This song is not about my family.
And yet it is, just as it is about your family.
There is something real, something experiential in the three examples in this song. That’s what an artist tries to do. Draws on real experiences in trying to create a life-like situation others can relate to; that many are still dealing with. Sometimes it’s straight autobiographical; sometimes it’s tweaked or even greatly exaggerated.
Who hasn’t argued with a sibling?
And while I abused alcohol as a parent of two young children, I don’t harbor the fears that are expressed in this song. But I can certainly appreciate those fears because I once did; it’s why I got sober.
And in the third verse about “my old man.” In reality, my father died many years ago. That gives me the empathy to express what an abandoned grown child might feel.
This is one of my favorite songs. I like it for a couple of reasons: I like the way it pairs worldly concerns with personal apprehensions. And I like the way it juxtaposes the nitty-gritty with the sacred.
This song is a lamentation echoing the Old Testament prophets who, while wailing and moaning, wanted assurances that there was something better. There had to be.
So, “Where Promises Are Kept” is at its heart a spiritual song. While it paints the picture of pain and suffering, it is redemptive in its premise and conclusion.
Although I have played it in a few churches, I don’t feel it appropriate to play it at most gigs, so I’m grateful to be able to share it here.
Where Promises Are Kept
There’s gotta be a better life than this one
Too many broken promises, too much damage done.
My sister may not speak to me again
but maybe in a new life, maybe in a new light, she will
Don’t keep telling me I need to accept all this insanity
Too many babies dying too many bombs still fly.
My children may not remember me without the beer
but maybe in a new life, maybe in a new light, they will
(bridge):
I want to belive, I want to believe
I want to believe, Help me believe
The years go by, they tell us lies, we listen
Like how the strong don’t seek forgiveness.
I may not know my old man when I see him
But maybe in a new life, maybe in a new light, I will
(bridge)
There’s gotta be a better life than this one
Where promises are kept and all is forgiven.
I may not live in a mansion on the hill
But maybe in a new life, maybe in a new light, I will