In listening to the album, it is obvious Gokey has a strong sense of who he is as an artist and what he wants to say to his audience. There’s a focus and a sense of purpose rarely found on a debut disc. “It’s country, but it has a little different edge,” says the Milwaukee native. “I want to create my own fingerprint, and I want my music to say something. I want to have an emotional connection, but at the same time, I want to make people just have a good time, make them want to dance, have fun and party. I wanted to throw all those emotions in that CD, and I feel like I accomplished that.”
During his tenure on American Idol, Gokey impressed the judges with his versatility as he performed hits by The Temptations, Carrie Underwood, Michael Jackson and Rascal Flatts, among others. As he continued to rise through the ranks of Idol hopefuls, it became increasingly clear that Gokey was blessed with a voice that could sing any style of music and turn any song into a compelling moment. So why did he choose a career as a country artist? “I felt like I could be myself,” he says matter-of-factly, and admits he got some career advice from someone he respected. “Randy Travis was a mentor for American Idol, and he asked me, ‘Have you thought about country? You really need to, because people would love you and the amount of soul that you could bring to country. You bring a uniqueness to it.’”
Gokey is still somewhat surprised and humbled by the encouragement he got from one of his musical idols, and says the overall American Idol experience helped him define who is as an artist. “As the show progressed, I started to find myself and started to hone in on who I want to be, what I want to be, and what I want to represent,” Gokey relates. “The thing that I identified with the most was the message. When I sing, I want to sing something passionately, and I want to sing something that has a lot of meaning to me. I always found that in country. I want to be known as a country singer the rest of my life.”
Gokey’s life before American Idol embodies the themes that populate the country music lexicon, from his humble roots in a poor but loving family to his hard-working days as a truck driver to the loss of the person most dear to him: his wife, Sophia. Life has prepared Danny Gokey to sing country music.
Born the fifth of six children, Danny grew up in a family that was often short on cash, but long on love and encouragement. His parents were music fans and introduced their children to a variety of sounds including Motown, jazz, and country. “My first CD was Wynonna Judd, and I loved it. I love her,” Gokey gushes. “She had this soul that went into it, and you just felt the music when it played, and the first single that I bought in my life was Tim McGraw’s ‘Don’t Take the Girl.’ I listened to that song, and it made me want to cry. Vince Gill is another one of my favorites.”
Like many artists before him, from the legendary Aretha Franklin to Platinum-selling rock band Switchfoot, Gokey can trace his musical roots to the church. While working in the music departments at two different churches, Gokey also logged hard days as a trucker. “I drove an eighteen wheeler semi-truck, a big rig,” he says. “I liked it actually. Was it what I wanted to settle with for the rest of my life? No, because music was where my passion was.”
His wife encouraged Danny to give American Idol a shot, but just a month before the audition, Sophia died unexpectedly after what should have been a routine heart surgery. The couple had been high school sweethearts, and Danny was devastated. He found solace and healing in music. “Music was the key place where I would go, and I would let the sorrow come out, let the tears just roll. Some music I would listen to had a determination in it, and I resolved that this is not going to be the thing that destroys me for the rest of my life. It can be turned into a building block, and I can become a better person for it. Music brought healing. That’s how I got through and still get through it today.”
Knowing firsthand the power of music, Gokey entered the studio determined to craft a debut album filled with songs that matter. “I definitely have something to say with this album, and I think people will recognize that,” he says. “Music was the catalyst that helped bring healing, a determination and a resolve. That’s why I want to do music. I want to bring that same hope. When my wife passed, I tried out for American Idol, and music brought me hope. It brought me a reason to live again. Now I want to bring that into my music.”
Working with producer Mark Bright, well known for his work with Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts, Gokey has crafted an album filled with memorable, meaningful songs, penned by some of the industry’s top songwriters. Veteran tunesmiths Marv Green and Kent Blazy penned the title track and first single, “My Best Days Are Ahead of Me.” It’s a buoyant look toward a brighter future, an optimistic anthem sure to be adopted by all who believe in better days ahead.
“I Still Believe” is a groove-oriented number co-written by American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. “It’s Only” is a powerful call to action that illustrates some of life’s challenges and encourages us to make a difference where we can. Penned by Tom Douglas and Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, the song is a compelling ballad that demonstrates the range and emotional depth in Gokey’s soul-drenched voice.
“I Will Not Say Goodbye,” written by Lari White, Chuck Cannon and Vicky McGehee, is a poignant ballad that Gokey says he just had to record. “That song just totally represents what I felt when my wife passed away,” says Gokey, who has launched a charitable foundation, Sophia’s Heart, in his wife’s memory. “Sophia’s Heart got started because I wanted to keep her legacy alive.”
Though there are songs sure to make listeners stop in their tracks and examine their priorities, there are also several that will inspire fans to roll down the windows and sing along. “Life on Ya” and “Get Away” are infectious slices of fun, and “Crazy Not To” captures the exhilaration of falling in love. “You don’t want people to feel overwhelmed with one certain thing,” Gokey says of balancing the meatier songs with more fun fare. “You want them to experience different things, and I think we accomplished that. At one point, I said, ‘I want fun, fun songs!’ You want to be very balanced, and I feel like we did a good job at that. Sometimes I want to have fun just for no reason.”
Poignant, rowdy, thought-provoking and smile-inducing -- Danny Gokey’s debut album is all those things and so much more. It’s a reflection of life’s peaks and valleys from a young man well acquainted with both. “I’m very proud of this CD. Every song has something to say,” he relates. “We’re all human, and human beings are made up of so many different aspects. We want to be entertained, but we also want to be inspired, and music is a universal language.”
Hes Great singer too if your a fan plz listen to his music
Slow Down
Danny Gokey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not running my life
No it's running me
Mind's going a million miles an hour can't sleep
Be still and know yeah it's so hard to do
When the world's telling me I've got something to prove
All eyes are on me
Got everything to lose
More hustle go harder yeah get it done
Tired of trying to keep up
So I've gotta slow down
Cause I'm about to break down
Under all the pressure that's pulling me
Voices saying don't you stop keep moving around
I know I've got your love
So I'm already enough
There's nothing more gotta stay gotta do
Than let you pull me close and just be with you now
So I can finally slowed down
Sitting here with you is a beautiful thing
You have opened my eyes to see all that I need
Is right here in your arms so deep in your heart
More hustle go harder yeah get it done
I'm tired of trying to keep up
So I've got to slow down
Cause I'm about to break down
Under all the pressure that's pulling me
Voices saying don't you stop keep moving around
I know I've got your love
So I'm already enough
There's nothing more I gotta say gotta do
Than let you pull me close and just be with you now
So I can finally slow down
Danny Gokey's song "Slow Down" is a reflective ballad about the pressures of life and the importance of taking a break from it all to find solace in the arms of loved ones. The song starts with Danny expressing how he is suffocated with life’s responsibilities and how it is running him instead of him running his life. The opening line of the song, "Oh it's been a while since I felt I could breathe," shows his overwhelming feeling of anxiety and exhaustion, and how he can't catch his breath due to the weight of the world on his shoulders. He mentions how his mind is constantly racing and he can't sleep because of it. He then pleads for a moment of stillness to slow down and reconnect with God. However, he acknowledges that it is hard to find stillness when there is a worldly clamor that tells him he needs to prove himself, and everyone's eyes are on him, causing him to feel like he has everything to lose.
The chorus becomes a plea to stop the rush – "More hustle go harder yeah get it done. Tired of trying to keep up. So I've gotta slow down. 'Cause I'm about to break down. Under all the pressure that's pulling me." Danny is recognizing that the pressure of the world is pulling him under, and he is tirelessly trying to keep up with it all, but he realizes that it is not worth sacrificing his mental health.
