Do Everything

Album: re:creation (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Chapman experienced a horrendous tragedy in May 2008 when his five-year-old daughter Maria Sue died of injuries arising from a driveway accident. Three years later the Christian singer-songwriter released re:creation, a collection of fresh versions of some of his most memorable tunes from the past plus six new songs. The record was an opportunity to communicate that he and his family believe God is recreating many wonderful things in their lives after their tragic loss.
  • This is the lead single, which like a number of the other tracks features Chapman playing the ukulele. He described it to The Boot as "God just letting me sort of smile with music again. There was such a heaviness that music became so deep and so heavy. Then I discovered ukulele and it was like God saying, 'Here play this for a little while and I want you to smile a little bit again with music. I want it to be fun.' You can't frown and play a ukulele. There's just no way. It just makes you smile. I think that's why Hawaiians are all so happy."
  • Chapman told the story of the song to New Release Tuesday: "I actually started writing this song for my album, This Moment, in 2006. This was a song where I wanted to encourage people to not believe the fallacy that they need to be somebody famous to do something great for God's Kingdom. People who just sweep floors, or change diapers or change tires, Scripture reminds us that everything we do can be seen as an act of worship. We were created to do everything for the glory of God. God doesn't see us through the same lens that we look at ourselves."
  • The song was inspired by the devotional classic My Utmost For His Highest. Chapman explained to NewReleaseTuesday: "I was reading My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and he wrote about how we make visits to the mountaintops and also we walk through deep, deep valleys. Certainly my family has walked through valleys lately. I've also walked on incredible mountaintops. And as Oswald Chambers said, most of life is lived on wide, flat plains. There's nothing spectacularly good or bad; we're just living life and doing the best we can. Do everything as an act of worship. That's the story behind the song."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.