The group is effectively a re-branding of the touring group that performed under Welch's name to promote his solo album. Formed in 2009, Welch recruited musicians through open auditions via YouTube, and second-round auditions, in person, at his studio in Phoenix, Arizona. The original group was a six-piece group, that featured Michael Valentine on Bass, Ralph Patlan on guitar, Brian Ruedy on keyboard, Scott "SVH" Von Heldt on guitars and vocals and Dan Johnson on drums. After two years of touring, Von Heldt departed the band due to financial reasons, Ruedy was let go a few months earlier and later joined Whitesnake. Patlan also departed the band, but no reason was given. The search began to find a guitar player. In March 2011, two weeks before a tour, Welch discovered "the perfect fit" for his band through Thousand Foot Krutch's public audition videos for a new guitarist on Youtube. 15 years old at the time, J.R. Bareis was chosen by Welch to be the new guitar player and became an official permanent member of the band, as they settled on establishing themselves as a four-piece. The group released a single, "Paralyzed" in November 2011, under the Brian "Head" Welch name. In February 2012, the touring band was re-branded into the group Love and Death.
Love and Death was formally announced in February 2012 through an official statement made by Welch. In the statement, Welch explained that "I have wanted to use a band name for branding my music for a few years. It has been an ongoing discussion with my management, but we were just starting to tour and I was in the middle of supporting my third book and it seemed like a bad time to switch names. Now with the new music coming out, its time to really separate the things I do. I want the music to be about music. I will still be doing public speaking under Brian Head Welch. I am happy that all the confusion will be over."
By the Way...
Love and Death Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your death
I've been contemplating
And I let you go
As you disappeared
I didn't see it standing there
I didn't see it fall apart
And everything was so unfair
To get it right
And by the way
I'm doing alright and you don't know
What I had to give to walk away and live again
I'll always miss you and
And by the way
I think about you and the memories
Are never gonna leave
I know I'll see you there with me
Where we will always be alive
You're gone
I'm here
It's completely unfair
And my gifts
Your scars
I will carry now
Did you see me standing strong
Dying with a broken heart
From you fatality
So why'd you have to go
Why did you go
And by the way
I'm doing alright and you don't know
What I had to give to walk away and live again
I'll always miss you and
And by the way
I think about you and the memories
Are never gonna leave
I know I'll see you there with me
Where we will always be alive
I don't know how to go on
I hate you didn't make it
I'm so devastated
I don't know how to go on
I'm holding onto memories
Dying in my misery
I don't know how to go on
I've never felt pain like this
I don't know how to go on
Tell me how to go on
And by the way
I'm doing alright and you don't know
What I had to give to walk away and live again
I'll always miss you and
And by the way
I think about you and the memories
Are never gonna leave
I know I'll see you there with me
Where we will always be alive
The Love and Death song, "By the Way" deals with the aftermath of losing someone close to you. The singer struggles to come to terms with the death of a loved one, repeatedly asking why and expressing heartbreak. They reflect on memories they shared and the pain they now feel, the memories being the only comfort that they have left. Despite the immense pain, the singer acknowledges that they are still alive and striving for the future. The lyrics "What I had to give to walk away and live again" showcases that they had to let go of the departed to have a chance at a future. Inevitably, they will always miss the deceased.
Several lines stand out, including, "My life, your death, I've been contemplating, and I let you go," which indicates that the singer had to make a conscious choice to move on from the loss. The lines "From your fatality, so why'd you have to go, why did you go" express frustration at the suddenness of the loss and the sense of injustice that the singer is feeling, expressing the feeling that the loss was senseless.
Overall, "By the Way" is a song that encapsulates the moments, feelings, and frustrations that follow the passing of someone near and dear.
