Norman was originally involved in Young Life Ministries and gained a considerable fan base by performing at the summer camps there. This has drawn parallels to musician Matt Wertz and producer Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Amy Grant), both who gained fame through their involvement with Young Life. Upon releasing Big Blue Sky, his third album, Norman included a slip asking for donations to the organization. His song "Walk Down This Mountain" is about an experience at Young Life's Wilderness Ranch.
Norman released Between the Dreaming and the Coming True in September 2006. The tour in support of this album featured Christian music newcomers Aaron Shust and Brandon Heath. Norman is a graduate of Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. His song, "To Find My Way To You" was used on various promos for the CBS sitcom, The Class.
Bebo's single called "Britney" is written to Britney Spears, and is featured on Norman's ninth studio self-titled album. Recently (2007–2008) Bebo has appeared with several notable Christian artists on tour as they present Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb" concerts during the Christmas season.
Bebo Norman's new album, "Ocean", released on September 28, 2010. It's a personal album, according to Norman, that covers the discovery of his true identity and the battle between fear and faith. The singer/songwriter told CBN.com that he hopes "Ocean" causes listeners to "look internally… at where they draw their own identity from. It’s worth wrestling with who we are, where we draw our value from, and where we draw our life from and .... refocusing on the source of whatever season of life we are in rather than focusing on the season itself."
At the end of me
Bebo Norman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I’m like a promise broken every time I open my mouth
Open my mouth, I open my mouth
Under the surface, under the surface
Under the surface sometimes I wanna slip right out of my skin
Out of my, slip right out of my skin
Open my scars
Break into pieces
Cause at the end of me, at the end of me
That’s where you start
Do you remember, do you remember
Do you remember when I was young and I knew everything
I knew everything about everything
Such a long time, such a long time
Such an uphill climb just to finally get over myself,
Over my, I’m so over myself
So tell all my secrets
Open my scars
Break me to pieces
Cause at the end of me, at the end of me
That’s where you start
I don’t know where, I don’t know how
Maybe a prayer, maybe a cloud
I don’t know where, I don’t know how
So tell all my secrets
And open my scars
Gather the pieces
Cause at the end of me, at the end of me
That’s where you start
The lyrics of Bebo Norman's song At the End of Me speak of vulnerability, surrender and being stripped down to one’s most broken self. The first stanza talks about the feeling of constantly breaking promises, of failing and disappointing oneself and others. The repetition of "open my mouth" emphasizes the idea of speaking and revealing oneself, which can often lead to revealing one’s flaws and imperfections. The second stanza talks about the desire to run away from oneself, to shed one’s skin and leave behind all the struggles and problems associated with it. However, despite wanting to escape from one’s brokenness, the chorus highlights the idea that it is at the end of oneself that God starts to work. By revealing all of one’s secrets and scars, and breaking into pieces, one is allowing God to gather and work with these fragments, leading to healing and restoration.
The third stanza refers to the arrogance and certainty one may have had in their youth, where ignorance was mistaken for knowledge. The uphill climb mentioned in the song refers to the journey to maturity, where one realizes they do not know everything and that it is necessary to surrender control. Finally, the bridge of the song suggests that the path to surrender is unclear and one can only hope for guidance from God. By laying out all of one’s secrets and scars before God, we are allowing Him to lead us to a place of healing and rest.
Line by Line Meaning
I’m like a promise, I’m like a promise,
I'm like a commitment, just like one's assurance,
I’m like a promise broken every time I open my mouth
But I always end up breaking it whenever I speak my truth out
Open my mouth, I open my mouth
Whenever I open my mouth, the promise is bound to break without a doubt
Under the surface, under the surface
Beneath my skin's cover, deep down inside of me
Under the surface sometimes I wanna slip right out of my skin
Sometimes, I feel like escaping from myself and running away from all the flaws within
Out of my, slip right out of my skin
A desire to leave the body and lose all senses, let the soul fly away and win
And tell all my secrets
To reveal everything that lies hidden in my heart, all my sacreds
Open my scars
Accepting my wounds and exposing them, revealing the stars
Break into pieces
Break myself into bits and pieces, to start anew and find releases
Cause at the end of me, at the end of me
Towards the end of my self, the destination where I flee
That’s where you start
Is the point where the Almighty commences his work of art
Do you remember, do you remember
Do you recollect those childhood memories when I thought I knew it all, the smartest clever
Do you remember when I was young and I knew everything
I had wisdom that could rule, the knowledge that could change everything
Such a long time, such a long time
It feels like ages ago, so far in the past, a lonesome climb
Such an uphill climb just to finally get over myself,
It took so much effort to finally get over my pride and ask for help
Over my, I’m so over myself
I'm so done with my ego, and my desire to please oneself
I don’t know where, I don’t know how
I'm unaware of where I'm heading or how I'll make it out
Maybe a prayer, maybe a cloud
I'll try prayer or perhaps fate will work like a misty shroud
So tell all my secrets
May my soul be vulnerable, and my heart be true, as my struggles it vetoes
And open my scars
May I embrace the pain, the trauma, the wounds, and accept its bars
Gather the pieces
Gently collect all the shattered shards, give me solace and respite to seize
Cause at the end of me, at the end of me
With my spirit's end, my spirit shall be free to start anew and be filled with glee
That’s where you start
Oh Lord, that's where your miracles and wonders impart
Contributed by Evan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.