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.
Take Me Back
Third Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's your mind that I can't change
Will you ever be returning
And coming back again, coming back again
Take me back to the place where it started
Take me back to the warmth of the sun
To the place where the rivers meet the ocean
Yeah, that's where I belong
And have you ever really wondered
As we walk beneath the stars
Will we find the truth, will we discover
It isn't very far, it's not so very far
Take me back to the place where it started
Take me back to the warmth of the sun
To the place where the rivers meet the ocean
Take me back home
Yeah, that's where I belong
I wonder if I've gone too far
Lord, please help me get back home
Where I belong
Take me back to the place where it started
Take me back to the warmth of the sun
To the place where the rivers meet the ocean
Take me back home
Yeah, that's where I belong
Back where I belong
Where I belong
Oh, where I belong
Yeah, that's where I belong
It's your heart that keeps you running
"And it's your mind that I can't change." These lyrics suggest that the singer is referring to a person who is determined and steadfast in their beliefs, and no matter what is said, their mind will not be changed. The singer wonders if this person will ever return or come back, which could be a metaphor for the hope that they will maintain their strong convictions while also being open to the possibility of change.
The chorus of the song, "Take me back to the place where it started, take me back to the warmth of the sun, to the place where the rivers meet the ocean, take me back home, Yeah, that's where I belong," speaks to the idea of returning to a place of comfort and familiarity. The singer is expressing a desire to go back to a simpler time, a time when things felt easier and less complicated. The reference to the warmth of the sun and the meeting of the rivers and the ocean conjures a sense of harmony and balance, which the singer is longing for.
The lyrics, "And have you ever really wondered, as we walk beneath the stars, will we find the truth, will we discover, it isn't very far, it's not so very far," suggest that the singer is curious about the mysteries of the universe and the search for truth. The idea of walking beneath the stars implies a grandness to the person's search for meaning and purpose. Yet, the singer believes that truth is not far away, meaning that it is within reach and can be found if one keeps searching.
Overall, "Take Me Back" is a song that speaks to the human longing for a sense of belonging and simplicity. It acknowledges that life can be complicated and difficult, but that there is always a hope for returning to a place of familiarity and balance.
Line by Line Meaning
It's your heart that keeps you running
The love and passion within you propel you forward in life
And it's your mind that I can't change
I cannot alter or influence your thoughts and beliefs
Will you ever be returning
And coming back again, coming back again
Are you ever going to come back and revisit our past memories once again?
Take me back to the place where it started
Bring me back to the origin and beginning of our story
Take me back to the warmth of the sun
Take me back to the happy and comfortable times of our past
To the place where the rivers meet the ocean
Bring me back to the place where different elements come together in harmony
Take me back home
Help me rediscover a sense of belonging and familiarity
Yeah, that's where I belong
That's where my true heart and identity lies
And have you ever really wondered
As we walk beneath the stars
Will we find the truth, will we discover
It isn't very far, it's not so very far
Have you ever pondered the mysteries of life and questioned whether the answers are far or close?
I wonder if I've gone too far
Lord, please help me get back home
Where I belong
I am unsure if I have strayed too far from my true identity and am seeking guidance to return to my roots
Back where I belong
Where I belong
Oh, where I belong
Yeah, that's where I belong
I am once again expressing my desire to return to my happy place where I can be myself and feel at home
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IYIOLA BABLOLA, LEON HUFF, TOM JONES, DAN KURTZ, DARREN LEWIS, NICOLE MORIER, BOBBY RUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Parks
Take me back, Lord. Don't let me forget the good things you've done for me.
Leticia Nemeth
Amo muito essa banda!!! Deus seja louvado!!!
Allison Noble
easily one of my top 5 favorite songs off the new album!! love you guys and Im very thankful God brought your music to me! thank you guys for the inspiration and motivation each and every day... - The Short Gomer (allison3d) :)
Frank Ybañez Silva
Amo esta canción. Siempre me ayuda a restaurar mi camino cuando me siento perdido.
Eleanor Petrucco
Love it. Another great one from the rock stars of Christian music.
TheRain0208
I love Third Day's songs... :))
Rachel Lambert
This was exactly the song i needed right now. Super homesick. Miss my hometown
The MIDI Warrior
I like this song ... a lot! Love third day! AMAZING!!! XXX
Chinchilly XOXO
praise the Lord Jesus I love this song!
Natanael Majolo
Som maravilhoso parabéns Third Day .