Pam Thum was the only child of traveling evangelists Bruce and Ruth Thum, producers of the very popular and unique drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames. The experience, which never kept them in the same place for more than a month, had both positive and negative effects on Pam.
Thum's parents were very dedicated Christians and carried Jesus into every aspect of their lives. They taught her a great deal about prayer and helped give her the assurance that Jesus was always with her. Still, Thum grew up in a very adult world and often felt quite lonely. She learned to depend on Jesus at a very early age and often made up little songs to sing to Him to help her not feel so lonely and scared. Jesus was one of the only constants in her life and she knew she never wanted to leave Him.
Pam's music career began when she was three years old and started singing on stage. As the years went on, Pam began to realize the effect music had on people and the hope that the words she sang often gave them. "I wanted them to feel the peace I did when I sang to God. I wanted them to feel as though Jesus were hugging them through my music."
And so it began. Pam Thum started writing songs when she was 16 and decided to pursue songwriting and performing as her own full time ministry. In 1987, Pam was offered a songwriting contract after her song "We Are An Army" was recorded by Trace Balin. She was offered a recording contract in 1992 and released her self titled debut album in 1993. The record was a huge success, with six of the songs making the top ten. She also received a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year.
Pam Thum's albums:
Pam Thum, 1993
Faithful, 1994
Feel the Healing, 1995
Believe, 1997
Thum's geatest influences have been her parents and her Aunt Myrtle. Aunt Myrtle was a bundle of energy and was always hugging someone, taking people to church, baking cookies, teaching Sunday School, or singing joyfully to the Lord. Thum's greatest desire in her music is to be like her Aunt Myrtle and to love others where they're at and point them to Jesus.
Perhaps one of the most surprising things that came out of Pam's immediate success was her popularity in South Africa. Shortly after the release of her first album, the readers of JOY Magazine, a Christian publication in South Africa, named her Best International Female Artist of 1993. On her first trip there, she was greeted by an enormous group of fans and a hotel room filled with flowers. Thum believes that God has given her a special platform in South Africa and she desires to use it for His glory.
Today, Pam is married to Stephen Marshall and together they have built Pam Thum Ministries, which is partnered with several other "world-changing" ministries. Her mission remains the same - to fearlessly share the Good News of Christ with the world and encourage others to do the same. "We have the greatest news for this world," says Pam, "and we've spent too many years acting as if we're in some kind of secret club. People are living and dying without Jesus -- hurt, hatred, sickness, and fear have ruled for too long. I just feel an urgency that we've got to shake off the apathy in our lives and get bold and direct about our faith."
Back to the Blood
Pam Thum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's out of control
People running frantic
And they don't know where to go
It's a bad situation
But one thing I know
There's a river of healing
That can set us free
We've got to get back to the blood of the Lamb
Back to the blood where the power began
It's time to stand beneath
The crimson flood once again
We've got to get back to the blood
The blood of the Lamb
We look for solutions
In the wisdom of man
But it's just an illusion
Just a slight of the hand
You see, we're constantly learning
But we don't understand
There's a river of healing
That can set us free
Beyond all the logic and philosophy
We've got to get back to the blood of the Lamb
Back to the blood where the power began
It's time to stand beneath
The crimson flood once again
We've got to get back to the blood
The blood of the Lamb
Get away from tradition
Get away from the lies
Get more than religion
A little less compromise
Get back to the river
And away from the pride
Oh, to the Forgiver
And His bleeding side
Back to the blood of the Lamb, oh-oh...
Back to the blood where the power began
It's time to stand beneath
The crimson flood once again
We've got to get back to the blood
Back to the blood
Back to the blood
We've got to get back to the blood of the Lamb
We've got to get back to the blood
Where the power began
It's time to stand beneath
The crimson flood once again
Back to the blood
We've got to get back to the blood of the Lamb
You see, we've got to get back to the blood
Where the power began
It's time to stand beneath
The crimson flood once again
We've got to get back to the blood
The blood of the Lamb, yeah
In "Back to the Blood," Pam Thum addresses the chaos and confusion of the world and the importance of returning to the healing power of the blood of Jesus Christ. The first verse portrays a world in panic, with people scrambling for answers and a way out of their desperate situation. The solution, Thum suggests, is to tap into the power of the river of healing - a metaphor for the grace and mercy of God - and find freedom beyond the confusion of the world. The chorus is a call to action, urging listeners to return to the power of the blood and stand beneath its crimson flood. This refers to the sacrificial blood that Jesus shed on the cross as atonement for the sins of humanity.
The second verse continues the theme of humanity seeking solutions in the knowledge and wisdom of man, but ultimately realizing that true healing and freedom can only come from divine intervention. The river of healing again appears as a source of hope beyond the limited scope of human understanding. Thum urges listeners to get away from traditional thinking and the lies of the world, and instead embrace the Forgiver and His bleeding side - a reference to Jesus' death on the cross and the power of his sacrifice.
"Back to the Blood" is an inspiring call to return to the basics of faith and the transformative power of the gospel. Thum's lyrics offer a powerful reminder of the need to look beyond the confusion of the world and seek the healing power of God's grace and mercy.
Line by Line Meaning
This world's in a panic
The world is currently in a state of confusion and chaos
It's out of control
The current state of the world is beyond our ability to manage or regulate
People running frantic
Individuals are feeling stressed and scared by the uncertain state of the world
And they don't know where to go
People are lost and unsure of what actions to take to improve the situation
It's a bad situation
The current state of the world is not good
But one thing I know
Despite this, the singer has faith in one particular solution
There's a river of healing
There exists a powerful force that can heal the world
That can set us free
This force can liberate us from the current state of fear and confusion
Beyond the confusion of a world in need
This solution transcends the current state of the world and offers a way out
We look for solutions
As humans, we search for answers to the problems we face
In the wisdom of man
We tend to rely on rational thinking and logic to solve our problems
But it's just an illusion
However, these solutions are ultimately unsatisfying
Just a slight of the hand
They are mere tricks meant to distract us from the real solution
You see, we're constantly learning
As individuals and as a society, we are always growing and evolving
But we don't understand
However, despite this growth, we still struggle with finding true understanding
Get away from tradition
We need to let go of outdated ways of thinking and doing things
Get away from the lies
We need to reject falsehoods and seek truth instead
Get more than religion
Religion may not be enough to provide the answers we seek
A little less compromise
We need to be stronger in our convictions and not settle for half-measures
Get back to the river
We need to return to the source of healing
And away from the pride
We need to let go of our egos and embrace humility
Oh, to the Forgiver
The artist is referring to God, who can forgive us and heal us
And His bleeding side
This is a reference to Jesus, who bled on the cross for humanity's sins
We've got to get back to the blood of the Lamb
The Lamb refers to Jesus, and the blood refers to his sacrifice on the cross
Back to the blood where the power began
The power to heal the world began with Jesus's sacrifice
It's time to stand beneath
It's time for us to humble ourselves and seek God's healing
The crimson flood once again
The crimson flood refers to Jesus's blood washing away our sins
We've got to get back to the blood,
Once again, the artist emphasizes the need to seek healing through Jesus's sacrifice
Get back to the blood
Reiterating the need to return to Jesus's sacrifice as the solution to the world's problems
You see, we've got to get back to the blood
The singer is speaking directly to the listener and emphasizing the importance of seeking healing through Jesus
Where the power began
Repeating the idea that the solution to the world's problems lies in Jesus's sacrifice
The blood of the Lamb, yeah
Once again emphasizing the need to turn to Jesus as the source of healing
Contributed by Jack S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.