(1) The Waiting was… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two bands called The Waiting.
(1) The Waiting was a Christian pop rock band, consisting of Brad Olsen (vocals, guitar), Todd Olsen (guitar, vocals), Clark Leake (bass), and Brandon Thompson (drums, percussion).
Early albums by "The Waiting" were guitar driven alternative rock that drew fans with clever songwriting and introspective lyrics that stood out from most Christian rock of the day. The band's later albums moved towards a more polished pop sound and suffered less enthusiastic reviews for it. The Waiting officially broke up in late 2003.
As of 2009, the following was known about the band members:
- Brad Olsen continues write and record music. He resides in Salt Lake City, Utah and is an Arts Director at K2 The Church.
- Todd Olsen resides in Atlanta, Georgia working as a music producer.
- Clark Leake received a Masters in Theology from St. Vladimir Orthodox Seminary in May, 2007.
(2) The Waiting is an indie band from Limburg Province, The Netherlands, active since 2019. Members are:
Ruud Versteden - vocals, guitar
Len David - guitar, keys, vocals
Theo de Grood - bass
Franky Gomez - drums
I am
The Waiting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The night fits like a stone inside a boot heel
Hot and cold winds blow
And no oneís here to know the way I feel
The corner I once knew brings me in to view again
So I could stay out late, find new bones to break
But then Iíd be dragging home admitting
I am because You are I am
I am because You are I am
I am in You and You are in me
Spent too many days devising many ways trying to escape you
Played too many roles
Dug too many holes just big enough to fall in to
And I could linger here, hoping to disappear in excuses
Come morningís shining face Iíd be crawling to the place I call home Where first you cut me loose and The places that Iíve carried You, I wouldnít take a dog
Stop and calmly think of that
Tear this church down to itís cornerstone
And build it up again, build me up again.
The lyrics to The Waiting's song “I Am” seem to capture the struggle of an individual to walk their own path while recognizing that their identity or sense of self comes from a connection to a higher being or power. The first verse talks about the singer walking alone at night with a feeling of isolation, and though they could choose to indulge in risky behavior they ultimately recognize their connection to God saying, "I am because You are I am." The chorus further reinforces this idea of a connectedness to a higher power, saying, "I am in You and You are in me."
The second verse acknowledges the character's past attempts to run from this connection, to live their life separate from God, but ultimately they recognize the futility of this type of escape, saying "Spent too many days devising many ways trying to escape you." They almost seem to regret the effort they put into trying to be separate, to play different roles or dig different holes to hide in. The verse ends with a resolution to stop lingering in excuses and to return to a place of faith, maybe even to help rebuild the church, not just for their own spiritual health but for the health of the community.
Overall this song seems to be about the tension between individuality and connectedness in matters of faith. The singer recognizes that their identity and agency come from knowing and being connected to God, but also acknowledges that there is a struggle to balance their own desires and the desires of a greater good.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking out alone
Leaving a place or situation all by myself
The night fits like a stone inside a boot heel
The darkness feels heavy and uncomfortable, weighing me down
Hot and cold winds blow
The weather is unpredictable and unstable, reflecting my emotions
And no oneís here to know the way I feel
I am struggling with my emotions and have no one to confide in
The corner I once knew brings me in to view again
I am revisiting a familiar place where I used to be happy
So I could stay out late, find new bones to break
I could distract myself and cause trouble, seeking temporary relief from my troubles
But then Iíd be dragging home admitting
I would have to face the consequences of my actions and admit my mistakes
I am because You are I am
I exist because of your presence
I recognize clearly I see
I am aware of my surroundings and my situation
I am because You are I am
My existence is intertwined with your being
I am in You and You are in me
We are connected and inseparable
Spent too many days devising many ways trying to escape you
I have wasted time and energy trying to avoid the reality of our connection
Played too many roles
I have pretended to be someone else in order to avoid facing the truth
Dug too many holes just big enough to fall in to
I have created problems for myself that I cannot escape
And I could linger here, hoping to disappear in excuses
I could stay in my current state and make excuses to avoid change
Come morningís shining face Iíd be crawling to the place I call home
Eventually, I would realize the truth and come back to where I belong
Where first you cut me loose and The places that Iíve carried You, I wouldnít take a dog
I have been hurt by you before, but I still have faith in our connection
Stop and calmly think of that
I need to take a step back and reflect on the situation
Tear this church down to itís cornerstone
I need to break down my beliefs and rebuild them from the ground up
And build it up again, build me up again.
I need to rebuild myself and my connection with you in order to move forward.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Wixen Music Publishing, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: BILL JOSEPH BAUMGART, BRAD CURTIS OLSEN, BRENT ALAN MILLIGAN, BRIAN S MACLEOD, PAUL ALOYSIOUS ILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben
on Staring at a Bird
Would love to hear a more detailed account of what this song meant to the writer. I’d say it’s at least in my top 100 songs of all time. It encourages me to try and see myself from Gods perspective and not let negativity keep me pinned down.