While Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson are proud of their successful first effort, they are excited to have teamed with producer Josh Leo (Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) on their RCA effort. "We love performing" says Stephen. "The way we are recording now is the way our influences made records: live with a band. It's a lot more organic.".”
Eric’s earthy voice is the perfect complement to Stephen’s high-altitude tenor. The guys happily share lead vocals, harmonize like a church choir, and bolster their band with their own guitar work. “Stephen and I have always been on the same page as far as the vision for Love and Theft and what we want it to be,” says Eric. “We feel like we have made the record we’ve always wanted to make.”
The result is a nod to the duo’s varied influences. “She’s Amazing” evokes the brilliant harmonies of the Eagles. The seductive “Amen” channels all the yearning of Roy Orbison. And the rollicking first single “Angel Eyes” brings to mind Elvis Presley’s “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise.”
While Johnny Cash and Orbison are both enormous influences, it might surprise fans to learn who the duo’s favorite artist is. “Hands-down, Elvis,” says Stephen. “My dad was really into him, so I got into him. I was all over Elvis growing up.”
Coincidentally, both Stephen and Eric—who didn’t meet until they were in their early 20s—were raised as pastors’ kids, and their respective fathers fed them a steady diet of gospel, oldies and country. “Our parents didn’t want us listening to secular music that much. But they’d let us listen to Elvis, Roy, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band…,” says Eric. “It was cool to grow up that way, and that’s still my favorite kind of music.”
It isn’t lost on the guys that they’re now recording for the very label that released some of their hero’s biggest hits. “We’re excited to be on RCA, the same label Elvis was on,” Stephen says with a smile.
Perhaps it was some divine intervention that led the friends to this point in their career. Eric and Stephen, after all, will be the first to tell you that their shared spirituality is a cornerstone of Love and Theft. In fact, both used to lead worship at their churches.
“That’s how we got our start playing music. Our faith is a huge part of our lives,” says Eric, pondering the fate of it all. “I feel like it was meant to be this way from the beginning. Our journey over the past four years was preparing us for where we’re at now.”
Which is squarely at the doorstop of a prosperous career in country music. With a young, vibrant sound, a captivating live show, and a passionate fan base, Love and Theft are poised to become the genre’s next great duo.
http://www.loveandtheft.com/
Drowning
Love and Theft Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And broke down the wall.
Even though I thought that I had seen it all.
The waters still.
It looks so clear.
I'm gonna get lost inside it, I will disappear.
But now I only wanna hide away.
Don't break me I feel weak.
I've tasted now I'm wasted and I can't let go.
Your love is all I wanna know.
And I pray beyond the stars.
That you and me will stay just like we are.
And I don't care if its all a dream
But that's where I am and where I wanna be.
But now I only wanna hide away.
Don't wake me I'm in deep.
Don't break me I feel weak.
I've tasted now I'm wasted and I can't let go.
Your love is all I wanna know.
And I can promise you anything .
Cause I don't know what love's gonna bring.
So stay with me in this dream.
Cause when I come around when I come around.
All might be another way.
Don't wake me I'm in deep.
Don't break me I feel weak.
I've tasted now I'm wasted and I can't let go.
Your love is all I wanna know.
You took your heart.
And broke down the wall.
Even though I thought that I had seen it all.
In this song, Love and Theft talk about falling deep in love with someone and finding it difficult to let go. The lyrics talk about surrendering oneself to love so completely that the singer feels like they are drowning in it. The opening line, "You took your heart and broke down the wall," suggests that the singer had built an emotional barrier around themselves that was dismantled by the love of another.
As they feel themselves becoming enveloped by this love, the singer admits that they feel weak and unable to resist its pull. They describe the feeling of being "lost inside" the clear waters of love, disappearing into it entirely. Despite the overwhelming nature of their emotions, the singer confesses that they are not ready to leave this dream-like state just yet.
The chorus repeats the plea for the lover to not wake them up from this dream, expressing how they have tasted love and are now "wasted" on it, unable to let it go. They promise anything to keep hold of this feeling and pray that their lover will stay by their side.
Overall, the song portrays a deep and intense love that the singer is afraid to lose. It demonstrates the power of love to consume and transform us, leaving us feeling exposed and vulnerable.
Line by Line Meaning
You took your heart.
You opened up and let me in, allowing yourself to be vulnerable and share your true emotions with me.
And broke down the wall.
You shattered the barriers that you had put up to keep yourself from getting hurt, and let yourself love again.
Even though I thought that I had seen it all.
Despite my experiences and expectations, you surprised me by showing me a whole new level of depth and feeling.
The waters still.
The surface may appear calm and peaceful, but beneath the surface there is a lot of turbulent emotion at play.
It looks so clear.
From the outside looking in, everything may seem fine and uncomplicated, but the truth is much messier and harder to navigate.
I'm gonna get lost inside it, I will disappear.
I am so overwhelmed by the complexities of what is happening that I feel like I am losing myself and disappearing into the chaos.
But now I only wanna hide away.
I am so overwhelmed and uncertain about what is happening that I just want to retreat and hide from it all, rather than face it head-on.
Don't wake me I'm in deep.
I am so emotionally invested and vulnerable right now that any disruption or awakening from this state could be devastating.
Don't break me I feel weak.
I am so fragile and vulnerable right now that any further hurt or disappointment could shatter me completely.
I've tasted now I'm wasted and I can't let go.
I have experienced the depth of feeling and emotion that comes with love, but now I feel like I am consumed and unable to let go or move on.
Your love is all I wanna know.
Despite all the confusion and uncertainty, the one constant that gives me comfort and stability is the feeling of being loved by you.
And I pray beyond the stars.
I am willing to put my faith and hope in something that may not be entirely rational or provable, but that I feel is worth believing in.
That you and me will stay just like we are.
I hope that we can preserve this feeling of love and connection, and that things will remain stable and constant between us.
And I don't care if its all a dream.
Even if this feeling of love and connection is fleeting or temporary, I am willing to cherish it and hold onto it as a memory and a source of strength.
But that's where I am and where I wanna be.
Right now, in this moment, I am content and fulfilled by being here with you, regardless of what the future holds.
And I can promise you anything .
Despite my uncertainty and lack of control over the future, I am willing to make promises and commitments to you, because of the strength of my love and dedication.
Cause I don't know what love's gonna bring.
Despite my commitment and dedication, there is a lot of uncertainty and unpredictability associated with love, and I am aware that many factors beyond my control could potentially change things.
So stay with me in this dream.
I hope that you can continue to share this feeling of love and connection with me, and that we can maintain it as a source of warmth and strength, even if it is not entirely real or sustainable.
Cause when I come around when I come around.
In the times when I come back to reality and have to face the real world and its challenges, I hope that you will still be there for me, supporting me through everything.
All might be another way.
Despite all my hopes and wishes, the reality of the situation could be much different, and I am aware that there are many potential outcomes and paths that the future could take.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF COPLAN, STEPHEN BARKER-LILES, STEPHEN LILES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind