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
Love Is Here
Tenth Avenue North Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You who thirst
And you'll thirst no more
Come to the father
You who work
And you'll work no more
And all you who labor in vain
And to the broken and shamed
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause love is here
Come to the treasure
You who search
And you'll search no more
Come to the lover
You who want
And you'll want no more, no
And all you who labor in vain
And to the broken and shamed
Yeah
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
And to the bruised and fallen "Captives" bound and broken hearted
He is the Lord
He is the Lord, yeah
By his stripes
He's paid our ransom
From His wounds we drink salvation
He is the Lord
He is the Lord
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause love is here
Love is here, yeah
The song "Love Is Here" by Tenth Avenue North is a call to anyone who is feeling weary, broken or lost. The lyrics reassure them that they can find rest, peace and love in Jesus Christ. The verses of the song urge listeners to come to Jesus for strength and comfort, promising that He will satisfy their deepest longings. The chorus echoes this sentiment by proclaiming that love is not only present, but also pouring out from Jesus' hands and brow. The song continues to describe how Jesus' wounds provide salvation and how He is the Lord for all those who feel bruised and fallen, captive and broken-hearted.
The lyrics of this song are a powerful reminder of the extent of God's love for all. It acknowledges that people are weary, broken, and in need of rest, but that they can find it in Christ who can satisfy their deepest longings. The song also highlights the sacrificial act of Jesus on the cross and how He brings salvation to all. Additionally, the song's chorus emphasizes that God's love is not just a theological concept that exists somewhere in the abstract, but that it is present and tangible in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Come to the water
If you feel parched and dehydrated, come to the water
You who thirst
To those who crave for something that will quench their thirst
And you'll thirst no more
You will never again feel a longing for something that you cannot taste
Come to the father
Come to the creator of all life and the universe
You who work
If you feel overworked and tired from life's burdens
And you'll work no more
You can rest and stop carrying the heavy load that buries you
And all you who labor in vain
For all those who toil in vain and without any gain
And to the broken and shamed
To those who feel shattered, humiliated and disgraced
Love is here
Love has arrived with us in this moment
Love is now
Love is present and happening right now where we stand
Love is pouring from His hands
Love flows from Jesus' hands like water from the spring
From His brow
Wipes the sweat from his forehead, the sign of his hard work paying off for the sake of others
Love is near
Love is in close proximity to us, we need not walk great distances to find it
It satisfies
Love is the answer to our soul's hunger and it quenches our deepest longing
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
The mercy of Jesus flows from his side like a river that washes clean
Come to the treasure
If you are seeking wealth and fortune
You who search
If you are constantly seeking something more, never content with what you have
And you'll search no more
You've finally found the treasure you've been searching for, there's nothing more you need
Come to the lover
If you are seeking a love greater than anything in this world
You who want
If your heart aches for something you can't articulate or define
And you'll want no more, no
You have found the love that you have always wanted and yearned for, there's nothing else you need to seek
And to the bruised and fallen "Captives" bound and broken hearted
To those who are wounded, hopeless, and shackled by life's cruel blows
He is the Lord
Jesus is the ruler, the master, and the captain
By his stripes
Jesus' scourging, beating and whipping that left his back striped
He's paid our ransom
Jesus paid the price for our freedom and redemption
From His wounds we drink salvation
The wounds that Jesus received that day on the cross became the wellspring of our salvation
Love is here
Love is here with us right now
And to the broken and shamed
To those who feel shattered, humiliated and disgraced
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
The mercy of Jesus flows from his side like a river that washes clean
'Cause love is here
This is because love is present in our midst
Love is here, yeah
Yes, Love is here and it's tangible and real
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DREW MIDDLETON, PHILLIP LARUE, JASON JAMISON, MICHAEL DONEHEY, JASON DAVID INGRAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alan Capati
Come to the water
You who thirst
And you'll thirst no more
Come to the father
You who work
And you'll work no more
And all you who labor in vain
And to the broken and shamed
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause love is here
Come to the treasure
You who search
And you'll search no more
Come to the lover
You who want
And you'll want no more, no
And all you who labor in vain
And to the broken and shamed
Yeah
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
And to the bruised and fallen "Captives" bound and broken hearted
He is the Lord
He is the Lord, yeah
By his stripes
He's paid our ransom
From His wounds we drink salvation
He is the Lord
He is the Lord
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause love is here
Love is here, yeah
Handsome Anthony
This song will always hold a dear place in my heart. I'll tell the story in case anyone cares to read.
I spent the better part of my life being an atheist. The kind of atheist that knows the Bible very well, and will argue against Christians using it. But something was missing, and I knew it. I had money, I had a lot of beautiful women, but something was missing. I felt empty, miserable. I tried everything I could think of to find something that would fill the void, even trying witchcraft, but nothing would work. One night, I was trapped in deep despair, and I remember saying "God, please help me."
Two days later, I met up with a woman with whom I was acquainted years before, but never spoke much to. Much to my surprise, we hit it off immediately. We had talked liked we'd been best friends for years. On my way home, this song played in a Switchfoot mix, and I knew what I was being told:
"I am the Almighty. I love you. Won't you come to me now?"
So I did. I can't remember the last time I've felt so complete.
Two funny end notes: I told that woman the story and she said she believed it, because she had been telling God that she was lonely and was asking for a companion. She thinks I was a gift to her; it's funny because she's got it backwards. I don't deserve someone like her.
The other note: I asked some of my teachers what they thought about the idea of God (I'm studying medicine, and I'm about the same age as some of my professors, so they're more willing to talk to me about things besides school work) and I figured that men and women with advanced science degrees would have something negative to say about it. They all said they can't see how people don't believe in God, one going as far as to say "Everything I taught you shows the great power of God". And I like to think what happened to me shows His great mercy.
If anyone else has stories of His great mercy towards you, I'd love to hear them!
Alan Capati
Come to the water
You who thirst
And you'll thirst no more
Come to the father
You who work
And you'll work no more
And all you who labor in vain
And to the broken and shamed
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause love is here
Come to the treasure
You who search
And you'll search no more
Come to the lover
You who want
And you'll want no more, no
And all you who labor in vain
And to the broken and shamed
Yeah
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
And to the bruised and fallen "Captives" bound and broken hearted
He is the Lord
He is the Lord, yeah
By his stripes
He's paid our ransom
From His wounds we drink salvation
He is the Lord
He is the Lord
Love is here
Love is now
Love is pouring from His hands
From His brow
Love is near
It satisfies
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
Streams of mercy flowing from His side
'Cause love is here
Love is here, yeah
Kushell
Thank u soo OOO much❤
William Dugas
Divine Mercy! From Jesus Christ!
Handsome Anthony
This song will always hold a dear place in my heart. I'll tell the story in case anyone cares to read.
I spent the better part of my life being an atheist. The kind of atheist that knows the Bible very well, and will argue against Christians using it. But something was missing, and I knew it. I had money, I had a lot of beautiful women, but something was missing. I felt empty, miserable. I tried everything I could think of to find something that would fill the void, even trying witchcraft, but nothing would work. One night, I was trapped in deep despair, and I remember saying "God, please help me."
Two days later, I met up with a woman with whom I was acquainted years before, but never spoke much to. Much to my surprise, we hit it off immediately. We had talked liked we'd been best friends for years. On my way home, this song played in a Switchfoot mix, and I knew what I was being told:
"I am the Almighty. I love you. Won't you come to me now?"
So I did. I can't remember the last time I've felt so complete.
Two funny end notes: I told that woman the story and she said she believed it, because she had been telling God that she was lonely and was asking for a companion. She thinks I was a gift to her; it's funny because she's got it backwards. I don't deserve someone like her.
The other note: I asked some of my teachers what they thought about the idea of God (I'm studying medicine, and I'm about the same age as some of my professors, so they're more willing to talk to me about things besides school work) and I figured that men and women with advanced science degrees would have something negative to say about it. They all said they can't see how people don't believe in God, one going as far as to say "Everything I taught you shows the great power of God". And I like to think what happened to me shows His great mercy.
If anyone else has stories of His great mercy towards you, I'd love to hear them!
Verraden
Thank you for this wonderful story 😊
Carolina Williams
Amen and Amen
MICASA
U feel it. Keep growing brother. Sometime everthin feel so hard..but Jesus is always there. Keep walk in faith. Send pray for you
Stubborn As Crows
Praise Jesus!!
Ryan Ball
Amen buddy I needed to hear this I have co workers and friends who are devout atheists whom also know the Bible and argue with it... this gives me hope that my prayers for them are working
Michael Jenkins
And to the bruised and fallen, captives bound and broken hearted. He is the Lord! By his stripes, He paid our ransom, from his wounds we drink salvation, He is the Lord. That line always give me chills and I feel unspeakable joy!