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
You Are More
Tenth Avenue North Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide
She says, how did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
Well she tries to believe it
That she's been given new life
But she can't shake the feeling
That it's not true tonight
She knows all the answers
And she's rehearsed all the lines
And so she'll try to do better
But then she's too weak to try
But don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to
This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You've been remade
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
Tenth Avenue North's song "You Are" tells the story of a girl who is struggling with her past mistakes and has lost sight of who she truly is. She is stuck in shame and fear, believing that she has fallen too far to be loved. However, through the chorus repeats, the song encourages her to remember that she is more than the choices she has made and the sum of her past mistakes. She has been remade and is worth more than her problems.
The lyrics are a powerful reminder that every person has inherent value and is more than the mistakes they have made. The song encourages listeners to look beyond their shortcomings and remember that they are loved for who they are. The girl in the song is struggling to believe that she has been given new life, but the chorus urges her to remember the truth.
The song's message is particularly impactful in a world where people are often judged by their mistakes and weighed down by shame and guilt. Tenth Avenue North's "You Are" reminds us that we can rise above our past and that love is always available to us.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a girl in the corner
The song tells a story about a girl who is in a dark place in her life.
With tear stains on her eyes
The girl is very sad and has been crying.
From the places she's wandered
The girl has been through a lot of difficult experiences and is lost and confused.
And the shame she can't hide
The girl feels ashamed of herself and her past mistakes.
She says, how did I get here?
The girl is questioning how she ended up in this dark place in her life.
I'm not who I once was.
The girl feels like she has changed and is not the same person she used to be.
And I'm crippled by the fear
The girl is scared and feels unable to move forward.
That I've fallen too far to love
The girl believes that she is unlovable because of her past mistakes.
But don't you know who you are,
The song is trying to encourage the girl by reminding her of who she really is.
What's been done for you?
The song is asking the girl to remember all the good things that have been done for her.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
The song is telling the girl that she is not defined by her past mistakes but is greater than them.
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
The song is reminding the girl that she is not the total of all her past mistakes.
You are more than the problems you create,
The song is telling the girl that she is greater than all the problems she has created in her life.
You've been remade.
The song is declaring that the girl has been made new and is no longer the same person she used to be.
Well she tries to believe it
The girl is trying to believe that she is a new person but is struggling to do so.
That she's been given new life
The song is saying that the girl has been given a new life and a second chance.
But she can't shake the feeling
The girl is struggling to let go of her past and accept the new life that has been given to her.
That it's not true tonight
The girl is feeling doubtful that the new life she has been given is real and not just something temporary.
She knows all the answers
The girl thinks she knows how to overcome her problems and is confident in herself.
And she's rehearsed all the lines
The girl has gone over in her mind what she needs to do to get past her problems.
And so she'll try to do better
The girl is determined to try and be better and overcome her past mistakes.
But then she's too weak to try
The girl is struggling to find the strength to overcome her past.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
The song is repeating that the girl is not defined by her mistakes but is greater than them.
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
The song is reminding the girl that she is not the total of all her past mistakes.
You are more than the problems you create,
The song is telling the girl that she is greater than all the problems she has created in her life.
You've been remade.
The song is declaring that the girl has been made new and is no longer the same person she used to be.
'Cause this is not about what you've done,
The song is stating that the girl's identity is not based on her past actions.
But what's been done for you.
The song is emphasizing that the girl is defined by what has been done for her.
This is not about where you've been,
The song is saying that the girl's past does not determine who she is.
But where your brokenness brings you to
The song is saying that the girl can move forward from her past and find healing.
This is not about what you feel,
The song is stating that the girl's feelings are not the foundation of her true identity.
But what He felt to forgive you,
The song is emphasizing that the basis of the girl's true identity is what God felt to forgive her.
And what He felt to make you loved.
The song is emphasizing that the girl is loved by God.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
The song is repeating that the girl is not defined by her mistakes but is greater than them.
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
The song is reminding the girl that she is not the total of all her past mistakes.
You are more than the problems you create,
The song is telling the girl that she is greater than all the problems she has created in her life.
You've been remade.
The song is declaring that the girl has been made new and is no longer the same person she used to be.
You've been remade
The song is declaring that the girl has been made new and is no longer the same person she used to be.
You've been remade.
The song is declaring that the girl has been made new and is no longer the same person she used to be.
You've been remade.
The song is declaring that the girl has been made new and is no longer the same person she used to be.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MIKE DONEHEY, JASON INGRAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nia
Last night I hit rock bottom.
I took pills and tried to commit suicide. As I was laying in the Hospital these lyrics came to my mind. After ALL I did God still loved me. See, I kept believing no one loved me, I felt it by many, my bf of an year broke up with me, bills were stacking up, my job sucked, I stopped talking with God, eliminated Him out completely..had sex..and more.
It's a miracle I'm here. Writing this. Listen, I met Angels last night my doctor and nurse were the sweetest people, complete strangers who told me I'm someone, whose important. I'm loved. God loves me. God has a plan. My cab ride home..was an Angel too. As I enter I hear 99.1 joy fm playing & the cab driver said "he felt as if God was wanting him to do something" before he picked me up. He did, he told me about God's word, His promises, His everlasting love, pure joy. I got home at 5am and cried and for once I felt calm inside..my worries went away...I saw things differently "God placed breath in me, my heart is beating still...I'm here for a purpose." Is what I thought.
I'm taking one day at a time.
I'm sharing my story not for top comment, not to have pity or pride boosting but because in my darkest moment when I couldn't see the light, God made it clear that others see it. He lit my soul, HE healed me & is continuing to, I'm not broken, I've been 're-made'
I am blessed. Truly blessed!
NotReaperz.
There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide
She says, how did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love
But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
Well she tries to believe it
That she's been given new life
But she can't shake the feeling
That it's not true tonight
She knows all the answers
And she's rehearsed all the lines
And so she'll try to do better
But then she's too weak to try
But don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to
This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You've been remade
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
Joe Mariscal
1God. Purpose...why is there sin.....why cant we stop sin on our own.....what
was the reason Jesus went thru so much torture.....and said we are worth
it.....from the beginning of time there was sin.....when Eve was
tempted with apple....and there was 1 rule ....never eat from the tree
of knowledge...and the devil enticed her to eat from it ...stating if
she ate from it she would know all...like God does.....so she took a
bite ...and out of that birthed
sin....now she knows right from wrong.....and she even had Adam bite
from it to.....Now if they new what would really happen do you think
they would have taken that bite...??? But they did ...and now paradise
as they new it is cursed....with sin and evil ....as time went on the
earth populated into so much sin....at one time God flooded the land...
because all we did was sin and GOD can not be around sin... period ...
and so all was flooded but a faithful servant and his family...His name
in Noah .....and He built an ark and God told him to get 2 of each
animal and any one was welcome to board .but they laughed and Noah and
the world was flooded......the Lord loves us so much but cant be around
sin....so he came up with perfect solution.....So He made away that He
can enjoy us again came down in flesh as the son of God........WAS
TORTURED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS AND HUNG ON THE CROSS FOR OUR
SALVATION...so why would Jesus do that.....Go thru so much pain.....get
tortured ..yelled at spit at rejected by his own people..to "bear" our
sins .... knowing it is impossible with out Him.......and we would all
be separated from God forever.. SO...He took our sins upon
HIMSELF.....and paid our debt and the only way this can happen is if you
trust Him and put Jesus in your heart...thank you Jesus ..all the HONER
AND GLORY GOES TO YOU ARE KING...THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR LIFE'S WE ARE
GRATEFUL...YOUR CHILDREN.. WHO LOVE YOU SO MUCH ...
Nia
Last night I hit rock bottom.
I took pills and tried to commit suicide. As I was laying in the Hospital these lyrics came to my mind. After ALL I did God still loved me. See, I kept believing no one loved me, I felt it by many, my bf of an year broke up with me, bills were stacking up, my job sucked, I stopped talking with God, eliminated Him out completely..had sex..and more.
