The son of an Assemblies of God pastor, Gary Chapman grew up in De Leon, Texas. He performed in bands throughout high school and college. After college, he moved to Nashville and was hired as bass player for The Rambos. In 1979, his song "Father's Eyes" was recorded as the title track to Amy Grant's second album. In 1982, his song "Finally" recorded by T.G. Sheppard reached #1 on the country music charts. He also received a Dove Award as Songwriter of the Year from the Gospel Music Association. That same year, he married Grant.
During the rest of the 1980s and the early 1990s, Chapman continued to write, record, and produce music, while touring as an opening act and bass player for Grant. His career reached new heights in the mid 1990s. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1994. The Light Inside also resulted in a Dove Award nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. and also yielded a Contemporary Christian Music chart #1 song, "Sweet Glow of Mercy." He won a second Dove Award in 1994 for co-producing the album, Songs From The Loft, featuring various artists.
In April 1996, Chapman was honored as Male Vocalist of the Year by the GMA. His 1996 album, Shelter, delivered another #1, "One of Two," with "Man After Your Own Heart" resulting in a Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year and being featured on the Dove Award winning Special Event Album of the Year, My Utmost For His Highest. Shelter also received a 1997 Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
In 1996, Chapman was selected as the host of The Nashville Network’s music and talk show, "Prime Time Country." The show experienced improved ratings, but was canceled in 1999.
At the 1998 Dove Awards, his album featuring other artists, Hymns From The Ryman, won Country Album Of The Year.
Chapman and Grant were divorced in 1999. He married Jennifer Pittman in July, 2000.
Chapman was arrested in 2006 for DUI, and after another divorce, recently remarried again, while also caring for his terminally ill father. Despite the many ups and downs of his life, about which he frequently blogs openly on his myspace page, he is still recording and making music.
Nothing Without You
Gary Chapman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the rain in this world
And how it falls on all of us
Every man and every woman
Every little boy and girl
Has their share of the pain
And the choices we make
Make choices for everyone we touch
And I can give what I want to
I can take what I want to
I can do what I want do
But it doesn't mean a thing, no
I can love who I want to
I can hate who I want to
I can be who I want to
But it all adds up
To nothing without You
It's nothing without You
I could live on a mountain
Own all that I see
And still in my heart be so low
I could have all the teaching
From the A to the Z
And still in my heart not know
This life that we live
Is the only life that
We can give to this world
And I can give what I want to
I can take what I want to
I can do what I want do
But it doesn't mean a thing
I can love who I want to
I can hate who I want to
I can be who I want to
But it all adds up
To nothing without You
It's nothing without You, Jesus
It adds up to nothing without You
It's all just nothing without You
I can give what I want to
I can take what I want to
I can do what I want do
But it doesn't mean a thing
I can love who I want to
I can hate who I want to
I can be who I want to
But it doesn't mean a thing without You
I can give what I want to
I can take what I want to
I can do anything I want
But it doesn't mean a thing
I can love who I want to
I can hate who I want to
I can be who I want to
But it doesn't mean one thing without You
I can give
I can take
I can do what I want
But it does not mean one thing without You
I can love
I can hate
I can be who I want
But it al comes down
With nothing without You
I'm nothing without You
I'm nothing without You
It's all just nothing without You
It's nothing without You
It's nothing without You
It adds up to nothing without You
Gary Chapman's song "Nothing Without You" is a heartfelt ode to the concept of interconnectedness and the importance of a higher power. The lyrics point out that everyone in the world experiences hardship and pain, and that the choices individuals make do not exist in a vacuum. Rather, these choices affect the people around them, and ultimately, the world as a whole. Despite the fact that an individual may have all the worldly possessions or knowledge, there is still a longing within for something more meaningful. Chapman turns to faith in the chorus, acknowledging that all of his actions, and indeed life itself, are "nothing without You," referring to Jesus or a higher power.
Throughout the verses, the lyrics evoke the idea that the physical world does not hold all the answers. Chapman acknowledges that he could have all the knowledge and material possessions in the world, but still feel a sense of emptiness. Life is precious and it is the only one we have to give to the world. Despite all of the choices that people make, it is only through connection to a higher power that true meaning can be found. The song serves as a reminder to the listener that they are not alone in their struggles, that their choices hold great responsibility, and that the love and guidance of a higher power can be transformative.
Line by Line Meaning
Has anybody else noticed
The singer is pointing out the ubiquity of suffering in the world.
All the rain in this world
Rain is a metaphor for hardship in life.
And how it falls on all of us
No one is exempt from life's struggles.
Every man and every woman
All people, regardless of gender, face hardship in life.
Every little boy and girl
Even children experience difficulty in life.
Has their share of the pain
Everyone has struggles they must contend with.
And the choices we make
Our decisions have consequences beyond just ourselves.
Make choices for everyone we touch
Our choices have a ripple effect on those around us.
But it doesn't mean a thing, no
Our individual accomplishments and possessions are ultimately meaningless.
I could live on a mountain
Having material success does not guarantee happiness.
Own all that I see
Material possessions are not the key to a fulfilling life.
And still in my heart be so low
Inner emptiness cannot be filled with material things.
I could have all the teaching
Acquiring knowledge and wisdom is not inherently meaningful in its own right.
From the A to the Z
The singer is emphasizing the breadth of knowledge that one can accumulate.
And still in my heart not know
Intellectual understanding does not equate to true enlightenment.
This life that we live
We only get one life to make the most of.
Is the only life that
We must make the most of the time we have.
We can give to this world
We have an obligation to contribute positively to the world.
But it all adds up
Our contributions will only matter if they are made with a deeper purpose.
To nothing without You
Without a higher power to guide us, our lives are meaningless.
I can give
The singer is listing different ways in which we can exert our will.
I can take
The singer acknowledges that we have free will that allows us to make choices.
I can do what I want
We have the power to enact change according to our own judgment.
But it does not mean one thing without You
Without a higher power to guide us, our choices are ultimately meaningless.
It's all just nothing without You
The singer is emphasizing the need for a higher power to guide us through life.
I'm nothing without You
The singer recognizes that their identity is inextricably tied to a higher power.
It's nothing without You
Without a higher power, life is nothing.
It adds up to nothing without You
The singer is reiterating that life is meaningless without a higher power.
Contributed by Alexis S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.