Line by Line Meaning
My life
I am alive and living a life
Your death
You have passed away
I've been contemplating
I have been deeply thinking and reflecting
And I let you go
I have learned to accept that you are gone
As you disappeared
As you left and departed from this world
I didn't see it standing there
I did not realize the impact of the situation
I didn't see it fall apart
I did not see the relationship or situation deteriorating
And everything was so unfair
The situation seemed unjust and unequal
I had to walk away
I had to move on and leave the situation behind
To get it right
To make things better and improve the situation
And by the way
Incidentally
I'm doing alright and you don't know
I am coping well and you cannot understand
What I had to give to walk away and live again
I sacrificed a lot in order to move on and live
I'll always miss you and
I will forever cherish our memories together
And by the way
Also,
I think about you and the memories
I often reminisce about the good times we shared
Are never gonna leave
Those memories will always be with me
I know I'll see you there with me
I believe that we will be reunited in the afterlife
Where we will always be alive
We will be together and happy forever
You're gone
You have passed away and left this world
I'm here
I am still alive and present in this world
It's completely unfair
The situation is unjust and unequal
And my gifts
The positive aspects of my life
Your scars
The negative aspects and impacts of your life
I will carry now
I will take responsibility for my life and yours
Did you see me standing strong
Did you witness my resilience and perseverance
Dying with a broken heart
Suffering emotionally and struggling to move on
From your fatality
From the impact of your passing
So why'd you have to go
Why did you have to leave and pass away
I don't know how to go on
I am struggling to cope and move forward
I hate you didn't make it
I regret that you could not survive
I'm so devastated
I am overwhelmed with sadness and grief
I'm holding onto memories
I am cherishing the memories we shared
Dying in my misery
Suffering emotionally and struggling to cope
I've never felt pain like this
I have never felt such intense emotional pain
Tell me how to go on
I need help and guidance to cope and move forward
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Brian Welch, Jasen Rauch, Rob Graves
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Filip Hsino
My life, your death, I’ve been contemplating
And I let you go as you disappeared
I didn’t see it standing there, I didn’t see it fall apart
And everything was so unfair
I had to walk away to get it right
And by the way, I’m doing all right and you don’t know
What I had to give to walk away and live again, I’ll always miss you
And, and by the way, I think about you and the memories are never gonna leave
I know I’ll see you there with me, where we will always be alive
You’re gone, I’m here, it’s completely unfair
And my gifts, your scars, I will carry now
Did you see me standing strong dying with a broken heart
From your fatality? So why’d you have to go?
Why did you go?
And by the way, I’m doing all right and you don’t know
What I had to give to walk away and live again, I’ll always miss you
And, and by the way, I think about you and the memories are never gonna leave
I know I’ll see you there with me, where we will always be alive
(I don’t know how to go on)
I hate you didn’t make it, I’m so devastated
(I don’t know how to go on)
I’m holding onto memories, dying in my misery
(I don’t know how to go on)
I’ve never felt pain like this
(I don’t know how to go on)
Tell me how to go on
And by the way, I’m doing all right and you don’t know
What I had to give to walk away and live again, I’ll always miss you
And, and by the way, I think about you and the memories are never gonna leave
I know I’ll see you there with me, where we will always be alive
Kayla Jarvis
This song really helped me with my depression.. I love brian so much and i hope he never stops making music.
JS3 music
Same. Inspired me to write some of my own. Try my channel. Icon on left. And praise God. Christ is risen and coming soon.
OrtegaX13
he needs to make more like i know korn is his shit but i know he has so much more to make
H_Watkins
That's one of many reasons Head make music Kayla. He wants to inspire people to do good and change their life around and hopefully come to Christ as he did. I am going to pray for you and hope you don't mind but I read this and felt lead to do it so here goes. Heavenly father I come to you and lift Kayla's name up unto you lord. I pray you give this young woman peace from all the darkness that torment her lord and heal her from her depression and all that make it hard for her to live life as you intended us to live lord. Fill her with the love only you can give and show her the peace of mind you offer to us all. Jesus I thank you for this blessing and praise you. Jesus it is in thy holy name I pray amen. God be with you always Kayla :)
Maria Francisca
Como eu amo essa voz 🥰
chocolate chip cookie
thanks for bringing the Christian voice to those of us that like metal
Jallybwan
Amen
Trevor Yeo
And good Christian Metal at that
jSon
Agreed! 🙏🏻❤️
jedidah Jemutai
Totally....
Many thanks to love and death