Mason Jennings. My favorite lately. His voice has an earnest, genuine, conversational tone. He manages to pierce the film that usually separates me from the recorded person. There’s a thrust and a glottal to his vocals that I can’t explain except to say that he has charmed me. I have several of his songs in my repertoire, just here and there from different records that have a similar, homespun sense. There’s an immediacy, a comforting echo in most of the productions of these albums. This song (track 4) which I had never heard (from a compilation project) popped up on Pandora yesterday and his lyrics here have cast the same sort of sweet spell. He digs deep. And I dig it. Deeply. Like he digs. Like the river is deep. Or is it really so deep? Or…oh go on.
[audio:HowDeep.mp3]
How deep is that river? How deep is that river? I don’t wanna know where it’s coming from I don’t need to know where it’s going to Before I place my trust in You I just wanna know, how deep?
God said to me what He said to the tree
Grow up towards the light and one day you’ll see My son Jesus, what did He say? Love the Lord your God and God will show you the way Do unto others like you wanna be done Look deep in your heart and know that we are one
Singing, how deep is that river? How deep is that river? I don’t wanna know how fast it flows I don’t need to know if it’s safe to swim Before I put my trust in Him I just wanna know, how deep?
God came down in the cool of the day Stirred up the waters and began to play Before He knew it, man was on the land With a thought in his head, and a gun in his hand God saw that man was just a little too rough So He gave him a heart and filled it up with love
Singing, how deep is that river? How deep is that river? Yes I don’t wanna know if it has a name I don’t need to know how to cross it yet Before I get my spirit wet I just wanna know, how deep, alright
A few years back I had lost my way I was deep in the woods, I began to pray I came to a river and I sat on its bank It was cool and clear, I have Jesus to thank I drank that water, yes, I drank it up Now every day I come back and fill my cup
Singing, how deep is that river? How deep is that river? I don’t wanna know if it’s yours or mine I don’t need to know if it’s safe to swim Before I put my trust in Him I just wanna know, how deep?
I just wanna know how deep I just wanna know how deep