On another continent, some 9000 miles from the United States, is a corner of the earth where there is no Internet, no electricity, no telephone. From wherever you stand, you see red dirt and sky, well-adapted wildlife, rock piles next to dirt roads that seem to go on and on forever. Desolate but not empty, the Australian outback offers people the chance to revel in the open space and solitary oneness this striking terrain provides. Had you traveled that same path years ago, you may have passed Jennifer Knapp along the way, a Grammy nominated, Dove Award winning artist, who was happy to let go of all the success she had to live a very different kind of life traveling to the most remote corners of Australia, looking to reclaim a part of herself she felt she lost in all the excitement of her accomplishments.
And then one day she decided to come back.
Before you start with any Eddie and the Cruisers comparisons, please note that Jennifer didn’t fake her own demise. She just decided to take a break, though at the time, she wasn’t sure she’d ever return. Considering Jennifer has over sold over 1 million records, spent years successfully playing to sold out audiences and had a considerable fan base, the choice wasn’t an easy one but definitely necessary. “I didn’t play, I didn’t write, my guitars collected dust for 5 years. I completely had to divorce myself from the whole thing because I never really took ownership of what music meant for me as an individual. I needed to figure that out, so I really left the music business with the idea that I may not ever do it again.”
At first, Jennifer set out to go to all the cities she had toured in, but never had a chance to visit. Growing up in a tiny town in Kansas, the trips across the US and Europe were exciting. This led to a jaunt to Australia, where she decided to stay. Walking away from her career wasn’t easy, as Jennifer was riding high on the wave of success. Having cultivated an audience within the Christian music spectrum, Jennifer’s first 3 albums were all critical and commercial successes. She won her first Dove Award in 1999 for Best New Artist, scored 2 Grammy nods and another Dove nomination in 2003. She opened for Jars of Clay, spent some time on the Lilith tour and continued to grow her audience, who clamored for more of her folk-rock message of spirituality and love. People magazine touted Jennifer as an “uncommonly literate songwriter,” but just as she was at the top of her game she…let go.
After seven years spent traveling, mastering the Playstation and spending time working at an antique store (and actually loving that she dreaded going to work in the morning like a “normal” person), Jennifer began to re-visit what made her happiest. “I had to go through a mourning process of walking away and convincing myself that it didn’t matter if I played music anymore. But it was hard, and the whole time I was gone, it was like I had a shadow following me. I began to return to it in my own private time, getting out my guitar, starting to play and falling in love with music again without any expectations. I just wanted to play because it meant something to me.”
Struggling with being a normal person with an abnormal occupation, Jennifer finally made peace with what she did best. “I was really enjoying the music I was playing at home. Half the record was written in Australia and as I played it, friends were responding to it. It fanned the flame. There are sad parts of working in the industry that made me feel disconnected, but I realized I was just afraid and was hiding. It seemed a shame that I could share my songs with people and I wasn’t doing it. I hadn’t worked in 7 years and there were fans on the Internet holding vigils for me to play again. It took me a long time to understand that connection and now it’s a passion of mine. In a true sense it’s a gift – you give it because you don’t want it back, and you want it to bless the person receiving it. What an amazing opportunity for me to have.”
Returning to Nashville, Jennifer holed up in the studio to begin recording the aptly named Letting Go, her fourth studio album. With Producer Paul Moak, best known as his work as a studio musician for artists such as Mat Kearney, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, at the helm, Jennifer had no intention of resting on past laurels. With Paul, they put together a whole new band of hungry young musicians and got to work. With the exception of longtime bass player Tony Lucido, the guys in the studio were musicians Jennifer had never even met before, who brought an energy she was craving. “All risk and high reward” is how she explains her new band with which she had an instant camaraderie.
While Jennifer made her initial mark in the Christian market, her time away made her realize that while she would never turn her back on that belief, she didn’t want to exclude any one else, either. As with past releases, she had gotten used to the focus on her song writing, that it was viewed as somewhat unusual for the Christian music industry. However Jennifer was always celebrated for her honesty and human approach to the divine, and she looks at Letting Go as a continuation of pushing those limits. “It was a struggle, because I was used to writing lyrics one way. I had to break that yolk to write a record that was honest about how I feel about life. It is the voice of people that I am concerned in preserving here, our right to express our deepest souls without the fear of condemnation. It’s my hope that the music feels legitimate and meaningful for whoever hears it. I wanted this record to reflect that.”
The result is the astonishing straightforwardness of Letting Go, an album of stripped back folk and country tinged rock that is as intimate as it is expansive. The musical warmth of Letting Go spreads throughout the record. From the wry opening words (“careful what you say, careful who might hear…”) of “Dive In” to the lyrical play of “Want For Nothing” and the evocative rocker “Inside,” Letting Go observes the world around it with captivating perception.
To say that Jennifer Knapp has come full circle would be a fair assessment. Beside the record release, Knapp has been asked to play on the re-vamped Lilith Fair tour, the first one in 10 years. Since Jennifer played on the last one in ’99, being asked to play the re-launch is very special, a reminder of why Jennifer came back to her musical roots. “There is a strong sense of community that has been in the back of my mind throughout this whole process. I want my core audience to find something familiar, but refreshed, on Letting Go. At the same time, I am so happy to throw off any cloak that has been put upon me that would make any music lover hesitate to listen to my music. I am so excited to bring all different types of people to my party. I’ve written this for them.”
Sometimes, you have to let go of everything to be able to come back.
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Biography taken from: http://www.jenniferknapp.com/about
http://www.jenniferknapp.com
Nothing Is Impossible
Jennifer Knapp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing is impossible, oh, impossible for me
'Cause I got faith that moves the mountains
I got hope, I got hope that fills the sea
And how can I forget this thing so quickly?
How can I so easily fall on my knees?
Begging for mercy, begging for mercy
And I am weakened by the ignorance of you
And it all seems impossible, impossible for me
It all seems impossible, impossible for me
Well, the mountains they're crumbling
And the sea, the sea is drowning me
The sands of false philosophy are blinding my eyes
I've nothing left to save myself, oh, I shall surely die
Then comes a man and battle for the war
And here I am, useless, battered and torn
He says nothing is impossible, impossible for me
Nothing is impossible, impossible for me
'Cause I got faith that moves the mountains
I got hope, I got hope that fills the sea
I see his hands, while his scars are rest in mine
I see his blood, redder than any wine shed just for me
Shed just for me, I trust he will return for my release
The words that Jesus said have formed my beliefs
And nothing is impossible, impossible for me
Nothing is impossible, impossible for me
'Cause I got faith that moves the mountains
I got hope, I got hope that fills the sea
Nothing is impossible for me
It's possible for me
It's possible, possible, possible for me
In Jennifer Knapp's song "Nothing Is Impossible", the lyrics talk about the power of faith and hope despite personal struggles and difficulties. The song begins with an assertion that nothing is impossible and that faith can move mountains and hope can fill the sea. However, the chorus changes and becomes more personal as the singer realizes that in the midst of trials and hardships, everything seems impossible. She wonders how she can forget things so quickly and how easily she falls to her knees, pleading for mercy. Her shield is broken, her sword is torn in two, and she feels weakened by the ignorance of others. As she struggles, she is saved by a man who reminds her that nothing is impossible and restores her faith that moves mountains and gives hope that fills the sea. The song ends with the singer reaffirming her belief that nothing is impossible for her.
The song portrays the idea that despite setbacks and struggles, one can still have faith in the impossible, which can move mountains and fill the sea. Jennifer Knapp includes her Christian faith and her beliefs, which come through in the lyrics. The verses of the song explore the difficulties that the singer faced and her feelings of helplessness, but the chorus reminds her that nothing is impossible for her with faith and hope. The song suggests that even when the challenges of life seem insurmountable, faith can provide a way forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing is impossible, impossible for me
Jennifer Knapp believes that there is nothing that is impossible for her.
'Cause I got faith that moves the mountains
She believes that her faith has the power to perform the most difficult tasks, just like moving mountains.
I got hope, I got hope that fills the sea
Jennifer Knapp's hope is boundless, as vast as the sea and capable of filling it up.
And how can I forget this thing so quickly?
Jennifer Knapp wonders how she can forget her beliefs so easily.
How can I so easily fall on my knees?
Jennifer Knapp finds herself giving in to situations when she should be standing strong.
Begging for mercy, begging for mercy
She finds herself in a position where the only thing left to do is plead for mercy.
My shield is broken, my sword torn in two
Jennifer Knapp feels defenseless as her protection and weapon have been damaged beyond repair.
And I am weakened by the ignorance of you
She feels weakened by the actions of people around her who ignore or don't understand her beliefs.
It all seems impossible, impossible for me
As everything around her crumbles, Jennifer Knapp feels like achieving her goals is impossible.
Well, the mountains they're crumbling
Even the biggest obstacle in front of her seems to be losing strength.
And the sea, the sea is drowning me
The sea represents the struggles of life, and Jennifer feels overwhelmed by them.
The sands of false philosophy are blinding my eyes
Wrong ideas and beliefs are hindering Jennifer from seeing the truth.
I've nothing left to save myself, oh, I shall surely die
She believes she has nothing left in her to save herself, and failure would be inevitable.
Then comes a man and battle for the war
A savior comes to help her fight her battles.
And here I am, useless, battered and torn
Jennifer Knapp feels helpless and defeated in her struggles.
He says nothing is impossible, impossible for me
The savior assures her that nothing is impossible with him by her side.
I see his hands, while his scars are rest in mine
Jennifer Knapp sees her savior's scars, proof of his love and commitment, and she is encouraged and strengthened.
I see his blood, redder than any wine shed just for me
She believes that her savior shed his blood for her, and she is filled with gratitude for his sacrifice.
Shed just for me, I trust he will return for my release
Jennifer Knapp trusts that her savior will come back to save her from her difficulties.
The words that Jesus said have formed my beliefs
Jennifer Knapp's beliefs are based on the teachings of Jesus.
Nothing is impossible for me
Jennifer believes that nothing is impossible for her as long as she has her faith.
It's possible for me
She believes that she is capable of accomplishing anything that seems impossible.
It's possible, possible, possible for me
Jennifer repeats her belief, affirming that nothing is impossible for her as long as she trusts in her savior.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JENNIFER LYNN KNAPP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jafuni
I was looking for the actual song :=(