Don't You Want to Thank Someone - Andrew Peterson

Andrew Peterson has a long list of soul-edifying and intellectually stimulating songs. He is at his best when describing the believer's hope for the return of the king. While the entire album of "Light for the Lost Boy" is excellent (in particular "Come Back Soon" and "Shine Your Light on Me") the song below is perhaps the apex example of Peterson's most powerful theme - be sure to listen to the end...



Despite the small amount of views on Youtube - if I could only choose one song to be sung at my funeral - I would choose this one.

Lyrics:
Can't you feel it in your bones
Something isn't right here
Something that you've always known
But you don't know why

'Cause every time the sun goes down
We face another night here
Waiting for the world to spin around
Just to survive

But when you see the morning sun
Burning through a silver mist
Don't you want to thank someone?
Don't you want to thank someone for this?

Don't you ever wonder why
In spite of all that's wrong here
There's still so much that goes so right
And beauty abounds?

'Cause sometimes when you walk outside
The air is full of song here
The thunder rolls and the baby sighs
And the rain comes down

And when you see the spring has come
And it warms you like a mother's kiss
Don't you want to thank someone?
Don't you want to thank someone for this?

I used to be a little boy
As golden as a sunrise
Breaking over Illinois
When the corn was tall

Yeah, but every little boy grows up
And he's haunted by the heart that died
Longing for the world that was
Before the Fall

Oh, but then forgiveness comes
A grace that I cannot resist
And I just want to thank someone
I just want to thank someone for this

Now I can see the world is charged
It's glimmering with promises
Written in a script of stars
Dripping from prophets' lips

But still, my thirst is never slaked
I am hounded by a restlessness 
Eaten by this endless ache
But still I will give thanks for this

'Cause I can see it in the seas of wheat
I can feel it when the horses run
It's howling in the snowy peaks
It's blazing in the midnight sun

Just behind a veil of wind
A million angels waiting in the wings
A swirling storm of cherubim
Making ready for the Reckoning

Oh, how long, how long?
Oh, sing on, sing on

And when the world is new again
And the children of the King
Are ancient in their youth again
Maybe it's a better thing
A better thing

To be more than merely innocent
But to be broken then redeemed by love
Maybe this old world is bent
But it's waking up
And I'm waking up

'Cause I can hear the voice of one
He's crying in the wilderness
"Make ready for the Kingdom Come"
Don't you want to thank someone for this?

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallalujah! Hallelujah!
Come back soon
Come back soon


Words and Music by Andrew Peterson / AP: vocals Jill Phillips: vocals Ben Shive: piano, keys, vocals, string arrangement Andy Gullahorn: vocals Cason Cooley: piano, electric guitar, tambourine, marimba Tyler Burkum: electric guitar Matt Pierson: bass Will Sayles: drums Claire Indie: cello Zack Casebolt: violin ©2012 Jakedog Music (adm by Music Services) (ASCAP)