When NEEDTOBREATHE’s Bear and Bo Rinehart set out to write the songs that appear on the band’s new album, The Reckoning, they felt something bigger awaited them. It wasn’t just commercial success either. The band’s last album The Outsiders hit No. 9 on Billboard’s Rock Albums chart, went Top 20 on the Top 200, saw the band sell out venues such as Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and Chicago’s House of Blues, and score an impressive number of placements in blockbuster films and numerous prime time television-shows.
With their reputation as a must-see live act built from non-stop touring, the Rinehart brothers, pastor’s sons who hail from the rural South Carolina town of Possum Kingdom, along with drummer Joe Stillwell and bass player Seth Bolt, were determined to create a statement-making album that truly captured the magic behind this genuinely appealing rock band.
Lyrically, all roads lead from the album’s title, which Bear says has several different meanings, one of them being the justification of accounts. “I like the idea that you put in all this work and at some point it comes to a peak -- that’s the reckoning time.”
What the band emerged with is a timeless-sounding album rooted in classic American rock and roll, unafraid to veer off into unexpected directions. Songs such as “Maybe They’re On To Us” address the paranoia of wondering whether people know too much about the band. “It also asks, ‘Are we still driven in the same way?’ We’re always questioning ourselves,” Bear says. Even the songs that may sound light-hearted on the surface, like “White Fences,” “Slumber,” and “Drive All Night,” explore serious themes. “’White Fences’ is about the American dream of growing up in a big house with a white picket fence, but when the dream is broken and things don’t pan out the way you planned, asking who’s going to fix it,” Bo says. “’Slumber’ is meant to be about how beauty is all around you but you just can’t see it because of the funk you’re in,” Bear says. “It speaks to something that we really care about which is giving yourself a chance.” And there’s “Drive All Night,” a galloping barnstormer that Bear sees as a statement on the false idea that one can run away from one’s problems.
With their intriguing melodies and bright choruses, the songs on The Reckoning are certain to translate in the live setting, something that is crucial to the band. “The worst thing that could happen is you get done playing and people don’t think about you again. We’ll do whatever it takes to force people to make a decision about our band, whether they love us or not. It makes for more passionate fans.”
Garden
NEEDTOBREATHE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because fear has stolen all my sleep
If tomorrow means my death
Pray you'll save their souls with it
Let the songs I sing bring joy to you
Let the words I say confess my love
Father let my heart be after you
In this hour of doubt I see
Who I am is not just me
So give me strength to die myself
So love can live to tell the tale
Father let my heart be for you
For you
For you
For you
The lyrics of NEEDTOBREATHE's song "Garden" are deeply spiritual and introspective in nature. The first two lines, "Won't you take this cup from me / Because fear has stolen all my sleep," reference Jesus Christ's plea to God in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. In the song, the singer is likely grappling with similar feelings of overwhelming fear and doubt.
The next stanza, "If tomorrow means my death / Pray you'll save their souls with it," is a sentiment that is echoed in the Bible. This line is a prayer asking God to use the singer's potential death to save the souls of others. The final stanza, "In this hour of doubt I see / Who I am is not just me / So give me strength to die myself / So love can live to tell the tale," could represent a desire for the singer to let go of their ego and individual desires in order to serve a greater purpose, much like Christ's sacrifice.
Overall, the song appears to be a meditation on faith, sacrifice, and the desire to serve a higher power. The singer is grappling with fear and doubt, but ultimately seeks to surrender themselves to God's plan and use their gifts to spread love and joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you take this cup from me
I am overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, and I am asking for help to alleviate my stress.
Because fear has stolen all my sleep
My worries and fears have caused me so much stress that I am unable to rest or sleep.
If tomorrow means my death
I am willing to face death if it means that it will help others find salvation or peace.
Pray you'll save their souls with it
I hope that my sacrifice will bring others closer to redemption or spiritual enlightenment.
Let the songs I sing bring joy to you
I want to use my music as a way of showing my love and devotion to a higher power.
Let the words I say confess my love
I want to use my words to express my devotion and dedication towards a higher power.
Let the notes I choose be your favorite tune
I want to use my music to honor and celebrate a higher power, and to create music that is pleasing to them.
Father let my heart be after you
My heart belongs to a higher power, and I want to live my life in a way that honors their teachings and beliefs.
In this hour of doubt I see
Even when I am feeling lost or uncertain, I know that my faith will guide me through difficult times.
Who I am is not just me
My sense of identity and purpose is tied to a higher power, and I am part of something much greater than myself.
So give me strength to die myself
I am asking for the courage and conviction to let go of my own desires and needs, in service of a greater good.
So love can live to tell the tale
By sacrificing my own needs for those of others, I hope to show that love can overcome even the most difficult challenges.
Father let my heart be for you
My heart belongs to a higher power, and I want to live my life in a way that is pleasing and meaningful to them.
For you
Everything that I do is for the purpose of honoring and serving a higher power.
For you
My faith and my devotion are the most important things in my life, and I will always strive to serve and honor a higher power.
For you
My sense of purpose and identity are rooted in my relationship with a higher power, and everything that I do is in service of that relationship.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: NATHANIEL RINEHART, WILLIAM RINEHART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind