Early years
Third Day began in 1991, when singer Mac Powell and guitarist Mark Lee finished studying at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia. They had already played together in a garage band called Nuclear Hoedown, but now wanted to form a band where they could express their faith in God. Powell and Lee added a keyboard player named Billy Wilkins, and dedicated their time to write songs and perform around the state of Georgia.[1]
In 1992, they were playing at Lee's church the same night that drummer David Carr and bassist Tai Anderson were playing with a band called Bullard Family Singers. Their youth director asked the band to perform at their church. The group took along quickly and were invited to join the band.[2] The album that Carr produced would be released the next year under the title Long Time Forgotten.
In 1993, while dealing with their studies, the band started playing more aggressively around Atlanta and saved $3,000 to record a full-length album. Also, during this time, original member, Billy Wilkins, who was working as a school teacher, ended up leaving the band.[3] Still, Third Day continued to work on their first full-length album, recording at Furies Studios in Atlanta. The album was finally released in 1994 with 2,000 copies available.[4] In 1995, the band started looking for a second guitarist. They had heard Brad Avery play with singer Chris Carder and asked him to play with the band. After playing "Consuming Fire" during their first rehearsal, Avery officially joined the band.
As the band completed its line-up, they also started playing steadily around the South-east area. They also started playing at an Atlanta venue called the Strand Theatre. The management of the local decided to sign the band to a new independent record label called Gray Dot Records. That same year, the band released the album Third Day, which ended up selling 20,000 copies. Shortly after, Reunion Records signed the band to a multi-album deal.[5]
International Success
In 1998, the band started working on their next project titled Time under the production of Monroe James. They had compiled around 30 songs to choose from during the last year, and ended up choosing only ten. The album was also nominated for a Grammy and won another Dove Award for the band. Some of the other songs the band recorded, but were left out can be found in the EP Southern Tracks.[8] Also, during the band's live shows, the worship part was becoming more "powerful", which prompted them to release an album exclusively of worship songs, titled Offerings: A Worship Album. The album was recorded in about a week, and they followed it with a tour alongside Jennifer Knapp. They also collaborated in the project called City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise.[9]
In 2001, the band played in Australia and New Zealand on the heels of the success of the Offerings album. They continued to tour in the States, and recorded one of their concerts in Atlanta to be released as their first DVD, The Offerings Experience. The concert was held at the Hi-Fi Buys Ampitheatre with an attendance of close to 15,000 people. That same year, the band won a total of five Dove Awards as well as their first Grammy. They followed that year with the release of Come Together which ended up winning two Dove Awards and one more Grammy. The album was certified gold the next year, along with Time.[10][11] In 2003, they also released a follow-up to their hit Offerings titled Offerings II: All I Have to Give.
The band appeared in the 2002 film "Joshua", the movie version of the Joseph Girzone novel of the same name. The Third Day song "My Hope is You" was included in the Joshua soundtrack album.
Recent Years
In 2004, the band released their next album, Wire, and toured the States with tobyMac and Warren Barfield. In June of the same year, the band traveled to Europe for a two-week tour. Upon returning, the band recorded a concert at Louisville which ended up as their next project, Live Wire, released later that year. During that year, they also collaborated on the soundtrack for Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, they played at the Republican National Convention, and were featured in the show 60 Minutes.[12] In January 2007, the band played one night each in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, Australia.[13]
Their next album, Wherever You Are, debuted on the Billboard 200 at #8.[14] It also won the band their third Grammy. They have followed it with the holiday album, Christmas Offerings in 2006, and with a compilation of their hits titled Chronology in 2007. On February 28th, 2008, Third Day released a statement announcing Brad Avery's departure from the band after 13 years and over 1000 concerts.
Their best album to date entitled Revelation was released July 29, 2008.
Third Day released Miracle on November 6, 2012. The band toured Miracle on the Miracle Tour with artists Colton Dixon and Josh Wilson as their opening acts, commencing on February 21, 2013 in Fairfax, Virginia and concluding on May 19, 2014 in Orlando, Florida.
Third Day released the worship album Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship on March 3, 2015. The album, produced by the duo The Sound Kids, composed of Jonny Macintosh and JT Daly, peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart, No. 5 on the Top Rock Albums chart[27] and No. 13 on the Digital Albums chart. The album has had one single, "Soul on Fire", that spent 19 weeks on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 2 on Hot Christian Songs and No. 3 on Christian Digital Songs.
Joy To The World
Third Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
Joy to the world the Savior reigns
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love
Joy to the world
Joy to the world, all ye
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
Joy to the world
The classic Christmas carol "Joy to the World" was originally written by Isaac Watts in the 18th century as a psalm celebrating the second coming of Christ. Third Day's version of the song stays true to the original message while adding their own modern rock spin to it. The song starts by proclaiming that the Lord has come and that the earth should receive Him as its King. The lyrics urge every heart to prepare Him room, to make space within themselves for the Savior. The chorus resounds with the joyous news that heaven and nature are singing with happiness at the arrival of the Lord. It is a call to everyone on earth to join in with the heavenly celebration.
The second verse speaks of the Savior reigning and encourages saints to employ their voices in song. The repetition of the phrase "repeat the sounding joy" emphasizes the infectious joy that spreads from the saints to everything around them. The third and final verse states that the Lord rules the world with truth and grace. The lyrics declare that the nations will show the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love. The song ends with a joyful proclamation of "Joy to the world" eight times.
Line by Line Meaning
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let us celebrate with joy because the Lord has come to us
Let earth receive her King
Let us embrace and welcome the King of the earth
Let every heart prepare Him room
Let us make space in our hearts for Him
And heaven and nature sing
Even heaven and nature are rejoicing
And heaven and nature sing
Even heaven and nature are rejoicing
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
The skies along with heaven and nature are rejoicing
Joy to the world the Savior reigns
Celebrate the Savior who is reigning
Let saints their songs employ,
Let the saints use their songs to honor Him
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
All creation including the fields, floods, rocks, hills and plains, sing along
Repeat the sounding joy
Sing and repeat the joyful sounds
Repeat the sounding joy
Sing and repeat the joyful sounds
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy
Keep repeating the joyful sounds
He rules the world with truth and grace
The world is ruled by truth and grace from Him
And makes the nations prove
And nations testify to His glory
The glories of His righteousness
The beauty of His righteousness is evident
And wonders of His love
His love brings about wondrous things
And wonders of His love
His love brings about wondrous things
And wonders, wonders, of His love
His love is wondrous, wondrous indeed
Joy to the world
Let there be joy in the world
Joy to the world, all ye
Let everyone in the world be joyful
Joy to the world
Let there be joy in the world
Joy to the world
Let there be joy in the world
Joy to the world
Let there be joy in the world
Joy to the world
Let there be joy in the world
Joy to the world
Let there be joy in the world
Joy to the world
Let there be joy in the world
Lyrics © HAL LEONARD LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lowell Mason, Roger Wilcock
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Julie Anderson
Still love this version. Sounds awesome!
7 Rivers
Beautiful..
God bless the 3rd day
Keeping Busy
Best version ever
Oldscool Dj
Very good Version
Follower of the way
This hit different when I was at boot camp
big bictors
Lord God thank you and lads, blessings all, love all, big
cadaint
Good version
Gui Galeazzi
Brazil Love You!!!
Jared M K
Merry christmas everybody.
dr Brain
Spread the Joy people, only Joy can save the world