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Religion Tennessee

Unheard Nashville, Tennessee Music

Breathe Again by Swingin Hammers

Nashville Tennessee’s Swingin Hammers is Benjamin Rupe, father, husband, and a shockingly authentic human being. Ben describes himself as a fighter by nature and his mission is to “challenge unto life.” What does that mean!? I’m sure we can find out. Swingin Hammers currently sits at 6,473 monthly Spotify listeners making him a prime candidate for our artists spotlight.

Swingin Hammers released his self titled album in 2017 and Quite, Vol 1 in 2020. The song that really got my attention was Breathe Again from the Album Swingin Hammers. It is a raw, heartfelt ballad expressing deep, emotional truths. The song is simple, but stunning. It can have me nearly in tears and smiling in the same 4 minutes. There is so much I can say about it, but Benjamin was kind enough to tell me about the song and I will share that with you after you give the song a listen. Lyrics, Meaning, & Commentary below.

LYRICS (Courtesy of jesusfreakhideout.com)

Stepping out into the light
Look around you say it’s alright
It hurts to peel the bandage off
But I see now just what it costs

It’s like I can breathe again
It’s like I’ve got a heart within
It’s like I can feel again
Just learning to breathe you in

When I was clear, oh so honest
About the doubts and confusions in my mind
You did not, no, cast me down to hell
You just looked at me and you kindly smiled

It’s like I can breathe again
It’s like I’ve got a heart within
It’s like I can feel again
Just learning to breathe you in

Oh cause I been runnin’
Away from confession
I been lookin’ for healing
Where it’s not mine to find
Without the pain of a strong love
That loves enough to wound

It’s like I can breathe again
It’s like I’ve got a heart within
It’s like I can feel again
Just learning to breathe you in

It’s like I can breathe again
It’s like I’ve got a heart within
It’s like I can feel again
Gotta learn to, gotta learn to breathe you in

Meaning (according the author)

“Breathe Again is a song about how excruciatingly painful and how unbelievably freeing confession is. It was written with my porn addiction in mind mostly, but also my previous life in alcoholism as well. At least those are the two most tangible ones that I think of. I remember having to confess that sin of porn over and over again and how every single time it felt like a bandage that just needed [to be] ripped off. It was exhausting and TERRIFYING every time, but it would free me of my sin. All of that’s based off of 1 John 1:7-8. Here: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. All that to say, Jesus is incredibly kind to us.”

Commentary

When the Church is done right it is a breathtakingly beautiful institution. I remember my first taste of confession. I remember being afraid to say what I was going through. I remember being scared of being kicked out of the group. And then I remember my friends responding with a smile and some of the most powerful words in the world, “Me too.”

You did not, no, cast me down to hell
You just looked at me and you kindly smiled

Wow. What a moment. To know that I wasn’t alone in my brokenness meant so much to me. Overtime I have become fully known and fully loved. Being fully known means my church group knows my past and they know my thought life, past and current. They have heard the darkest, most vile thoughts of mine and have welcomed me into their home. It’s crazy. It’s wonderful. It is powerful.

Benjamin says Swingin Hammer’s mission is to ‘challenge unto life.’ I think this means he wants encourage people to not live a life of mediocrity. The life he is imploring us to is one of authenticity and meaning where we can be fully known and fully loved, then fully know and fully love others.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” ~ Jesus in John 10:10

If you want to hear Benjamin’s additional commentary on the song you can find it below.

You can find Swingin Hammers on their website or follow them on Facebook, Youtube, or Spotify. You can get a free copy of Swingin Hammers most recent album here. You can buy the self titled album, Swingin Hammers on iTunes or Amazon.

As always feel free to share the music, the website, or maybe even both with your fellow music lovers.

Categories
California Female Lead

Doing Better Than My Best

Wasted by Chelsea Williams

Chelsea Williams grabbed my attention in college when my girlfriend at the time introduced me to I Stole Your Boots, a song that quickly found its way into my iTunes cart and recently played playlist. In search for my next post I thought about that song from many years ago and was very pleased to find the Chelsea William had released a new album just last month. Chelsea Williams is by far the most acclaimed artist we have featured and currently sits at 5,523 monthly listeners on Spotify making her a great candidate for our Artist Spotlight.

After listening through her new album, Beautiful and Strange, I found myself really enjoying her upbeat, pop country sound. Her vocals are well done, the lyrics are interesting, and the unusual instruments sprinkled throughout the record give the music a fun flair. She describers her music as, “Americana with a bit of modern pop, topped off by a healthy dose of reckless abandon…” Agreed.

Red Flag, Skin and Bones, & Beautiful and Strange are all good song from her new Album, but I present to you Wasted. Lyrics and Commentary Below. Enjoy

Lyrics

Stepped on one too many cracks
Did I break your back
I don’t want to tell the truth anymore
Tired of pinning down the facts
You can paint them black
And I’m feeling kind of cruel keeping score

AhhhHHHhhh x4

Change my name and my address
Can’t get further west
Still there’s something tugging at my sleeve
Doing better than my best
To outrun this mess
But somedays you just got to scream

AhhhHHHhhh x4

Well I don’t want to be a fool for you hunny
But right now you’ve got me wasted
I don’t want to be a fool for a you hunny
But right now you’ve got me wasted

Writing letters, writing hits
But nothing fits
You got one foot hanging out the door
So role the credits call it quits
We’re on the fritz
I can’t keep waking up on the floor

AhhhHHHhhh x4

Well I don’t want to be a fool for you hunny
But right now you’ve got me wasted
I don’t want to be a fool for a you hunny
But right now you’ve got me wasted

AhhhHHHhhh
right now you’ve got me wasted
AhhhHHHhhh
right now you’ve got me wasted

Commentary

Lucky for us Chelsea Williams shared her thought on this song via her website, so we do not have to guess at the meaning. The song Wasted is “about a destructive relationship that needs to have its plug pulled…”

Despite the subject matter the song has a cheery disposition and is even quirky at some moments. This is a reflection of what Chelsea Williams sees when she looks at the chaos in the world. “The overarching theme of Beautiful and Strange is that regardless of all the lies flying around and clashes in ideology, I still think that there is an exquisite charm and beauty to all of the chaos,” explains Chelsea Williams.

One of my favorite things about this song are the rhymes. I know I’m an old soul, but it feels like current music has gotten away from this and it’s nice to hear a song lean so heavily on rhyming. I also really love, what I can only guess is, the tuba. The song is already fairly fun, but the Tuba gives it a little quirk. I like quirk.

Let’s follow Chelsea’s lead and introduce a little more whimsy into our lives. Take a break from the news, dive into some new music, and enjoy a love song like I stole Your Boots by Chelsea Williams.

Connect With Chelsea Williams of Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube

Please share her with friends and family, and if you’re feeling extra generous please share theunheard.org as well.

Sources
http://www.chelseawilliams.com/about/