Saturday, October 22, 2011

Our Switchfoot History

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Any Switchfoot fans out there?
In honor of Jon Foreman's (lead singer of Switchfoot) birthday today . . .

Last week Shiloh and I went to San Fran to see our favorite band in concert. We have seen them in concert a lot and have been fans for a long time. Some things you should know about our Switchfoot history in case there is ever a quiz where the prize is a million dollars:

1. When my husband was a youth pastor (over 10 years ago) we took the kids to a Switchfoot concert at a church in San Francisco and there were only about 40 people there. Now they have sold out shows and Grammys.

2. When I was pregnant with baby Faith my husband heard the song "On Fire" somewhere online before the Beautiful Letdown album was released. And it really moved him during this difficult time in our lives. (Faith had Trisomy 13 and we did not know if she would make it to birth. She did and lived 4 days and then she ditched us for heaven.) We had a friend who was friends with Jon Foreman. I will share the whole story another time, but Jon sent us the pre-release of Beautiful Letdown when he heard of our situation and how much the song "On Fire" really spoke to my husband.



3. Elijah used to be a diehard Switchfoot fan. When he was only 2 years old he knew all their songs, the names of the guys in the band, and which instruments they played. And he loved to watch their DVDs and mimic their mannerisms. So we took Elijah to a Switchfoot concert when he was just 25 months old. He got to meet them all after the show. I think they were pretty impressed with his devotion. While he was talking to one of them he pointed and said "There's Chad. He plays drums."




4. Elijah is still a fan, but not as hardcore as he was back when I video taped his reaction when I told him we went to a Switchfoot concert without him. And he doesn't use his Wiggles guitar to perform "Awakening." And he doesn't have concerts setting up his toys as guys in the band while shouting out "Put Your Money."

5. Back in March Jon Foreman sang at our friend's surprise renewing of vows ceremony. I met him and his wife briefly and was able to thank them for how they blessed us when we were pregnant with baby Faith. They remembered.


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Here is a clip from their recent San Francisco show when Jon was climbing on the railing in front of us. I think I might have caught some of his sweat and I have not brushed my teeth since or put on deodorant since.


Here are the lyrics from their title song and my favorite off their new album Vice Verses, which I highly recommend. And so does Taylor Swift.

Walking along the high tide line
Watching the pacific from the sidelines
Wonder what it means to live together?
Looking for more than just guidelines

Looking for signs in the night sky,
Wishing that I wasn’t such a nice guy
Wonder what it means to live forever?
Wonder what it means to die?

[Chorus]
I know that there's a meaning to it all
A little resurrection every time I fall
You got your babies, I got my hearses
Every blessing comes with a set of curses
I got my vices, I got my vice verses
I got my vice verses

The wind could be my new obsession
The wind could be my new depression
The wind goes anywhere it wants to
Wishing that I learned my lesson

The ocean sounds like a garage band
Coming at me like a drunk man
The ocean tells me a thousand stories
None of them are lies

[Chorus]
I know that there's a meaning to it all
A little resurrection every time I fall
You got your babies, I got my hearses
Every blessing comes with a set of curses
I got my vices, I got my vice verses
I got my vice verses

Let the pacific laugh
Be on my epitaph
With it's rising and falling
And after all, it's just water
And I am just soul
With a body of water and bones
Water and bones

Where is God in the night sky?
Where is God in the city light?
Where is God in the earthquake?
Where is God in the genocide?

Where are you in my broken heart?
Everything seems to fall apart
Everything feels rusted over
Tell me that you're there

[Chorus]
I know that there's a meaning to it all
A little resurrection every time I fall
You got your babies, I got my hearses
Every blessing comes with a set of curses
I got my vices, I got my vice verses
These are my vice verses
These are my vice verses

Yeah
These are my vice verses
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Anyone else have Vice Verses? What's your favorite song off the album?
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7 comments:

Katie @ minivan diva said...

Awesome post. Love the song.

Jessica Johnson said...

that video is really really REALLY classic. love when his bottom lip starts to go. such a mean mom. ;)

TDM Wendy said...

Katie, Me too. Love it.
Jess, Is there therapy in his future?

everydayVALENTINE said...

we LOVE them too and went to a few concerts before they were sold out too! my husband is a big fan and we do love Vice Verses...love this post and your sweet little man's devotion back in the day...so cute how our passions rub off on our kids. xoxo

Kim C Pace (aka Casey) said...

I. Love. Switchfoot. (and I'm old)

Linda Z said...

You are speaking my language!! You know you are! :) Amazing about your sweet Faith. Amazing that they played at the vow renewal.

I didn't know Jon's b'day! I'm not as good a fan as you! :)

grey rose (they/them) said...

this is so very sweet and special.
please don't hate me, but i don't care for this band.
i love you though! ;)