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.”
mountain
NEEDTOBREATHE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God send us salvation,
That blessed Christmas morn:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
When I am a seeker,
I seek both night and day;
I seek the Lord to help me,
And He shows me the way:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall,
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
The lyrics of "Go Tell It On the Mountain" by NEEDTOBREATHE are adapted from a traditional African American spiritual and have been rewritten to convey a Christian message. The first two stanzas of the song depict the scene from the biblical story of Jesus' birth when the shepherds saw a holy light shining in the heavens and heard the angel chorus announcing the Savior's birth. The refrain "Go, Tell It On the Mountain" is a call to spread the good news of Jesus' birth to everyone, everywhere.
The third stanza continues the story of Jesus' birth, emphasizing the humble circumstances of his arrival in a lowly manger. The stanza ends with the message that the nativity story represents God's gift of salvation to humanity. The fourth stanza expresses the singer's personal search for God and the comfort and guidance he finds in his faith. The final stanza shifts to a more personal message, calling the singer to be a "watchman" on the city wall and to spread the message of Jesus' birth to whoever will listen.
Overall, the lyrics of "Go Tell It On the Mountain" present a message of hope, joy, and invitation, calling listeners to share in the wonder of Jesus' birth and to spread the good news to others.
Line by Line Meaning
While shepherds kept their watching
While the shepherds were watching over their sheep
Over silent flocks by night,
The sheep were silent as the shepherds watched them at night
Behold throughout the heavens,
Suddenly, there was a stunning view in the sky
There shone a holy light:
A holy light was emanating from the view
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Spread the news about Jesus' birth
Over the hills and everywhere;
Tell everyone, no matter where they are
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
Reiterate the command to spread the good news
That Jesus Christ is born.
Spread the word that Jesus has been born
The shepherds feared and trembled
The shepherds were scared and shaken
When lo! above the earth
Suddenly, something appeared in the sky
Rang out the angel chorus
The angels broke out in song
That hailed our Savior's birth:
The song celebrated the birth of Jesus
Down in a lowly manger
Jesus was born in a humble manger
Our humble Christ was born
Jesus was born to humble parents
And God send us salvation,
God sent us the gift of salvation
That blessed Christmas morn:
This gift was given on Christmas morning
When I am a seeker,
When I'm searching for something
I seek both night and day;
I search all the time
I seek the Lord to help me,
I search for help from the Lord
And He shows me the way:
He guides me on the right path
He made me a watchman
God appointed me as a watchman
Upon the city wall,
To watch over the city
And if I am a Christian,
Since I am a Christian
I am the least of all.
I am the lowest and least important
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Aaron Joseph Neville, John W. Work
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aidan C.D.
Yeah, I couldn't tell what they were saying for a good while but I've got it figured out now:
Ive been buried in a mountain
I've been running uphill
I've been pushing up a big weight
that I'm carrying still
I can see another mountain
and I know that it's real
there's a river made of roses
just up over this hill
Sabrina Mitchell
I find this utterly unique, it feels psychedelic and yet freeing at the same time. it's definitely going into my NEEDTOBREATHE-BEST OF PLAYLIST.
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Beatriz Lima Pinheiro
ameiii quando vai sair a parte 2? 😍😍😍😍😍
Garibaldi Studios
I've been burying a mountain
I've been running up hill
I've been pushing up a big weight
That I'm carrying still
I can see over the mountain
and I know that it's real
There's a river made of roses
Just up over this hill
Piano Diva
Thx so much for the lyrics!!!❤❤
Yeet Ha
One of the best I've ever heard and its only 58 seconds long lol. I can't wait for part 2!
Shizzle
There's something about this opening track that gives me chills. Love it. P.S. Could you maybe put the lyrics in the description of each song you upload to YouTube? That would be awesome.
s1eepymomma
So when is part 2 coming out? 😍
Darya Hupp
Put it on loop and imagine all your troubles on Him.
corvid gremlin
hmmm.... people, would this be classified as a groove, a bop or both?
Jessica Halbert
So... Is there a part 2?