Mercy's Shore

Album: Out Of Body (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Needtobreathe frontman Bear Rinehart is tired and weary as he battles the difficulties life throws at us all. Wounded, broken and feeling lost, he cries out and is washed up on mercy's shore.

    I see the light but never find the surface
    I don't know if I can swim no more
    White knuckles and wild horses
    One day we'll wash up on mercy's shore


    Rinehart explained to American Songwriter: "The idea of the mercy shore is about giving way to a power that is much stronger and important than us. Despite our struggles, we're all eventually faced with the same understanding that we can't do it alone."
  • Rinehart penned this song with his guitarist friend Tyler Burkum, who was a member of Christian rock band Audio Adrenaline between 1997 and 2007. They write of a kid asleep in a car as a metaphor for how we all need somebody.

    We're a child in the car asleep
    In the driveway at night
    Our mother's gonna slowly sneak
    Our body inside
    We can rest in the arms of trust


    Rinehart explained to Apple Music that he wants to recapture that trust and vulnerability he had as a sleeping child. "When a kid is asleep in their car when they get home, how a parent or loved one takes them inside, there's a complete trust, and they don't wake up," he said. "Everybody either has kids or at least remembers being a kid when that happened and how sweet that was. The song is about the realization that we all need somebody. It's awesome that kids have that innately, and it takes us a lifetime to figure it out."
  • The video features Nashville Ballet's Truman Lemire portraying the song's message of reaching out for help when you find you're at the ends of yourself. Lemire's performance is mixed with clips of the band playing the track. The Out Of Body album cover also features the ballet dancer.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Janis Ian

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song TitlesMusic Quiz

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Chris Squire of Yes

Chris Squire of YesSongwriter Interviews

One of the most dynamic bass player/songwriters of his time, Chris is the only member of Yes who has been with the band since they formed in 1968.