About the Song: The Style
I have been wanting to review this song for months, but it is set on a cold November day, so I had to wait.
“Without You” is a beautiful song that was released in 2011 on Ashes Remain’s album What I’ve Become.
It starts out with piano, strings, and melodic vocals set in a tone that is beautiful, solemn, and hopeful all at the same time, building gradually.
Gentle drums don’t come in until the second chorus – preceding that, in the second verse, the strings themselves take on a percussive quality.
This leads into the powerful bridge and final chorus complete with full drums, guitars, and bold vocals that make you want to sing passionately along.
Finally, the song ends the way it started, quiet and beautiful.
The Message
I once saw a comment online about this song stating that it was about the singer’s brother. Considering the fact that the chorus starts with the words “Hold me now, I need to feel you” – well, I seriously doubted that the commenter was correct.
While researching for a different Ashes Remain song I reviewed previously, I discovered that his brother actually was connected to the song, but not the way I had thought the commenter meant – the lead singer’s brother had previously died in a car accident, and the song is apparently a heart cry to God born out of the emotions of that situation.
According to Chron.com, “[t]he song’s vocals were recorded on what would have been his brother’s birthday” (Matthews, 2012), making the message of the song even more powerful.
In the first verse, the speaker is in a place of brokenness, waiting for God. He cries out in the chorus for God to hold Him and asks for His help, knowing that his own life is empty and useless without God.
In the second verse, he declares that even in the face of loss and darkness, he is still waiting for and crying out to God, and in the bridge he declares his full surrender to Him.
Knowing the background of the song causes the true meaning of the lyrics to shine through, and you can feel their raw emotion.
I would love to cover this song someday. It gets 5 stars.
Life Application
Grief is unfortunately a sad reality in this fallen world, and only God can truly bring us the comfort we need and seek.
In the face of loss, it is critical to know that God is not the destroyer – satan is (John 10:10). The Holy Spirit is our Comforter (John 14:16), and we can share the comfort He gives us with others as well (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).
The Bible tells us of several people who chose to trust in and worship God even in devastating circumstances:
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Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:17–18)
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Job (Job 1:13–20)
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David (2 Samuel 12:19–20)
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Paul and Silas (Acts 16:16–26)
Job was eventually restored (Job 42:10), and Paul and Silas were supernaturally delivered (Acts 16:26).
No matter what happens, we must always remember that God loves us and wants to hold us and comfort us when we go through difficult times.
Let Him hold you today.
Prayer Focus
Ashes Remain’s Members:
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Josh Smith
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Ryan Nalepa
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Ben Kirk
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Rob Tahan
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Jon Hively
Please pray for these band members and their families as God leads you.
(I also have a basic guideline here if you wish to refer to it.)
Station Support
In addition to praying for the weekly Prayer Focus, please pray for God to guide me and give me wisdom as I make decisions for the radio station and for the website. I really appreciate your prayer support!
If you feel that the Lord is leading you to support Rocking for Jesus financially as well, you can do so by clicking here or by clicking on the “Give” tab in the website menu.
Contact
What do you think of the song “Without You”? Have you experienced God’s comfort and strength during a time of pain or difficulty? Let me know!
Links
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Listen to “Without You” here: YouTube Music
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Lyrics: JesusFreakHideout.com
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Ashes Remain’s Website: https://www.ashesremain.com/
Downloads and/or physical copies may also be available worldwide from your favorite online music store, at your local bookstore or thrift shop, or through your favorite online marketplace.
Closing Note
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Signing off until next week –
Rocking for Jesus with you!
Amanda Renée
References
- Matthews, K. (2012, January 12). Music: Ashes remain journeys from loss to Hope. Chron. https://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Music-Ashes-Remain-journeys-from-loss-to-hope-2494755.php (Retrieved November 15, 2023)