The group is named for Michael Tait's late father, of whom he says "taught me how to appreciate the human experience whether it be a sunny day, a beautiful lawn, or amazing trees set before an amazing mountain. He taught me how to love and embrace mankind, whether it be a Chinese girl hanging out with a black guy whose mom is a white lady." As for the band's mission, Michael Tait says, "...ultimately I hope and pray [people] see the Gospel... People look for so many other ways to fill the emptiness in their lives, and there's just no way to do it besides Christ."
Musically, the band blends the styles of modern rock, pop, funk, soul, and R&B. Michael Tait describes the group as "guitar-toting, drum-slinging rockers." Preceding the release of their 2001 debut album, Empty, Tait performed selections from the project all over the world, including Amsterdam.
Empty
Tait Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I win the fame
Will I be the man
I dreamed of And if
I woo the crowd
And their screams are loud
Is it really me that they love
What does it profit
If I gain the whole world
And lose my own soul
What would be said of me
Oh my vanity, vanities
Chasin' the wind
I'm feelin' empty again, yeah
I'm feelin' empty again
If I gain the whole world
And lose my own soul
What would be said of me
Or my vanity vanities
Chasin' the wind
And I'm feelin' empty again
If I gain the whole world
And lose my own soul, ooh
What would be said
Tell me what would be said
Or my vanity, vanities
Chasin' the wind
I'm feelin' empty again, yeah
I'm feelin' empty again, yeah yeah
Jesus come fill me again
The lyrics of Tait's song Empty delve into the theme of success and the cost of achieving it. The lyrics speak about the possibility of gaining fame and fortune but losing oneself in the process. The singer uses the metaphor of playing a game to represent life and questions whether winning the game would make him the person he wants to be. If he wins the crowd's love and admiration, he questions if it would be directed towards his true self.
The lyrics then shift to spiritual themes, questioning the value of gaining the whole world if one's soul is lost in the process. The line "What does it profit me" echoes the words of Jesus in the Bible's New Testament. Vanity and chasing after fleeting success is characterized as futile, as chasing the wind will only leave one feeling empty. The repetition of the phrase "chasing the wind" emphasizes the futility of striving in the wrong direction.
The chorus repeats the question of what would be said of the singer if he lost his soul in the process of achieving success, emphasizing the potentially disastrous consequences of pursuing success at all costs. The song ends with the singer crying out to Jesus, asking him to fill up his emptiness once again.
Overall, the lyrics of Tait's song Empty present a commentary on the existential cost of success and the true value of spiritual fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
If I play the game
If I follow the rules that society has set for me
And I win the fame
And if I become famous in doing so
Will I be the man
Will I become the person I always dreamed of being
I dreamed of And if
I had always imagined that I would one day succeed
I woo the crowd
If I capture the attention of others
And their screams are loud
And they celebrate me with great enthusiasm
Is it really me that they love
Do they truly care about who I am as a person or just my fame
What does it profit
What good does it do
What does it profit me
What benefit do I gain from it
If I gain the whole world
Even if I achieve all my dreams and aspirations
And lose my own soul
If I lose sight of what truly matters and who I am as a person
What would be said of me
What would people think of me if I lost myself in the process
Oh my vanity, vanities
This constant pursuit of success and fame is vain
Chasin' the wind
It is like trying to catch something that is intangible and fleeting
I'm feelin' empty again, yeah
Despite all my accomplishments, I still feel incomplete
I'm feelin' empty again
I am still searching for something more
If I gain the whole world
Even if I have everything I ever wanted
And lose my own soul
If I lose sight of my morals and values
What would be said of me
What would others think of me if I sacrificed my integrity
Or my vanity vanities
This constant pursuit of success and fame is empty
Chasin' the wind
It is like trying to attain something that is impossible
And I'm feelin' empty again
Despite my attempts at success, I am still unfulfilled
If I gain the whole world
Even if I achieve all my goals and aspirations
And lose my own soul, ooh
If I forget who I am and what I stand for
What would be said
What would others think of me if I lost myself in the process
Tell me what would be said
I want to know what people would say about me
Or my vanity, vanities
This constant pursuit of success and fame is meaningless
Chasin' the wind
It is like trying to grasp something that is unattainable
I'm feelin' empty again, yeah
I am still unfulfilled despite all my efforts
I'm feelin' empty again, yeah yeah
I am still searching for something more
Jesus come fill me again
I am turning towards my faith to find what I am looking for
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: HARRY F. CHAPIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tyus Reginald
Michael Tait is a great talent! Great edition to The Newsboys as frontman!💯☝️
Elias Mateus
awesome!
RadRelics
Amen!
HAUNTED
This song is about 2 choices either live for the world system,or live for faith in Christ and the cross,you can’t live for both,a choice has to be made.
Abraham Velasquez Trips
So true
Beauty For Ashes
Same here.
The Holy Angels Guard The Lord Jesus loves you
I see the ol palswowzie talk put this up.
Selfish Stockton
The Holy Angels Guard The Lord Jesus loves you wut