The COVID-19 pandemic shut down touring and live shows for most of 2020, thus leaving many Christian artists with much time on their hands. But many of them, such as South Carolina's Grammy-nominated band NEEDTOBREATHE, let the creative juices flow into making new music.
During quarantine, NEEDTOBREATHE created—composed and recorded—their eighth studio album, Into the Mystery, which includes the standout, “I Wanna Remember,” featuring country superstar Carrie Underwood, and the successful title track. This is the second studio full-length album the band has released in less than a year (the band released Out of Body in 2020). Into the Mystery was one of my top 10 albums of 2021.
NEEDTOBREATHE hooked me fifteen years ago with their major-label debut, Daylight, which features the single "Shine On." My takeaway review comments were: "Great album. Even better group."
Since then, the band has improved musically with each album: garnering an opening slot for pop icon Taylor Swift, playing on late-night television, and collaborating with pop star Gavin DeGraw on one of their biggest hits to date, "Brother," from their 2014 offering, Rivers in the Wasteland. That album also earned a Grammy nomination for its hit song, "Multiplied."
What I take immense joy in discovering with each new NEEDTOBREATHE release is the incredible songwriting and musical excellence with nuggets of lyrical connection weaving their way throughout the tracks.
I had the opportunity to interview band member Josh Lovelace about NEEDTOBREATHE’s catchy song, “Carry Me,” which features vocals from Jon Foreman, the lead singer of the rock band Switchfoot.
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
“Carry Me” has two sides to how to interpret the song’s meaning. Some of the lyrics like, “I found a place where the past was forgiven,” means finding forgiveness from God. And in some ways, it can connect to asking for forgiveness from a friend.
The lyrics, “And so I piled up my excuses and defenses in the night/Then I lit a match, stepped back and watched them burn” can connect to letting go of yesterday and your mistakes and not letting your past define you.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Philippians 4:6-7(NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Exodus 14:14(NIV): "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Deuteronomy 31:6(NIV): "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Psalm 23:4(VOICE): "Even in the unending shadows of death's darkness, I am not overcome by fear. Because You are with me in those dark moments, near with Your protection and guidance, I am comforted."
Matthew 11:28-30(MSG): "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
What is the takeaway message?
The chorus “I need You to carry me” is about community and asking for help. There’s a parallel to our faith in God and needing help from Him and help from friends, in living life with each other and in being human.
The guys in our band and our crew are all trying to figure out life. None of us are perfect. We need each other, and we need to not let ourselves be isolated and alone—especially during this pandemic. We miss each other and we need help. One thing I love about our band is there’s not a notebook or manual about how to cultivate community.
We’ve been a band a long time, and something happened for us in the past three years. We got to the point where we realized that if we’re going to be in the band together, then we must enjoy it. We’ve also become friends. All of this has been helpful.
When you’re going through a hard time or making a mistake, know that you have someone who can carry you through it. They can remind you that you’re not defined by your mistakes. For us, we know that we’re like-minded and want to create great music. But we know it’s hard to live life. So, I’m thankful for my relationship with God and my bandmates.
Lyrics
I chased You into the light
Yeah I stayed there
To see myself pure
All the ashes
And scars they fail
They pale in
Comparison to Yours
There were footprints
The size of the universe
There were fortunes
That no one could earn
So I chased You farther still
And I hope that I never return
From the river's mouth
To the mountain peak
Through the great divide
And the valley deep
I need You to carry me
Carry me
Carry me, I'm on my way
But I'm in too deep
I need You to carry me
You were calling me
Into the deep
Into waters that
No map could find
You were calling me
Out beyond my fears
Where my darkness
Finds rest in Your light
I found a fortress
Where I could surrender
Where my shame
Didn't hide what I lacked
And so I chased You
Out farther still
Cause I know that
I ain't never coming back
From the river's mouth
To the mountain peak
Through the great divide
And the valley deep
I need You to carry me
Carry me
Carry me, I'm on my way
But I'm in too deep
I need You to carry me
I found a place where
The past was forgiven
Where my mistakes met
A grace I couldn't earn
And so I piled up my excuses
And defenses in the night
Then I lit a match
Strapped back and
Watched them burn
From the river's mouth
To the mountain peak
Through the great divide
And the valley deep
I need You to carry me
Carry me
Carry me, I'm on my way
But I'm in too deep
I need You to carry me
I need You to carry me
From the day I was born
To the end of these seas
I need You to carry me
Closing Thoughts
“Carry Me” is about submitting to God your worries, anxieties, and stress. It’s about letting God be your guide. God wants to walk beside you, and He wants you to be bold and unafraid.
NEEDTOBREATHE makes songs that remind us to get to that place where we are in humble submission to God. They remind us to not play it safe but to take a chance and ask for God to be real in our lives. You'll never see true beauty if you don't submit to God.
Our thoughts are constantly under attack by the enemy. This song is a great way to submit and commit ourselves to God. His Word, the Bible, assures us to trust in what He says about us—no matter how we feel about ourselves. God knows us intimately, and because of what Jesus did on the cross, He sees us as holy, righteous, redeemed, chosen, known, and forgiven—no matter what you've done.
Finding God in moments of weakness and relying on Him completely for strength is what this song is all about. God tells us to not live with fear, shame, or regret because we’ll find mercy and grace in His presence. Jesus, our high priest, will help us in our time of need. What an amazing truth that we can approach God with confidence, and He’ll overcome our fears.
To me, this song can be a prayer of surrender to God. We raise our hands to celebrate and surrender. But we can also lift our hands in confidence to Him and know that His mercy is unfailing, His love is never-ending, and He’s our refuge and our strength. God does not desire to bring affliction upon people, but to restore us so that we may experience His unfailing love.
I know that many of us struggle with the idea that our past and present mistakes are unforgivable, yet the Bible tells us that isn’t true. In Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG), Jesus tells us: “Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest.” What an amazing comfort to know that when we struggle with our pain, pride, and unloving natures, we can all lay it at the feet of Jesus.
Allow God and His Holy Spirit to change you to be more like Jesus, and move closer to His glory, singing to God this great song with all our hearts: “I found a place where the past was forgiven/Where my mistakes met a grace I couldn't earn/And so I piled up my excuses and defenses in the night/Then I lit a match, stepped back and watched them burn.” Amen to that.
NRT Lead Contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime fan of Christian music, an avid music collector and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
NEW!BEHIND THE SONG
#1236 - Brandon Heath
Transforming wounds into stories of redemption in this powerful song
ADVERTISEMENT
NEW!NRT EDITORIAL
Skillet
We explores some of the band's best songs outside their hits
NEW!NRT LISTS
Jordan Merritt
A real conversation around the artist's new track, "Human"
NEW!HEARTSPEAK
Jordan Feliz
The artist's must-listen-to songs about faith, family, and redemption
NEW!AN NRT EXCLUSIVE
Rock Meets Worship
Seven gritty cover songs of popular worship music and hymns
