“Climb On (A Back That’s Strong) by Caedmon’s Call
Oh, my soul
Sometimes we don’t know what to do
We work so hard
Being tough on our own
But now it’s me and you
Let’s give it up, sad bones
‘Cause we all fall on hard times
But you don’t have to stand up all alone
Just put your hand in mineClimb on a back that’s strong
Hey, hey, you can get what you want
Climb on a back that’s strongIf you could save me a
A place in heaven
With a clean, well-lighted room
I’ll muscle up to Armageddon
And I’ll wave to you, Darlin’
Be home soonAnd if you could show me
The story of love
I would write it
Again and again
And then you could be
The woman you need
If you just let me be
The man that I amClimb on a back that’s strong
Hey, hey, you can get what you want
Climb on a back that’s strongOh, I don’t know
Sometimes we try too hard to see
But we got one down
And one more to go
That’s when you say to meClimb on a back that’s strong
Hey, hey, you can get what you want
Climb on a back that’s strongClimb on a back that’s strong
Hey, hey, you can get what you want
Climb on a back that’s strong, oh yeahClimb on a back that’s strong
Hey, hey, you can get what you want
Climb on a back that’s strong, yeah, yeah(written by Shawn Colvin and John Leventhal)
Dear God, this is one of the only songs on this album that wasn’t written by a band member. I’m a little fuzzy on the meaning of some of it as I look through the lyrics. The whole part about saving a place in heaven makes me wonder if the singer is talking to a terminally ill person and they are trying to help the person to be strong through their last days on earth, but I’m not sure. So I’ll just look at this song from a macro level.
The main message, I suppose, is that there are times when we need to encourage others to use us for strength. And then, and this is the hard one for me, I need to allow others to help me to be strong through my struggles. Frankly, it’s a lot easier for me to be there for someone else than it is for me to ask someone else to be there for me. But we need community. We need others. It is not good for man to be alone. No accomplished person is truly self-made. Everyone has at least one person who believed in them, encouraged them, guided them, and helped them. At least one, but likely there are many. Many, many. For me, I can look back on several people you put in my life and very specific times. I’d like to think I’ve been able to be that for others, but I don’t know that I’ve ever really been that consistent, long-term person that someone else might have needed.
Father, help me to simply respond to the people you put around me. Whether you put them there to help me or for me to help them (or both), give me eyes to see and a mind to interpret the situation as you see it. Give me a willing heart and and a persevering spirit. And do it all for your glory and not mine.
In Jesus’s name I pray,
Amen
Emails to God 