Discovered by, among others, contemporary Christian music legend Steven Curtis Chapman, Casting Crowns got a recording contract and vaulted to popularity in 2003 with songs such as If We Are the Body and Who Am I. The Until The Whole World Hears Songfacts reports that Casting Crown's 2009 Until The Whole World Hears album recorded 167,000 sales in its first week, the largest selling debut week sales figures by a Christian artist in Nielsen Soundscan history.
Over the past eight years, Atlanta based Casting Crowns has consistently delivered music that points believers back to what truly matters.
Since its launch in 2003 the band has garnered 14 GMA Dove Awards, three GRAMMY Awards and an American Music Award. In addition, the band has seen three RIAA Platinum Albums (Casting Crowns, Lifesong, Altar and The Door), two RIAA Platinum DVDs (Live From Atlanta and Lifesong Live), two RIAA Gold Albums (Until the Whole World Hears, Peace on Earth) and two Gold DVDs (Altar and The Door Live and Until The Whole World Hears Live). Casting Crowns has sold more than 8.2 million albums to date (according to Nielsen SoundScan) and has been named Billboard magazine’s top-selling Christian act for the past four years.
The band recently celebrated its first RIAA certified Gold single, “Who Am I,” from its 2003 self-titled debut. The song, selling more than 500,000 copies, is one of only 12 Christian tracks ever to secure Gold status.
Casting Crowns has always worked its tour schedule around church responsibilities and has still managed to touch audiences around the world with its live performances. It’s 2009-2011 “Until The Whole World Hears” world tour placed the band in front nearly 1 million fans in more than 175 cities around the world including performances for U. S. troops in Kuwait and Qatar. The band also performed twice in North Korea in partnership with Global Resource Services.
Alongside the 2011 feature film, Courageous, Casting Crowns wrote a song by the same name which was also featured on their album Come to the Well released the same year. The album's second single,
"Jesus, Friend of Sinners" was not released until February of 2012. In September 2013, the band released "All You've Ever Wanted", the first single from Thrive which was released on January 28, 2014 and charted No. 6 in Billboard 's Top 200 in its first week. An accompanying book, written by Mark Hall, was released and explains the walk of a child of God and how we should "dig deep and reach out".
In early 2015 Casting Crowns released the hymn-album Glorious Day - Hymns of Faith, including Casting Crowns' Until the Whole World Hears singles "Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)" and "Blessed Redeemer", an acoustic versions of "If We Are the Body" and "Praise You In This Storm" as well as eight hymns.
In addition to a busy touring, recording and writing life, four of the members of Casting Crowns serve as ministers to their home church, Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia.
I Know You're There
Casting Crowns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd spend it just to sing your praise
Just to say your name
If all I had was one last prayer
I'd pray it 'cause I know you're always listening
If I could live a thousand lives, bind the hands of time
[Chorus:]
I know you're there, I know you see me
You're the air I breathe, you are the ground beneath me
I know you're there, I know you hear me
I can find you anywhere
If all I had was one more song to sing
I would raise a noise to make the heavens ring
If all I had was one last chance
I'd take it, I would stake it all on you
If I could rise up high
And catch a glimpse of every eye
I would make them believe what I feel inside, 'cause I
[Chorus]
If I could live a thousand lives and bind the hands of time ?
If I could rise up high and catch a glimpse of every eye ?
[Chorus]
I know you're there x3
You're there
The song "I Know You're There" by Casting Crowns expresses the singer's deep faith and close relationship with God. The lyrics say that even if the singer had only one last breath, they would use it to praise God and say His name. Similarly, if they had only one last prayer, they would still pray it because they know that God is always listening. The singer is so devoted to God that they would spend every moment of a thousand lives by His side. Even if they could catch a glimpse of every eye by rising up high, they would still want to make everyone believe in the same truth and love that the singer feels inside. The chorus reiterates the singer's confidence that God is present, attentive, and essential to their existence. They describe God as the air they breathe and the ground beneath them. The singer affirms that they can find God anywhere, implying that God's presence is not limited to certain places or moments.
The overall message of the song is a powerful declaration of faith and a celebration of God's omnipresence. The lyrics show how much the singer trusts in God's love and how they constantly seek to express their devotion through worship and service.
Line by Line Meaning
If all I had was one last breath
Even if I had only one breath left to take, I would use it to sing your praises.
I'd spend it just to sing your praise
I would use my last breath just to declare how great and wonderful you are, Lord.
Just to say your name
I would use my final breath to simply speak your name, which is powerful and holy.
If all I had was one last prayer
In case I only had one more chance to pray, I would spend it as I know you are always there, listening to me.
I'd pray it 'cause I know you're always listening
I would use that last opportunity to pray because I have confidence that you are always listening to my prayers.
If I could live a thousand lives, bind the hands of time
If it were somehow possible to live a thousand lifetimes and control time itself, I would spend every moment with you, God.
I would spend every moment by your side
I would devote all of my time and energy to being with you, God, since you are everything to me.
'cause I know you're there, I know you see me
I am aware that you are constantly with me and watching over me, always aware of my every move and action.
You're the air I breathe, you are the ground beneath me
You sustain my life, God, just like the air that I breathe and the solid ground beneath my feet.
I know you hear me, I can find you anywhere
I have faith that you listen to my voice and that I can connect with you no matter where I am or what I'm doing.
If all I had was one more song to sing
Even if I had only one more song to offer, I would use it to lift your name high, Lord.
I would raise a noise to make the heavens ring
In my final song, I would create such a racket that even the angels in heaven would hear me and recognize your glory.
If all I had was one last chance, I'd take it, I would stake it all on you
If it were my final opportunity for salvation, I would gamble everything on you, trusting that you would provide me with everlasting life.
If I could rise up high and catch a glimpse of every eye
If only I could ascend to a higher place and see the faces of all people, I would use that chance to spread the good news of your love and grace to others.
I would make them believe what I feel inside
I would urge them to believe in your word as strongly as I do, spreading your message to those who need it the most.
I know you're there x3
I have unyielding faith in your presence and your all-encompassing nature, Lord. You are always there, watching us and guiding us.
Lyrics © MUSIC SERVICES, INC.
Written by: JEFF CHANDLER, JOEL CHANDLER, JON CHANDLER, TIM ELROD, TREY ROTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind