AJ Cheek has lived and breathed music for as long as he can remember. After… Read Full Bio ↴AJ Cheek has lived and breathed music for as long as he can remember. After begging his dad to buy him a fender strat at age 14 his love of guitar playing and songwriting skyrocketed. It was also around this age that AJ's faith became a huge part of his life. "My Grandma planted a seed of faith early on in my childhood but it wasn't until my Mom took us to church as a family when I was 14 that I accepted Jesus as my savior," AJ remembers. So with a passion for music and for Jesus it only made sense to start writing songs that incorporated both. A few years later he teamed up with Josh Pearson and what started as some teenagers writing songs in their bedrooms, grew into the critically acclaimed Nevertheless. They were a Provident signed act that built a massive following in hometown Chattanooga, TN and went on to tour the USA many times over while earning themselves a reputation as one of the best live bands on the scene. AJ says "We had such a passion to connect audiences with our songs while putting on an incredible show. It feels like we played every church, club and coffee house in America and we had a great time doing it!" After 7 years, countless shows and thousands of records sold Nevertheless decided to go their separate ways. What could have been a sad time for AJ actually turned into an opportunity to trust God. It was at this time that Revive were looking for a new guitarist and after an introduction through their A&R guy and a few shows, AJ felt the Lord's provision in Revive offering him the full time gig. "I wasn't sure about joining another band, but after hanging with the Revive guys and enjoying their music more and more it made complete sense to join those crazy Aussies on their American adventure." And what an adventure those guys have had! From playing to half a million people on Winterjam, to walking the streets of India, for AJ the Revive journey has been one he will tell his grandkids about! With the recent announcement of Revive calling it a day comes a new season for AJ - Solo Artist. Considering he was the main songwriter for Nevertheless and wrote songs every minute of Revive's downtime this is the right move for this talented young artist, and the theme of these songs is a refreshing change. "I couldn't ignore the songs that were pouring out. I guess you could call them worship songs but I believe the term 'worship' means so much more than a genre of music. Worshipping God needs to cover every aspect of our lives, so these songs are about relationships, times of struggle and worshipping God though these times." AJ recorded a solo EP with producer Rich Thompson (Revive Bass player) late last year called "The Art of Letting Go' which is available here - features the song 'Lift my Head' and has received much attention on _____ the EP is quickly gaining fans.

Close To You
AJ Cheek Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I find myself deep in the valley
With nobody left to turn to
Still in my soul
I know I'm not alone
Your love will give me strength to get through
As long as I stay close to you

When the night seems much longer than the day

And the only sign of light is the moon
Still I will wait
I will not be afraid
I know I'll see the sun rising soon
As long as I stay close to you
Close to y-o-u
Close to you
Close to y-o-u

When my days seem to go as they should
And the clouds break into an open sky
I still know this truth
It's nothing without you
Let everything else fall as I pursue
A life that's live close to you
Close to y-o-u
Close to you
Close to y-o-u
Close to you
Close to y-o-u
Close to you
Close to y-o-u
Close to y-o-u

Close to you
Close to y-o-u

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to AJ Cheek's song Close To You speak directly to the human experience of feeling lost, alone and overwhelmed. The opening lines describe being deep in the valley with nobody left to turn to, indicating a sense of isolation and despair. However, the subsequent lines provide a hopeful message of strength and resilience, suggesting that as long as one stays close to the source of love, they can overcome any challenge. The repeated refrain of "Close to you" reinforces the concept of finding comfort and support in a higher power, reminding the listener to stay connected to that source for guidance and strength.

The second verse continues the theme of perseverance and hopefulness in the face of difficulty. Here, the metaphor of day and night is used to illustrate the contrast between hardship and hope. The singer reminds themselves that they will not be afraid in the dark because they trust that the sun will rise again. They also acknowledge that when things are going well, it's important to remember that success is not the most important thing - rather, it is closeness to the source of love that truly matters. The final lines of the song bring everything full circle, encouraging the listener to pursue a life lived close to the source of love, no matter what challenges they may face.

Overall, the lyrics to Close To You are a poignant reminder of the importance of faith, hope and love in navigating life's challenges. The song's simple and repetitive structure creates a sense of comfort and assurance, while the themes of perseverance and resilience provide a powerful message of hope.

Line by Line Meaning

When I find myself deep in the valley
When I face difficult times and feel low

With nobody left to turn to
When I have no one to seek help or support from

Still in my soul
Yet, I am not completely lost

I know I'm not alone
I have the comforting feeling of not being the only one going through tough times

Your love will give me strength to get through
The love and care of someone special will be a source of strength to overcome problems

As long as I stay close to you
Being close and connected to this person will provide comfort and confidence

When the night seems much longer than the day
During times when bad moments feel longer than the good ones

And the only sign of light is the moon
When there isn't much hope or positivity around

Still I will wait
I will be patient, calm and composed

I will not be afraid
I will remain strong and fearless in the face of adversity

I know I'll see the sun rising soon
Things will start looking brighter soon

When my days seem to go as they should
During the normal or good times

And the clouds break into an open sky
When all is clear and going well

I still know this truth
Yet, I am aware of something important

It's nothing without you
The good times and successes are incomplete without the love and support of someone special

Let everything else fall as I pursue
I will prioritize being close and connected to this person above everything else

A life that's live close to you
A life in which I am constantly close and connected to this person