The second verse emphasizes how Danny has found peace when he is with someone, and he talks about the beauty of having someone who opens his eyes to what he really needs. He reveals that true solace lies in the presence of loved ones, in this case, it is God. The song ends with reiterating the necessity of taking a break, which reassures Danny that he is already enough, and he doesn’t have to prove himself anymore to anyone. "There's nothing more I gotta say gotta do. Than let you pull me close and just be with you now. So I can finally slow down."
Line by Line Meaning
Oh it's been a while since I felt I could breathe
I haven't felt at ease for some time now.
I'm not running my life
I'm not in control of my life.
No it's running me
My life is controlling me.
Mind's going a million miles an hour can't sleep
My racing thoughts are keeping me up at night.
Be still and know yeah it's so hard to do
It's difficult to quiet my mind.
When the world's telling me I've got something to prove
I feel pressured to prove myself to others.
All eyes are on me
I feel like everyone is watching me.
Got everything to lose
I have a lot at stake.
More hustle go harder yeah get it done
The message I'm receiving is to work harder.
Tired of trying to keep up
I'm exhausted from trying to keep pace with everything.
So I've gotta slow down
I need to take a break and slow down.
Cause I'm about to break down
I'm at my breaking point.
Under all the pressure that's pulling me
I'm feeling weighed down by pressure.
Voices saying don't you stop keep moving around
I'm hearing messages that tell me to keep going.
I know I've got your love
I know I have your love and support.
So I'm already enough
I don't need to do more to prove myself.
There's nothing more gotta stay gotta do
I don't need to do anything else.
Than let you pull me close and just be with you now
I just need to be with you and find peace.
Sitting here with you is a beautiful thing
Spending time with you is wonderful.
You have opened my eyes to see all that I need
You have helped me realize what truly matters.
Is right here in your arms so deep in your heart
What I need is love and connection with you.
So I can finally slow down
I can take a breath and relax now.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERNIE HERMS, EMILY LYNN WEISBAND, DANIEL JAY GOKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sandy M
One of the best voices ever! ♡ God bless you Danny!
greentealover85
Wow. I'm listening to your music all the time but kind of missed out on this until last night. I'm going through a rough time right now and actually felt at the end of my rope last night when I came across this song. I feel like God used it as a message to me...especially because I didn't know it before. It's like he waited for that moment because he knew I would need it then. 😍 Lyrics fit my situation 100% right now.
Jordan Lee
Such a beautiful song! It helps you through hard times in life, and reminds you that GOD is always there. GOD Bless you, Brother Danny, in the Name of Jesus Christ!!
Sara Robert
How are you able to pinpoint my exact feelings in a song ? This speaks to me so much it is almost scary !! A load of your last songs were uploaded right when I needed them to remind me to keep trusting God and to move forward despite tough times and emotional crisis.
Love the song (both music & lyrics of course), love the voice, love the spirit of this new album of yours.
Keep going and may God bless you a hundred times more than I am blessed with your songs, if it is possible :)
ArsonVA
You help me so much Danny
I may just be a kid but I've been through a lot of crap for years. And your music always gives me hope.
Thank you so much
God bless💜💜
ArsonVA
I relate to this song a lot... I can't stop listening to it aheh... thank you for constantly giving me hope.. 💜
Rick Michaud
Danny , All I can say is Thank you! Your show was amazing this past weekend at the Old Orchard Beach Pavilion! It was great meeting you, you are very down to earth and your passion for others is heartfelt! I want you to know that you made my daughter's weekend at the signing by speaking with her about her past! You are a tribute to what society is looking for in this crazy world today! Best wishes to you and your wife on Labor and Delivery day! Hugs from Northern Maine!
Bobby Martinez
Awesome Danny! It brought to my mind Psalm 46:10
That says, " Be still and know that I am God."
Dion3n1
Bobby Martinez
AMEN!
Stephanie Mendes
Melhor Cantor da vida ❤❤❤