Charlie Peacock – In The Light

Happy new year!

Some of you might be wondering, “Charlie Peacock, really?  Wasn’t this a DC Talk song?”  Sorry, DC Talk’s version is a cover!  I was surprised too.  Although DC Talk’s version is slightly different, I’ve chosen to stick with my originalist guns to examine Charlie Peacock’s version.

Charles William Ashworth is an American artist and songwriter.  He also founded re:think, a record label that housed Switchfoot and was quickly bought out by Sparrow Records before Switchfoot debuted.

Throughout his career, he released 24 albums, including:

• No Magazines (1982)
• Lie Down in the Grass (1984)
• Lie Down in the Grass (1985)
• Charlie Peacock (1986)
• West Coast Diaries: Vol. 1 (1988)
• West Coast Diaries: Vol. 2 (1989)
• West Coast Diaries: Vol. 3 (1989)
• The Secret of Time (1990)
• Love Life (1991)
• West Coast Diaries: Vol. 1–3 (1991)
• Everything That’s on My Mind (1994)
• …in the light (1996)
• Strangelanguage (1996)
• Live in the Netherlands (1998)
• Last Vestiges of Honor (1998)
• Kingdom Come (1999)
• Full Circle (2004)
• Love Press Ex-Curio (2005)
• Arc of the Circle (2008)
• No Man’s Land (2012)
• Lemonade (2014)
• When Light Flashes Help Is on the Way (2018)
• Lil’ Willie (2019)
• She Sang for Me, Vol. 1 (2019)
• Skin and Wind (2021)

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Peacock attempted to live for himself.  He was prepared to justify his actions with reasons that made sense to him.  However, he deeply suspected that his actions were wrong.  Without realizing it, he started to slowly hate his actions, which proves that his intuition was correct.  He recognized that self is a disease that requires a cure.  He requires salvation, not self-medication.  He needs external help, not self-help.  He wants internal peace, asking God to help him to live for others instead of himself.

Somewhere along the way, he developed a deep desire to enter God’s light, specifically, the light of Christ.  He is the salvation that Peacock yearns for, whose lovingkindness is attractive to Peacock.  Peacock desires Jesus and His light, wanting to be like Him, bask in His presence, follow Him, and enter His loving arms.

Side Note: To those annoyed by massive repetition, half the song is one Stanza repeated throughout the song.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

The whole song is Biblical.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

This song does not contain a Verse/Chorus/Bridge structure.  Therefore, I assigned stanzas to each paragraph.

[Stanza 1]

I keep trying to find a life
On my own, apart from You
I am the king of excuses
I’ve got one for every selfish thing that I’ll do

Lines 1-4: Peacock admits that they have a reason (good, bad, or otherwise) to justify their self-motivated actions.  To one degree or another, we all learned from our original blood parents.  Adam blamed God and the woman, while Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:12-13).  However, Peacock, in this section, admits that he is the “king of excuses”, similar to Paul’s self-declaration as the “chief of sinners” in 1 Timothy 1:15.

[Stanza 2]

What’s going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions

Peacock is beginning to change, where they war against their actions (Matthew 4:1-11, Romans 7:14-25, Ephesians 6:12-17, and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5) instead of mindlessly giving into self.  Though Peacock suspected that what he did was error, his newfound hatred for his past behavior confirms that he was right.

But I’m still a man in need of a Savior

Realizing his mistake, Peacock recognizes that he needs a Savior to rid him of his guilt.  Doing good to make up for the bad he’s done will not do.  He requires a heart transplant (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

[Stanza 3]

I wanna be in the light as You are in the light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens

Peacock both desires to be in God’s light while admitting that God is light itself (Psalm 27:1, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 119:130, Matthew 4:16, John 1:1-8, John 8:12, Ephesians 5:14, James 1:17, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 1:5-7, and Revelation 21:23).  Peacock is drawn to the light because he is starting to practice the truth (John 3:21).

Oh, Lord, be my light and be my salvation

Light in this context is about guidance.  Peacock is asking God to guide them (Psalm 32:8, Psalm 37:23-24, Psalm 73:23-24, Psalm 119:105, Isaiah 30:21, Isaiah 48:17, Isaiah 58:11, Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 20:24, Psalm 25:4-9, Psalm 25:9-10, Luke 1:78-79, John 14:26, John 16:13, and Romans 8:14) and to save them (Isaiah 53:7-11, Matthew 1:21, John 1:29, Galatians 1:4, Galatians 3:13, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 3:5, and Revelation 1:5).

All I want is to be in the light of love

Peacock wants to be wrapped in the arms of God’s love, also known as His shelter (Ruth 2:12, 2 Samuel 22:3-4, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 34:22, Psalm 41:2, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 57:1, Psalm 59:1, Psalm 61:3, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 118:8, Psalm 121:7-8, Psalm 138:7, Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 30:5, Nahum 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, and 1 John 5:18).  Peacock also experiences God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3).

All I want is to be in the light

Essentially repeats line 4.

[Stanza 4]

The disease of the self runs through my blood
It’s a cancer fatal to the soul

Peacock came to the same conclusion as stated in Jeremiah 17:9: we are all deceitful and desperately wicked at our core.  This infection, if left uncured, will separate us from God (Matthew 18:7-9, Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43, Romans 6:23, Jude 1:7, and Revelation 14:11).

Every attempt on my behalf has failed
To bring the sickness under control

Also known as works righteousness.  Self-correction, whether through obeying the Law (Acts 13:39, Romans 3:20-21, Romans 4:13, Romans 9:32, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:10-13, and Galatians 5:4), or doing what is right within one’s own eyes (Deuteronomy 12:8, Judges 17:6, Judges 21:25, Proverbs 12:15, and Proverbs 14:12).

[Stanza 5]

I wanna be in the light as You are in the light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord, be my light and be my salvation
All I want is to be in the light of love
All I want is to be in the light

Repeats Stanza 3.

[Stanza 6]

I wanna be in the light as You are in the light
Let me into the presence of the Father
I will follow right behind, true love I will find
All I want is to be in the light of love
All I want is to be in the light

Repeats Stanza 3, except for lines 2 and 3.  Peacock begs God to experience the Father’s Presence, where he will follow.  Peacock may do this through experiencing Jesus (Philippians 3:8-10) and following Him (John 15:1-10, 1 Corinthians 11:1-2, 1 Peter 2:21, and 1 John 2:3-6).

[Stanza 7]

Is there such a thing as an inner peace
If there is, then a man of peace I want to be
I will need Your help if I’m ever to be that
If I’m to lay down, lay down, lay down
Then I’ll lay my life for my brothers and sisters
I will need Your help

Peacock enlists God’s assistance to experience internal peace (John 14:27, John 16:29-33, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:14-15, and Colossians 3:15) and to sacrifice for others.

Jesus, I need Your light, forever shining bright

See Stanza 3, lines 1 and 2.

[Stanza 8]

I wanna be in the light as you are in the light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord, be my light and be my salvation
All I want is to be in the light of love
All I want is to be in the light

Repeats Stanza 3.

[Stanza 9]

I wanna be in the light as you are in the light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord, be my light and be my salvation
All I want is to be in the light of love
All I want is to be in the light…

Repeats Stanza 3.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers should easily recognize it as a Christian song, given that it mentions God, salvation, and Jesus.  They should also easily conclude that Peacock left their former life of self to pursue Christ’s light, requesting help to receive His love, His internal peace, and to sacrifice for others.  Peacock also wants to know God intimately.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus as the light that outshines Peacock’s inner darkness as his savior, protector, and guide.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Charlie Peacock’s In The Light is great.  Peacock recognizes that his selfish lifestyle was morally wrong, catapulting him to pursue Christ.  Jesus’ light shines amid Peacock’s darkness, attracting Peacock to His lovingkindness and salvation.  These, alongside Peacock’s desire to follow Jesus, bring Him glory.  Unbelievers should have little to no problem interpreting similarly.

This song is inspirational and has small bits that praise God, but it’s difficult to recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: In The Light (listen to the song)

Artist: Charlie Peacock

Album: Love Life

Genre: Pop

Release Year: 1991

Duration: 3:45

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

*Copyright © 1991 Sparrow Song (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.