With a musical journey that has crisscrossed all kinds of rock music, folk music, and electronic music, he carries a songwriting sense that aims to capture dense images of life with God,
in compositions that can be carried with the listener. He aims to tell the old story of the Gospel in an ever-shifting world, without resorting to easy truisms, or lazy language. His new collection of songs, The Bright Sadness, echoes a journey pressed to the chest of God, joyful and sorrowful at once, with God's heart clear and pulsing in each note and word. It wraps liturgy with the unexpected, and daily mundanity with daily surprise.
As many of the Passion collegiate gatherings were recorded live, Hall was quickly dubbed "a voice" for the Passion movement, performing on all eight Passion albums, which have sold more than one million units.
Charlie expresses the desire to be "honed into God, where I'm not part of a culture where I'm trying to make the people around me think, 'Hey, that's a good Christian.' I'm just trying to pursue God and not pursue being accepted into a club...I'm more honed into my pursuit of God in Christ and how he's forming me and changing and helping me love him and know him.
Renewing and encouraging local churches, engaging young and old with social justice action, widening hearts to see God at work in the whole world, spurring local artists on to imaginative and creative expression, and offering songs of rest to those who are simply tired are some of the hopes of Charlie, and his band of gypsies. Hall's band, in which he performs vocals and guitar, consists of Kendall Combes (electric guitar), Brian Bergman (keyboard), Dustin Ragland (drums), and Quint Anderson (bass guitar).
Bloom Again
Charlie Hall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it's alright to cry
You have been so strong now
Your tears return to wine
And life seems so brittle
Landing upside down
It seems to make us fragile
Oh, the leaves are falling
Winter is now here
The spring is coming
And you can bloom again
The beauty of the ash of love
When you emerge
You are more beautiful
Bloom again
Some storms leave the beauty
Some storms leave the thorns
Compassion pours from heaven
Mercy every dawn
Somewhere in this whirlwind
Somewhere in this crowd
Hold up to His heartbeat
And push away the sounds
Oh, the leaves are falling
And winter is now here
The spring is coming
And you can bloom again
The beauty of the ash of love
When you emerge
You are more beautiful
And maybe I should say your name
And maybe I should say your name out loud
Maybe I should say your name
Maybe I should say your name out loud
The beauty of the ash of love
When I emerge
I am more beautiful
The beauty of the ash of love
When I emerge
I'm more beautiful
Bloom again
(Bloom again)
Bloom again
(Bloom again)
Bloom again
(Bloom again)
Bloom again
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Charlie Hall's "Bloom Again" is a powerful song about finding hope in the midst of hardship and emerging stronger from life's storms. The opening lines "Crying seems to hurt me, but it's alright to cry / You have been so strong now, your tears return to wine" acknowledge the pain that comes with facing difficult times, but ultimately suggest that tears can be a healing release. The lyrics delve deeper into a discussion of the fragility of life, as the seasons change from fall to winter, but also offer the reminder that spring will come again, bringing new life and a chance to bloom once more.
Hall speaks of the transformative power of love, likening it to the beauty that emerges from the ash. He acknowledges that some storms leave thorns, but others leave beauty, and encourages listeners to hold onto hope amidst the chaos by listening for the heartbeat of God. The repetition of the phrase "maybe I should say your name / maybe I should say your name out loud" suggests a desire to acknowledge and honor those who have walked with us through the storms, and who have helped us emerge more beautiful on the other side.
Overall, "Bloom Again" is a deeply moving song that offers comfort and encouragement during difficult times. It acknowledges the pain that comes with life's challenges, but ultimately offers hope and reassurance that we can emerge from those challenges even stronger and more beautiful than before.
Line by Line Meaning
Crying seems to hurt me
Crying may seem painful at the moment
But it's alright to cry
However, it's okay to let emotions out through tears
You have been so strong now
You've shown resilience until now
Your tears return to wine
But now your tears have turned into something of value
And life seems so brittle
Life can appear delicate and fragile
Landing upside down
Events can feel chaotic and unpredictable
It seems to make us fragile
Such events can weaken us
And bares upon us now
The weight of it all is on us now
Oh, the leaves are falling
Autumn has arrived
Winter is now here
Soon it will be winter
The spring is coming
But there is hope for a new season
And you can bloom again
A chance to recover and flourish awaits you
The beauty of the ash of love
Even what's left after a destructive force can be beautiful
When you emerge
When you come out on the other side
You are more beautiful
You will have grown and become more beautiful
Some storms leave the beauty
Some trials can lead to good outcomes
Some storms leave the thorns
However, other trials leave behind lasting pain
Compassion pours from heaven
Divine love and empathy can give us strength
Mercy every dawn
The chance to start anew comes every day
Somewhere in this whirlwind
Amidst the confusion and chaos
Somewhere in this crowd
During times when we feel alone and lost
Hold up to His heartbeat
Focus on our faith and trust in a higher power
And push away the sounds
Shut out distractions that pull us away from our center
And maybe I should say your name
Reflect on and acknowledge the person who we've lost or hurt
And maybe I should say your name out loud
Possibly even speak to or about them in order to heal
The beauty of the ash of love
Even the ruins of love lost can be beautiful
When I emerge
When I come out on the other side of heartbreak
I'm more beautiful
I may have scars, but they make me stronger and more beautiful
Bloom again
A reminder to never give up, and that hope for a new day is always present
Contributed by Emma P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.