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."
No Way Around A River
Phil Stacey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to ignore it
Hoping it'll disappear
Face to face with your own Goliath
At least that's how it looks from here
All the stones you can throw
Won't scare it away
Trying to think of something
To get you to the other side
The path of your fear
Runs in all directions
When you're looking for a place to hide
But you know the one you've
Gotta take
[Chorus]
There's no way around a river, baby
Wade on in the deep
And when you can't go any further
Hold on to me
And if it pulls you under
I'll be there too
There's no way around a river, baby
It's just something you've gotta
Go through
The troubles you face
The wounds you're protecting
The sins that you wrestle with
We all have our share we'd like to
Get over
Sometimes there's just no bridge
And the very thing that makes
Us afraid
Is just what we need to wash it away
[Chorus]
That's the way it is
So just wade on in
I'll see you on the other side
No way around it
No way around a river, baby
Wade on in, wade on in
And if it pulls you under
I'll be there too
There's no way around a river, baby
It's just something you've gotta go through
Oh yes it is, yes it is
Oh, no way around it
No way around a river, baby
Wade on in, wade on in, yeah
The lyrics to Phil Stacey's No Way Around A River are a poignant reminder that sometimes in life, we face insurmountable obstacles that we cannot avoid. The song seems to be a message of hope to someone who is struggling to face their fears or overcome their problems. The first verse describes someone who is in denial about their situation, trying to ignore it, and hoping it disappears. But the reality is that they are facing their own Goliath, a metaphorical representation of an obstacle that seems too big to defeat. The chorus is a message to the listener that there is no way around a river, meaning no way to avoid an obstacle in life. Instead, the only way is to wade on in, even when it seems too deep or overwhelming. The lyrics suggest that when the going gets tough, holding onto someone we trust and who can support us can make all the difference. The metaphor of the river is powerful. It represents the inevitability and unpredictability of life's challenges. The message is that we must accept the obstacles as part of life and face them head-on.
The second verse says that sometimes we try to run away from our fears, but they follow us in every direction, and we cannot hide from them. Then it tells us that we know the one path we must take, the one that seems scariest but is necessary to overcome the obstacle. The next line suggests that we must accept our problems as part of our journey, as they are weaved into our lives. The bridge of the song is a sort of a spiritual moment, where it suggests that our problems are what we need to wash ourselves off our fears.
Overall, the message is that there is no avoiding life's obstacles, and we must face them head-on, even when it seems we're going to be overwhelmed. The song's message is apt, and the metaphor of the river is incredibly powerful in helping listeners understand the inevitability of life's struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
You keep closing your eyes
You are avoiding facing the problem
Trying to ignore it
You are trying to pretend that the problem doesn't exist
Hoping it'll disappear
You are hoping that the problem will go away by itself
Face to face with your own Goliath
You feel like you have to face a giant, overwhelming problem
At least that's how it looks from here
Other people might see the problem as less significant
All the stones you can throw
All the things you can do to avoid the problem
Won't scare it away
Will not make the problem go away
And pacing back and forth
You are restless and anxious
Trying to think of something
You are trying to come up with a solution
To get you to the other side
To overcome the problem and move on
The path of your fear
The direction that your anxiety is leading you
Runs in all directions
You feel unsure of the best course of action
When you're looking for a place to hide
You wish you could avoid the problem
But you know the one you've
You know what you have to do
Gotta take
You need to take action
There's no way around a river, baby
You can't avoid the problem
Wade on in the deep
You need to face the problem head-on
And when you can't go any further
When you feel like you can't handle it anymore
Hold on to me
You have support from someone who cares
And if it pulls you under
If the problem overwhelms you
I'll be there too
You have someone who will be with you no matter what
It's just something you've gotta go through
You have to face the problem and deal with it
The troubles you face
The problems you have to deal with
The wounds you're protecting
The emotional or physical scars that you're trying to hide
The sins that you wrestle with
The mistakes that you regret and wish you could undo
We all have our share we'd like to
Everyone has problems and regrets
Get over
We want to move on from them
Sometimes there's just no bridge
There's no easy way to overcome the problem
And the very thing that makes
The problem itself
Us afraid
Makes us fearful and anxious
Is just what we need to wash it away
We need to face the problem and deal with it to overcome it
That's the way it is
That's the reality of the situation
So just wade on in
Face the problem and deal with it
I'll see you on the other side
I'll be here to support you
No way around it
You have to face the problem
Oh yes it is, yes it is
It's the truth
Wade on in, wade on in, yeah
Face the problem and deal with it head-on
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CONNIE HARRINGTON, BARRY DEAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marisa Smith
This song is making me cry! Every time! My hamster who I loved with all my heart is now gone! It hurts so bad!! I love you Hamilton!!! Aka hammy! you will always be remembered! 😥😭😩😵💔
aspenfallen
He definitely was my fave that season, and hearing he went country was sort of disappointing for me (even though I love that genre), yet... now that I listen to the stuff on his albums, it doesn't matter what genre he's in—rock or country—I'm just glad he made an album! And this song is beautiful! ♥