Bryan Nance
Brent Lain
Brandon Johnson
Dallas Morgan
Justin Morgan
In 2002 Phat Chance Brandon Johnson left the group and they changed its name to stereo motion to reflect their new sound.
As of 2009 Justin Morgan played bass guitar in the ministry band of Liberty University. known as Exodus.
Enter into any high school in America and it won't take long to find five teenage boys that call themselves a band. Some have even had the chance to play for their youth group or at a birthday party. But, seldom will a band be roaming those halls that has shared the stage with such groups as Rebecca St. James, Big Tent Revival and NewSong even before signing a record contract.
The story began in 1995 in the living room of fifth grader Justin Morgan and his brother, third grader Dallas Morgan. Friend Bryan Nance joined the boys on occasion to play their instruments. Though they were not yet fused together as a band, the three practiced sporadically throughout the year and made their first attempts at song writing.
Over the next four years, an evolution took place as a group was slowly formed. Justin picked up the bass guitar and began taking lessons. Bryan and Dallas continued to polish their respective guitar and drum playing skills. Brent Lain was named lead guitarist and youth camp friend Brandon Johnson was handed the title of lead vocalist.
This group could still be found at the Morgans', but were more dedicated to polishing the band's pop/rock sound. After church each week, the five would invade the game room for three-hour blocks of time in order to write, arrange and practice songs.
Still not settled on a name, Justin suggested they call their newly formed band "Phat Chance." The group agreed that it spelled out the band's goals. "'Phat' is an acronym for 'Praising Him All Times' and it goes along with the purpose of the group," said Justin.
As could be assumed from the group's name, the self-penned lyrics are almost completely vertically focused. "Without You" is a prayer that says without God, his people are lonely and have nothing to live for in life. "He is what makes us live everyday, he's the reason we're alive," said Justin.
"Protection," derived largely from Psalms, is a song about God's protection over the lives of Christians. "Even through the struggles we've had, God has enlightened our spirits and helped us grow-and been our protection," said Bryan.
Realizing they needed assistance in further polishing their unique pop/rock sound, Phat Chance called on friend Scotty Wilbanks, formerly of NewSong. Wilbanks suggested new arrangements for existing songs and produced a five-song independent album for the group.
With a newly refined sound, Phat Chance was soon performing for their youth group, area churches and youth rallies. Thanks to Justin and Dallas' father, noted concert promoter Roy Morgan, the boys soon landed on the Summer Jam 2000 tour as the pre-concert band. "We would play for about 30 minutes outside of the venue for people that were waiting in line," said Justin.
The group was overwhelmed with the response they received from their short sets. Crowds loved their fusion of hooky pop and guitar driven rock. Their merchandise table was crowded night after night with new fans that had enjoyed their tight performance. "While people from home liked our music, these people didn't even know us and they still liked us," said a grateful Brandon. "It was great to be able to talk to and minister to all those people."
Roy Morgan soon began talking with record labels on behalf of the group. With a few phone calls, Phat Chance's five-song demo landed in the hands of Mark Stuart, lead singer of Audio Adrenaline and co-owner of Flicker Records. The group was quickly added to the label's roster.
The signing was a dream come true for the five. "I don't think the initial shock has set in yet," said Brandon. "Every guy dreams about being in a band."
In addition to finding a record deal just a year and a half after the final band line-up was set into place, the group was almost instantly welcomed onto the Summer Jam 2001 tour and Newsboys and Audio Adrenaline's Festival Con Dios. "My goal is to get out there and have fun and show people they can have fun worshipping God," said Brandon.
While the group's love for music and excitement for the band has led them to a place where they are allowed to tour the country as professional musicians, the reward has not come without a cost. This will be their last semester in the school system-Justin and Brent will spend their senior year being home-schooled by a tutor on the road, as will sophomores Bryan and Dallas. Recent high school graduate Brandon will put plans for college aside to focus on music.
"I'm excited about doing music, but sad that I won't see my friends as much," said Justin. "But, I've been called to be in the band and travel and I need to obey that, even if it means leaving my school my senior year. I have been given an opportunity a lot of people don't have."
