Jonny Lang, Turn Around, Track by Track
Intro/Outro
"The music for these tracks is actually taken from the bridge of the last full song, 'It's Not Over,' because that title is really the theme of this record: it's not over. And that church/gospel organ vibe that Shannon got sums up where this album is coming from."
Bump in the Road
"A lot of seemingly impossible things have happened in my life over the past couple of years. More than once I've had to ask myself, how in the world am I going to get out of this? And then I did. In hindsight, I have to wonder why I worried about this so much. Going through difficulties can build your character and help you understand that you don't have to waste your time over what other people think. Your desire to accomplish your goals can be far more powerful than anything that opposes you."
One Person at a Time
"This song isn't just for me. It goes out to people in my world too when it says, look, I know that your station has to pay the bills, but why aren't you guys playing more music that can really help people? I make the lyrics more personal than that, for the sake of continuity, but there it is."
The Other Side of the Fence
"The message here is simple: If you're chasing after somebody else's pot of gold, you're going to be miserable. Figure out what your own pot of gold is and then chase after that."
Turn Around
"Drew Ramsey and Aaron Pearce began writing this music, and when Drew brought it to me I found it really inspiring. He had this idea of turnaround, and I tried to write some lyrics for that theme. I came up with a true story about a friend of mine who's in prison for life, without possibility of parole, even though he was wrongfully accused and convicted. So he got the short end of the stick, even though he's a really good guy, but he's dealing with it. He's figured out that there are some things in his life that he can turn around, so to speak, and he's welcomed this as a challenge. It never is too late to turn around."
My Love Remains
"This is a song based on music that Stephen Curtis Chapman began and we took it together from there. I sing from the point of view of the Lord to remind the listener that even in those times when you feel like God is a million miles away, He's actually right there for you."
Thankful
"Michael McDonald and I met several years ago through a mutual friend, Tommy Simms, the renowned producer, songwriter, and musician. Michael is one of the most remarkable vocalists ever, and he's so unpretentious. I think he actually works on his farm because he came into the studio for this in his work clothes, killed it, and left after just twenty minutes. It's an honor to have him on here."
Only a Man
"I wrote this in just fifteen minutes, after a full day of writing with Drew and Shannon. I went back home, half asleep, messed around on guitar, and 'Only a Man' just came out. Again, I'm expressing my gratitude, with my wife singing this time as the voice of God. And Sara Watkins, from Nickel Creek, was the first person to come to mind when we decided we wanted a fiddle player. We cut her in L.A. because she just happened to be in town. What an incredible talent and a pleasure to work with!"
Don't Stop for Anything
"The inspiration for this song was someone that Drew had known a while back, who had a lot of promise but squandered it all on drugs. To me, this is a 'prodigal son' story, but it's been true in my life, knowing the truth about God and then leaving that to fulfill my own desires but then eventually coming back. It's street metaphor: 'living in the back of this car.'"
Anything's Possible
"Very few people are going to encourage you to fulfill your dreams. It's like, if you say, 'I want to go to the moon,' they'll answer, 'Well, okay, but it's never going to happen.' Reality, though, is often what you make of it. And when you do have people who encourage you, they're a treasure, which is why I pay tribute to my parents here-'family help, all the way.' They're the reason I'm doing what I do."
The Last Goodbye
"I was just playing piano one day, on one of our lunch breaks, when I came up with the changes for this song. I showed them to Drew, and he said, 'Let's work on it.' So we polished it up, finished the lyric, and recorded it. It all went really quickly. Sometimes, when these kinds of ideas come, it's best to open the door and get out of their way."
On My Feet Again
"This is another song with a strong gospel feel. It's about praying. One of the most important things I've learned is that prayer does more than anything I could do. The greatest thing I can do for any situation is to pray about it, so 'getting on my knees puts me back on my feet again.'"
That Great Day
"When I wrote this song and 'Only a Man,' I was listening to older, Southern gospel music, so that country feel snuck its way in here. I wanted to make it feel like everybody is down by the river at church one Sunday, rejoicing in their new lives. I hope that this puts the listener there at that river, too."
It's Not Over
"I just wanted to convey again that message of hope from God and to share what's happened to me. I've been in situations as dire as the ones mentioned in this song, and He totally rescued me from them. I think Shannon came up with the initial music. It was very rough when we brought it to the studio, but the band was so great that they lit it on fire. And the singers were ridiculously good. I think that Drew and Shannon had been secretly recruiting the world's most insane singers over these past five years, just to bring them into the studio for this track. There were eight or ten of them, but they sound like a hundred."
Click here for Suite's review of "Turn Around," and check out our recent concert review too. And don't foget Jonny Lang's website. But pick up "Turn Around" at your first opportunity, one of the year's hottest entries.
