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.”
Teach Me
NEEDTOBREATHE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With what I've given to You
And I'm discontent with the singing of songs
Wanna know, what more can I do?
Teach me to worship
To love and to adore
Teach me to honor, oh
And thank You for Your love
I'm humbled by your heart
You've given me all
I don't deserve
And I'm at the point where I'm unsatisfied
With what I've given to You
And I'm discontent with the singing of songs!
Wanna know, what more can I do?
So teach me to worship
To love and to adore
Teach me to honor, oh
The greatest of worth
And thank You for Your love
I'm humbled by your heart
You've given me all
I don't deserve
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
I lay undone
The opening lines of "Teach Me" express a deep longing for guidance and purpose. The singer is at a point of self-reflection, recognizing that they feel unfulfilled in their relationship with God. They've given God what they can, but it doesn't feel like enough. This dissatisfaction extends beyond their actions - even their "singing of songs" feels hollow. They're searching for a deeper connection and a way to honor the "greatest of worth." The repeated phrase "Wanna know, what more can I do?" emphasizes their thirst for understanding and growth.
In the chorus, the singer asks God to teach them how to truly worship and adore, to honor what is truly valuable. They're humbled by God's love and recognize that they've been given more than they deserve. The repetition of "I lay undone" at the end of the song reinforces this vulnerability and sense of surrender - the singer is willing to let go of their own limitations and let God work in them.
Overall, "Teach Me" is a song about humility and recognizing the limits of one's own knowledge and understanding. It's a call for guidance and a deeper connection with the divine, and a recognition that true worship requires ongoing learning and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
And I'm at the point where I'm unsatisfied
The singer feels like they have not done enough for God and feel as if they are stuck in their spiritual growth.
With what I've given to You
The singer feels like they haven't given enough to God.
And I'm discontent with the singing of songs
The singer is unsatisfied with just singing songs and wants to do more to show their love for God.
Wanna know, what more can I do?
The singer is asking for guidance from God to know how they can do more to show their love for Him.
Teach me to worship
The singer is asking God to teach them how to truly worship Him.
To love and to adore
The singer is asking God to teach them how to love and adore Him more fully.
Teach me to honor, oh
The singer is asking God to teach them how to honor Him fully.
The greatest of worth
The singer is acknowledging that God is of the greatest worth and deserves their worship and honor.
And thank You for Your love
The singer is thanking God for His love and blessings.
I'm humbled by your heart
The singer is humbled by God's love and mercy.
You've given me all
The singer acknowledges that all they have is from God.
I don't deserve
The singer acknowledges that they do not deserve God's love and blessings.
I lay undone
The singer is surrendering themselves to God and acknowledging their need for His guidance.
I lay undone
The singer is acknowledging their vulnerability and need for God's strength.
I lay undone
The singer is surrendering their pride and ego to God.
I lay undone
The singer acknowledges that their current state is not enough and they need God's guidance.
I lay undone
The singer acknowledges that they cannot achieve their true potential without God's help.
I lay undone
The singer is acknowledging their humility and need for God's guidance.
I lay undone
The singer acknowledges that they need to surrender themselves to God to grow spiritually.
I lay undone
The singer is surrendering themselves to God and acknowledging their need for His strength.
I lay undone
The singer is acknowledging that they need God's help to overcome their shortcomings.
Contributed by Landon O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.