How You Live (Turn Up The Music)

Album: How You Live (2007)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was written by Christian recording artist and songwriter Cindy Morgan. It earned her the coveted Songwriter of the Year award at the 2008 Dove Awards. Originally Morgan had not written this song for the Christian market, instead she expected it to become a Country song for the likes of Faith Hill or Martina McBride. However Point of Grace picked up on it and made it the title track of How You Live.
  • The song's original first line was "Make love in the sunlight with all the doors open." When Morgan heard that a Christian act was going to record she changed it as she "didn't think that was going to fly with Christian radio." She told Christian Music Today, "I thought, 'What else is good? What else feels good? What else is something you should do?' I've got no trouble talking about [sex within marriage], but I knew some people would feel uncomfortable with that line."
  • In the same Christian Music Today interview Morgan discussed the original inspiration for this song: "I was attending the funeral of a friend of our family. He was a man of great wealth and influence in the community - a great humanitarian. His funeral was an enormous production-tons of limousines and multimedia presentations with roses until you couldn't count. People talked about his accomplishments and how much he'd given to the community-how much money he'd made, his business growth, his vacation properties, his yachts. But I looked up at the family and thought, I don't hear them saying, 'He was always there for his kids. He was always there for his son's baseball games. In the end, family was what counted most, as well as his relationship with God.' None of that. And the really sad part for me was that it was almost if they didn't even know it was missing. I just went home really disturbed by it. It moved me, and I just thought, If this was going to be it for me, if this is the last day that I have with my family, what would I do today? And I tried to take a lesson from it, 'cause I sure don't do it all the time."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.

Gary LeVox

Gary LeVoxSongwriter Interviews

On "Life Is A Highway," his burgeoning solo career, and the Rascal Flatts song he most connects with.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.