While leading worship at a Christian youth camp, the father of one of the children videotaped Watson's performance and sent it to a Nashville industry rep. His debut LP, Workin' in the Final Hour, followed in 1980. A series of albums like 1982's New Lives for Old, 1984's Man in the Middle and 1985's Giants in the Land followed before his breakthrough record, the Grammy-nominated Watercolor Ponies, appeared in 1987.
Watson also notched well over a dozen Dove Award nominations, and launched a number of CCM chart-toppers including "The Class of '95," "Be in Her Eyes," "A Beautiful Place." "Walk in the Dark," "More of You," "It's Time," "Home Free" and "Almighty."
In 1995 he signed to Warner/Alliance to issue Field of Souls; The Way Home followed three years later. Appropriately, his song "For Such a Time as This" was used as the theme for the 1999 season premiere of CBS's popular series Touched by an Angel, reflecting Watson's own growing popularity in the secular music arena. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
The Fine Line
Wayne Watson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Between contentment and greed
Between the things that I want
And the things that I need
Between "enough is enough"
And where desires feed
It's a fine line
Here with the spoil of the blessed
And not abandon this boat
For the sea of excess
To aspire to great things
Yet be filled with humbleness
It's a fine line--Oh yes, it's a fine line
[Chorus]
So where do I walk, Where is my place
The straight and the narrow
The road of grace
Holdin' fast to You, Walkin' at Your pace
Walkin' on the fine line
Walkin' on the fine line
Walkin' on the fine line
There's a fine line
Between taking bread with a lost man
And being consumed by his way
While reaching out in love
Temptation's right at your door
Guard what you're thinkin' of
It's a fine line
When I hide my eyes
From the darkest of our life's insanity
From the worst of the world's profanity
I've gotta be careful
I don't miss anyone in need of me
It's a fine line--Oh yes, it's a fine line
And can I embrace the world's sorrow
And not be carried away by life's rain
Know the power of the resurrection
And still know the fellowship of His pain
Not talkin' 'bout walkin' fences
Not talkin' 'bout compromise
But living and breathing as pleasing in His eyes
If I've said it once, I've said it a million, no a billion times,
"There's a fine line between so and so."
The black and white
Doesn't give so much trouble. At least when I choose black or
White, I KNOW I'VE DONE IT! The faith, on-the-edge walk,
Requires a surer foot that I have...it requires leading.
The lyrics of Wayne Watson's "The Fine Line" explore the delicate balance between contentment and greed, wanting and needing, and between aspiration and humbleness. The song highlights the conflict that arises in human beings as they navigate life and try to be faithful and content with what they have without losing sight of their goals and aspirations. The song's choruses ask poignant questions about where one's place is and how to walk the fine line, holding fast to one's faith and walking at a steady and consistent pace.
Throughout the verses, Watson depicts the struggles that people face as they try to balance compassion and self-preservation, dark and light, and living humbly and serving others while keeping their own needs in check. The song's fine line is a metaphor for the balancing act that everyone must navigate to thrive and be whole.
Overall, Watson's song is a plea for guidance and wisdom in a complex and often-confusing world. The song encourages listeners to be mindful of their choices, embrace the world's sorrow, aspire to great things without losing sight of what truly matters, and always, always pursue the straight and narrow path.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a fine line
Living a life of faith requires walking a path with a narrow margin of error
Between contentment and greed
The balance between being satisfied with what one has and constantly wanting more
Between the things that I want
Desires that are not necessarily needs
And the things that I need
Necessities that must be fulfilled
Between "enough is enough"
Acknowledging when one's desires have been satisfied
And where desires feed
The point where wanting more becomes insatiable
It's a fine line
The path of faith is delicate and requires constant vigilance
How do I live with so much
With blessings come responsibility and a need for balance
Here with the spoil of the blessed
Living in abundance with blessings bestowed by God
And not abandon this boat
Staying steadfast in faith and not succumbing to temptation
For the sea of excess
The dangers of indulgence and losing sight of what's important
To aspire to great things
A desire for excellence and achievement
Yet be filled with humbleness
Maintaining a spirit of humility despite success
So where do I walk, Where is my place
Questioning where one's path should lead and what role to play in society
The straight and the narrow
The path of faith that requires discipline and obedience
The road of grace
The journey to be in alignment with God's will
Holdin' fast to You, Walkin' at Your pace
Relying on God for guidance and strength
Between taking bread with a lost man
Reaching out to those in need without adopting their harmful practices
And being consumed by his way
Maintaining one's values and beliefs when interacting with those with different viewpoints
While reaching out in love
Showing kindness and compassion to those in need
Temptation's right at your door
There are always opportunities to stray from the path of faith
Guard what you're thinkin' of
Being mindful of one's thoughts and intentions
When I hide my eyes
When one looks away from the world's problems
From the darkest of our life's insanity
The most troubling and difficult aspects of life
From the worst of the world's profanity
The most heinous and unacceptable actions of humanity
I've gotta be careful
Being aware of one's actions and how they impact others
I don't miss anyone in need of me
Ensuring that one doesn't overlook those who require assistance
And can I embrace the world's sorrow
Being able to empathize with others' pain and suffering
And not be carried away by life's rain
Avoiding becoming overwhelmed by life's challenges
Know the power of the resurrection
Believing in the transformative power of faith
And still know the fellowship of His pain
Staying connected to God's suffering, even while experiencing joy
Not talkin' 'bout walkin' fences
Not compromising one's values to appease others
But living and breathing as pleasing in His eyes
Living in such a way that aligns with God's will and earns his favor
"There's a fine line between so and so."
An acknowledgement that many aspects of faith require balancing opposing forces
The black and white
Situations that are clearly good or evil
Doesn't give so much trouble.
These situations are easier to navigate than situations with more nuance
At least when I choose black or White, I KNOW I'VE DONE IT!
Making clear choices is satisfying and provides a sense of accomplishment
The faith, on-the-edge walk,
Living a life of faith is more complex and requires more thought and effort
Requires a surer foot that I have...
Living a life of faith is challenging and requires constant vigilance and discipline
It requires leading.
In order to navigate the complexities of faith, one must lean on God for guidance and strength
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WAYNE WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind