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.”
Wanted Man
NEEDTOBREATHE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But no one seems to know
Just where I'll put my feet down next
Brown eyes, come with me tonight
You could be my Bonnie
And I will be your Clyde
I know who I am, my dear
But the world I see looks good from here
Right from where I stand
Together we could disappear
I'm a wanted man
So come and get me
You know we are so alive
That even if they kill us
We would never die
I know who I am, my dear
I'm a wanted man
But the world I see looks good from here
Right from where I stand
Together we could disappear
I'm a wanted man
So come and get me
Come and get me
Hey, hey, I am on the run
Because of what I've done
My mistakes are stacked a mile high
I know who I am, my dear
I'm a wanted man
But the world I see looks good from here
Right from where I stand
Together we could disappear
'Cause I'm a wanted man
I know who I am my dear
I'm a wanted man
So come and get me
Come and get me
The song "Wanted Man" by NEEDTOBREATHE reflects on the idea of being on the run and being a wanted man. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who is constantly moving and never staying in one place for too long. The bright lights swinging across the road in the first stanza could represent police sirens or the flashing lights of a city at night. The uncertainty of where to put his feet down next highlights the lack of stability in his life and the constant need to keep moving.
The chorus, "I know who I am, my dear, I'm a wanted man," suggests that he is aware of his actions that led him to become a wanted man but still finds some sort of thrill in it. He perceives the world positively even as a fugitive, which could be interpreted as a reflection of his perspective on life. The possibility of disappearing together with his lover shows how being on the run has made him value his relationships more and the importance of finding someone that he can trust and rely on.
Overall, the song reflects on the themes of adventure, love, and freedom while highlighting the risks that come with a life on the run.
Line by Line Meaning
Bright lights swing across the road
There are lights shining down the road and swinging around, but nobody knows what direction I’ll go in.
But no one seems to know
Nobody can predict where I’ll go or what I’ll do.
Just where I'll put my feet down next
I’m moving forward and nobody knows where or how I’ll take my next step.
Brown eyes, come with me tonight
Come with me tonight, my dear, and let's embark on this adventure together.
You could be my Bonnie
You could be my partner in crime or my soulmate, like Bonnie was to Clyde.
And I will be your Clyde
I’ll be your partner in crime or your soulmate, like Clyde was to Bonnie.
I know who I am, my dear
I’m self-aware and I know the kind of person I am.
I'm a wanted man
I’m a criminal who’s wanted by the law.
But the world I see looks good from here
Despite being a wanted man, I’m content with what I see in front of me.
Right from where I stand
I’m happy with what surrounds me, and I don't need anything else.
Together we could disappear
If we’re together, we can escape and never be found.
So come and get me
The authorities can find me if they want, but I won't go down easily.
You know we are so alive
We’re both so full of life, even though we’re on the run.
That even if they kill us
Even if the authorities catch us and give us the death sentence,
We would never die
Our spirit and love for life will continue on forever.
Hey, hey, I am on the run
I’m running away from the authorities because of my past mistakes.
Because of what I've done
I’m being chased because of the crimes I committed.
My mistakes are stacked a mile high
I’ve made countless mistakes and have been doing so for a long time.
Come and get me
Despite being a wanted man, I’m not afraid and even taunt the authorities to catch me.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Nathaniel Rinehart, William Rinehart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind