The band was formed by Marc Martel and Jason Germain who were roommates at Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, Saskatchewan. Martel and Germain added fellow Canadians Jeremy Thiessen and Tyson Manning, along with American Corey Doak in 1999, and released an eponymous debut album independently on Slyngshot Records. Tyson and Doak left the band, and later on Downhere signed with Word Records. In February 2001, they moved to Nashville, Tennessee. The band soon added bassist Glenn Lavender, whom they had met two years earlier, after his band broke up. Downhere's independent album was reissued with the inclusion of bassist Lavender, and released in 2001 as their international debut, downhere.
Their second album, also released through Word Records was entitled So Much For Substitutes. In 2006 they were signed to Centricity Records and released Wide-Eyed and Mystified which led to the 2007 Juno Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year, and Covenant Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Recorded Song of the Year ("A Better Way").
In 2007, the band released two additional CDs that were unique. In early 2007, they released Wide-Eyed and Simplified, which contained new versions of 8 songs from Wide-Eyed and Mystified, in addition to three popular songs from earlier releases. Later in 2007, the band released Thunder After Lightning (The Uncut Demos). This album contained 15 previously unreleased demos which were considered for use on Wide-Eyed and Mystified but were not used. The CD also contained demo versions of two songs which were used on Wide-Eyed and Mystified. In April 2007, Downhere released Thank You for Coming (The Live Bootlegs), a six-song collection of live songs recorded in 2007 while on tour with Jason Gray & Lanae Hale.
Their next album, Ending Is Beginning, was released on September 23, 2008. The band released the songs for a few days and gave fans the chance to give input on which songs they should put on the album, and as a pre-release to Ending Is Beginning in June 2008 they gave away the whole album Wide-Eyed and Mystified as a free download.
In October 2009, they released How Many Kings: Songs for Christmas, a collection of Christmas songs. This included "How Many Kings", which was a bonus track on Ending Is Beginning. Between the release of Ending Is Beginning and On the Altar of Love, Downhere released Two at a Time: Sneak Peeks & B-Sides, a collection of older songs compiled over their career, as well as two new songs: "You're Not Alone" and "The Song You Sing". "You're Not Alone" was released as a single in May 2010.
In May 2011, the first single,"Let Me Rediscover You", from their upcoming album On the Altar of Love was released. The album itself was released August 23, 2011.
Glory By The Way Of Shame
Downhere Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For years he drank himself to sleep
Under the bridge of Saint Stephen Street
"Dad, I'm stopping by. Can you look me in the eye?"
He left the message on the phone
At the bus stop he cried, his father held a sign that read
"Welcome Home"
Bear a cross in Jesus' name
Glory by the way of shame
It's an amazing grace
Glory by the way of shame
She cheated on him twice, but for fear she never told
She finally confessed, before her heart ran cold
With pain in his eyes, he walked out of the house and drove to town
Bought her a white wedding dress
Came home to her and danced
To the song of forgiveness
Glory by the way of shame
Bear a cross in Jesus' name
Glory by the way of shame
It's an amazing grace
Glory by the way of shame
If these stories are true
I really couldn't say
But of my own heart I know
It goes much the same
The lyrics of Downhere's song "Glory By The Way Of Shame" depict two powerful stories of redemption and forgiveness. The first story is about a young man who left his home at the age of seventeen and spent years drowning himself in alcohol. He finally reaches out to his father, leaving him a message and heading home. At the bus stop, he breaks down and cries, but his father is waiting for him with a sign that reads "Welcome Home." This moment of reconciliation is an emotional one, and the lyrics speak to the idea that redemption and glory can come through shame and brokenness.
The second story is about a relationship that experiences infidelity but is eventually salvaged through forgiveness. The woman confesses her infidelity, and the man responds by buying her a white wedding dress and dancing with her to the "song of forgiveness." This story also highlights the idea that shame and brokenness can lead to redemption and glory through forgiveness.
Overall, the lyrics of "Glory By The Way Of Shame" emphasize the power of forgiveness and redemption in the face of brokenness and shame.
Line by Line Meaning
He ran away from home at the age of seventeen
He left his house and family when he was just seventeen
For years he drank himself to sleep
He drowned himself in alcohol till he passed out, for years
Under the bridge of Saint Stephen Street
He took shelter under the bridge located in Saint Stephen Street
"Dad, I'm stopping by. Can you look me in the eye?"
He left a message asking his dad to meet him, and questioned if he could face him and make eye contact
He left the message on the phone
He left the message for his father on his phone
At the bus stop he cried, his father held a sign that read
He cried at the bus stop, where his father was waiting for him holding a sign that said
"Welcome Home"
"Welcome Home"
Glory by the way of shame
Finding glory in shameful situations
Bear a cross in Jesus' name
Enduring hardships and difficulties for the grace of Jesus Christ
It's an amazing grace
The grace of Jesus Christ is astounding
She cheated on him twice, but for fear she never told
She committed infidelity twice but was too scared to confess it to her partner
She finally confessed, before her heart ran cold
She revealed her infidelity before her guilt consumed her entirely
With pain in his eyes, he walked out of the house and drove to town
He looked heartbroken and left the house to travel to the town by car
Bought her a white wedding dress
He bought her a white wedding dress as a symbol of forgiveness
Came home to her and danced
He forgave her and came back home, where they danced together in celebration
To the song of forgiveness
They danced to a song that represented forgiveness and newfound love
If these stories are true
The truth behind these stories cannot be verified
I really couldn't say
I don't have enough knowledge or evidence to verify the authenticity of these stories
But of my own heart I know
But from my own experiences, I understand
It goes much the same
I can relate to similar emotions and situations in my own life
Contributed by Kennedy F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Connect Church Kirkcaldy
such a powerful song - love Downhere's music.
gladys vera
Simplemente GRANDIOSOS !!!
Legos Plays
listening since it came out and even more in 2020
Katie Payne
@1:23 - still a better love story than Twilight.
Seth Wolfe
Still listening in 2019
Seth Wolfe
Listening to this on June 19th 2018.
artful stories
June 19, 2020! :)