The three met while they were young men at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. They formed the band dc Talk (a reference to Washington D.C., but later marketed as 'decent Christian talk' by their label) and, as of the year 2000, spent twelve solid years together, performing all over the world, recording 6 albums, and earning many awards, including 4 Grammy awards.
Their music, aimed at a younger audience, combined hip-hop, rap, and R&B sensibilities and filled a gap in 1980s Christian Music and gave them a unique niche. Their first three albums, DC Talk, Nu Thang, and Free at Last started from their rap/hip-hop roots but increasingly included melodic vocal rock influences. Their 1995 studio album, Jesus Freak, continued this musical evolution by eshewing almost all rap elements and adopting a harder modern rock/grunge sound on many songs, especially the title track. Their most recent studio album, Supernatural, draws on their previous efforts while moving towards mainstream pop stylings.
Their signature sound in all albums is their use of the three members' different vocal skills separately and together. They are often lauded for their lyrical sophistication, addressing many themes in Christian theology, faith, and practice.
After more than ten years together as a group, they are taking a break in recording together to pursue their own activities outside of the band, and launch solo careers in recording music. Michael Tait formed his own band, Tait, and has most recently served as the frontman for Newsboys. Toby McKeehan has released music under the name Tobymac, and has been the most sucessful of the three. Kevin Max has released two solo albums of his own.
Walls
DC Talk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time for God's people to take a stand
I mean brother to brother, black to white
Stand up to the problem and begin to fight
Not against each other, you're wastin' time
Yo, I'm referring to a battle of minds
Not through debate or writin' on the walls
This kinda action is delayin' the cause
It's our turn to take it one step higher
Gotta live by example, show brotherly love
We're together on Earth, we'll be together above
So we're
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
New revelation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
In every nation
To label churches by color ain't nothin' but wrong
We're in the same crew, we're singin' one song
If you're in God's army, that makes you my kin
Yo, our common bond is the Father of men
Of all attributes that we should possess
Love is in the Word ahead of all the rest
No negotiation to love a certain nation
All means all, with no discrimination
Boy, we can set a precedence the world can cop
Yo, fellow believer, now's the time to stop
Racism within our lines
Today is the time for this love to shine
So we're
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
New revelation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
In every nation
Judge a man by his heart, not color of skin
God views a man from what's held within
And, you're called one of His, so you gotta know
To be Christ-like is the way that you go
And my brothers and sisters in one accord
Yo, we're the sheep, and the Shepherd's the Lord
So whether black sheep, white sheep, or even swirl
God watches over all the sheep of the world
So tell me whassup when ya know the command
The Word's bold, "Love your fellow man!"
And treat him like you would treat yourself
Pull brotherly love off ya dusty shelf
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
New revelation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
In every nation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
New revelation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
In every nation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
New revelation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
In every nation
The lyrics of DC Talk's song "Walls" address the issue of racial segregation and how important it is for God's people to unite and fight against it. The singers emphasize the need for unity among races, brotherhood, and love, rather than engaging in a battle of minds or fighting fire with fire. They believe that labeling churches by color is wrong and their common bond is the Father of men. The song emphasizes the importance of viewing people based on what's within their heart, rather than the color of their skin. The singers want to set a precedent and end racism within their own community, rather than delaying it any further.
The song's lyrics highlight the need for love and unity among races through their powerful words, which were relatable to many people. In a world where people of different races were being discriminated against, "Walls" was an anthem that fueled the fight against racial segregation. The song's use of biblical references provided a spiritual angle to the struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
Man against man just ain't the plan
Fighting among ourselves is not the solution to our problems.
It's time for God's people to take a stand
The followers of God need to stand together and fight against issues like discrimination and racism.
I mean brother to brother, black to white
We need to treat each other like siblings and not discriminate based on skin color or race.
Stand up to the problem and begin to fight
Rather than being passive, we need to address the issue head-on and fight against it.
Not against each other, you're wastin' time
Fighting against each other is a waste of time and energy and doesn't solve anything.
Yo, I'm referring to a battle of minds
We need to change people's way of thinking to overcome these issues.
Not through debate or writin' on the walls
Debating or writing on walls won't result in any real change.
This kinda action is delayin' the cause
These kinds of actions only delay progress and don't contribute towards the solution.
An eye for an eye, fight fire with fire
Responding with violence and hatred only begets more violence and hatred.
It's our turn to take it one step higher
We need to rise above these negative responses and show love and compassion to others.
Gotta live by example, show brotherly love
We need to lead by example and show love to our fellow human beings.
We're together on Earth, we'll be together above
We are all in this together on this earth and our true future lies together in the afterlife.
To label churches by color ain't nothin' but wrong
Dividing churches based on race is morally wrong and has no place in our society.
We're in the same crew, we're singin' one song
We are all a part of the same group of followers of God and should be working together.
If you're in God's army, that makes you my kin
All followers of God are considered family and those who fight alongside each other for the cause are kin.
Yo, our common bond is the Father of men
Our connection to God is what unites us all as a human family.
Of all attributes that we should possess
Of all qualities we should have, one stands above the others.
Love is in the Word ahead of all the rest
The most important message in the teachings of God is to show love towards one another.
No negotiation to love a certain nation
There should be no conditions to love and acceptance for people of every nation and ethnicity.
All means all, with no discrimination
We should love and accept everyone, without discrimination or exception.
Boy, we can set a precedence the world can cop
We can be an example to the world in the way we show love and acceptance to others.
Yo, fellow believer, now's the time to stop
It's time for fellow followers of God to take action and stop discrimination and prejudice.
Racism within our lines
Discrimination and racism exist even among followers of God.
Today is the time for this love to shine
Now is the perfect time to show love and compassion to others, regardless of skin color or race.
Judge a man by his heart, not color of skin
We should judge people based on the content of their character, not by the color of their skin or their race.
God views a man from what's held within
God sees people for who they truly are, not just for their outward appearance.
And, you're called one of His, so you gotta know
As a follower of God, we need to remember that we are all called by Him to follow His word.
To be Christ-like is the way that you go
To be the kind of person God wants us to be, we need to strive to be more like Christ.
And my brothers and sisters in one accord
We are all brothers and sisters and need to be united in our efforts to overcome these issues.
Yo, we're the sheep, and the Shepherd's the Lord
We are all followers of God, and He is leading us down the right path.
So whether black sheep, white sheep, or even swirl
Regardless of race, we are all part of the same flock of followers of God.
God watches over all the sheep of the world
God is always watching over us, His followers, regardless of where we come from.
So tell me whassup when ya know the command
When we understand the commandments of God, we need to take action to follow them.
The Word's bold, "Love your fellow man!"
One of the most important commandments we need to follow is to love one another.
And treat him like you would treat yourself
We need to show others the same love and respect that we would want for ourselves.
Tearin' down the walls
We need to work hard to break down the barriers that separate us from each other.
Of segregation
We need to overcome the issue of segregation and discrimination among our fellow human beings.
Unity abroad
The goal is to have unity between all nations and groups of people.
New revelation
The truth that love and compassion for all people is what will lead to a better society.
In every nation
This message of love and acceptance should be spread and practiced in every corner of the world.
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Michael Tait, Toby McKeehan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Xaris
Man against man just ain't the plan
It's time for God's people to take a stand
I mean brother to brother, black to white
Stand up to the problem and begin to fight
Not against each other, you're wastin' time
Yo, I'm referring to a battle of minds
Not through debate or writin' on the walls
This kinda action is delayin' the cause
An eye for an eye, fight fire with fire
It's our turn to take it one step higher
Gotta live by example, show brotherly love
We're together on Earth, we'll be together above
So we're
()
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
New revelation
Tearin' down the walls
Of segregation
Unity abroad
In every nation
To label churches by color ain't nothin' but wrong
We're in the same crew, we're singin' one song
If you're in God's army, that makes you my kin
Yo, our common bond is the Father of men
Of all attributes that we should possess
Love is in the Word ahead of all the rest
No negotiation to love a certain nation
All means all, with no discrimination
Boy, we can set a precedence the world can cop
Yo, fellow believer, now's the time to stop
Racism within our lines
Today is the time for this love to shine
So we're
Judge a man by His heart, not color of skin
God views a man from what's held within
And, you're called one of His, so you gotta know
To be Christ-like is the way that you go
And my brothers and sisters in one accord
Yo, we're the sheep, and the Shepherd's the Lord
So whether black sheep, white sheep, or even swirl
God watches over all the sheep of the world
So tell me whassup when ya know the command
The Word's bold, "Love your fellow man!"
And treat Him like you would treat yourself
Pull brotherly love off ya dusty shelf
Tobymac KOL
Over twenty years and this song is still accurate today as it was back then
Candace Casey
Unfortunately
Aiden Toews
and even today
Jamie Lucas
So very true, we need more unity now in 2022 and the world is just falling apart, seems people are more hate filled more than ever but I've only been around since the mid 70's so I know there were even times that were even worse
Dion Richardson
More like 30 but yes, it is...unfortunately! It starts with the CHURCH!!!
irvinetustin
I love DC Talk. It's really interesting to watch how their music changed with the times. This video was definitely filmed during the MC Hammer craze in the early 90s. I'm glad that they always focused on God in their lyrics. They're a crossover band that didn't forget to take THE CROSS over.
Joey Jordan
2020 and we are still trying to break down these walls
Yesenia
We live in a fallen world. I'm not certain they will ever be completely torn down.
Pri_E
2022🙋
Dion Richardson
2023 and we still need to do it!!!