Although the band started out playing at Christian music festivals, they shun the label of "Christian rock," with singer and guitarist Jon Foreman saying, "For us, it's a faith, not a genre. We've always been very open and honest about where the songs are coming from. For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us `Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them. And that's not what we're trying to do. Music has always opened my mind -- and that's what we want." They started out on Charlie Peacock's label "re:think" and spent several years appearing at Christian festivals and enjoying Christian radio hits. Most of their early tours were with Christian bands and both of the band's new members were borrowed from Christian bands.
Switchfoot did not see success outside of the Christian rock scene until they were featured alongside singer Mandy Moore on the A Walk To Remember soundtrack. The band's first true commercial success came in 2003 with the release of their fourth major label (and first mainstream label) offering, The Beautiful Letdown. The album went on to sell more than 2 million albums and Switchfoot became the most popular rock band to be associated with Christian music.
They were featured on the British Edition of the Spiderman II soundtrack along with the likes of Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional to name a few, in 2004 with the song 'Meant To Live'.
In 2005 Switchfoot released "Nothing Is Sound". The album went gold within 3 months and received much critical acclaim.
Switchfoot's highly anticipated album, titled "Oh! Gravity." was released on December 26th, 2006.
On November 10th, 2009, Switchfoot released their first album produced under their own label, lowercase people. "Mess of Me", a single from the album released months before the CD, has enjoy chart-topping radio plays since its release.
In 2010 Switchfoot released their album, "Hello Hurricane".
On September 27th, 2011, to much anticipation and excitement, Switchfoot released their newest album, "Vice Verses".
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Holy Water
Switchfoot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give me something I can feel
This time I wanna rain dance for real
Wash the dust of dirty wheels
Give me the waters that could help me heal and
Hold the old me down
(Give me the waters that could help me heal)
(Let the rain come down)
On the thirsty ground
Let the rains come down
I want to drink the clouds
Like holy water
I felt like this when I was a boy
A firefly in Illinois
A pair of wings and an electric heart
Broken wings and a shot in the dark
With that fire in our eyes
(Lighting up the summertime sky)
With that fire in our eyes
(I felt so alive)
But now I'm praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water
Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Blisters, guns, and fathers
Hold me down with the...
Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Hold me down with the holy water
Like holy water
My head is aching like a riot
40 days in the desert pain
When I hear the lies I don't buy it
Still looking for the desert rain and I
Fight the fire with the fire
I want to taste your love again and I
Let the flood rise higher
Wash the doubt away
But now I'm praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water
(Like holy water)
The song "Holy Water" by Switchfoot is a call for renewal and change. The lyrics speak about feeling stuck in a rut and longing for something more. The opening line, "Give me something I can feel," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is looking for a tangible experience to rejuvenate him, to "wash the dust of dirty wheels" and to "help me heal." The singer is seeking a spiritual experience, represented by the metaphor of "holy water."
Throughout the song, the singer compares the feeling of being reborn to the time when he was a child, represented by the line, "I felt like this when I was a boy / A firefly in Illinois." He longs for that feeling of wonder and possibility again, and seeks it out in the form of rain, the ultimate symbol of rebirth. The chorus repeats the phrase "Like holy water" several times, emphasizing the spiritual and cleansing nature of the experience the singer is searching for.
