NEEDTOBREATHE – Who Am I

Breathe in, breathe out.

Rock and pop band NEEDTOBREATHE started in 1998.  They released several works, including four independent (one album and three EP’s), Seven studio albums (with one on the way), three live albums, and twelve studio EP’s.

As of this writing, NEEDTOBREATHE received thirteen GMA Dove awards.

Also, check out my reviews of Hard Love, Able, Testify, and Multiplied.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Needtobreathe-who-am-i-lyrics.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

NEEDTOBREATHE cannot come to terms with “You”‘s kindness.  Do they deserve it?  No.  Are they worthy?  No.  They’ve done so much evil that they feel unlovable.  Yet, “You” chose to love them anyway.  NEEDTOBREATHE doesn’t understand why.

Who is “you”?  It doesn’t say.  There are no acts, attributes, or explicit names that point to God.  “You” could easily be a lover, spouse, or personal, loving deity outside Christianity.

Score: 4/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

After deducting two points for being unclear, this song is completely Biblical.

[Intro]

Line 1: A call to Casper the friendly ghost.

Line 2: Repeats line 1.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-3: I’m not entirely sure about lines 1 and 2, but like 3 is not a dismissal of other people’s love.  It is a proclamation of struggle, that NEEDTOBREATHE finds love difficult to accept.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: This struggle shows up in NEEDTOBREATHE’s actions.  Who can love a sinner like them?

Line 3: Essentially repeats Verse 1, line 3.

[Pre-Chorus]

Lines 1-4: NEEDTOBREATHE hints at the cross, that amid their waffling and error, Jesus died for them (Romans 5:6-8).  It also touches on God’s relentless pursuit (Psalm 139:7-12) and that He changes them for the better (1 Samuel 10:9, Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 24:7, Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 2:29, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and 2 Corinthians 7:10).

[Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: More statements to support my conclusion on Verse 1.  God knows what kind of people NEEDTOBREATHE are: deceitful and separately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).  Yet, God still loves them.

Lines 3-7: Repeats lines 1 and 2.

[Verse 3]

Lines 1 and 2: NEEDTOBREATHE experienced a spiritual attack, where they were reminded of their past.  This further propagates self-doubt.

Line 3: Essentially repeats Verse 1, line 3.

[Bridge]

Lines 1 and 2: See commentary on Chorus, lines 1 and 2.

Line 3: NEEDTOBREATHE is correct.  They haven’t earned it.  Nobody has.  That’s the point (Genesis 15:6, Exodus 33:19, Psalm 32:1-2, Romans 3:21-24, Romans 4:3-8, Romans 5:1-2, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 5:15-21, Romans 6:14, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 9:14-16, Romans 11:5-6, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:6, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:4-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Titus 2:11, 1 Timothy 1:15-16, and James 2:23).

Line 4: NEEDTOBREATHE struggles with God’s love sourced within Himself (1 John 4:8).

[Outro]

Lines 1-9: Essentially repeats Chorus, lines 1-9.

Score: 8/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Most likely, a human lover whose love transcends NEEDTOBREATHE’s mistakes.

Score: 3/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God that, should we assume He is “You”, that His love is stronger than NEEDTOBREATHE’s self-doubt.  However, it doesn’t glorify God when NEEDTOBREATHE is unclear that this song is about God.

Score: 5/10

Closing Comments

NEEDTOBREATHE’s Who Am I is vague.  It follows a troubling trend, where “You” could be God, a deity, or a human being.  While I appreciate that, should we assume God, this song is about God overcoming NEEDTOBREATHE’s inadequacies, its haze doesn’t do favors for unbelievers.

I cannot recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 5.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Who Am I (listen to the song)

Artist: NEEDTOBREATHE

Album: Out of Body

Genre:  Pop

Release Year: 2020

Duration: 3:28

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