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".
Sites:
www.switchfoot.com
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Let Your Be Strong
Switchfoot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've found nothing new
I've found nothing pure
Maybe I'm just idealistic to assume that truth
Could be fact and form
That love could be a verb
Maybe I'm just a little misinformed
And the freeways sigh
Let the trains watch over the tides and the mist
Spinning circles in our skies tonight
Let the trucks roll in from Los Angeles
Maybe our stars are unanimously tired
Let your love be strong
And I don't care what goes down
Let your love be strong enough
To weather through the thunder clouds
Fury and thunder clap
Like stealing the fire from your eyes
All of my world hanging on your love
Let the wars begin
Let my strength wear thin
Let my fingers crack
Let my world fall apart
Train the monkeys on my back to fight
Let it start tonight
When my world explodes
When my stars touch the ground
Falling down like broken satellites
Let your love be strong
And I don't care what goes down
Let your love be strong enough
To weather through the thunder clouds
Fury and thunder clap
Like stealing the fire from your skies
All that I am hanging on
All of my world resting on your love
Switchfoot's Let Your Be Strong is a song that addresses difficulties that come with trying to find truth in a world that is filled with propaganda and despair. The opening lyrics set the tone for this contemplative song as the singer states that despite all the news he has heard, he has found nothing new or pure. He conveys his idealistic hope that truth could be objectively discerned, but the world has become so skeptical and cynical that his hope may be naïve. The singer's philosophical and introspective perspective causes him to question love, but he chooses to assign a verb to it, suggesting that love is an action rather than just an emotion.
The song's refrain "Let your love be strong" serves as a reassuring mantra that the singer uses to give himself and his listeners hope amidst the chaos. He acknowledges that the world is not always conducive to love and that sometimes, it can be cruel and violent. However, he implores his audience to let their love be strong enough to weather through the thunder clouds, suggesting that the storms of life can be weathered if one remains steadfast in their love. The second verse brings to focus the natural world, and the singer invokes the imagery of the circadian rhythms of the moon and ocean tides to reflect on their regularity and dependability. He paints a picture of weary stars longing for a respite and gives permission for them to take a break before he repeats the chorus, reinforcing the idea that love is a force powerful enough to sustain and carry one through life's uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
In this world of news
Amidst all the information overload
I've found nothing new
I haven't discovered something novel
I've found nothing pure
I haven't come across something unadulterated
Maybe I'm just idealistic to assume that truth
Perhaps I'm too optimistic to believe that reality
Could be fact and form
Could be grounded in truth and form
That love could be a verb
That love could be an action
Maybe I'm just a little misinformed
Perhaps I don't possess the right information
As the dead moon rises
As the moon becomes dark and lifeless
And the freeways sigh
As the roads exhale their worries
Let the trains watch over the tides and the mist
Allow the trains to keep a lookout over the ebb and flow of the sea
Spinning circles in our skies tonight
Revolving circles in the sky above us tonight
Let the trucks roll in from Los Angeles
Permit the trucks to arrive from Los Angeles
Maybe our stars are unanimously tired
Perhaps our stars are collectively weary
Let your love be strong
Allow your love to be potent
And I don't care what goes down
And I'm not concerned with what happens
Let your love be strong enough
Let your love be powerful enough
To weather through the thunder clouds
To endure the storms
Fury and thunder clap
Anger and thunderous outbursts
Like stealing the fire from your eyes
Like taking away your passion
All of my world hanging on your love
My entire world dependent on your love
Let the wars begin
Allow the conflicts to start
Let my strength wear thin
Let my power dissipate
Let my fingers crack
Let my fingers break
Let my world fall apart
Let my life shatter
Train the monkeys on my back to fight
Teach the burdens on my shoulders to struggle
Let it start tonight
Allow it to commence tonight
When my world explodes
When my life crumbles apart
When my stars touch the ground
When my dreams get destroyed
Falling down like broken satellites
Falling down like disintegrated satellites
All that I am hanging on
Everything that I am is dependent on
All of my world resting on your love
My entire world at peace because of your love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: JON FOREMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hey
on Life And Love And Why Aka 3/4 Chant
Hey
Jon
on Life And Love And Why Aka 3/4 Chant
Life and love and why still one of my favorites