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/
Me Without You
Love and Theft Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shouldn't be no big deal
But when it does I can't deny
How it makes my heart feel
You've got my imagination running
Like a freight train on a downhill track
Straight into the deep end of a feeling and I know
I've been thinking' of you and how it'd feel to brush your hair back
From your eyes and kissing you
Kiss you way over that line
To find out how good it could be
I've been thinking of you and me
Now I don't want to go and make things
Complicated
And keeping you as my best friend
Would be okay but
what if everything we ever wanted was a whisper
And a touch away
I'd rather risk it knowing, oh, then be a fool forever
Oh, and never say
I've been thinking' of you and how it'd feel to brush your hair back
From your eyes and kissing you
Kiss you way over that line
And find out how good it could be
I've been thinking of you and me
Oh
I've been thinking' of you and how it'd feel to brush your hair back
From your eyes and kissing you
Kiss you way over that line
And find out how good it could be
I've been thinking of you and me
Yeah, thinking of you
The song "Me Without You" by Love and Theft talks about the dilemma that arises when a guy realizes he is in love with his best friend. He highlights the fact that a small gesture like his friend's hand brushing against his can ignite a fire in his heart, and how he has been thinking about taking their friendship to the next level. The lyrics depict the turmoil he feels, torn between keeping things the way they are and risking it to find out if everything they ever wanted was just a whisper away.
The first verse sets the tone of the song, where the guy compares the simple act of their hands brushing against each other to a freight train on a downhill track. He knows things will never be the same again, and he cannot control the feelings that have been sparked. The second verse reveals his thoughts about taking the friendship to another level, kissing his friend, and crossing the line. He understands that keeping things simple and being just friends would be okay, but not knowing what could be would be a greater risk.
The chorus repeats the same lines, emphasizing that the thought of being with his friend has been consuming him. The song ends with him still "thinking of you" and not knowing what to do. The lyrics convey how the guy is struggling with his emotions, but he cannot help how he feels. It's a relatable situation where individuals may fear risking a friendship in pursuit of something more significant.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl, your hand brushin' mine
A simple physical touch between us shouldn't be a big deal, but deep down, I know how much it affects me emotionally.
Shouldn't be no big deal
The touch shouldn't be a significant issue for either of us.
But when it does I can't deny
I can't hide the way your touch makes me feel.
How it makes my heart feel
Your touch has a significant emotional impact on me.
You've got my imagination running
You've captured my mind and my thoughts have been consumed by you.
Like a freight train on a downhill track
My thoughts of you are powerful and unstoppable.
Straight into the deep end of a feeling and I know
My thoughts of you have taken me to a point where I am deeply in love with you.
That it ain't comin' back
My feelings for you are not going away.
I've been thinking' of you and how it'd feel to brush your hair back
I've been daydreaming of intimate moments with you, such as brushing your hair back from your eyes.
From your eyes and kissing you
I've been imagining kissing you and taking our relationship to the next level.
Kiss you way over that line
I want to take the risk of crossing the line from friends to lovers with you.
To find out how good it could be
I want to experience a romantic relationship with you and see how amazing it could potentially be.
Now I don't want to go and make things complicated
I don't want to ruin our friendship by complicating it with romantic feelings.
And keeping you as my best friend would be okay but
Although keeping you as my friend is good, I am willing to risk it for something greater.
what if everything we ever wanted was a whisper
What if our romantic connection is something we've secretly desired all along?
And a touch away
What if a little physical touch is all it takes to push us towards crossing the line from friends to lovers?
I'd rather risk it knowing, oh, then be a fool forever
I'd rather take a chance at love and risk it all than live my life regretting not taking the opportunity.
Oh, and never say
I don't want to live with the regret of not expressing my true feelings for you.
Yeah, thinking of you
My mind is consumed with thoughts of you, and I can't stop imagining a romantic relationship with you.
Lyrics © ME GUSTA MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CORY BATTEN, STEVEN DALE JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind