Phil Stacey's defining moment on American Idol came during Country Week, we… Read Full Bio ↴Phil Stacey's defining moment on American Idol came during Country Week, well into the competition. “Country Week was the first one that had anything to do with my background," he says. "It was my chance to sing music I could really relate to, that drew on who I am and what I'd grown up around."

Phil’s path toward a country music career began in a childhood molded by two equally strong influences. The first was the ministry, which had shaped both sides of his family for generations. The other was music. Phil grew up singing in church and later became a member of the prestigious Lee Singers.

Intending to pursue a career in music after graduating from college, Phil was compelled to join the Navy after the attacks of September 11.

While stationed in Jacksonville, FL as lead singer of the Navy Band Southeast, he performed music by Garth Brooks, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and James Taylor, a rounding out of tastes that served him well when he finally hit Idol. Then, with Country Week, it all came full circle. "Randy said, 'Dude, you're gonna have a big career in country,' and that was the night even Simon agreed," he says. "And I was thinking, 'Thank God, because this is me. I'm finally getting to do something I love to do.'"

After the 55-city Idol tour wrapped in September 2007, Phil immediately re-enlisted in the Naval Reserves. He moved his family to Nashville, signed with Lyric Street Records, and began recording his debut album with producer Wayne Kirkpatrick.

The music they’ve recorded will give listeners a look at a man who comes into his own with a hard-won maturity and self-knowledge. "I feel my job as a singer," he says, "is part of my job as a human being. I'm supposed to be touching other people's lives, doing the best I can to be a positive force in the world."

It's Gotta Be Love
Phil Stacey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm steppin' out
I don't care what anybody thinks
I'll leave it all and go there alone
If that's what it takes

The world's burning down
And I have been watching the flames
Now I think that it's time

To put it on the line

If anything can save us now
It's gotta be love
That shows us the way
And the sun's gonna shine someday

To break through the rain
To bring on a change
It's gotta be love
It's gotta be love

I don't know it all
But I've seen enough to know that
We're lost and we're found
But through it all somehow

Hope is calling us to see
It's gotta be love
That shows us the way
And the sun's gonna shine someday

To break through the rain
To bring on a change
It's gotta be love
It's gotta be love

Open up your heart
And you can feel it rushing in
That's when it all begins
It all starts changing

Nothing feels the same
When love is washing over you
It's something only love can do
It's gotta be

It's gotta be love
That shows us the way
And the sun's gonna shine someday

To break through the rain
To bring on a change
It's gotta be love

It's gotta be love
That shows us the way
And the sun's gonna shine someday

To break through the rain
To bring on a change

It's gotta be love, love
It's gotta be love, it's gotta be love

Overall Meaning

The song "It's Gotta Be Love" by Phil Stacey talks about the power of love in times of chaos and uncertainty. The lyrics suggest that the world is in turmoil, and the only way to bring about change is through love. The singer is willing to step out and leave everything behind to find this love because they believe it is the only way to live a fulfilling life. They urge listeners to open up their hearts to love because it is the key to changing the world.

Through the lyrics, Phil Stacey conveys the idea that love can transform everything, and it's the only thing that can save humanity. The singer has seen both the good and bad in the world, but it's through the bad that they have found the need to take action, and the only way to overcome it is through love. Towards the end of the song, the lyrics speak to the personal transformation that comes from experiencing love. When love rushes in, everything changes, and life takes on a new meaning. It's the start of something new and amazing.

Overall, "It's Gotta Be Love" is a powerful, uplifting song that celebrates the transformative power of love. Phil Stacey urges listeners to see beyond the chaos and believe that love can save us all.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm steppin' out
I'm taking a chance

I don't care what anybody thinks
I'm doing this for me, not for others

I'll leave it all and go there alone
I don't need anyone else's approval to do what I need to do

If that's what it takes
I'm willing to take risks to get what I want

The world's burning down
Everything is falling apart

And I have been watching the flames
I'm not just ignoring the problems

Now I think that it's time
I'm ready and willing to do something about it

To put it on the line
To take a risk

If anything can save us now
There's only one thing that can help us at this point

It's gotta be love
Love is the most powerful force we have

That shows us the way
Love can lead us out of this darkness