Casting Crowns: American Dream

Casting Crowns – amerikāņu mūsdienu kristīgās mūzikas grupa, kuras saknes meklējamas tālajā 1999.gadā, kad jauniešu mācītājam Mark Hall radās ideja par šādu muzikālu apvienību. Grupa ieguvusi Grammy un Dove balvas, gandrīz visi tās albumi nominēti platīna vai zelta statusam.

Casting Crowns radās kā studentu pielūgsmes grupa, kas kalpoja Deitonas Pirmajā baptistu draudzē Floridā. Sākotnēji tajā darbojās vokālists, dziesmu autors un mācītājs Mark Hall, ģitāristi Juan DeVevo un Hector Cervantes, kā arī vijolniece Melodee DeVevo. 2001.gadā grupa pārcēlās uz Džordžiju, kur tai pievienojās basģitārists Chris Huffman, taustiņinstrumentāliste un akordeoniste Megan Garrett un bundzinieks Andy Williams. Viņi ierakstīja divus albumus, kas kļuva diezgan populāri Atlantas reģionā. Grupa ieguva arī kristīgās mūzikas reģionālo balvu Palmbīčas Atlantijas universitātē kā gada labākie mākslinieki.

Viens no Casting Crowns albumiem nonāca kantrimūziķa Mark Miller rokās, kas uzaicināja grupu kļūt par paša izveidotās jaunās ierakstu kompānijas Beach Street Records pirmajiem māksliniekiem. Kā producentu Miller uzaicināja pazīstamo kristīgo dziedātāju Steven Curtis Chapman un 2003.gadā klajā nāca Casting Crowns debijas albums lielajam mūzikas tirgum. Albums ātri vien kļuva par vienu no pirktākajiem debijas albumiem kristīgās mūzikas vēsturē. Turpmākajos gados tam sekoja citi tikpat veiksmīgi albumi.

2009.gada sākumā grupu atstāja bundzinieks Andy Williams, kura vietā nāca Brian Scoggin. Tā paša gada aprīlī Casting Crowns piedalījās mūzikas un mākslas festivālā Phenjanā Ziemeļkorejā, kļūdama par pirmo amerikāņu grupu, kas jebkad uzstājusies šajā valstī. Četri no grupas dalībniekiem kalpo arī kā pielūgsmes mūziķi Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church draudzē, vienlaikus strādājot arī ar pusaudžiem.

Casting Crowns diskogrāfija:

2001 Casting Crowns [pašizdots]
2002 What If The Whole World Prayed [pašizdots]
2003 Casting Crowns
2004 Live from Atlanta [koncertalbums]
2005 Lifesong
2006 Lifesong Live [koncertalbums]
2007 The Altar and the Door
2008 The Altar and the Door Live [koncertalbums]
2008 Peace on Earth [Ziemassvētku albums]
2009 Until the Whole World Hears
2010 Until the Whole World Hears Live [koncertalbums]
2011 Come to the Well
2013 The Acoustic Sessions

All work no play may have made Jack a dull boy
But all work no God has left Jack with a lost soul
But he’s moving on full steam
He’s chasing the American dream
And he’s gonna give his family finer things

“Not this time son I’ve no time to waste
Maybe tomorrow we’ll have time to play”
And then he slips into his new BMW
And drives farther and farther and farther away

Cause he works all day and tries to sleep at night
He says things will get better;
Better in time

So he works and he builds with his own two hands
And he pours all he has in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are comin’ crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

Well his American Dream is beginning to seem
More and more like a nightmare
With every passing day
“Daddy, can you come to my game?”
“Oh Baby, please don’t work late.”
Another wasted weekend
And they are slipping away

‘Cause he works all day and lies awake at night
He tells them things are getting better
Just take a little more time

So he works and he builds with his own two hands
And he pours all he has in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are comin’ crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

He used to say, “Whoever dies with the most toys wins”
But if he loses his soul, what has he gained in the end
I’ll take a shack on the rock
Over a castle in the sand

Now he works all day and cries alone at night
It’s not getting any better
Looks like he’s running out of time

‘Cause he worked and he built with his own two hands
And he poured all he had in a castle made with sand
But the wind and the rain are coming crashing in
Time will tell just how long his kingdom stands
His kingdom stands

All they really wanted was you
All they really wanted was you
All they really wanted was you