The ascension of TobyMac’s solo career has been nothing short of spectacular. In an era of declining music sales he has consistently defied the odds and has seen his sales increase with each new album release. This is no small feat. With his fourth studio album TONIGHT released on Feb. 9, he is poised to take things higher yet again.
Having climbed the mountain once with the group dcTalk (4 Grammys, more than 8 million albums sold), TobyMac knows how difficult the journey can be and how much work the process actually takes. Rarely does an artist get to soar to great heights for a second time, but soar he has. He took home his first Grammy as a solo artist last year after receiving Grammy nominations for each of his first four solo projects (Momentum, Welcome To Diverse City, Portable Sounds, Tonight). And last year TobyMac topped 2 million in total albums sold during his solo career. TobyMac has also remixed the Welcome to Diverse City album and Momentum, calling the new albums Renovating Diverse City and Re:Mix Momentum, respectively. He has done it with a combination of talent, hard work and humility which has produced songs that resonate with people from all walks of life .
Upon embarking on his solo career, Toby sought to surround himself with a talented and diverse cast of characters, aptly named the Diverse City Band. The result has been a musical fusion that radiates with an unquenchable energy and a penetrating message.
A self-professed perfectionist when making records—he’s been known to relentlessly tweak and massage every little thing in an inexorable effort to make it sound better—Toby is the first to admit that he has to work really hard to make great music. “That’s what drives me,” he says. “I feel like I have to work harder than other people to get there. Sometimes I feel like I’m slightly under-gifted; I usually don't sit down and write a great song in just a few minutes like others can. But I think my work ethic makes up for that.”
Starting with dcTalk, and then going solo when the group disbanded in 2000, Toby still clings to such rootsy notions as hard work, persistence, patience and—perhaps most relevant of all—the power of music, which he insists is still what keeps him going.
“It’s the truth,” he says. “I still believe that a song can penetrate a heart. I believe God can use a song to open someone’s mind and heart. Other songs can just drop what I call, 'the joy bomb' on somebody. I fight really hard to remain unjaundiced—to keep believing that you can actually walk into a studio and write a song that breathes life. That’s the hardest fight for a guy who’s been doing this for a while; it’s easy to fall into the trap of just making it your job. But I still believe that songs matter.”
The songs on TONIGHT certainly matter—everything from the prayerful first single “City On Our Knees” to the testimonial “Changed Forever,” from the worshipful “Captured” to the confessional “Start Somewhere,” and even down to the put-on-your-party-hat grooves of “Funky Jesus Music” and “ShowStopper.” One theme that runs loud and clear throughout is the idea that we all need God, and we need him now—this morning, this afternoon, tonight.
“Right here, right now / Under the stars / I promise You my heart / ’Cause it starts tonight,” Toby sings on the chorus of the title track. “If you gotta start somewhere why not here? If you gotta start sometime why not now?” he asks on “City on Our Knees.” And “I wanna straighten this before the sun goes down tonight,” he proclaims on “Start Somewhere.”
“There’s definitely a sense of urgency on this record,” says co-producer Chris Stephens, who has worked on TobyMac’s last three CDs. “And it’s an album that speaks of unity, of coming together and finding common ground to worship God.”
Toby has long had a passion for racial reconciliation and unity, a recurrent theme in his music. TONIGHT includes songs of reconciliation of another kind—between husband and wife. Toby and Amanda have been happily married for 15 years, but like all couples, it can be hard work sometimes. For Toby, who best expresses his emotions through music, it was a natural step to write about it. In “Hold On,” he sings, “If you move just a little bit closer / You can put your head on my shoulder . . . / Wipe away those tears / This one’s for you.” And on “Start Somewhere,” he’s downright confessional: “I said some things that I regret / And if I could, I’d take ’em back / But here I am, and there you are / The space between us is not so far / I’m reaching out my hand in love.”
“‘Hold On’ is very personal,” Toby says. “Many lines are there to encourage my wife, but I know those lines could encourage anybody in a relationship. As for ‘Start Somewhere,’ any time you’re in love with somebody, you’re going to bang heads from time to time. I don’t know how many times I’ve been lying in bed, sweating it out and thinking, How am I going to make this right? But then you reach that moment of apology and forgiveness. That’s one of my favorite songs on the record; it’s a personal perspective on confrontation and reconciliation.”
And then there’s “Wonderin’,” in which Toby reminisces about the past with Kevin Max and Michael Tait in dcTalk, one of Christian music’s biggest acts in the 1990s. “We was ridin’ in style, clockin’ them miles / With the songs that He put down deep in our hearts . . . / I’m wonderin’ ’bout the way I spend my days / Wonderin’ if it’s even worth the chase / Wonderin’ if they’re stealin’ me from you.”
“It’s just a warm look back at dc Talk,” says Toby, almost wistfully. “It’s reminiscing about Michael and Kevin and what we did together, and recognizing their influence on me. I love what I do today, but there are times when I wonder,What if we stayed together? I’ve got these dreams I’m pursuing now, but are they stealing me from you? I think about Kevin and Michael on every song I write. That's the truth man, we climbed a mountain together.”
Sonically, TONIGHT is typical TobyMac in many ways—an eclectic mix of rap, rock, pop and funk, all laden with catchy hooks and melodies just itching for airplay and audience singalongs. There’s even a healthy dose of reggae on the album closer “Break Open the Sky,” where Toby flexes his Jamaican family ties while Israel Houghton provides guest vocals. Other visiting vocalists include Skillet’s John Cooper on “Tonight” and Relient K’s Matthew Thiessen on “Wonderin’.”
Of course most of the vocals belong to the artist himself. Stephens says Toby “has stretched himself as a vocalist, he writes about things he is passionate about and his vocals reflect that urgency''. Toby agrees: “I do more singing on this record than ever before. I’m learning to use my vocal instrument in different ways, and I’m getting more comfortable with it everyday''.
It all adds up to a project that reflects one man’s desire to push himself beyond “very good,” to dig deep in the quest for that other country where greatness resides. He certainly reached for it. Hard.
“I’ve worked very hard not to fall into the trap of making this just a gig,” he says. “If it is a labor, it’s a labor of love. I know music can’t change the world, but who says God can't speak through a song."
Right here, right now. TONIGHT.
TobyMac is usually styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC
21 Years
TobyMac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Day two let the flood begin
Day one left me in my bed
I can barely remember it
Heart shattered in a thousand ways
They tell me pain gonna come in waves
They tell me I'm gonna be okay
I'm still waiting for the first to break
Why would You give and then take him away
Suddenly end could You not let it fade
What I would give for a couple of days
A couple of days
Is it just across the Jordan
Or a city in the stars
Are you singing with the angels
Are you happy where you are
Well until this show is over
And you run into my arms
God has you in heaven
But I have you in my heart
I have you in my heart
I just can't make sense of this
Everything is so dissonant
Somebody said he was meant for this
But I'm just straight missing him
I wanna wake up to your laugh at two
Catch you when you steal my shoes
Say good morning, afternoon
Talk you through those "Alex blues"
Listen to your latest beats
Talk about what the lyrics mean
Venmo you another loan
See you do your second show
You said you'd turn, you would turn it around
Thought that you had time to straighten it out
Told me that you were my prodigal son
But this isn't home
Is it just across the Jordan
Or a city in the stars
Are you singing with the angels
Are you happy where you are
Well until this show is over
And you run into my arms
God has you in heaven
But I have you in my heart
I have you in my heart
Did he see You from a long way off
Running to him with a Father's heart
Did You wrap him up inside Your arms
And let him know, that he's home
Did he see You from a long way off
Running to him with a Father's heart
Did You wrap him up inside Your arms
And let him know, that he's home
Is it just across the Jordan
Or a city in the stars
Are you singing with the angels
Are you happy where you are
Well until this show is over
And you run into my arms
God has you in heaven
21 years makes a man full-grown
21 years, what a beautiful loan
21 years, I loved every one
Thank you, Lord, for my beautiful son
The song “21 Years” by TobyMac is a heartfelt tribute to his son, Truett Foster McKeehan, who passed away at the age of 21 in October 2019. The lyrics express TobyMac’s deep pain and grief, as well as his hope that his son is at peace in heaven. The song begins with TobyMac waking up on the second day after his son’s death, still reeling from the shock of it all. He sings about the shattered state of his heart and the waves of pain he is experiencing. Although people tell him he will be okay, he is still waiting for the first wave to break.
The chorus expresses TobyMac’s longing to be reunited with his son, whether it’s in heaven or some other place. He wonders if his son is singing with the angels and if he is happy where he is. He acknowledges that God has his son in heaven, but he also knows that he will always have his son in his heart. TobyMac then reminisces about the times he spent with his son, from late-night conversations to watching him perform at concerts. He laments the fact that his son was taken away so suddenly and wishes he had a few more days with him.
The bridge of the song is a poignant moment in which TobyMac imagines his son being welcomed into heaven by God Himself. He wonders if God ran towards his son with a Father’s heart and held him in His arms, letting him know that he was finally home. The final chorus repeats the earlier sentiments about wanting to be reunited with his son, concluding with a heartfelt thank you to the Lord for the 21 years he had with his beloved son.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up 'cause the light poured in
I woke up to the sunlight shining brightly into my room
Day two let the flood begin
The reality of losing my son hit me hard on the second day
Day one left me in my bed
I was so distraught after receiving the news that I stayed in bed all day
I can barely remember it
The first day of my son's passing feels like a blur because of the overwhelming grief I felt
Heart shattered in a thousand ways
My heart is broken into a million pieces
They tell me pain gonna come in waves
People have warned me that my emotions will come in waves and hit me unexpectedly
They tell me I'm gonna be okay
Others have reassured me that I will eventually heal and be okay, but it doesn't feel that way right now
I'm still waiting for the first to break
Despite what others say, I am still waiting for some sort of relief or sign that everything will be okay
Why would You give and then take him away
I'm struggling to understand why God would give me my son only to take him away from me
Suddenly end could You not let it fade
I wish my son's passing could have been peaceful and gradual instead of sudden
What I would give for a couple of days
I wish I could have spent a few more days with my son before he passed away
Is it just across the Jordan
I wonder if my son is just on the other side of the Jordan River (a biblical reference to crossing over into the afterlife)
Or a city in the stars
Or if he's in a celestial city in the stars
Are you singing with the angels
I wonder if my son is in heaven, singing with the angels
Are you happy where you are
I hope my son is happy wherever he is
Well until this show is over
Until my life comes to an end
And you run into my arms
I hope to be reunited with my son when my time comes
God has you in heaven
I find comfort in believing that God has taken my son to heaven
But I have you in my heart
Even though my son is no longer physically here, he will always live on in my heart and memory
I just can't make sense of this
I'm having a hard time understanding why this happened
Everything is so dissonant
Everything feels out of place and chaotic
Somebody said he was meant for this
Someone suggested that my son's passing was part of God's plan
But I'm just straight missing him
Despite what others say, I am simply missing my son immensely
I wanna wake up to your laugh at two
I wish I could hear my son's infectious laugh again
Catch you when you steal my shoes
I miss the silly moments I shared with my son, like when he would playfully steal my shoes
Say good morning, afternoon
I miss the routine of saying good morning and good afternoon to my son
Talk you through those
I long for the deep conversations I had with my son about his struggles and passions
Alex blues
A reference to my son's name and his struggles with depression
Listen to your latest beats
I miss listening to my son's music and seeing his creativity come to life
Talk about what the lyrics mean
I miss having deep conversations with my son about the meaning behind his music
Venmo you another loan
I miss being able to support my son financially and seeing him pursue his dreams
See you do your second show
I miss being able to watch my son perform and seeing him thrive doing what he loved
You said you'd turn, you would turn it around
My son promised me that he would overcome his struggles and turn his life around
Thought that you had time to straighten it out
I thought my son had more time to change his life and overcome his challenges
Told me that you were my prodigal son
My son referred to himself as the prodigal son from the Bible, who returned home seeking forgiveness
But this isn't home
Now that he's passed away, I realize that this life isn't our true home and that there's something beyond this world
Did he see You from a long way off
I wonder if my son saw God waiting for him with open arms as soon as he crossed over into the afterlife
Running to him with a Father's heart
I hope God embraced my son with a loving and welcoming heart, like that of a father
Did You wrap him up inside Your arms
I hope God held my son close and comforted him in his final moments
And let him know, that he's home
Most importantly, I hope my son knew that he was finally home and at peace
21 years makes a man full-grown
My son was only 21 years old, and even though he was young, he had grown and matured so much in that short time
21 years, what a beautiful loan
I am grateful for the 21 years I had with my son, even though it feels too short
21 years, I loved every one
I treasured every moment I got to spend with my son over the course of his 21 years of life
Thank you, Lord, for my beautiful son
Despite the pain and heartache I'm feeling right now, I want to thank God for giving me my beautiful son and for the time we shared together
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Toby McKeehan, Bryan Fowler, Blake Neesmith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tobymacmusic
“21 Years” is a song I wrote about the recent passing of my firstborn son, Truett Foster McKeehan. I loved him with all my heart. Until something in life hits you this hard, you never know how you will handle it. I am thankful that I have been surrounded by love, starting with God’s and extending to community near and far that have walked with us and carried us every day. Writing this song felt like an honest confession of the questions, pain, anger, doubt, mercy and promise that describes the journey I’m probably only beginning. The rest is yet to come. One thing I know is that I am not alone. God didn’t promise us a life of no pain or even tragic death, but He did promise He would never leave us or forsake us. And I’m holding dearly to that promise for my son as well as myself.
@nchrist511
We love you Toby. Prayers for you and your family. God bless.
@icylynx6067
TobyMac Love you, your family, and all you do. Praying for you always! ❤️
@rudysega
Toby, I too lost my son. I feel your pain, brother. Let us keep fighting the good fight of faith. Though weeping might last but a night, joy comes in the morning.
@lakepowell7
TobyMac - what a beautiful tribute to your son and your God! May God walk with you in your grief and bless you for helping others with theirs.❤️🙏❤️
@wiechers77
Dear Toby, this is a beautiful tribute to your son. My heart aches for you and your family. The lyric about him being on loan really tugged at my heart, we never know how long we get to have our loved ones with us, but thank you Jesus that we will see them again one day. God bless you 🙏❤
@jordanfiggins2800
He lost his son, made this song, and STILL is thanking God for his son. He is such a faithful person. Such an inspiration.
@mychristianmusicweekinreviews
Jordan Figgins, the response he showed in this song is awesome!
@horsecrazymorgan3409
Jordan Figgins hes toby mac what do you expect hes an amazing man
@jordanfiggins2800
Horse crazy Morgan a lot super faithful people lose their faith when things like this happen. For him to speak out and still be grateful just shows how strong he is.