The band’s recent history is pretty impressive. Since its 2008 debut album, Over and Underneath, Tenth Avenue North has become one of Christian music industry’s most successful acts, saturating Christian radio with such memorable songs as “Love is Here,” “Hold My Heart,” and “By Your Side,” a number one single that was Billboard magazine’s No. 3 overall Christian song for the decade. They won New Artist of the Year in 2009 at the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards and in 2010 “By Your Side” was named Song of the Year.
The band’s 2010 sophomore album, The Light Meets the Dark, debuted at No. 1 on the Nielsen Christian SoundScan chart and No. 15 on the Billboard 200. The album hit the No.1 Christian Album chart position at both iTunes and AmazonMP3, reaching Top 5 on iTunes’ Overall chart, propelled by the lead single, “Healing Begins.” The compelling ballad “You Are More” was 2011’s No. 1 Song of the Year on Billboard’s Christian Audience Chart.
As the band approached its third album, it would have been easy to take an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude, but the word complacency is not in its vocabulary. Band members Mike Donehey (lead vocals), Jeff Owen (guitars), Jason Jamison (drums), Ruben Juarez (bass) and Brendon Shirley (keyboard) took a totally different approach in how they wrote and recorded The Struggle. Instead of waiting until they got home to Nashville to begin recording demos, the songs were written and demoed on the road while the band was on tour.
“We wrote ‘Don’t Stop The Madness’ in January of 2011,” Owen says of the confessional anthem. “That’s when we first started writing as a band and we were recording demos as we were writing. On the last two records, Mike would write most of the songs with Jason, or on his own. He would show up and the song would have lyrics and melody and acoustic guitar, and then we’d take that and make it our own. We’d put a beat to it and shake it, but this time we started basically from scratch.”
Recording on the road led to some interesting sessions. “When we recorded, ‘Where Life Will Never Die,’ there was an amp in our bathroom,” Jamison says with a smile.
“Sometimes there were things on the demo that we couldn’t replicate in the studio,” Donehey adds, “so we ended up finding the files from the demo and putting them on it. We recorded drums in the front of the bus at one time. They sounded amazing.”
The Struggle is also the first album to include the two newest members of Tenth Avenue North-- Ruben Juarez and Brendon Shirley.
“Ruben and Brendon are more technically knowledgeable than Jason, Jeff and I are,” says Donehey. “They really added to the musical structure of these songs. Plus, we all get along so well creatively, I couldn’t see doing this record without them.”
In an innovative twist, Tenth Avenue North invited fans to be part of the creative process and invited them to sing on the record. “It started on the Third Day tour,” Owen says of the trek last fall. “We sent out Twitter and Facebook [messages] to our fans and said, ‘Hey, come sing on our record.’ We have people from Nebraska singing with people from Fargo and Albuquerque.”
In various cities on the tour, the band would invite fans to show up and then they’d record their voices to add to different songs on the album. “It’s cool,” Donehey says. “These are the people that support us and listen to this music. It is music that affects their lives and now they are actually a part of it.”
Working again with producer Jason Ingram (six-time winner of SESAC’s Christian Songwriter of the Year award), the members of Tenth Avenue North have crafted a sonically diverse record that mirrors the passion and intensity of its live show. “We got a lot of comments over the past several years about how our live show is much different than our recorded music,” says Donehey. “It has more energy and more of a rock edge to it. We try to be more musical and create different moments, so I think going into this we wanted to make sure we were aware of our live show and how these songs were going to play out live.”
As always, the band was ever mindful of the power of its songs and the messages in its lyrics. Though the word “struggle” tends to evoke thoughts of challenge and strife, leave it to Tenth Avenue North to illuminate the possibilities and show that struggle is ultimately a privilege. “Hallelujah! We are free to struggle. We’re not struggling to be free,” Donehey sings in the title track.
“We want to give people permission to struggle, to realize that there’s grace and you don’t have to be good enough,” says Donehey. “It’s the theme of a lot of our music, but we also want to challenge people to not stay there, to not stay in that place of struggling. There is power and there is grace, not only to forgive your struggle, but to redeem you from the struggle. . . We’re going to struggle until the day that we die, but we don’t have to struggle to earn what God has provided for us.”
The lead single, “Losing,” is a song that challenges believers to forgive because we’ve been forgiven. Offering forgiveness may sometimes make you feel like you're "losing" but only in showing others the grace God has shown us are we truly free. Such powerful yet poetic messages continue to populate every song on The Struggle. “Strangers Here,” inspired by Hebrews 11 reminds us of better things to come. As Donehey sings the emotional lyric he urges us to remember that this life is only temporary and one day we will touch the face of our God.
“Worn” is a tender ballad that acknowledges our human frailty and the rest that awaits in our heavenly Father’s arms. As a young father, balancing the responsibilities of music ministry and raising two young daughters, Donehey is well acquainted with physical and emotional exhaustion; and in the song, he shares one of the most vulnerable vocal performances on the record. Yet even in the midst of struggle, fatigue and alienation---all emotions every human battles---the songs celebrate the sovereignty of God in every aspect of our lives. Song after song, the band offers up the kind of lyrically substantive lyrics people have come to expect from Tenth Avenue North wrapped in the most adventurous music they’ve ever crafted.
“Grace” boasts a vibrant melody and some of the record's most compelling lyrics as Donehey sings: “Grace, only grace can roll your dead heart's stone away. Grace only grace can move us to a rhythm that can changes our ways.” “We’re going to struggle until the day that we die," says Owen of the song's message, "but we don’t have to struggle to earn what God has provided for us.”
“All the Same” acknowledges the fact that though we might appear very different on the surface, at the core we are all the same, desperate for the love of God. “You Do All Things Well” is yet a soothing prayer that celebrates the power of God to meet our every need. The worshipful chorus is a soaring celebration of God's majesty.
Tenth Avenue North has come a long way from sharing the Gospel with students at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida to playing for more than a half a million people in concert last year. It’s a platform and privilege they take seriously. “When I’m playing, I look out and I can see people’s eyes,” says Donehey. “I’ve always carried an ache for people. I want people to experience the freedom I’ve experienced. I want people to experience the forgiveness I’ve experienced.”
Music can provide a healing balm to those breaking hearts and through its music, Tenth Avenue North continues to shine a light not only on the struggle, but the hope that changes lives forever.
Members:
Mike Donehey - Lead Vocals/Guitar
Jeff Owen - Guitar/BGVs
Jason Jamison - Drums
Ruben Juarez-Bass Guitar
Brendon Shirley-Keys
Former Members
Bryan Homan
Daniel (Danny) Zayas
Scott Sanders - bass guitar, keyboard
Andrew Middleton
Genre:
Rock/Christian/Religious
Hometown:
West Palm Beach, Florida
Record label:
Reunion Records
Lamb Of God
Tenth Avenue North Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All creation waits for You, and trembles at Your name
Surrounded on a throne of endless praise
Fire and lighting flash from the glory of Your face
And I sing to You
You are holy
You are holy
You're the Lamb of God
How do I dare approach
This Holy One
The One who was and is
Was and is to come
The world and righteousness and mystery
We've only just begun, just begun to sing
So I'll come broken through
The blood of Your son
And I'll kneel before You
You are holy
You are worthy
You are holy
You're the Lamb of God
Blessing and honor
And glory and power
To Him who sits on the throne
Blessing and honor
And glory and power
Forever to our God alone
You are holy
You are worthy
You are holy
You're the Lamb of God
You are Holy Lord
Holy God
You are Holy Lord
The song "Lamb of God" by Tenth Avenue North is a powerful and moving worship anthem that emphasizes the holiness and worthiness of God. The lyrics begin by acknowledging God's sovereignty over all creation, as evidenced by the fact that even nature itself trembles at His name. He is described as being seated on a throne of endless praise, and His glory is likened to fire and lightning.
In the chorus, the singer declares that God is holy and worthy, and that He is the Lamb of God. This is a reference to Jesus, who is often described as the Lamb of God in Christian theology. The second verse expresses the singer's awe and reverence for God, recognizing that approaching Him is a daunting task for anyone. Yet, the singer is able to come to God through the blood of Jesus, who provides a way for sinners to be forgiven and reconciled to God.
The song ends with a chorus that once again praises and glorifies God, declaring that blessing, honor, glory, and power belong to Him alone. The repeated phrase "You are holy" emphasizes the theme of God's holiness and reminds listeners that He is worthy of worship and adoration.
Overall, "Lamb of God" is a powerful and thought-provoking worship song that encourages listeners to reflect on the holiness of God and the sacrifice of Jesus.
Line by Line Meaning
King of all the earth and every age
You are the ruler over all creation, present and future.
All creation waits for You, and trembles at Your name
The entire universe anticipates and fears You above all else.
Surrounded on a throne of endless praise
You are seated on a throne that is constantly being worshipped.
Fire and lighting flash from the glory of Your face
Your divine presence emits a light that is so powerful it looks like lightning.
And I sing to You
I raise my voice in song in honor of You.
You are holy
You are pure and sinless.
You are worthy
You deserve all honor and respect.
You are holy
You are pure and sinless.
You're the Lamb of God
You are the sacrificial lamb sent to save humanity.
How do I dare approach
How can I, a mere mortal, approach You?
This Holy One
You, the one who is without fault, are holy.
The One who was and is, Was and is to come
You are the eternal being who has always existed and always will exist.
The world and righteousness and mystery
The Earth and everything in it, along with righteousness and the unknown, all belong to You.
We've only just begun, just begun to sing
We have only just started to praise You, and there is still so much more to say.
So I'll come broken through the blood of Your son
I will come to You humble and repentant, acknowledging the sacrifice of Your son for my sins.
And I'll kneel before You
I will bow down before You in reverence and submission.
Blessing and honor and glory and power
All praise, respect, and authority belong to You.
To Him who sits on the throne
You are the one who reigns above all.
Forever to our God alone
You are the only God who deserves eternal praise.
You are Holy Lord
You are without fault and the most righteous.
Holy God
You are perfect and worthy of worship.
You are Holy Lord
You are without fault and the most righteous.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRENDON SHIRLEY, MIKE DONEHEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Taylor Phillips
I'm struggling to write my own piece of worship to God. Everyone of the artists I listen can write so beautifully. It's so special to have a song with God. If anyone even sees this, can you pray for me? I would mean a lot
martha Rose.2000
Praying for you! <3
Considering Christianity
I love this song. Been listening to it for years. Try it with speed 1.25, feels totally different, yet still great.
Tamás Fábián
love it! :)
Christina Castaneda
Pure worship, great way to start everyday at that place, thank for this song..
Joshua Baker
great walking down dusty road singing to this song praise you humble king isaiah 53
Tamira Denae
Real worship music!
Cheska S.
This song makes me feel so close to God <3
Laisa Degiane
Maravilhosa, louvado seja Deus. Paz e bem irmãos.
LOBHAUS
this is soooooo great !