The ascension of TobyMacโs 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 recordsโheโs been known to relentlessly tweak and massage every little thing in an inexorable effort to make it sound betterโToby is the first to admit that he has to work really hard to make great music. โThatโs what drives me,โ he says. โI feel like I have to work harder than other people to get there. Sometimes I feel like Iโm 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.โ
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 andโperhaps most relevant of allโthe power of music, which he insists is still what keeps him going.
โItโs the truth,โ he says. โI still believe that a song can penetrate a heart. I believe God can use a song to open someoneโs mind and heart. Other songs can just drop what I call, 'the joy bomb' on somebody. I fight really hard to remain unjaundicedโto keep believing that you can actually walk into a studio and write a song that breathes life. Thatโs the hardest fight for a guy whoโs been doing this for a while; itโs easy to fall into the trap of just making it your job. But I still believe that songs matter.โ
The songs on TONIGHT certainly matterโeverything from the prayerful first single โCity On Our Kneesโ to the testimonial โChanged Forever,โ from the worshipful โCapturedโ to the confessional โStart Somewhere,โ and even down to the put-on-your-party-hat grooves of โFunky Jesus Musicโ and โShowStopper.โ One theme that runs loud and clear throughout is the idea that we all need God, and we need him nowโthis morning, this afternoon, tonight.
โRight here, right now / Under the stars / I promise You my heart / โCause it starts tonight,โ Toby sings on the chorus of the title track. โIf you gotta start somewhere why not here? If you gotta start sometime why not now?โ he asks on โCity on Our Knees.โ And โI wanna straighten this before the sun goes down tonight,โ he proclaims on โStart Somewhere.โ
โThereโs definitely a sense of urgency on this record,โ says co-producer Chris Stephens, who has worked on TobyMacโs last three CDs. โAnd itโs an album that speaks of unity, of coming together and finding common ground to worship God.โ
Toby has long had a passion for racial reconciliation and unity, a recurrent theme in his music. TONIGHT includes songs of reconciliation of another kindโbetween 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 โHold On,โ he sings, โIf you move just a little bit closer / You can put your head on my shoulder . . . / Wipe away those tears / This oneโs for you.โ And on โStart Somewhere,โ heโs downright confessional: โI said some things that I regret / And if I could, Iโd take โem back / But here I am, and there you are / The space between us is not so far / Iโm reaching out my hand in love.โ
โโHold Onโ is very personal,โ Toby says. โMany lines are there to encourage my wife, but I know those lines could encourage anybody in a relationship. As for โStart Somewhere,โ any time youโre in love with somebody, youโre going to bang heads from time to time. I donโt know how many times Iโve 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. Thatโs one of my favorite songs on the record; itโs a personal perspective on confrontation and reconciliation.โ
And then thereโs โWonderinโ,โ in which Toby reminisces about the past with Kevin Max and Michael Tait in dcTalk, one of Christian musicโs biggest acts in the 1990s. โWe was ridinโ in style, clockinโ them miles / With the songs that He put down deep in our hearts . . . / Iโm wonderinโ โbout the way I spend my days / Wonderinโ if itโs even worth the chase / Wonderinโ if theyโre stealinโ me from you.โ
โItโs just a warm look back at dc Talk,โ says Toby, almost wistfully. โItโs 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? Iโve got these dreams Iโm 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.โ
Sonically, TONIGHT is typical TobyMac in many waysโan eclectic mix of rap, rock, pop and funk, all laden with catchy hooks and melodies just itching for airplay and audience singalongs. Thereโs even a healthy dose of reggae on the album closer โBreak Open the Sky,โ where Toby flexes his Jamaican family ties while Israel Houghton provides guest vocals. Other visiting vocalists include Skilletโs John Cooper on โTonightโ and Relient Kโs Matthew Thiessen on โWonderinโ.โ
Of course most of the vocals belong to the artist himself. Stephens says Toby โhas stretched himself as a vocalist, he writes about things he is passionate about and his vocals reflect that urgency''. Toby agrees: โI do more singing on this record than ever before. Iโm learning to use my vocal instrument in different ways, and Iโm getting more comfortable with it everyday''.
It all adds up to a project that reflects one manโs desire to push himself beyond โvery good,โ to dig deep in the quest for that other country where greatness resides. He certainly reached for it. Hard.
โIโve worked very hard not to fall into the trap of making this just a gig,โ he says. โIf it is a labor, itโs a labor of love. I know music canโt 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
Mac Daddy
TobyMac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got the cash?
I'm, I'm close
That's what I thought
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
Them Apples don't grow on trees
I want a Macintosh laptop, packaging so posh
Fits like a glove in that tiny little white box
Pretty as a picture but it ain't all show
At 8 Ram deep I be running logic pro
To make my own beats dad
Keep me off the streets dad
An Xbox, would even take a backseat
So please give me a job so I can stack that paper
'Cause this is major
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
So I can make my own beats
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
Them Apples don't grow on trees
Yo, I'm saving for a laptop and looking for some work
Five bucks an hour and I'm willing to serve
Ain't no job too U-G, L to the Y
I'd do almost anything to make that Macbook fly
Yo I'll teach Judah to cross it over
Then play chess all day with Moses
I'll take Leo to the Franklin Fair
Dad, I'd even braid Marlee's hair
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a MacSo I can make my own beats
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
Them Apples don't grow on trees
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
So I can make my own beats
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
Servin' up them Jesus Freaks
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
So I can make my own beats
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
Them Apples don't grow on trees
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
So I can make my own beats
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
Servin' up them Jesus Freaks
So you really wanna earn a Mac this summer?
