Five- piece from Toledo, Ohio Matt Hammitt (lead vocals), Mark Graalman (drums), Chris Rohman and Pete Prevost (guitars), and Dan Gartley replacing Steve Goodrum(bass).
Often quoted as "Electrifying Christian Rock" with the rock edge of bands like Foo Fighters and songwriting of Matchbox 20. They are mostly known for a trio of chart-topping hits—“Everything About You,” “The Fight Song” and a cover of U2’s “Beautiful Day”.
Their albums include:
All This Talk of Aliens - 1998
Message for the Masses - 1999
Nothing to Lose - 2001
Say it Loud - 2002
The Face of Love - 2006
We Need Each Other - 2007
and... Pieces of a Real Heart, which Sanctus Real held a vote on Twitter and Facebook to decide the title. - 2010
Lay Down My Guns
Sanctus Real Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forget the chain that hangs around my neck
These guns are not as heavy as the hearts they defend
And I can't wait to get back home where I can find some rest
When I lay down my guns and lift my hands
Surrender to love and live again
May this desert reach its end where my new life begins
And I have seen the devil in this place
And I lost myself when my friends found the grave
When you're this far from Heaven it's hard to keep the faith
I'm barely holding on, I can't wait
To lay down my guns and lift my hands
Surrender to love and live again
May this desert reach its end where my new life begins
When I lay down my guns and lift my hands
And I'm laying down these burdens, taking off the weights
And I can't count the miles that I've walked to find my way
To lay down these guns, how I need to lay down these guns
Lay down my guns and lift my hands
Surrender to love and live again
May this desert reach its end where my new life begins
And I'll abandon my defenses and live to love again
When I lay down my guns and lift my hands
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
The lyrics to Sanctus Real's song "Lay Down My Guns" seem to be a plea to give up the emotional and psychological weapons that one has been using to protect themselves. The singer is asking for a safe space where they can rest and let down their guard. The "guns" in the song are not literal weapons, but rather are symbolic of the emotional barriers that we put up to protect ourselves from being hurt or vulnerable. The singer speaks of being in a "desert," a place that is devoid of life and sustenance. They mention a loss of faith and struggling to hold on, which may suggest that they are in the midst of a personal crisis.
Despite the pain and turmoil that the singer is experiencing, there is still a sense of hope in the song. They speak of surrendering to love and starting a new life. The idea of laying down one's burdens and weights is featured prominently in the song. This could be an allusion to Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus tells his followers to come to him and lay down their burdens, and he will give them rest. The repeated phrase "lay down, lay down, lay down my guns" could be seen as a type of prayer or mantra, a way of reaffirming one's decision to let go of the past and embrace a new future.
Overall, "Lay Down My Guns" is a powerful song about the struggle to overcome one's emotional defenses in order to connect with others and find inner peace. It acknowledges the difficulty of letting go of old habits and ways of thinking, but also offers a message of hope and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I just need a place to lay my head
I am tired and weary and need a place to rest
Forget the chain that hangs around my neck
I need to forget about my troubles and burdens
These guns are not as heavy as the hearts they defend
The emotional weight of defending my beliefs is heavier than my physical weaponry
And I can't wait to get back home where I can find some rest
I am eagerly anticipating being able to rest and find peace at home
When I lay down my guns and lift my hands
I am surrendering my war-like mentality and embracing love and openess
Surrender to love and live again
I am giving up my need for control and welcoming love and life back into my heart
May this desert reach its end where my new life begins
I am hoping that this rough and challenging time in my life comes to an end and leads me to a new phase in my life
And I have seen the devil in this place
I have been through a lot of hardship and darkness
And I lost myself when my friends found the grave
I suffered a significant loss and struggle to find myself again
When you're this far from Heaven it's hard to keep the faith
It is difficult to stay hopeful and faithful when facing great challenges and adversity
I'm barely holding on, I can't wait
I am almost at my breaking point and cannot wait for things to get better
And I'm laying down these burdens, taking off the weights
I am letting go of my burdens and troubles, freeing myself from their weight
And I can't count the miles that I've walked to find my way
I have been on a long and difficult journey to find my path forward
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
I am determined to give up my aggressive stance and embrace peace
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
I am reiterating my commitment to giving up violence and war-like tendencies
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
I am repeating my vow to lay down my weaponry and embrace peace
Lay down, lay down, lay down my guns
I am wholeheartedly committed to giving up violence and fully embracing love and peace
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: CHRIS ROHMAN, DAN GARTLEY, DOUGLAS KAINE MCKELVEY, MARK STEVEN JR. GRAALMAN, MATT HAMMITT, PETER THOMAS PREVOST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind