On March 19, 2013, Brendan James announced a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to promote his new album. James raised $33,948, surpassing his goal, during the three week campaign. The album, titled "Simplify", was released on August 6, 2013.
Changing Us
Brendan James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've seen what we never should
And we will not be the same.
We'll never be the same, no.
Like steel we are so resilient,
But too much and we're weak as children.
We were not meant to be
Oh oh
Oh oh
Gunshots in a broken palace,
Planes crashing and burn around us
It's different than it ever was, darker than it's ever been
Three shouts and thank God I found you
With the crowd and the fog around you I'll never let you fall,
I'll never let you fall
Oh Heaven can you hear us
Right now we are not sure
But I hope it will get better
These times we're in together,
They're changing us forever
Two kids in a crooked alley, school canceled again
And now they won't learn a single lesson
Except how to load a weapon
And right here on this old soil
We hope for peace and we pray for joy
But like everybody else
We're still fighting with ourselves
Oh heaven can you hear us
Right now we are not sure
But I hope it will get better
These times we're in together,
They're changing us forever
Oh heaven can you hear us
Right now we are not sure
I hope it will get better
These times we're in together,
They're changing us forever
Oh heaven can you hear us
Right now we are not sure
But I hope it will get better
These times we're in together, they're changing us forever
Oh heaven can you hear us
Right now we are not sure
I hope it will get better
These times we're in together,
They're changing us forever
The song "Changing Us" by Brendan James speaks to the impact of traumatic events on individuals and society. The first verse refers to a shared experience that has brought people closer, but has also exposed them to things they never wanted to see. The second verse describes the resilience of people, but also how too much trauma can make them vulnerable, especially when they were not meant to be witnesses to such horrific events.
The chorus of the song then speaks to the desperation and uncertainty felt by those impacted by these events. The lines "Oh heaven can you hear us, right now we are not sure" suggest a loss of faith or hope that things will improve. However, the hope still shines through as the lyrics then assert, "But I hope it will get better, these times we're in together, they're changing us forever."
The bridge of the song speaks to the specific events that have impacted the individuals in the song, namely gun violence and school shootings. The lines "Two kids in a crooked alley, school canceled again, and now they won't learn a single lesson, except how to load a weapon" paint a bleak picture of the impact of violence on the education system and its youth.
Overall, "Changing Us" is a poignant reminder of the impact of trauma on individuals and society as a whole. Its stark lyrics and haunting melody capture the desperation and confusion of those impacted by such events.
Line by Line Meaning
We've come closer than we wanted
We have experienced things that have brought us closer together, but the journey has been difficult.
We've seen what we never should
We have witnessed things that are too dark and disturbing for anyone to see.
And we will not be the same.
The experiences we have had will change us forever.
We'll never be the same, no.
Our lives have been irrevocably altered.
Like steel we are so resilient,
We are strong and unbreakable in many ways.
But too much and we're weak as children.
But when we are pushed too far, we become vulnerable and helpless.
We were not meant to be
We were not supposed to endure this kind of pain and hardship.
Made witness to these scenes, no.
We should not have had to see the things we have witnessed.
Gunshots in a broken palace,
We are surrounded by violence and danger.
Planes crashing and burn around us
Catastrophes are happening all around us.
It's different than it ever was,
Things have changed and will never be the same again.
Darker than it's ever been
Things are more dire than they have ever been before.
Three shouts and thank God I found you
I am grateful to have found you amidst the chaos.
With the crowd and the fog around you I'll never let you fall,
I promise to always support and protect you, even in the darkest times.
Oh Heaven can you hear us
I am asking for divine intervention and guidance.
Right now we are not sure
We are uncertain about the future.
But I hope it will get better
I am hopeful that things will improve.
These times we're in together,
We are united in this shared experience.
They're changing us forever
These events are permanently altering us as individuals and as a society.
Two kids in a crooked alley,
Even innocent children are affected by the violence and disruption around them.
school canceled again
Their education is being disrupted by the chaos.
And now they won't learn a single lesson
They are learning skills that no child should ever need to know.
Except how to load a weapon
They are being taught how to use deadly weapons.
And right here on this old soil
We are standing on our home turf.
We hope for peace and we pray for joy
We yearn for a peaceful, happy existence.
But like everybody else
We are just like everyone else in facing these challenges.
We're still fighting with ourselves
We are struggling internally with the weight of the situation.
These times we're in together,
We are all impacted by the current events.
they're changing us forever
These events will have permanent and profound effects on us all.
I hope it will get better
I remain hopeful for a brighter future.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MJ
I love this song. I love all his songs. He has an amazing voice, I love that too. :)
Caca Bear
BEAUTIFUL!! Be blessed in all you, we really are all in this together! Powerful message!
Gabriel Calcan
Amazing voice! True music! Special song!
visualsummer
I also discovered this amazing artist on CM. Had to know the rest of the lyrics and who was singing the song. Just beautiful!
Katherine Martin
Wow. What a voice.
ivony5
My God, could these lyrics be more perfect?
amzyangel92
One tree hill.. you brought me here.. and i can't thank you enough.. this is beyond words x
Irene Conley
awesome :)
MaCherie92
thank you One Tree Hill!
lynn wright
He reminds me of Billy Joel, but would love to hear him sing Cats in the Cradle by Harry.