For My Sunday Song #170, we are choosing the song “Brother” by Needtobreathe as the final song in the 10 song Needtobreathe series. This song is the one with Gavin DeGraw as guest vocalist and not the version on the album “Rivers in the Wasteland”. Although I liked that version, I think having the duet added a lot to the song since it felt more like it matched the meaning of the song. The song only reached #98 on the Billboard charts, but the Christian charts had it reaching #1.
The song came about due to the issues between two brothers. Those brothers were Bear and Bo Rinehart. Their friendly competition turned in to more of a blame game as times got difficult for the band as they struggled during the work on the album ‘Rivers in the Wasteland’. They finally worked things out once they actually talked to each other confessed their own personal faults. Once that was done, they realized how important it was to have a brother working with you and beside you rather than compete with you. They turned that in to a beautiful song.
The song has a church feel and some choir-like backing vocals to help add to that effect. Having Bear and Gavin do it as a duet it gave the song that back & forth that it needed to give it the effect of two brothers going at it and making amends to each other. It gave the song more dimension and heart. Their voices worked so well together and their tones blended nicely and gave the song the emotion it needed.
Having 4 brothers myself, I really got in to the song and every time I hear the song, I think about them. Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you have a Happy Sunday!
“Brother”
We get a little restless from the searching
Get a little worn down in between
Like a bull chasing the matador is the man left to his own schemes
Everybody needs someone beside em’ shining like a lighthouse from the seaBrother, let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother, let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home
Face down in the desert now there’s a cage locked around my heart
I found a way to drop the keys where my failures were
Now my hands can’t reach that far
I ain’t made for a rivalry I could never take the world alone
I know that in my weakness I am strong, but
It’s your love that brings me home
Brother, let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother, let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home
And when you call and need me near
Sayin’ where’d you go?
Brother, I’m right here
And on those days when the sky begins to fall
You’re the blood of my blood
We can get through it all
Brother, let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re feelin’ low
Brother, let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home
Brother, let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low
Brother, let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home
More brotherly squabbling in a band! Go figure. But brothers or not brothers if a band is struggling creatively or financially things can go from bad to worse but it’s good to see these guys work it out.
Great job with the series John. I look forward to your next series!
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Thanks. I hope they continue to work it out. I would hate it if they called it quits. And I think you like the next band.
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Nice work on the Needtobreathe series, John – I can’t believe it’s been 10 weeks, apparently time is flying!
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Yes, it does fly. I am already 2-3 weeks in for the next artist and so I am making it fly even faster.
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Great series. Can’t believe 10 already.
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Thanks. It went by quickly. On to the next 10.
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