DONATIONS
I’ve given away two songs before this one and would like to give away many more. But with only five donations so far, I won’t be able to keep this up. It’s not free to record, after all. So, please, if you’re one of the tens of thousands downloading these tunes for free, and if you like what you hear and have the ability to donate, please drop a little change in the tip jar. Thank you.
THE STORY BEHIND I’VE GOT YOU
I met Kiran a few months ago, but if I live a hundred years I’ll still remember her. Her house is a box six feet wide and four feet deep with a roof made from sheets of plastic held in place with rocks and sticks. There’s not enough room for Kiran’s two brothers and father to sleep inside so they bed down on the street. There’s also no room for furniture or a closet. All they own is pinned to the ceiling by a sheet stretched tight overhead and pegged to the walls with sticks jammed into holes.
Kiran’s house was about four and a half feet tall so the neighbors all came out to laugh at the giant Americans cramming themselves through the miniature doorway. Once inside, my friends and I sat on the ground asking questions and listening to Kiran’s story. Then it was Kiran’s turn to ask us a question.
She stood straighter than before, a big smile on her face. “How do you like my home?” she asked.
We all held tears behind wide grins. “It’s beautiful,” we said.
Then Kiran took Keely by the hand and walked us through her neighborhood. The sudden presence of white faces had drawn a handful of beggars to Kiran’s street. There they sat, one with hands and feet eaten by leprosy, pleading for food. The shifting winds blew the unmistakable smell of human waste into our noses then mercifully pulled them away. Together we crossed a bridge that spanned polluted waters shimmering in the midday sun.
As we stepped off the bridge Kiran began to cry.
“I’m just so very happy,” she said.
What could make a girl living in twenty-four square feet so happy? What could make an eleven year-old without a closet, a car, a television or a cell phone so happy? What could make a girl who walks past beggars and through so much filth every day so very happy?
“I have God and my sponsor,” she said.
Then we turned a corner into a brothel where women tricked and trapped into prostitution stood waiting to pleasure sweaty strangers for fifty cents an hour. Men stared at us. At Kiran. Seemingly oblivious to the danger and lust all around us on the crowded street, Kiran began to sing.
“Lord, I lift your name on high.”
She swung Keely’s hands in hers.
“Lord, I love to sing your praises.”
Almost skipping, Kiran floated through the darkness like a firefly.
“I’m so glad you’re in my life. I’m so glad you came to save us.”
I don’t believe God loves the poor more than he loves rich folks like me. But I do believe they’re often better at loving him back. “Blessed are the poor,” Jesus said. To those with nothing Jesus is everything. That’s something to sing about.
LYRICS
I’ve Got You
Words and music by Shaun Groves
Copyright 2010 Shaungroves.com/ASCAPGot nothing in my hands to part these waves
Got nothing in my bank account that saves
Got no more might left to muscle through
But Oh, I’ve got you
I’ve got youGot demons gather ’round oh laugh it up
Spreading doubts a plenty I can’t drink this cup
Got no one left who thinks I’ll make it through
But Oh, I’ve got you
I’ve got youGot faded memories of better days
Got a prayer that they’ll come back around my way
You’ve got me and oh that gets me through
Oh, I’ve got you
I’ve got you
Oh, I’ve got you
I’ve got you
CREDITS
Shane Wilson: recording & mix engineer, incense
Stephen Leiweke: pre-production, electric & acoustic guitar
Ken Lewis: drums
Chris Donahue: bass
Jeremy Bose: French horn and trumpet
Jim Demain: mastering
Shaun Groves: production, piano, vocals
A FEW LAST LINKS
- RADIO:I’ve Got You is available to the inspo radio format through Big Town Promotions. Interview requests can be made through publicity@shaungroves.com
- BOOKING: I’ll sing or speak or both for free if I’m allowed just a few minutes to speak on behalf of Compassion International. To book me all you need to do is visit shaungroves.com/booking.
- FACEBOOK AND TWITTER: Join me on Facebook and Twitter to be the first to know about future free downloads.
- MORE FREE MUSIC: Visit shaungroves.com/freemusic
Come on people, you’d pay a dollar for a song on iTunes by someone who quite possibly will never make a positive difference in the world. So can’t we give a buck for music from someone who’s going against the current, playing for free and giving away tunes to make a difference in kids’ lives?
Skip Starbuck’s today and make it five bucks. Mine’s in.
This is amazing….
beautiful. . .
Trying to donate, but my Paypal page won’t let me scroll down to click on the “donate button”. I am NOT tech savvy, but I have tried everything to be able to see the bottom of the page and still can’t. Don’t know if it’s because it’s a pop up page or something… frustrating!
Ben’s working on that. He’ll make it open in a new window for you instead of a pop-up. Thanks for trying!
You can use the TAB key to get to the bottom of that Paypal pop-up. Hope that helps while they work on the new window.
Thank you, Shaun, for sharing your new song with all of us.
Beautiful, beautiful song! Thank you.
Well call me slow… I didn’t realize we could donate for the earlier downloads! It’s taken care of now though and I have even more great songs and even better stories behind them to share! Thanks…and send me a bigger donation notice next time! It’s rough to get old.
Slow.
Shaun,
Great song, God bless you in all you do.
I read your post often and I am always amazed at how you can speak so directly to me, you have been blessed with a gift, please continue to share it.
Thank you! Great to hear you on the “Message”- XM today when I got into the car.
Great to be heard.
Shaun, didn’t your mother teach you to be kind to your elders? Especially your “older, wiser” friend-type elders…
Thanks for lettin’ me “feel the love” today.
Beth
He probably didn’t realize that you were any older than he is. Right, Shaun?
Thanks for trying to save his butt for him Kristie, but he definitely knows I’m older than he is. That’s OK. I know things about him too
And now I won’t ever forget Kiran… every time I lift His name on high or sing His praises…
I have God — and I *get* to be a sponsor.
We’ve got Him and He is Love and Peace and Joy and Grace and we get to pass it on and could there be anything more?
Thank you, Shaun… Keep passing it on, brother…
All’s grace,
Ann
shaun–our family has been invited to consider going to kenya to serve at an orphanage, but we don’t even have the funds to apply. what do you think God is up to with this?
we would be asking God to provide $750 for the registration, plus another $13K for the 3 of us to go. if we can’t fund a dime of our own way, is it right for us to consider going?
i’d LOVE for our family to have the opportunity to have an experience like you had with kiran. i believe it could be life changing. i’ve already been overseas once, 20 years ago, and it did change my life’s priorities. now i want that for my husband and son too.
thoughts? sorry for rambling so long in comments.