[From myepic.net]
The story that is My Epic has been in the works for se… Read Full Bio ↴[From myepic.net]
The story that is My Epic has been in the works for several years. The whole process started in 1998 when Aaron, Jesse, and Matt first started playing together in what quickly became their first band, The Right Wing Conspiracy, later known as Shaddai. Through their experiences together, the five boys in Shaddai grew as musicians and as a band, and by the summer of 2004, after playing shows ranging from their home town of Fredericksburg, VA to Cornerstone Festival in Illinois and earning a reputation for their energy as well as their technical ability and songwriting prowess, Shaddai was on the brink of taking over the world. Jesse was about to join the rest of the band in the college world, and with the whole band living close together, good things looked to be just ahead. The momentum of the band was brought to a halt in the later part of the summer with the departure of Jono, and the remaining members of Shaddai were faced with the decision of whether to press on, reform, restart, or retire. They knew that it was time to put Shaddai in the past. They threw the ashes of Shaddai to the wind and looked back on the era with a grin. Within a short amount of time, after very little discussion, Aaron, Jesse, and Matt realized the obvious: they had to keep playing together, but something new was in the air. What began as a dilemma actually became a blessing as the three of them found themselves with a chance to refine their focus and take their music in a more adventurous direction. Jono stuck around as the band's closest friend and applied his savvy of all things business to the task of managing the band.

_____It was easy enough to realize the opportunity to begin something new, but the band still needed to complete their lineup with a bass player. Over the remainder of the summer, the as yet unnamed band were working hard to put their heads together, and there was very quick agreement that their school friend Jeremiah would be just the person for the job. As Aaron tells it, the band was thinking of the people they knew, and "the whole time, Jeremiah was just the only person we could think about." They returned to school to find that Jeremiah had moved into the dorm in the room next to Jesse's, and this turn of events was too big to be coincidence. The fit was too natural not to be perfect, and in September of 2004, there were four members of the band with a common vision and a passion waiting to be released. By February, the band was ready to play their first show, which ended up being a very successful and impressive debut in front of a few hundred receptive and enthusiastic audience members. My Epic spent a few days in March of 2005 recording a two-song teaser with their good friend and producer extraordinaire Andrew Prousalis. With the band out of the blocks and off at full speed, it's just a matter of time before their momentum carries them to the attention of anyone with their ear to the ground.

Lazarus
My Epic Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't sing that song the same way anymore
Cause I start laughing at the parts where I could only weep before
And it sounds sweeter now because the notes can't ring
Until they echo through each wasted year that You restored to me

I've been thinking of how You wept for Lazarus
Tears on Your cheeks, resurrection on Your lips
Sometimes mercy can feel like abandonment

But You know all about it

I used to think I had to write these songs just so
For heavens sake and for my own I put myself through hell
But I quit striving for perfection surrendered up to it instead
And now the songs keep pouring out and I cannot contain myself

I've been thinking of how You wept for Lazarus.
Tears on Your cheeks, resurrection on Your lips
(Broken will)
Sometimes mercy feels just like abandonment
(Find your rest Broken voice)
You let my heart die, but left Yours beating in my chest
(You sing best)

At 30,000 feet above, the earth was small enough to think of everyone I love
And then imagine them a thousand mirrors all reflect it back at once

And any light would multiply and then remind me
That Your love is more than the sum

Overall Meaning

The song "Lazarus" by My Epic is a powerful and reflective piece that speaks of despair, redemption, and hope. The song begins with the singer acknowledging that he can't sing the same way anymore because he can only laugh at the parts where he used to weep. This may suggest that the singer had been through a difficult period where he had been hopeless and desperate for a change, but now he has found hope and redemption.

Moving forward, the singer talks about how he had been thinking about how Jesus wept for Lazarus. This may be a metaphoric reference to the singer, as Lazarus was raised from the dead, and the singer feels reborn after having gone through his struggles. He talks about how sometimes mercy can feel like abandonment, but Jesus knows about it all. This may be interpreted as the singer's acknowledgment of the fact that sometimes things have to fall apart to be rebuilt.

The song concludes with the singer talking about how at 30,000 feet above, the earth was small enough to think of everyone he loves, and then imagine them a thousand mirrors all reflecting it back at once. The singer realizes that any light would multiply and then remind him that God's love is more than the sum total of all of the love he has ever experienced. The song, therefore, is a powerful message of rebirth, redemption, and hope.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't sing that song the same way anymore
The song has taken on new meaning and evokes different emotions now compared to before.

Cause I start laughing at the parts where I could only weep before
The pain and sadness that used to consume the singer have been replaced with joy and laughter.

And it sounds sweeter now because the notes can't ring
The melody of the song is more beautiful because it echoes the singer's restored years.

Until they echo through each wasted year that You restored to me
The song acts as a reminder of the years that were once lost, but have now been redeemed.

I've been thinking of how You wept for Lazarus
The singer reflects on Jesus' compassion for Lazarus and how it relates to their own life.

Tears on Your cheeks, resurrection on Your lips
Jesus' emotions during the resurrection of Lazarus are vividly depicted.

Sometimes mercy can feel like abandonment
Even though it's an act of mercy, it can feel like being left alone in a tough situation.

But You know all about it
Jesus understands the feeling of being abandoned and will never truly leave us.

I used to think I had to write these songs just so
The singer felt pressure to write perfect songs that would please God and themselves.

For heavens sake and for my own I put myself through hell
Creating music became a source of stress and anxiety for the singer.

But I quit striving for perfection surrendered up to it instead
The singer has learned to let go of the pressure to be perfect and instead let the music flow naturally.

And now the songs keep pouring out and I cannot contain myself
Without the pressure to be perfect, the singer can now create music freely and passionately.

You let my heart die, but left Yours beating in my chest
Jesus sacrificed his life for us, and in doing so gave us new life through his own heart.

At 30,000 feet above, the earth was small enough to think of everyone I love
Looking down at the world from high above made the singer contemplate the people they love.

And then imagine them a thousand mirrors all reflect it back at once
Imagine seeing the people you love reflecting back at you all at once.

And any light would multiply and then remind me
The love and light of those people would only increase and inspire the singer.

That Your love is more than the sum
The love of God and the people around us is greater than anything we could ever measure.

Contributed by Reagan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS