Smalltown Poets is a Christian rock band formed in 1996. It was formed in A… Read Full Bio ↴Smalltown Poets is a Christian rock band formed in 1996. It was formed in Atlanta, Georgia by high school friends Michael Johnston (guitars/vocals), Danny Stephens (keyboards), and Byron Goggin (drums), along with (then) Nashville musicians Kevin Breuner (guitar), and Miguel DeJesus (bass).

Smalltown Poets achieved recognition with their eponymous first album, released on Ardent Records in 1997. This release earned the band the first of its two Grammy nominations (Best Gospel Rock Album) and numerous Dove Award nominations. Despite line-up changes, the band stayed active for more than ten years, releasing three albums on Ardent Records and one on BEC Recordings.

Smalltown Poets went on hiatus several months after their fourth studio album called It's Later Than It's Ever Been," but regrouped in the fall of 2010 to begin production on a Christmas album due out in 2011 (co-produced and mixed by former Smalltown Poets drummer Matt Goldman). In anticipation of that full-length release, the band released a Christmas single in December 2010 titled "In the Bleak Midwinter."

The full-length project, Smalltown Poets Christmas, was released on Nov. 1st, 2011, on the band's own Friendly City Records label and is available on iTunes, Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and other online media outlets.

Scenario
Smalltown Poets Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Forgive me if I've been confused
Between the means and end
I forgot to be a brother and a friend
Covered up inside
Sometimes it's harder to know
I have failed at this scenario

My faults do run deep

Your mercies do run deeper

So I knelt tonight
And felt that in somebody's mind
There's a memory of a balance met
But I left less than sublime
There's no credit line
No net worth to show
I can pay for this scenario

Deepest apologies and sincere regret
For carrying this debt

This scenario returns me to where I began

Losing what was mine and finding out
A shortcut is a sin

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Smalltown Poets' song "Scenario" refer to a feeling of guilt the singer has for not being a good friend or brother. The opening lines convey the singer's sense of being confused between the means and ends of their actions. The singer has failed to be a brother and a friend owing to their confusion. They have covered up their insecurities and vulnerabilities – which sometimes makes it difficult to understand how to behave. Ultimately, these lead to them feeling as though they have failed in this scenario.

However, the song is not completely bleak. The singer admits their mistakes and seeks redemption for them. They acknowledge that their faults run deep but express their faith that God's mercy is deeper still. The singer finds solace in the idea that someone, somewhere remembers their previous good deeds, making a mental note of a noble act that had once occurred. The singer is self-aware enough to recognize that they have gained little credit or net worth for their actions, but that they must pay for their mistakes. They seek forgiveness for their debts and apologize sincerely for the harm they've caused.

Line by Line Meaning

Forgive me if I've been confused
I apologize if I have acted in a bewildered manner

Between the means and end
I have mistaken the approach and destination

I forgot to be a brother and a friend
I overlooked my duties as a sibling and companion

Covered up inside
I have concealed my emotions

Sometimes it's harder to know
At times it is challenging to comprehend

I have failed at this scenario
I have not succeeded in this situation

My faults do run deep
My shortcomings are ingrained

Your mercies do run deeper
Your compassion is more significant

So I knelt tonight
Therefore, I kneeled today

And felt that in somebody's mind
And perceived that in someone's thoughts

There's a memory of a balance met
There is a recollection of achieving equilibrium