It's a miracle I'm here. Writing this. Listen, I met Angels last night my doctor and nurse were the sweetest people, complete strangers who told me I'm someone, whose important. I'm loved. God loves me. God has a plan. My cab ride home..was an Angel too. As I enter I hear 99.1 joy fm playing & the cab driver said "he felt as if God was wanting him to do something" before he picked me up. He did, he told me about God's word, His promises, His everlasting love, pure joy. I got home at 5am and cried and for once I felt calm inside..my worries went away...I saw things differently "God placed breath in me, my heart is beating still...I'm here for a purpose." Is what I thought.
I'm taking one day at a time.
I'm sharing my story not for top comment, not to have pity or pride boosting but because in my darkest moment when I couldn't see the light, God made it clear that others see it. He lit my soul, HE healed me & is continuing to, I'm not broken, I've been 're-made'
I am blessed. Truly blessed!
Snake Eyes
A comment is not strong enough to hold the emotion and feeling of understanding I got from what you said. I love you and God loves you.
dkich34
+SunKissNicole You are loved, stay strong!!
amarie3258
babygirl I love you so much!!! we need you here with us. Praise to our Lord jesus christ of Nazareth for loving you and saving you. you are being made new everyday. I love you!!!! xooxo
perlowkey
+SunKissNicole God loves you, I love you, everyone does. Never think you are alone, no matter what! I did self harm, I just recently stopped a couple of days ago. I enjoyed slitting my wrists. My wrists have so many scars, but Jesus can wash them away, including yours. I am so glad you are okay now, and God bless.
Zombie Doll
hi
Christine Schermerhorn
This is a really powerful song. I’ve been sharing this with my Muslim friends and they feel the Holy Spirit and they want to learn more about Jesus.
NotReaperz.
There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide
She says, how did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love
But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
Well she tries to believe it
That she's been given new life
But she can't shake the feeling
That it's not true tonight
She knows all the answers
And she's rehearsed all the lines
And so she'll try to do better
But then she's too weak to try
But don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to
This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.
You've been remade
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
Tori Robinson
This song is where my faith finally got put into motion. When I was eleven years old, my mother passed away suddenly and very unexpectedly, and I saw it happen. It wasn't pretty, it was very... unpretty in the least. After that day, I struggled and struggled, I began harming myself in many different ways. I would pop rubber bands on my wrists, force myself to throw up my food, work out until I got too tired to stand... And I continued to go down that road of destruction and depression, getting worse and worse, until I decided that I wasn't supposed to be here. But the night when I finally had been 'brave' enough to pull a blade near my wrist, God spoke to me and he told me I would be okay, that I would make it through this... He told me he loved me, and I was needed, that I had to stay. So I did.. I went back to sleep that night thankful that I was brought to my senses. From when I was eleven to about mid thirteen, I struggled still with these issues but less and less, I'm thankful to have the scars I bear, while luckily and thankfully they don't rest on the outside, they rest on the inside. My scars have made me the person I am today, and that person is now nearing sixteen in a couple of days, no longer harming, no longer depressed, and no longer broken. While I still may always have that void somewhat, I found that God would fill up what I have lost till my cup overflows. I have found that God will show me light, even when I'm in the darkest tunnel. I have found that God never left my side, those times I was so broken he wasn't just walking with me, he was carrying me, watching over me, making sure I didn't pop a blood vessel too many, making sure I didn't take a pill too many, making sure I didn't throw up a little too much, God has kept me alive, and has made me strong, so I can finally be the light I've always wanted to be. To be walking proof that it is okay, that it does get better. I leave this to you all, to any of you who is struggling; you are more than the scars on your wrists, than the words someone calls you, you are more than your faults, you are more than anything and everything you've ever done wrong. I will tell you what you are, you are loved, treasured, needed, you are the light and the hope that someone else might need. Never sell yourself short, you may feel like this is the end, that nothing good is to come, but there always is. No matter how long your storm, no matter how long your fight, one day you will be looking up at the horizon and not below it. You are more, you always have been more. God loves you, and no matter what you're going through, or what you've gone through, it's for a reason. Isaiah 41:10 - "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Liana Garcia
ahh im so happy for you c: your story is so inspiring. i wish i was as brave as you.