Go and Do
GO AND DO:
This song comes from the first book of Nephi and covers the story from 1 Nephi 1-18 with emphasis on 1 Nephi 3:7 which is Nephi's answer to his father (the prophet, Lehi) when he is told that the Lord wants him and his brothers to go back to Jerusalem to obtain a family record and history of the Jews from a powerful man named Laban. Nephi's brothers complained about going, but Nephi was replied, "I will go and do..." I wanted to capture Nephi's faithfulness and can-do attitude. He was willing to do whatever was asked of him by his father and the Lord.
I believe in the power of story and I love the story of Nephi. As a kid growing up, I identified with Nephi a lot and I love his outrageous faith. There was a time when his brothers tied him up and were going to leave him to die in the wilderness. Nephi prayed that God would give him strength that he could break out of his bindings, but God loosed his bands instead.
The first half of Nephi's story is all about his journey to the "promised land." This is a universal idea as we are all seeking refuge and peace. Likewise, we have been promised peace and glory in the next life if we just follow the teachings of Jesus. The "promised land" is symbolic of the promises of God and our future state of joy and rest.
Nephi followed his father into the wilderness when God commanded them to leave. He went back to get the record (written on brass plates) and was nearly killed in the process. And when they reached the ocean, Nephi was commanded to build a ship. He did all of these things and more in complete faith that God would take him and his family someplace safe, where they could start a new nation.
I see Nephi as trailblazer. He stood up to his older brothers on many occasions and was often beaten and mocked by them. He married and raised his family in the wilderness, eventually settling in a place untouched by human hands. He took his followers and fled from the murderous hands of his brothers and eventually took up the sword in protection of his people. Nephi was hardcore, so the music representing his story had to have a similar sound.
For the music, I chose a big cinematic sound with heavy drums, like Imagine Dragons, but I added some electric guitar solos to really sell his physical and emotional fortitude.
I really hope you enjoy this piece. It is one of my favorites.
