For a Time Like This: Hunkered Down
A music podcast featuring a new song by Steve Bell, "Because We Hunkered Down." It was recorded for his upcoming album, Wouldn't You Like to Know, which will be released in September 2020. This is not the final mix of the song, but it certainly gives a very fine taste of what is in store for us with that album. We're most grateful to Steve for allowing us to share this recording with you in this way. For more information on this new album, please head to Steve's website.
Accompanying Steve is Erin Propp on vocals, with Micah Bell on bass and Murray Pulver providing some additional guitar.
The lyrics of the song are by the English priest/poet/theologian Malcolm Guite, who we featured in a podcast called The Poet's Ear for Gospel, released on February 15, 2020. To find out more about Malcolm and his work, visit his website, where you will find recordings of him reading his poetry along with all sorts of other good things.
Because We Hunkered Down
(Lyrics by Malcolm Guite, music by Steve Bell)
These bleak and freezing seasons may mean grace
When they are memory
In time to come, when we speak truth, they’ll take their place
Telling the story
Of our journey home
Through dark December
And stark January
With all its disappointments, and the dreary work
Of February
When ever breathing seems to be unwelcome work
But because through all of these we held together
Because we shunned the impulse to let go
Because we hunkered down through our dark weather
And trusted to the soil beneath the snow
Slowly, slowly
Turning a cold key
Spring will unlock our hearts and set us free
Because we hunkered down
Down, Down, Down—
And do listen to this audio of Malcolm reading “Because We Hunkered Down,” released on February 3, 2017. In his introductory comments Malcolm says, “Here is a poem for those of you who, like me, find this time of year difficult to get through, perhaps all the more so with the news, as well as the weather, so bleak.” Clearly the news he was referring to had nothing to do with the current pandemic, and while the weather is not what you would call “so bleak,” his words speak powerfully into the news of our own day.