Yes, sir
Music for the people
Yeah, man, we got that soul sauce
Soul sauce?
In "Mac Daddy," TobyMac raps about his desire for a Macintosh laptop, which he needs to create his own beats. The song starts with TobyMac asking his father for a Mac laptop, which he needs to make his music while staying off the streets. TobyMac praises Mac laptops for their RAM capacity and notes how they are popular for music production. He acknowledges the cost of the laptop and says he is willing to work to save up for one. TobyMac states his willingness to do almost anything to buy a Mac laptop - even teaching others to play basketball or braiding hair. Throughout the lyrics, TobyMac pays homage to the unique features of a Mac laptop, comparing it to other products that may be taken for granted.
The song's chorus emphasizes TobyMac's desire to possess a Mac and how Apple's product is not easily accessible. By sayingโ them apples donโt grow on trees,โ TobyMac states that Mac laptops don't come cheap and that he will have to earn one. In the second verse, TobyMac expresses confidence in his ability to save up for the much-needed laptop and make music that will reach his audience. The final chorus reflects TobyMac's belief that his love for Jesus Christ and desire to make music through the Mac laptop will uplift souls.
Line by Line Meaning
I want a Mac, I want a Mac, daddy, I need a Mac
The singer desires a Macintosh laptop and asks for his father's help in acquiring it.
Them Apples donโt grow on trees
A playful saying that means obtaining a Mac isn't easy.
Fits like a glove in that tiny little white box
The Macintosh laptop arrives in the packaging that is perfect for it, which inspires admiration from the singer.
Pretty as a picture but it ainโt all show
The Mac is both aesthetically pleasing and functional.
At 8 Ram deep I be running logic pro
The artist has enough memory on his Mac to run the Logic Pro program, which is essential to their desired goal.
To make my own beats dad
The reason the singer wants a Mac is to produce their own music beats.
Keep me off the streets dad
The singer wants to be occupied with making music beats so that they don't waste time on the streets.
An Xbox, would even take a backseat
The artist is so focused on obtaining a Mac that even a coveted item like the Xbox would not distract him from that goal.
So please give me a job so I can stack that paper
The artist would like a job to earn money so that they can purchase a Mac.
โCause this is major
Purchasing a Mac is a significant event for the artist's music production career.
Yo Iโm saving for a laptop and looking for some work
The singer is looking for employment to help them save money to buy a laptop.
Ainโt no job too UG, L to the Y
The artist is willing to do any job, even if it's undesirable, to save money for their desired laptop.
Iโd do almost anything to make that Macbook fly
The singer is highly motivated to obtain a Mac and is willing to work extremely hard to purchase one.
Yo Iโll teach you to cross it over
The singer offers to teach others a basketball move as a way of working and earning money.
Then play chess all day with roses
The singer suggests that after working, he would like to pass the time by playing chess with friends or loved ones.
Iโll take ? to the Franklin Fair
The artist offers to take someone to the Franklin Fair event as a way to earn money.
Dad, Iโd even braid Marleyโs hair
The artist offers to style someone's hair, going as far as to name-drop Bob Marley, in order to earn extra income.
Servin' up them Jesus Freaks
The singer's beats will feature Christian content and are intended for those who are devoted to Jesus Christ.
So you really want a Mac son?
The father confirms with the singer that he indeed wants a Macintosh laptop.
Music for the people
The artist wants to create music for everyone to enjoy.
Yeah man we got that soul sauce
The artist has a creative style that they describe as 'soul sauce' which refers to their unique approach to producing music.
Lyrics ยฉ CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Jesse Frasure, Toby Mckeehan, Truett Mckeehan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidochoa774
Rest in peace, TruDog
@benjaminh.morgan3193
bro and I shared a birthday, six years apart. iโd been keeping up with TobyMac since Momentum, and I always loved seeing and hearing how TruDog grew from one album to the next. Absolutely heartbreaking when he passed.
@Hokua888
Thank you for the music and praise God in Jesus no matter the season.
@tracythomas631
๐ so looking forward to to meeting Tru and the whole family in Christโs Kingdom.
@hannah-i9d
PLEASE seek and crave approval and love from God ๐๐
And BELEIVE and understand the importance of Jesus dieing and shedding his blood on the CROSS for OUR sins for whoever believes in him shall not parish but have eternal life ๐
@Proplayatoyslaya
DUDE THIS SONG WAS ON MY BIRTHDAY THATS CRAZY LOVE U TOBY
@torinoconnor4296
Nice!!!
@nightfox-7773
This is my favorite Tobymac song :)
@jules-fe1oj
mine too
@jimmiefoxall2234
Mine three