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.
Run To You
Third Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Playing all the games and
Living in a place that was not for me
So I thought it was time
For me to get what?s mine
And to do it all, everything I dreamed
What I thought was the best of me turned to be
All the worst I could find
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
Now I got a feeling
That I've got to leave and
Find a way back to where I came from
Though I don't deserve it
I know it's unheard but
Living here without you, my life is done
I confess that I shouldn't have run from you
Now I know I was wrong
Nowhere to run to
And no one to turn to
I?m dying out here on my own
Long before I even thought of returning
Your arms are wide open
Waiting for me to come home
The lyrics of Third Day's "Run to You" revolve around the theme of seeking redemption and returning to one's roots after living a life lacking in meaning and purpose. The singer is tired of the direction in which his life is going, feeling stuck and out of place. He decides that it is time to take control of his life and accomplish his dreams but soon realizes that the path he's taken is not the right one as it turns out to be his worst decision.
Amidst the chaos and confusion, the singer turns to seeking solace in the arms of his beloved, asking for forgiveness and hoping for redemption. He yearns to return to where he comes from and longs to feel the embrace of someone he knows will love and accept him despite his flaws. The lyrics suggest that the singer has come come to terms with the fact that he can not make it alone and that he needs someone to hold onto when life becomes too burdensome to handle.
The song "Run to You" is an inspirational piece that highlights the struggles we all go through from time to time in life. It was featured in Third Day's critically acclaimed album "Revelation" in 2008.
Line by Line Meaning
I was tired of waiting
I became exhausted from endlessly waiting
Playing all the games and
Acting in all the charades and acting unsure
Living in a place that was not for me
Existing in a space that didn't belong to me
So I thought it was time
I decided it was the moment
For me to get what?s mine
To take what truly belonged to me
And to do it all, everything I dreamed
To accomplish everything I ever dreamt of
What I thought was the best of me turned to be
The attributes that I once claimed as impeccable later proved to be futile
All the worst I could find
Leaving me with undesirable circumstances
If I run to you
If I come to where you are
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
Will you embrace me for all eternity
Now I got a feeling
Presently, I am sensing a sensation
That I've got to leave and
The realization that I have to depart from here
Find a way back to where I came from
Discovering a path to my origin
Though I don't deserve it
Although I am undeserving of such kindness
I know it's unheard but
It may seem inconceivable
Living here without you, my life is done
Existing here without you is unbearable
I confess that I shouldn't have run from you
I own up that I shouldn't have fled from you
Now I know I was wrong
Eventually, I acknowledge my errors
Nowhere to run to
There's no escape plan
And no one to turn to
Nobody to lean on
I?m dying out here on my own
I am perishing all alone
Long before I even thought of returning
Way before I even considered coming back
Your arms are wide open
You have opened your arms widely
Waiting for me to come home
Ready to receive me back home
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: TAIO CRUZ, JAMIE JONES, JACK KUGELL, D'MYREO MITCHELL, JASON PENNOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vivian A.
I was tired of waiting
Playing all the games and
Living in a place that was not for me
So I thought it was time
For me to get what's mine
And to do it all, everything I've dreamed?
What I thought was the best for me
Turned to be
All the worst I could find
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
X2
Now I got a feeling
That I gotta leave and
Find a way back to where I came from
No I don't deserve it
I know it's unheard but
Living here without you my life is gone
I confess that I shouldn't have run from you
Now I know I was wrong
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
X2
Nowhere to run to
And no one to turn to
I'm dying out here on my own
Long before I even thought of return
Your arms were wide open
Waiting for me to come home
For me to come home
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
X4
If I run to you, if I run to you
Will you hold me Lord
Anna Júlia Carneiro de Barros Carvalho
I was tired of waiting
Playing all the games and
Living in a place that was not for me
So I thought it was time
For me to get what's mine
And to do it all, everything I've dreamed?
What I thought was the best for me
Turned to be
All the worst I could find
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
Now I got a feeling
That I gotta leave and
Find a way back to where I came from
No I don't deserve it
I know I sound humble
But living here without you my life is done
I confess that I shouldn't have run from you
Now I know I was wrong
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
Nowhere to run to
And no one to turn to
I'm dying out here on my own
Long before I even thought of return
Your arms were wide open
Waiting for me to come home
For me to come home
If I run to you
Will you hold me in your arms forevermore
If I run to you, if I run to you
Will you hold me Lord
1MusicForLife
Such a great song, it never gets old. No matter how much we mess up in life, God always has his arms opened wide.
Dylan Pike
absolutely love this song. Third Day are my favourite band, because it's very rare to find a top quality Christian band who stay true to their faith. what a great influence these guys are.
Ears14U
This song can surely send CHILLS !!!!!!! What a spiritually discerning song. Amen.
RicardoRedefined
Omg, I've been longing to hear this song! Thank you for posting it! :D Third Day and Lacey are the best! If you can, could you please post Born Agian?
Jeremias Fly
✝
dead poets
One of the most beautiful songs! Thank you God. ❤❤
Jelly Beanz
Amazing song :)
SpaderForever
love this song! love the whole cd! such great artists. third day was the band that got me into contemperary christian music and they are still my favorites!!!!
PianoMyHeart
I absolutely LOVE this song!! I recently bought the CD, and this is my favorite one! Flyleaf and Third Day is a great combo of different styles! 5 stars!! ^_^
Amenjoe Theophilis Ruiz
thanks third day your music teaches me that my walk with christ isnt looking from earth to heavan. But heavan to earth! And thru the eyes of christ i have a new outlook on life