Due to the heightened pressure from being in the public eye as a Christian band, each member of the group has chosen a pastor or church leader as an accountability partner. "At their age, it is very important that they are accountable to an adult," said Roy Morgan, now the group's manager. "They have been given a position of influence and Satan will attack them more now. We have put up a shield of faith and prayer around them to help guard them."
With the wider platform acquired through a record deal and national tours, the group agrees that the ministry potential for the band is limitless. "God's been opening doors for us to play our songs and people have responded even better than we thought they would," said Bryan. "But, even if we don't top charts, that's fine as long as God keeps blessing us and expanding our boundaries so we can bring glory to his name. That's all we want."
Love Somebody
Phat Chance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tripping over my two feet
But You say that's okay You pick me up
And let me try all over again
And You catch me in Your loving arms
And You forgive me when I ask You
It's just the way You are
(Chorus)
I don't understand, I just can't understand
How You can love somebody like me
But I know it's true, You're always coming through
Lord, I feel the love You send me
And I knew right from the start
I had to get You in my heart
And when I surrendered I could finally see
That You could love somebody like me
How do You do it, how'd You change my life
And make it something so sweet
Cause everything else I tried
Just left me wanting, but You are my everything
And You catch me in Your loving arms
And You forgive me when I ask You
It's just the way You are
Repeat chorus
The song "Love Somebody" by Phat Chance is a beautiful expression of gratitude towards God for His unconditional love and mercy. The opening lines depict how the singer struggles with stumbling and falling in life but finds solace in the knowledge that God has got his back. The lyrics are a metaphor for the way God always catches us when we fall and gives us a second chance to try again. The lines "And You catch me in Your loving arms, And You forgive me when I ask You, It's just the way You are" serve as a reminder that God's love and forgiveness are not conditional but are freely given to all who seek them.
The chorus of the song takes a more reflective turn as the singer marvels at the depth of God's love for him. The lines "I don't understand, I just can't understand, How You can love somebody like me, But I know it's true, You're always coming through, Lord, I feel the love You send me" express the singer's wonder at the fact that God could love him despite his imperfections. The song's second verse continues this theme, with the singer acknowledging that God has transformed his life in ways that he could never have imagined. The lines, "How do You do it, how'd You change my life, And make it something so sweet" are a testament to the transformative power of God's love.
Overall, "Love Somebody" is a heartfelt expression of gratitude towards God for His love and mercy. The lyrics are an inspiring reminder that no matter how many times we fall, God's love is always there to pick us up and set us back on track.
Line by Line Meaning
There I go again, You caught me
I keep messing up, but you notice my mistakes and help me out.
Tripping over my two feet
Making mistakes without intending to.
But You say that's okay You pick me up
Even though I make mistakes, you still offer me your support and help me move forward.
And let me try all over again
You give me another chance to fix my mistakes and learn from them.
And You catch me in Your loving arms
You comfort and protect me from harm.
And You forgive me when I ask You
You are willing to forgive me when I admit my mistakes and ask for your forgiveness.
It's just the way You are
Your character is defined by your unconditional love and forgiveness.
I don't understand, I just can't understand
I cannot fathom how you can show me such love and compassion despite my flaws.
How You can love somebody like me
I am amazed at how you can love someone as imperfect and broken as I am.
But I know it's true, You're always coming through
I trust in the fact that you are always there for me, even when I don't deserve it.
Lord, I feel the love You send me
I am overwhelmed by the love and care that you show me every day.
And I knew right from the start
I always knew deep down that I needed you in my life to be complete.
I had to get You in my heart
I had to fully surrender myself to you and allow you to guide me.
And when I surrendered I could finally see
Once I let go of my own will and desires, I was able to see the truth and beauty of your love.
That You could love somebody like me
I am beyond grateful and amazed at how you could love and accept someone as flawed as I am.
How do You do it, how'd You change my life
I cannot comprehend how you are able to transform me and make my life so much better.
And make it something so sweet
You have brought so much love and joy into my life that it is now something truly beautiful and fulfilling.
Cause everything else I tried
All the other things I pursued and relied on before failed to bring me the same kind of fulfillment and peace.
Just left me wanting, but You are my everything
I was left feeling empty and wanting after trying to find happiness in other things, but you are my one and only true source of fulfillment and joy.
Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.