The Phil Files

I’ve enjoyed the juice from Switchfoot’s newly released CD Vice Verses. I know Christian crossover rock isn’t for everyone, but going back a long time with Delirious, it’s been a source of motivation and energy for me. The whole set of songs on Vice Verses is available to the public tomorrow, September 27, but I’ve gotten a sneak peak and have listened the whole set several times.

Here’s a glimpse of one song, Dark Horses, on YouTube. This song is about people who were thrown into a bad situation for any number of reasons, but have chosen to live above the mess of their lives because they know a different way, The Different One, who gives them courage to ride through their tough times — their the dark horses. The following is from Jon Foreman about the song:

“I wrote a piece awhile back on the Huffington Post about Dark Horses and underdogs and I started thinking about it and for me the true underdogs are the people who didn’t chose their situation, but are rising above it. For me that song the Dark Horses is all about the homeless kids back in San Diego, specifically the ones who are being helped out by Stand Up For Kids. It’s always nice when you have a song you are passionate about singing night after night that has a deeper meaning than simply another verse and another chorus.”

The group Switchfoot is doing a tour they calling Stand Up For Kids, to bring attention and help to homeless kids on the street. As part of a church that supports Dry Bones Denver (please click the link for more info and think about offering them support) and their outreach to the homeless kids there, it rings through to my heart. More on the tour and the effort in links at the end of the video.

Lyrics below the video.

I’ve made my mistakes
I’ve seen my heart cave in
I’ve got my scars
I’ve been to hell and back again

Born for the blue skies
We’ll survive the rain
Born for the sunrise
We’ll survive the pain

We’re singing …
Hey, You can’t count us out
We’ve been living up against the crowd
Yeah, we are the Dark Horses

We’re singing …
Hey! It’s not over now
We’ve been down but we’ve never been out
Yeah, we are the Dark Horses

We found a way out
The city takes everything it can
But outside the crowds
I can feel my lungs again

We’re singing …
Hey, You can’t count us out
We’ve been living up against the crowd
Yeah, we are the Dark Horses

We’re singing …
Hey! It’s not over now
We’ve been down but we’ve never been out
Yeah, we are the Dark Horses

We don’t care what they say
We know we’ll find a way
Yeah! … We are the Dark Horses

Keep running with the Dark Horses
Hope makes the blood change courses

Keep running with the Dark Horses
Stand up for the Dark Horses

Keep running with the Dark Horses
Hope makes the blood change courses