By now, whether you are Christian or not, you have heard at least one hit song from the beloved rock band Switchfoot.
While all the band members are Christian, they prefer to be known as just a rock band because they say their music contains broad themes that everyone can enjoy, whether it is "Meant to Live," "Dare You to Move" or their newest hit single, "Awakening."
The San Diego-based group now has a new original song out called, "This is Home," which plays in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" – the latest “Narnia” film which this past weekend seized the box-office crown, with $55 million in ticket sales.
The Switchfoot song is featured during the end credits of the film, and appears on the Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack CD, which released May 13.
The Christian Post caught up with Jerome Fontamillas, who is often found jamming on the guitar or keyboard for the band, to discuss the new "Narnia" song and to get the 411 on Switchfoot's latest projects.
The following are excerpts taken from the interview:
CP: Tell me a little bit about "This is Home" – Switchfoot's new song, recorded for the movie "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian." How does the song tell the journey of these four kids?
Fontamillas: Well, the whole idea of the song – if you read the Chronicles the series from beginning to end – it's this idea that the place you live now is not the place you are really meant to be. You feel this is just a passing by and there is something bigger for you beyond this place. This song has a longing to go to that place. “This is Home” is about longing to be in the place where you belong and destined to be.
CP: What do you think is the destiny of these four kids?
Fontamillas: Well, I'm sure for the four kids, Narnia is their place to be. But you know, you can relate it to you. “This is not my place. I belong in a place bigger than this.”
CP: Now, have you read the books?
Fontamillas: Yes, I have … when I was a kid.
CP: Was it surreal to work on a story you read when you were younger?
Fontamillas: Yeah. It was surreal to be a part of a work like this. Reading C.S. Lewis all my life, it's an honor and a privilege to work on something like this. So when they called us up and said, “Hey can you work on a song for the movie?” we were like pretty floored. We were like, “Really? For Chronicles of Narnia? That's amazing.”
CP: A lot of your songs are known to contain messages that Christians can relate to. Do you see any such messages in this song?
Fontamillas: Oh, yeah. I mean a lot of our songs have Christian themes because C.S. Lewis is a big part of us. We read a lot of it at work, so a lot of the themes he had put in his book, you can see them in a lot of our songs.
We have a song called, “Meant to Live.” The idea is that we are meant to live for something more, something bigger than where we are at.
We have a song called "This is your life," where you are talking about “Is this all there is or is there something big you could be living for?” And a lot of C.S. Lewis themes are in that area.
CP: How about for this song?
Fontamillas: “This is Home,” like I said before … this song has a longing to be in a place where you are destined to be at.
CP: For Christians, would that be heaven?
Fontamillas: Yeah! For Christians, that would be heaven. But it kind of can start here too, where you are longing for something bigger than where your life is right now.
Comments
Hello to all. I have been convicted about my entries. I am sorry for wanting to offer a better quip or to help others see their error, or what I perceive as their error. That is certainly my error and it is my error that I should spend my time dealing with. I am sorry and I hope anyone who reads my words can forgive my pride.
Confidence in the power of the preached Gospel wasn't even in the discussion. That is the only confidence we have and your comment was misplaced.
I am not sure how someone could twist the mention of a "lost world" and Christ's work of redemption into "being in love with the world."
I wouldn't presume to know what a million Switchfoots or Narnias would do for the lost world but rather than position a band and a movie into an either-or position set in opposition to the preaching of the Gospel, why not view it as a both-and scenario where God gets to be the one to make them effective in drawing the lost to Himself.
Jesus spent most of His time (when He wasn't answering stupid questions of the pious Pharisees) with prostitutes, thieves,murderers, and chose to make disciples from mere simple fishermen, He was apparently dangerously close to being in love with the world.
I am an avid listener of Christian music. I have three children ranging from 8 to 15. This music has allowed me to connect with them. We read together "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." Then we went and seen it at the movies. We plan to do the same for this one also. C.S. Lewis's stories convey a Christian message.
Have confidence in the power of the preached Gospel. It will have more affect than a million Switchfoots or Narnias.
Switchfoot is not Christian music. Narnia is not a Christian film. When will we stop being in love with the world?
1 John 2
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
"bigger than that." as in being will to reach outside the church building walls and actually do more than just serve christians. Our purpose as the body of Christ is to do as He did, to go into the world and serve the hurting world. Most christian music is designed to building up the body and that is fine and needed. Why do we have to be suspicious and pick apart the words of bands who want to appeal to non-believers? A band like Switchfoot is more likely to reach a lost and hurting kid than a gospel quartet will.
The guy didn't use the term "bigger" in reference to anything other than being labeled a christian band. Not bigger than Christ or being a Christian! Christ saw the redemption of a lost world as bigger than Himself to the point that He died for us. He served us. The lost. I think that is what he meant by their music being "bigger than that."
I saw the movie, and liked the song too. But I was a little confused about this quote,
"You're like, “Hey, it's a privilege to be regarded in the Christian community. Wow they are Christ followers.” But I also feel like our music is bigger than that."
"Bigger" than what? Than Christ? Than being a Christian?