re my everything – You’re my everything
Jesus – You’re my heart and my soul
You’re my life that grows
You’re my heart and my soul
You’re my life and my goals
You’re my heart, my soul, my mind
Everything I need

If they could understand Lord the perfect
life that You’ve lived
How it fell into God’s own plan
Our every sin forgive
You came to show the truth , Lord the way
And how You’re the life
And I feel the sun come shinin’ through
When Lord You’re on my mind

(Repeat Refrain)

And how can I show You how I adore You
No way but live, for You’re gonna reach
And take me home
Jesus, take me to the promised land
All it takes is faith to understand
So take my hand, take my hand
Take my hand – take my hand

(Repeat Refrain)

RATTLE ME, SHAKE ME

Mother, Muffler, Mozart, Beatles

ALL THE TIME

Words & Music by David Meece

I don’t want to be yours for just one hour
I don’t want this feeling to fall when daylight comes
I don’t want the night to hide the light of your smile
Or daylight come and find it gone.

‘Cause I’ve had so many things that came and left me
I’ve had my fill of this world’s ups and downs
I want to learn to trust in something more than just myself
And I believe you can show me how.

Chorus:
I want you all the time
To fill my heart with your love
I want you all the time
To fill my life with your touch
I want you all the time
Both day and night
Through good and bad
I’ll give my life
To loving only you.
And all I want to do
Is be with you
All the time.

I built this wall around my heart
To keep the pain and suffering out
That life and love impart
But when I heard your voice
It crumbled like dust
I knew that I must try
One more time with you.

So take me now and fill me with your spirit
Take me now and let me feel your holy power
And as I give myself completely to you
I know you’ll give to me in each and every hour.

Chorus:
I want you
I need you all the time
To fill my heart with your love
I want you all the time
To fill my life with your touch
I want you all the time
Both day and night
Through good and bad
I’ll give my life
To serving only you
And all I want to do
Is live for you all the time.

I want you all the time …all the time … (fade)…

NEVER GONNA SERVE ANYONE ELSE BUT YOU

Words & Music by David Meece
Copyright 1979 Meece Music (admin by) WORD Music

Some men came along
Said I’m doin’ wrong
Singin’ my songs
For the rock of all ages
They said “Do this — do that —
It’s where it’s at O
And put more glitter and flash
Into your act.”
Well my show is no act, it’s just what I believe
So I told ’em they were wastin’ their time on me.

Chorus:
Because I’m never gonna serve, never gonna serve
Anyone else but You, my Lord
No one but you my Jesus
I’m never gonna serve, never gonna serve
Anyone else but You, my Lord
No one but You my Jesus.

They can keep all their glitter
And their fancy shoes
I don’t want their riches
And I don’t need their blues
I guess all I’m saying is
I just want to do it for You
Nobody else but You.

They went right on
Tryin’ to sell me their song
And kept tellin’ me over and over
They said “You could go far
You might be a star
And you could drive a new car
Eat caviar —
Well, I told ’em no thanks
As I turned and walked out
‘Cause I know who I am
And I know where I’m bound.

(Repeat chorus)
Well, they can keep their champagne
And their smoky rooms
I don’t want their fame
And I don’t need their food

I guess all I’m sayin’ is
I got to be singin’ for You
Nobody else but You
Nobody else but You
No one else

(Repeat chorus and fade)

GOSPEL TRAIN

E’verybody’s waitin’ for the Judgement Day

When the saints are lifted on the gospel train

There won’t be any stopping,
any waitin’ in line,
It’s just a one-way ticket into paradise.
I’ll be waitin’ with my bags all packed
When I hear that whistle and a rumblin’ tracks.

It’s gonna be excitin’
When it’s ready to go back
When I board that train that’s goin’ home.

Chorus
All aboard for the gospel train
Seats reserved and the tickets made
Gonna be there when the conductor says
“All aboard for the gospel train
All aboard for the gospel train.”

Gonna leave my trials
And my troubles behind
There’s gonna be no sorrow
at the end of the line
Waitin’ for the city
With the streets of pure gold,
When the Lord Almighty
‘cides its ready to go.

Chorus

I can hardly wait until the glorious day

When the saints of God sing “Amazing Grace.”

Ev’rybody near me is gonna hear me shout,

When I leave the station on the last train out.

Chorus

COMIN’ BACK

Words & Music by David Meece

Long ago in a distant land
When the world was young
You came to save us
To give us a hand
When You left us
You said that You’d come back again
You’d take us away, Lord
I believe You
I believe what You said

Chorus
That You’re comin’ back
Oh, You’re comin’ back
Though it may be in the morning
May be afternoon
But You’re comin’ back
Oh, Your comin’ back
Though it may be in the ev’nin
Maybe real soon
But I’m ready to go Lord,
You know I’m ready I’m ready to fly
‘Cause You’re comin’ back
I know You’re comin’ back
You’re comin’ back to take me home.

So ev’ry mornin’ when I awake
and see the sun
I think of You, Lord,
I think of You
‘Cause You said You’d return
I believe in Your word
Yes, I know that it’s true Lord
I believe it I believe what it said

Chorus

THERE ONCE LIVED A MAN

TEN THOUSAND ANGELS

THE BYSTANDER

WERE YOU THERE

WE ARE THE REASON