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Help Us Understand

by Rick Paul

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about

I'd picked the week of September 10, 2001 for a solid week of writing songs, and got off to a good start on that Monday. However, then 9/11 came, and most any thoughts of anything else went by the wayside. A day or so later, some friends convinced me that, as a songwriter, it was more or less my duty to try and write something to express what others might not be able to, so I tried. After a day or so of trying to come up with something, though, I just couldn't come up with anything that didn't seem trite. I resolved I'd give it another day, then overnight just got thinking about my whole reaction to the event at that point in time. The next morning, the basic idea for this lyric just spilled out, and the song was finished within a week or so total. An early demo was played on the radio in a small town over in Australia, and the song was also sung at a vocal recital by a young singer over in Germany, both back in 2011. This recording was produced in 2011 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the attacks.

lyrics

Help Us Understand
words and music by Rick Paul

A little boy in his bedroom, tears streaming from his eyes
Fell to his knees as he cried
He said, "God, I know you can hear me, and you can do all kinds of things
If I can't have Mommy back, would you give her angel's wings"

Oh, Heavenly Father, please help us understand
Why so many suffer in this world that's in your hands
Though we trust you have your reasons
If this is part of your plan
Oh, please, please, help us understand

A young man from the suburbs called his wife from work that day
Said, "tell everybody I'm okay"
Then he paused, and told her he loved her, and she should hug the kids for him
They never saw his face or heard his voice again

Oh, Heavenly Father, please help us understand
Why so many suffer in this world that's in your hands
Though we trust you have your reasons
If this is part of your plan
Oh, please, please, help us understand

Oh it hurts so much
That it's hard to go on
One moment here
The next, they're just gone

Thousands of crying voices were silenced that dark day
All we could do was watch, and pray
So many who tried to help them would sacrifice their lives
As steel and concrete towers crumbled like ice

Oh, Heavenly Father, please help us understand
Why so many suffer in this world that's in your hands
Though we trust you have your reasons
If this is part of your plan
Oh, please, please, help us understand
Oh, please, please help us understand

© 2001 Closet Cowboy Music (ASCAP)
All Rights Reserved

credits

released September 7, 2011
Cover art is based partly on a copyright-free FEMA photograph by Andrea Booher.

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all rights reserved

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Rick Paul Laguna Hills, California

Rick Paul's songs combine memorable pop/rock and country melodies with mature, often thought provoking, lyrics on life and love. His singing has drawn comparisons to Dan Hill, Randy Newman, and Neil Young, while his piano playing is most frequently compared to Rick’s biggest musical influence, Elton John. Rick performs frequently in Orange County, California. ... more

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