Rector took piano lessons as a small child but did not begin playing music seriously until he picked up the guitar in high school. He began writing songs in tenth grade and formed a band called Euromart the following year. Euromart made an EP and played club shows in Tulsa, but dissolved when the members left for college.
After high school, Rector attended the University of Arkansas where he studied marketing. During his freshman year he recorded a self-titled EP that featured the song “Conversation”, which won the Grand Prize in the pop category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2006. He is the youngest person ever to win the award for the pop category. The EP grew popular in surrounding states, and by his sophomore year, Rector began touring frequently on weekends and during breaks in the school year. In 2008 Rector released his first full-length record, Twenty Tomorrow, followed by Songs That Duke Wrote in 2009. In 2009 Rector was given the NAMA award for best singer songwriter in Northwest Arkansas. During his college career at the University of Arkansas he played approximately 200 shows.
In June 2009 Rector moved to Nashville with his wife to pursue songwriting and to continue his career as an artist. On November 28, 2009 he released Jingles and Bells, a Christmas album composed of classic Christmas songs. Rector arranged the songs and played all the instruments on the album. He released his most recent album Into The Morning on February 16, 2010. Through word of mouth, the record peaked at #5 on the iTunes pop chart, #10 on the iTunes overall chart, and #11 on Billboard Heatseekers.[3] Immediately following the release, Rector co-headlined the “Three Amigos” tour throughout the eastern half of the United States with fellow Nashvillians Steve Moakler and Andrew Ripp. Later in the spring of 2010 he toured with both Dave Barnes and Five for Fighting.
His song “After All” was used in the June 15, 2010 episode of the ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars.
Albums
Year Title
2007 Twenty Tomorrow
2008 Songs That Duke Wrote
2010 Into the Morning
2011 Something like This
EPs
Year Title
2006 Ben Rector
2009 Jingles and Bells
Singles
Year Title
2010 Summer Candy
Wildfire
Ben Rector Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Until you took my heart and tore it open
Never understood what love was
Until I took your hand with the Lord above us
And then you caught flame like a wildfire
You came running into my life
And you light up the dark but I can't see
How you belong to a boy like me
And I have learned that you're not perfect
And that sometimes the one you love can burn you
It's just the fools looking backwards
A bitter heart turns the love we made to ashes
A bitter heart turns the love we made to ashes
And then you caught flame like a wildfire
When I'm with you I'm so alive
And you light up the dark but I can't see
How you belong to a boy like me
How you belong to a boy like me
When you love someone they're gonna hurt you
When you love someone they're gonna burn you
But don't let that burn you down
'Cause you caught flame like a wildfire
When I'm with you I'm so alive
And you light up the dark but I can't see
How you belong to a boy like me
How you belong to a boy like me
The lyrics of Ben Rector's song "Wildfire" speak of a love that has caught fire like a wildfire. The opening lines convey the singer's skepticism towards love, as he admits that he never understood it until he met the subject of the song. The line, "Until you took my heart and tore it open," suggests that falling in love involved vulnerability, and that the singer's heart had to be broken in order to be open to love. The second part of the verse further highlights the power of love, as the singer acknowledges that it took him holding hands with his beloved under the Lord's watchful eye to really understand it.
The chorus of the song is the most memorable part of the lyrics, as it likens the love between the singer and his beloved to a wildfire- all-consuming, powerful, and seemingly unstoppable. The singer describes his partner as someone who came "running" into his life, and who has "lit up the dark" for him. He acknowledges that this love feels like a miracle, and wonders how someone like him could be so lucky as to have it.
The second verse of the song is more cautionary and speaks of the inevitable pains that come with love. The singer admits that his beloved is not perfect, and that loving someone often means getting burned. The line "a bitter heart turns the love we made to ashes" is particularly poignant as it speaks to the idea of bitterness poisoning the love that was once so powerful. The song ends on a hopeful yet realistic note, with the singer acknowledging that love can hurt, but urging his beloved to rise above the pain and not let it "burn you down."
Line by Line Meaning
I never was much good at hoping
I used to lack confidence in my ability to have hope in life
Until you took my heart and tore it open
But you came along and broke down all my emotional walls and barriers
Never understood what love was
Prior to meeting you, I didn't really comprehend love in its truest form
Until I took your hand with the Lord above us
But I began to see the true essence of love when we both shared our faith in God
And then you caught flame like a wildfire
Your passion, energy, and love ignited like a wild, uncontrollable fire
You came running into my life
You entered my life with a burst of energy and enthusiasm, without hesitation
And you light up the dark but I can't see
You bring light into my life, but I still can't fathom why someone like you would be with someone like me
How you belong to a boy like me
I can't understand how someone as amazing as you would want to be with someone as ordinary as me
And I have learned that you're not perfect
I've come to realize that you're not flawless and that's okay
And that sometimes the one you love can burn you
I understand that even though love can be beautiful, it can also have painful moments
It's just the fools looking backwards
It's foolish to hold on to past mistakes or errors in judgment in love
A bitter heart turns the love we made to ashes
If both of us become bitter, it can destroy the love we share and turn it to dust
When you love someone they're gonna hurt you
Love is not perfect and it can lead to emotional pain and hurt at times
When you love someone they're gonna burn you
Sometimes love can feel like a flickering flame that can burn you
But don't let that burn you down
However, it's important not to let these moments break you or make you give up on love
When I'm with you I'm so alive
Being with you makes me feel truly alive and full of energy
How you belong to a boy like me
Despite my disbelief, I still feel so lucky to have you in my life
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: BENJAMIN RECTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind