Santo Talks About the Music
"He Loves You."
This is probably one of my oldest songs. Its been through a number of revisions throughout the years. I wrote the music while I was in the band "Wavelength" sometime in 1985. My guitarist Bryon Anilonis wrote a song where he used open bar chords and I was mesmerized by the full and almost mystical sound it created. So I messed around with open bar chords a bit and immediately came up with the music for what would latter be titled, "He Loves You."
I didn't write lyrics until after my conversion to Christ in 1986. Up until that point, I just didn't have words that fit the music. But once I approached the song afresh as a new creation in Christ, the words just came. They really did! I pictured a young teenage girl, sitting alone in her room, wondering if she had any reason to go on living. Just as she's ready to pack it in, she hears the gospel for the first time and Jesus speaks to her heart assuring her of His love and forgiveness. The chorus describes what Jesus did to DEMONSTRATE His love for her.
The song originally consisted of a verse, bridge and then another verse. When I recorded it for my CD "Anything" I added an instrumental intro. I seemed to be the only one who liked it! When Matt Willey, Ben Carter and I would play it out live, we extended the end of the song into a jam session. Sometimes, I'd surprise them and break into "Fire on the Mountain" by the Grateful Dead. I enjoyed playing leads to it so much that I decided to record a vamped up version of it on my newest CD "Further Up and Further In." When I played a demo of it for the Bissonette brothers, Matt said, "You should play the chorus twice." And I thought, 'hey, that's not a bad idea.' Matt also added some lush backup vocals to the chorus and it created a beautiful wall of sound!
Matt also played the Hofner bass that Ringo Starr had given him when he played with Ringo's All Stars. It's so lyrical and melodic and although some people won't even notice it, for me it really gives the song wings. It goes without saying that Gregg graced the song with rock solid rhythm and power.
But the real fun began when I began to record the guitar leads at the end. I played some melodic leads while leaving some space for my guitar instructor Mike Campese to lay down some alternating solos. We sent them to him via the net and he sent back some rippin' leads! I looked at Matt and said, "I have to redo mine. Otherwise, my leads will look like crayon drawings next to his masterpieces! Matt said, "I knew this was going to happen." But once I faked my way through....um, I mean laid down some nice licks and we began to mix it down a bit, to my relief Matt said, "This actually came out nice." You can hear it on my myspace page. Be sure to wait for the solos at the end, you'll be glad you did.
Verse 1:
All the day, and all the night
She felt so lonely, she felt so scared
She said she'd never feel this way again
She's leaving for never, neverland.
Until He told her, that He loves her
And that He died to wash away her sin
All she has to do islet Him in forever, forever, life eternally!
Chorus
They nailed Him, they spit at Him
They laughed at Him, they mocked His name
They beat Him until His blood
ran from His body, into the mud ... into the mud.
Verse 2:
Can't you see, His love is free
All you have to do is let Him in
Just submit to God and then begin forever, forever, life eternally, the gift of God is free!
Chorus
Guitar solos