The song ends with the lines "But now I'm praying for rain / I want to make that change / I got your blood in my veins / Like holy water." These lines connect the spiritual experience of rebirth with the singer's own personal history and identity, suggesting that he is seeking a renewed sense of purpose and connection to something greater than himself.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me something I can feel
I want an experience that will stay with me forever
This time I wanna rain dance for real
I want to genuinely surrender myself to the joy of life
Wash the dust of dirty wheels
I want to get rid of my past mistakes and start afresh
Give me the waters that could help me heal and
I want to find something that will heal my heart
Hold the old me down
I don't want my past demons to take me over
(Give me the waters that could help me heal)
I want to find something to heal my soul
(Let the rain come down)
I want to be cleansed by the healing power of the rain
On the thirsty ground
I want to find healing in the midst of my struggles
Let the rains come down
I want to be washed away by the healing rains
I want to drink the clouds
I want to find hope in the midst of my struggles
Like holy water
I want to be cleansed with something sacred
I felt like this when I was a boy
I remember experiencing this sense of hope and wonder as a child
A firefly in Illinois
I remember a specific moment of joy in my childhood
A pair of wings and an electric heart
I remember feeling invincible and alive
Broken wings and a shot in the dark
But ultimately, life has knocked me down
With that fire in our eyes
Looking back, we had such passion and zeal
(Lighting up the summertime sky)
We felt like we could light up the world
I felt so alive
Those were truly the best days of our lives
But now I'm praying for rain
Now, I rely on faith to carry me through the difficult times
I want to make that change
I want to find a way to heal and move forward
I got your blood in my veins
I am connected to something greater than me
(Like holy water)
My faith is the source of my strength
Sisters, sons, and daughters
We are all in this together
Hold me down with the holy water
We need something sacred to hold onto
Blisters, guns, and fathers
We face many struggles and battles in our lives
My head is aching like a riot
The pain I am experiencing is overwhelming
40 days in the desert pain
It feels like I'm lost in a barren wasteland with nothing to sustain me
When I hear the lies I don't buy it
I refuse to believe the negative messages that bring me down
Still looking for the desert rain and I
I am searching for hope in the midst of despair
Fight the fire with the fire
I am determined to overcome my struggles with equal passion
I want to taste your love again and I
I want to feel the warmth and embrace of love once more
Let the flood rise higher
I want to be swept away by the healing and cleansing power of water
Wash the doubt away
I want to find healing and clarity in my heart and mind
(Like holy water)
My faith is my refuge and source of healing
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JONATHAN MARK FOREMAN, TIMOTHY DAVID FOREMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lilian Tyra
“Holy Water”
Give me something I can feel
This time I wanna rain dance for real
Wash the dust of dirty wheels
Give me the waters that could help me heal and
Hold the old me down
(Give me the waters that could help me heal)
Hold the old me down
(Let the rain come down)
On the thirsty ground
Let the rains come down
I want to drink the clouds
Like holy water
I felt like this when I was a boy
A firefly in Illinois
A pair of wings and an electric heart
Broken wings and a shot in the dark
With that fire in our eyes
(Lighting up the summertime sky)
With that fire in our eyes
(I felt so alive)
But now I'm praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water
Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Blisters, guns, and fathers
Hold me down with the...
Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Hold me down with the holy water
Like holy water
My head is aching like a riot
40 days in the desert pain
When I hear the lies I don't buy it
Still looking for the desert rain and I
Fight the fire with the fire
I want to taste your love again and I
Let the flood rise higher
Wash the doubt away
But now I'm praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water
(Like holy water)
Fran Reizl
Usually old songs become classics... but this.. this whole album is going to be one HUGE classic!
Amazing work Switchfoot!!
James and games
NO DOUBT!!!. it has everything a music fan and a Switchfoot fan would want. just a great album in every aspect.
parepidemos productions
agreed
Blake Maxfield
Where the light shines through Nothing is Sound and Oh Gravity! Those are my 3 personal favorite albums from Switchfoot
Lilian Tyra
“Holy Water”
Give me something I can feel
This time I wanna rain dance for real
Wash the dust of dirty wheels
Give me the waters that could help me heal and
Hold the old me down
(Give me the waters that could help me heal)
Hold the old me down
(Let the rain come down)
On the thirsty ground
Let the rains come down
I want to drink the clouds
Like holy water
I felt like this when I was a boy
A firefly in Illinois
A pair of wings and an electric heart
Broken wings and a shot in the dark
With that fire in our eyes
(Lighting up the summertime sky)
With that fire in our eyes
(I felt so alive)
But now I'm praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water
Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Blisters, guns, and fathers
Hold me down with the...
Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Hold me down with the holy water
Like holy water
My head is aching like a riot
40 days in the desert pain
When I hear the lies I don't buy it
Still looking for the desert rain and I
Fight the fire with the fire
I want to taste your love again and I
Let the flood rise higher
Wash the doubt away
But now I'm praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water
(Like holy water)
Janie V
John Fields is such a great producer! I love the Celtic-inspired intro of this song. And Jon Foreman's lyrics are the best. Go Switchfoot!
CapAmarav
Celtic yay!
Logic Frog Media
Anyone else here in the future, realizing that this band's always been the best? NEVER STOP! GOD BLESS : )
Roger Huggett Jr.
I just saw them is St. Paul for maybe the 6th time and they bond with their fans like no group I've seen. This is their 10th album and I feel their best. I still listen to all of them and they never lose relevance.
Aprille Joy L. Josafat
i hope they never stop creating beautiful music.💜switchfoot