Known for her genre-spanning original singles, acclaimed Old Bear Records singer/songwriter Gabrielle Lovelace unveils her first cover — a uniquely reimagined rendition of the late Rich Mullins classic “Screen Door.”Out today on all streaming platforms, the song was produced by Lovelace along with Brothers McClurg’s Anthony and Chris Hoisington.
A standout a cappella track originally featured on Mullins’ 1987 Reunion Records sophomore set, Pictures in the Sky, Lovelace’s bluesy and spirited full band treatment of “Screen Door” spotlights the unexpected rhythms and quirky sonic textures that have made the song a beloved favorite for more than three decades. Her rich, resonant alto leans playfully into the tune’s signature tongue-in-cheek lyric — a line equally imbued with Truth — declaring: “Faith without works is like a song you can’t sing/It’s about as useless as a screen door on a submarine.”
“The core of the message is just as relevant as when it was written,” Lovelace explains. “The lyrics were inspired by James 2:26, ‘For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.’ This verse points to the idea that our actions reflect what we believe, and Rich found a really fun and catchy way to say that.”
First discovering “Screen Door” as a child listening to her mother’s favorite playlist, Lovelace recognizes the song’s profound impact on her formative years. “I am a songwriter first and foremost and love creating original work, so it was a very intentional choice for this to be the first cover I’ve ever done,” she explains. “The producers, musicians and I gathered around a microphone and stomped and clapped together. I even got my mom to come in and snap, and my dad played Wurlitzer. I felt like a kid on a playground because we were having a blast, and it was such a full circle moment. We were not only recording a song that has meant so much to me for a couple decades now, but to play a small part in keeping Rich’s legacy alive all these years later is even more special.”