This is another of my favourite songs to date. Where some songs come quickly, this did not! It was almost 4 years in writing before it was completed and I was happy with it. It changed form and lyrically several times before I hit upon a verse that I was really pleased with. I also tried many different chorus ideas, pre chorus against no pre chorus and so on. I eventually decided I needed to withdraw from the song and return to it at a later date in the hope that I would come up with a new direction and possible melody routes. I didn’t anticipate that this process would continue for the next few years.

During this time I talked to other writers, read and began to pray that God would take me deep into the song rather than just writing it. When this began to happen, a new pre chorus theme developed about God who sees and knows all that I’ve done and has been done to me. A chorus followed and I was relieved I had finished it and excited to be introducing it at morning prayers. I thought it had gone really well but was a bit offended when someone who didn’t write songs came to me and commented that they thought the chorus needed to be bigger. After getting over my dented pride I thought about what they had said and went back to the drawing board. It wasn’t until some months after that I finally came up with a new chorus that I knew was the one. The very first time I introduced it, it was obvious it was stronger than before and people engaged far more.

When I came to record this song on The Blue E.P I was very aware of God’s presence particularly when Tom Mills laid the angst guitar solo. I’m not really sure why but it reminds me of the kind of heart felt emotion in “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. It felt like that solo further interpreted the passion beyond the lyrics. As Tom played the final note he hung on it and Paul Burton kept recording to see what happened. Tom naturally put some inflections in and I became even more aware of God’s presence in the studio. It’s easily one of my favourite songs and I enjoy leading and listening to the recording. Tom’s solo still hits me every time hear it.

This song is definitely evidence of song writing being a balance between inspiration and the discipline of song writing, always be prepared to receive advice, and never give up!

Click here to access the chord sheets for Take Me In Closer