Perry LaHaie Unveils Wistful Christmas Lyric Video 'O Come, O Come Emmanuel (How Long)'

Singer/songwriter and morning drive-time radio host PerryLaHaie has unveiled the wistful lyric music video to "O Come, O Come Emmanuel (How Long)," the debut single from his highly anticipated new album, Him, due in early 2020.   LaHaie collaborated with emerging filmmaker Aaron Harris to create the yearning, yet peace-evoking imagery which perfectly ties into this holy season.

"How do you visually communicate our longing and the longing of all creation for Jesus to come again?" LaHaie ponders. "How do you communicate visually a prayer that cries out, 'Jesus! How long till you come again make everything right? How long till you make good on your promise to sweep away every tear, every sorrow, every injustice, even death itself forever?' Those were my questions when I considered creating a lyric video for 'O Come O Come Emmanuel (How Long).' God used emerging filmmaker Aaron Harris to answer those questions." From sweeping vistas of snow-covered forests, hills and mountains, to the evening sun pushing through snow-shrouded trees and then setting over a peaceful river on a cold winter evening, the new lyric video also captures a breathtaking view of the heavens while evoking the seemingly divergent themes of lament, longing, and hope. 

"To me, the winter scenes express the brokenness of our world and our deep knowing that everything is not the way it should be," LaHaie muses. "Yet, there is beauty that reflects the glory that Jesus brought into our winter world when He came the first time. And it fills me with hope because of His promise to come again. Winter always gives way to spring and summer!" 

"Music and video are two of my top passions in this world," adds filmmaker Aaron Harris. "The song itself feels so appropriate for the day we live in. I wanted to do the beautiful melodies and lyrics justice by finding just the right shots to form the perfect marriage between music and video. It was an honor to work with Perry and get this lyric video just right, and I think we achieved something we could both be really excited about." 

"'O Come, O Come Emmanuel (How Long)' is a worship song that pulses with a longing for the day when all the sad things will come untrue," LaHaie explains. "It's a lament with hope for the day when 'the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea' (Hab. 2:14)." LaHaie pulled inspiration for the song and his upcoming project, Him, from C.S. Lewis' beloved classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. When Lucy first enters Narnia, she discovers a world under a curse, where it is always winter but never Christmas. But when Aslan the Lion returns, the ice begins to thaw, the snow begins to melt, the sun feels warmer and the smell of spring is in the air. Aslan is reversing the curse of the White Witch.

"Before Jesus came into our world, it was always winter but never Christmas," says LaHaie. "Jesus proclaimed, 'The Kingdom is at hand!' He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, opened deaf ears, caused the mute to speak. He raised the dead, He cast out demons. In His coming, the snow begins to melt. The ice is thawing, you can smell spring in the air and soon, when Jesus returns, it will be full blown summer!"  

LaHaie's new album, Him, coming in early 2020, is a ten-song collection of original songs and reimagined hymns that tell the story of God--of His great rescue plan to bring His love to every tribe, tongue, and language on the planet, to rescue all creation from sin and death through the cross, the  resurrection, and Christ's second coming. It offers an impassioned appeal to bring this good news to those who have never heard it, including over 1,000 Muslim people groups that are still waiting for the gospel. 

The project, including the new single "O Come, O Come Emmanuel (How Long)" was helmed by Grammy-winning engineer and producer Andy Hunt, and features Nashville players Jared Kneale (drums), Matt Melton (bass), Matt Stanfield (keys), Nathan Dugger (guitars), and Buckley Miller (engineer). Joining LaHaie with songwriting and additional background vocals were his adult children, Kali Joy and Taylor. 

"It was hard to give up the singer/songwriter part of me to do Him," LaHaie admits. "There was some pride that had to be surrendered. But that surrender led to God working something new in me--an album of reimagined hymns of amazing grace with new choruses and bridges that call us to take His grace to the world."

For more information on Perry LaHaie, his radio single, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel (How Long)," or his upcoming CD, Him, visit perrylahaie.com, or follow him on Facebook (facebook.com/perry.lahaie), Twitter (@perry_lahaie) and his website blog (perrylahaie.com/blog). 

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