Giovanni Paolo Tom Booth, Matt Maher, Stan Fortuna	(Based on 16 votes)

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Lyrics

Giovanni Paulo! Giovanni Paulo!

There was a boy, he came from Poland.
He had a mother and a father and
a brother; they all loved him.
They named him Karol.
When he played futbol, he was the goalie.
He would grow up to be strong and to be holy.

Every day he would watch his daddy pray;
the biggest lesson he would learn to
keep him walkin' on the way.
The death of his mother, soon to be
followed by his brother, tore a hole
in his soul to be mended by another.

But the pain would increase when
his father would decease;
loneliest days to be endured
by this future priest.
The beast would have a feast
with all the anger and rage,
but Karol took it deeper
with his love for the stage.

Frustration with Nazi occupation
can't mess with the destiny
of this man's vocation.
They put him on the blacklist,
but he still practiced gift and mystery, breakin' history.

Walls comin' down, it's profound, stick around,
'cause pound for pound, the victory's
loomin' large as a way to live in resistance
with persistence let me give you a ?for instance:?

He went underground, but he was never found.
They tried to kill him with a truck, had no luck.
With a wound to the head, left him lyin' for dead.
Ain't no gain without pain, let's take it back
to the refrain?

You can only know this man from within
so lets begin with the Virgin on a
maximum level contendin' with the devil.
Things just ain't what they seem;
ask the communist regime?
know what I mean?

Yo, that's why we be singin' the Hail! Holy Queen.
His priestly formation for your information
raises up a new kind of culture confrontation.
The judgment, eh, hist'ry will confound explanation.

He will do a new thing with the Papal ring,
He will bring the power of the keys;
Please don't miss this, the forgiveness of
his killer in prison, this is the vision.
Giovanni Paulo, John Paul II,
Giovanni Paulo, we love you!

Artist Reflection

Okay friends, here is the "story" behind our song Giovanni Paolo: Matt Maher and I were standing next to each other during John Paul II's homily in Toronto. The World Youth Day throng was listening intently to every word from this special man. Matt and I knew that we would never likely hear his voice or see him in person ever again, and we were desperately trying to listen AND HEAR what he was saying. As often happened during those World Youth Day appearances, his homily was interrupted by the youth singing and chanting his name — like in a soccer match. Usually he paused, smiled and listened. This time however, John Paul the Great used all of his remaining energy to speak the words.

It took great physical effort for him get through the homily and the Mass. It was another display of his gift of self to the church — a gift he had been giving since his childhood. In fact, I used to call those last few years of his life his greatest homily — a living homily, proclaiming the sanctity of life. Sickness and old age are to be reverenced and embraced. While the U.S. press said that it was obviously time for him to step down (because of his physical ailments), John Paul the Great stepped up and preached the gospel with incredible courage, clarity and charity. "What a life," I said to myself as I watched him and listened to the youth chant his name. His parent's early death and the resulting childhood loneliness, the tyranny of Nazism, a priestly vocation begun underground in Poland, the spread of Communism, and the many attempts on his life — all of these big events, and the countless small ones ran through my mind that day as we listened and watched him proclaim the gospel with every beat of his heart.

Months later, Matt recorded a 30 second audio clip: he simulated the crowd chanting "Giovanni Paolo" and put a hip-hop/rap drum loop underneath it. I LOVED it! I told him if he had no further plans for it, and he didn't, then I did! Off I ran with an idea for a song. This is important to note: most songs are happy accidents. Rarely planned (when they are planned you can usually tell), good songs happen when spontaneity and creativity run headlong into inspiration — Bam! A song is born!

So I had an idea for a full-length song: the life-story of John Paul II. "These young people don't know or remember 7/8 of this man's life", I said to myself. Those of us who do, need to hear it again, to learn the life lessons contained within his story. My next step was to call my friend and John Paul II specialist, Father Stan Fortuna. Besides being an awesome man of God, Franciscan priest and a streak-shooting basketball player, Fr. Stan is one of the most musically talented people I have ever met. I called him and said "WE ARE DOING THIS!" and I booked the time. Months later, we spent 5 days praying, eating, shooting hoops, watching the Phoenix Suns and composing the main body and bridge — AND recording the song! For this article I asked Fr. Stan to share some reflections on "the Great One":

JP II has been attractive to the youth of the world before, during and after his death. Why? He was young at heart. He lived the journey of his life going ever deeper into the heart of God, who is the source of all youthfulness. As B-16 (Pope Benedict the 16th) said in his address to the Polish young people on May 16, 2006: "Today, despite his death, he, 'youthful in God' is among us." During his life, his heart was becoming ever more free and as a result he became free; a model of humanity redeemed by divine love. Freedom is attractive. Authentic freedom is the most attractive force in the world and JP II had it big-time. What he had, everyone wants! He was free to love and suffer. He was free to embrace trials and be faithful. This freedom was renewed in him daily. This is a beautiful thing, and in the midst of the massive ugliness of self-hatred, abuse, violence and the denied and un-dealt with wounded and brokenness in people, it is no wonder that young people, old people and all people everywhere are fascinated with the greatness of this man.

So from Matt, Father Stan and Tom, we give you this little song about a very big man. If you listen closely to the lyric you will find references to every stage of his life — except his death. Soon after we composed and recorded the song, John Paul II passed from this life to the next, but not until he had given every drop of his entire self, mind, body and spirit, for the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ. "There was a boy, he came from Poland..."

- Tom Booth

Editor's Note: LIFETEEN.com produced a music video of the song Giovanni Paolo. It can be seen on the website or purchased by calling 480-820-7001. Shot in film and featuring the composers and video clips from throughout the life of John Paul II, it is an excellent resource for any parish or ministry program.