Singer/songwriter Pat Barrett reflects on the fleeting nature of time on his new single, “Beautiful Life,” an anchor track from his third studio effort, “Shelter.” While it’s not the album’s title-cut, a line in “Beautiful Life” does cut to the core of the record: “Oh, what a beautiful life. It doesn’t mean it’s always going to feel all right, but it’ll be a gift if you hold it right.”
Supported by gang vocals, Barrett fronts a lighthearted selection — a rarity for the gifted lyricist known for penning thoughtful, worshipful faire for the Church. Yet, Barrett says exploring this alternate facet of his creativity opened a fresh well of inspiration in the studio while he was recording the dozen original tracks that comprise “Shelter.”
“I am feeling more and more comfortable in my own skin, and there’s a couple songs on this album that I don’t think I would’ve had the courage to put out five years ago,” Barrett admits. “Simple, joyful songs — I find them to be quite healing at this point in my life.”
“Beautiful Life” is one of those offerings — a playful, pop-centric standout that acknowledges the brevity of our existence this side of heaven and the beauty that can be found in the everyday, if we only have eyes to see it.
Barrett leans on the truth of Ecclesiastes 3:11 for the exuberant anthem he wrote with Brian Johnson, Gable Price and Chris Davenport: “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
Additionally, he borrows more oft-quoted language from Ecclesiastes 3 to form the bridge: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven… A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.” (v. 1, 4)
The “Build My Life” singer — who, in addition to his own material has written songs for Chris Tomlin, Maverick City Music and Elevation Worship, among other acts — is currently sharing “Beautiful Life” and other new music from “Shelter” on tour with Phil Wickham through the spring.
