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.
Whatever Happens
Downhere Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your promises look re-arranged,
How long have I to hide,
While the demons search the mountainside?
I don't want to lie down in fear,
Help me to remember clear,
There's never been a time when you haven't come through for me.
Waiting on you to put this together.
I'm o.k. with,
I'm o.k. with,
Whatever happens,
I will follow You,
I will walk through
Whatever happens,
Through whatever happens.
Forty days and nights,
Haven't seen the outside.
Pitching and rolling around,
Sometimes this escape feels like a cage.
Although there's reason to fear,
The sky will never clear,
I can't think of a time when you haven't been there for me.
I lift my hands in a re-surrender,
The time will come when You'll put us back together
The lyrics to Downhere's song "Whatever Happens" convey a sense of fear and desperation, but also a deep trust in God's faithfulness. The first stanza speaks of feeling trapped and hunted by demons, with the singer longing to remember God's past faithfulness to give them hope in the present. The chorus expresses a willingness to follow God no matter what may come, a steadfast commitment to trusting Him through all circumstances. The second stanza describes a long and difficult trial, but the singer acknowledges that God has always been with them in the past and will continue to be in the future. The final line holds out hope for restoration and redemption, a belief that God will ultimately bring everything back together.
Overall, "Whatever Happens" is a song about enduring through hard times and remaining faithful to God, even in the midst of fear and uncertainty. The imagery of being hunted by demons and trapped in a cage is a powerful metaphor for the ways in which we can feel trapped by difficult circumstances, but the song's focus on God's faithfulness reminds us that we are never truly alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Face buried in this cave,
Feeling trapped and alone.
Your promises look re-arranged,
Feeling like promises and hope have been altered or lost.
How long have I to hide,
Feeling like there's no escape from fear and darkness.
While the demons search the mountainside?
Feeling like evil is lurking and searching for an opportunity to attack.
I don't want to lie down in fear,
Yearning for courage instead of caving in to fear.
Help me to remember clear,
Asking for clarity and guidance to see the way forward.
There's never been a time when you haven't come through for me.
Looking back on faith and trust in God's faithfulness.
I lift my hands in a re-surrender,
Submitting to God's sovereignty and plan.
Waiting on you to put this together.
Trusting that God will bring order and restoration.
I'm o.k. with,
Choosing contentment, regardless of circumstances.
I'm o.k. with,
Affirming trust in God's goodness.
Whatever happens,
Committing to follow God's lead, no matter what comes.
I will follow You,
Choosing to obey and honor God above personal desires.
I will walk through
Acknowledging that there will be trials and difficulties.
Through whatever happens.
Trusting that God will walk alongside through all circumstances.
Forty days and nights,
A time of waiting and persevering.
Haven't seen the outside.
Feeling trapped and isolated.
Pitching and rolling around,
Experiencing turmoil and uncertainty.
Sometimes this escape feels like a cage.
Feeling like there's no way out and no relief from challenges.
Although there's reason to fear,
Acknowledging that there are genuine fears and concerns.
The sky will never clear,
Believing that problems and stress will continue indefinitely.
I can't think of a time when you haven't been there for me.
Reflecting on past faithfulness and finding hope in God's continued presence.
The time will come when You'll put us back together
Believing that God will eventually bring restoration and healing.
Contributed by Landon O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.