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."
Ruins
Bebo Norman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the world in motion
Everything goes by so fast
I feel like I'm frozen
After all is said and done
Did I fail to mention
Everything I haven't done
All my good intentions
this is my holy hour, this is my world on fire
This is my desperate play, this is where I am saved
I've no fear of height or depth
I've no fear of crashing
The single thing I fear the most
Simply feeling nothing
this is my holy hour, this is my world on fire
This is my desperate play, this is where I am made
this is my kingdom come, this is my freedom song
This is my helpless state, this is where I am saved
let my ruins become the ground you build upon
Let my ruins become the start
Let my ruins become the ground you build it on
From what's left of my broken heart
this is my holy hour, this is my world on fire
This is my desperate play, this is where I am made
This is my kingdom come, this is my freedom song
This is my helpless state, this is where I am saved
The opening lines paint a picture of the singer lying motionless on his back, watching the world move at breakneck speed around him. He feels frozen in time and consumed by the weight of all the things he hasn't yet accomplished, despite his good intentions. In this moment of personal struggle, he realizes that he has entered what he calls his "holy hour," a time of spiritual reflection and reckoning.
The singer then touches on his lack of fear when it comes to height, depth, or even death, but what he fears most of all is feeling nothing. He is afraid of becoming so numb to the world around him that he is no longer able to feel any emotion, good or bad. For him, this is the ultimate personal failure.
The chorus serves as a declaration of hope and strength, as the singer claims this hour of struggle and desperation as his own. He sees it as the moment of his salvation, where he is free to be his truest self and build something beautiful from the ruins of his past mistakes and failures. He invites the listener to join him in this journey, encouraging them to allow their own "ruins" to become the foundation of something new and beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
Laying flat upon my back
Feeling powerless and overwhelmed, unable to keep up with the speed of the world around me.
All the world in motion
The world keeps moving forward, whether or not I am ready or able to follow.
Everything goes by so fast
Life moves quickly, and it can be difficult to keep up with everything that is happening.
I feel like I'm frozen
Despite the chaos around me, I am stuck in one place and unable to make progress.
After all is said and done
Looking back on my life, I realize that I have not accomplished everything I set out to do.
Did I fail to mention
Realizing that there are things that I have not said or done.
Everything I haven't done
Regretting missed opportunities and things left undone.
All my good intentions
I had the desire to do good, but was not always successful in following through.
this is my holy hour, this is my world on fire
This is a moment of intense spiritual reflection, where I am burning with desire and passion.
This is my desperate play, this is where I am saved
Even in my moments of desperation, I find hope and salvation in my faith.
I've no fear of height or depth
I am not afraid of the unknown or of taking risks.
I've no fear of crashing
Despite the possibility of failure, I am willing to take risks and pursue my goals.
The single thing I fear the most
The greatest fear I have is feeling nothing and losing all sense of purpose.
Simply feeling nothing
The thought of being empty and without direction frightens me more than anything else.
this is my kingdom come, this is my freedom song
This represents a moment of spiritual awakening and freedom, where I embrace my truest self.
This is my helpless state, this is where I am saved
Even when I feel powerless and hopeless, I find comfort and salvation in my faith.
let my ruins become the ground you build upon
I hope that even in my moments of brokenness, my experiences can help others find their own strength and purpose.
Let my ruins become the start
Even in my moments of failure, I can find a new beginning and the opportunity to start again.
Let my ruins become the ground you build it on
I want to use my struggles and failures to help others build a better tomorrow.
From what's left of my broken heart
Despite having been broken and hurt, I still have love and compassion to give.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JASON DAVID INGRAM, JEFFREY STEPHEN NORMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind