Is Lauren Daigle’s Song, “You Say” A Christian Song?September 12, 2020Guest Contributor
Lauren Daigle’s song, “You Say”, has now been number one on the Christian billboard for the past 100 plus weeks, almost two years. No song has ever done this on the Christian billboard.
You can read about the song in this article here: https://www.christianpost.com/news/lauren-daigles-you-say-becomes-first-to-run-100-weeks-at-no-1-on-billboard-hot-songs-chart.html
By definition, a Christian song is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world.
As the number one Christian song in America for the past almost two years, it never mentions Jesus.
So, how do we know if “You Say” is a Christian song?
As a Christian and pastor who listens to Christian music, I wanted to write an article to unpack the song and talk about the lyrics. I used to do this when I was a student pastor in Texas many years ago.
Back then, I would use popular secular songs that my students were listening to, in order to help them unpack the meaning of the song and how it impacted their world view and their view of God and the Bible.
I would like to do the same with Lauren’s song, “You Say”.
I realize, like I did many years ago with my students, that most people do not actually pay attention to the lyrics or consider what the point or intention of the song is. We tend to listen more for how it sounds and how it makes us feel.
Before, we dive into the song, I think it is important to hear from the author and what she meant by the song, since she wrote it, she knows what she meant by it.
“This song for me was just a reminder of identity. It was a reminder that when I’m weak He is strong. So how do I change that and bring that into my everyday life? When I feel inadequate how is it that there’s always these moments where I feel like God just steps in and supersedes my inadequacies. This entire song was so that every single night I would get up on stage and remind myself that this is the truth. Don’t get buried in confusion, in the waywardness just remember to stay the course.” – Lauren Daigle
From Lauren’s analysis of her own song, she intends for the song to be directed toward God and it speaks to truth. I am assuming she means the truth of the Bible about God, i.e. Christ Jesus.
The song begins…
I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough
I think every human begin and every Christian can relate to these voices.
I know I do.
We all fight the voices. I think we all agree on this.
But how we fight them, might be different.
The next line tells us how Lauren suggests we fight them.
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Actually, it is not a lie that you will never measure up. It is actually true.
From God’s perspective, you and I can never measure up to His standard of what He is looking for in our lives. We see this in various Scriptures.
“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.” -Isaiah 53:6
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” -Romans 3:23 23
“As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.” -Romans 3:10
The Bible says we are not adequate for the righteous journey God expects from our lives.
” It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” -2 Corinthians 3:5
This is why Jesus came. He came to die so we don’t have to measure up. He did it for us. Look at what Paul says to the Corinthians.
“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” -2 Corinthians 5:21
The Bible tells us it isn’t a lie that we don’t measure up. Matter a fact, the Bible tells us we don’t have to measure up, because Jesus did that for us. My encouragement is that you stop fighting the voices and agree with them and tell the voices, your Savior doesn’t need you to measure up, HE already did that for us.
The song continues…
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know, ooh oh
As followers of Jesus Christ, we don’t need to be reminded of who we are. We are good at that already. We need to be reminded of who Jesus is and we need to be reminded what He has already done for us. That is what makes the difference in our lives. I can’t find anywhere in the Bible where someone prays and asks God to remind them of who they are.
As a matter of fact, it is just the opposite.
We remember who we are so we can focus on who Jesus is.
The Psalmist, who was a songwriter modeled this.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts![c] 24 And see if there be any grievous (sinful) way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting![d]” -Psalmist 139:23
We talk to God to search us, so that He can reveal to us, how we don’t reflect Him, so He can reflect to us who we can be in Him.
We give up leaning on ourselves and trust in who He is.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding (of yourself).6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” -Proverbs 3:5
Having God remind us who we are does not help us, if we do not then allow what He reveals to us to lead us to who He is and how we need Him.
Lauren then describes what God reveals to her.
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And You say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don’t belong, oh, You say I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh, I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
This section of the song is consistent to Scripture. These are very real experiences that we all have and need God to remind us who He has made us to be. We all have times we don’t feel loved when God certainly loves us. We all have times we feel weak when God makes us strong. We all have times we fall short and God draws us near to Himself. These are essential experiences of the Christian walk with Jesus. It is important that we believe who God says we are. When God tells us who we are, our response dictates our mindset and focus.
In Lauren’s song she then turns her attention to giving God the glory for what He has done in her life.
The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity, ooh oh
Taking all I have and now I’m layin’ it at Your feet
This is extremely consistent to Scripture.
“The twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they existed and were created.” -Revelation 4:10
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” -Hebrews 9:27
Lauren focuses on this in the closing lyrics of the song.
You’ll have every failure God, You’ll have every victory, ooh oh.
The song ends focused on God. It shows that He receives our every failure and our every victory.
This is a statement of God’s Sovereign power and grace over our lives. It is a foreshadowing that all of us will experience a judgment from God for our lives. He will have every failure. He will have every victory. It is all God’s. He is sovereign over everything and everyone.
The Apostle Paul makes this clear in Romans 9.
“What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[b] but on God, who has mercy.17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” -Romans 9:14
I wish the song mentioned Jesus and focused on how He changes us through who He is more than us remembering who we are, but at the end of the day, the song turns our attention to God and places the sovereign control of our lives and actions at His feet, His control, His final say and judgment of our lives.
I agree this is a Christian song, and I pray God uses it to love more and more people into a real relationship with Jesus Christ.
What we do for God matters, and in the end, it is all that matters.
Blessings,
Pastor Kelly
FAQs
Is Lauren Daigle’s Song, “You Say” A Christian Song? ›
"Rescue" is a song by American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Lauren Daigle. It is the third single from her third studio album, Look Up Child.
What style of music is you say? ›"Rescue" is a song by American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Lauren Daigle. It is the third single from her third studio album, Look Up Child.
Is Hold On To Me by Lauren Daigle a Christian song? ›"Hold On to Me" is a song performed by American contemporary Christian singer and songwriter Lauren Daigle.
Is the song You ll never walk alone a Christian song? ›The song “You'll Never Walk Alone” is a popular Christian song that has been recorded by many different artists over the years. The lyrics to the song are based on a poem by German writer, Bertolt Brecht. The lyrics to the song tell the story of a person who is going through a tough time and is feeling alone.
What musical form is the song? ›Strophic form is one of the most common musical forms. It's also referred to as song form or verse form. It's the most basic of all the forms because of its repetitiveness. , typically featuring an AAA structure.
What is the musical form of the song *? ›Music form definition is simply how the various parts of a song or piece are organized. A typical pop song, for example, has a very clear form: verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, chorus. In classical music, form can be a little bit more nuanced, but it can still be broken down in a very similar way.
What religion is songs of praise? ›Songs of Praise is a BBC Television religious programme that presents Christian hymns sung in churches of varying denominations from around the UK.
What is the closing song in worship? ›A benediction is typically a closing prayer, song, blessing, doxology, or decree at the closing of a church worship service.
Is the song my church a gospel song? ›In 2016, Home Free made another music video, and this time they went with one of the hottest country songs played on the radio over the past decade, “My Church.” The a cappella group took the song's gospel vibe one step further by giving it a real gospel twist.
Who sings the song I Believe in Jesus? ›
What song did Lauren Daigle sing on American Idol? ›Days/Thank God I Do" - American Idol Finale 2023.
Is Jesus He Knows Me a religious song? ›The song is a satire of televangelism, released in a period when several televangelists such as Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton and Jim Bakker were under investigation for promising financial success to their listeners, provided they sent money to them.
What is the Christmas song in Home Alone at the Church? ›The Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra at Temple Square performing "Somewhere in my Memory."
What Bible is Song of Songs in? ›Song of Solomon, also called Canticle of Canticles, or Song of Songs, an Old Testament book that belongs to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the Ketuvim, or “Writings.” In the Hebrew Bible the Song of Solomon stands with Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther and with them makes up the Megillot, ...
What is binary in music? ›In the context of musical form, the term “binary” refers to a formal type that has two main parts. These parts are often called reprises because each is typically repeated. Binary forms are common in 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century repertoire, and they were used heavily in dance music.
What are the 4 types of musical form? ›Four basic types of musical forms are distinguished in ethnomusicology: iterative, the same phrase repeated over and over; reverting, with the restatement of a phrase after a contrasting one; strophic, a larger melodic entity repeated over and over to different strophes (stanzas) of a poetic text; and progressive, in ...
What musical form is the Hallelujah chorus? ›The Hallelujah chorus is written in the key of D major and includes big instruments like trumpets and timpani. The form is through-composed (which basically just means it's random), but it does have a refrain – when the voices sing “hallelujah”.
What musical form is rap? ›Hip hop music, also known as rap music, is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid- 1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. It consists of two main components: rapping ( MCing) and DJing ( production and scratching).
What is it called when A musical is only songs? ›A sung-through (also through-sung) musical, musical film, opera, or other work of performance art is one in which songs entirely or almost entirely replace any spoken dialogue.
What does coda stand for in music? ›
For example, coda can refer to the end or the concluding section of a speech. In fact, the word “coda” can be used when talking about any kind of ending in general. However, in the context of music, a coda is a musical element at the end of a song or a composition that brings the whole piece to an end.
What is music that is about God and religion called? ›liturgical music, also called church music, music written for performance in a religious rite of worship. The term is most commonly associated with the Christian tradition.
Which religion says praise God? ›Praise the Lord is a Christian greeting phrase used in various parts of the world in English, as well as other languages. The salutation is derived from the Bible, where it and related phrases occurs around two hundred and fifty times (cf. Psalm 117:1–2).
What does God say about worship music? ›Ephesians 5:19 says, “singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” It is to him and about him that we sing! Singing has such a unique way of bringing your heart, soul, mind, and strength together to focus entirely and completely on God.
What is the first worship song in the Bible? ›"Song of Moses".
What is the oldest worship song? ›The Phos Hilaron and the Oxyrhynchus hymn constitute the earliest extant Christian Greek hymn texts reasonably certain to have been used in Christian worship, but are neither drawn from the Bible nor modeled on Biblical passages.
What is the difference between a hymn and a worship song? ›Hymns have been sung for over hundreds of years and combine music, melody, and harmony in such a way that it reinforces positivity. Praise songs, also called worship songs, are informal songs sung in churches in praise of God. Music is the main defining feature of praise songs instead of the lyrics or words.
What is a religious song sung mainly in churches? ›hymn, (from Greek hymnos, “song of praise”), strictly, a song used in Christian worship, usually sung by the congregation and characteristically having a metrical, strophic (stanzaic), nonbiblical text.
Where in the Bible does it talk about music in the church? ›Hymn singing was practiced by Jesus and his disciples (Matt. 26:30). The Apostle Paul instructed the Colossians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
What churches use gospel music? ›Traditional. Traditional Black gospel music is the most well-known form, often seen in Black churches, non-Black Pentecostal and evangelical churches, and in entertainment spaces across the country and world.
What prayer starts with I believe in God? ›
Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
"In Jesus Name (God Of Possible)" is a song by American contemporary Christian music singer Katy Nichole, released on January 26, 2022, as the lead single from her debut extended play, Katy Nichole (2022). Nichole co-wrote the song with Ethan Hulse, Jeff Pardo and David Spencer.
Who does Dolly Parton sing There Was Jesus with? ›"There Was Jesus" is a song written by Christian rock musician Zach Williams, Jonathan Smith, and country music songwriter Casey Beathard. A Williams duet with country legend Dolly Parton, it was released on October 3, 2019, as the second single from his album, Rescue Story.
Who is the biggest singer to come from American Idol? ›1. Carrie Underwood. Our favorite country sensation has come a long way since she first auditioned in 2004. After Underwood was crowned the winner in season four, she went on to release nine successful studio albums, earning her eight Grammy Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards and 17 American Music Awards.
What voice type is Lauren Daigle? ›The recording artist Lauren Daigle performs many popular worship songs in her alto range. Also, if not singing the lead, the alto usually gets to sing a beautiful harmony in a song instead of just remaining in unison.
How far did Lauren Daigle make it on Idol? ›That's right, while Daigle was able to wow the judges enough to secure a ticket to Hollywood during her two appearances on the show as a contestant, she never made it into the Top 24 — always getting cut before America had the chance to vote.
What type of music is Rascal Flatts? ›Rascal Flatts, American country music trio that achieved success with a crossover sound that appealed to the pop market. The members were lead vocalist Gary LeVox (original name Gary Wayne Vernon, Jr.; b.
What singer sounds like Adele? ›1) Lauren Daigle
Every lyric she belted out, there is a balanced mixture of passion and power in her voice. For that reason, she is in the conversation of most Adele comparisons. She is one of the singers that sound like Adele.
The Band's pioneering blend of traditional country, folk, old-time string band, blues, and rock music brought them critical acclaim in the late 1960s and '70s and served as a template for Americana, the movement of hybrid, roots-oriented music that emerged in the late 1990s.
How loud or soft music is played is called? ›Musical symbols known as dynamics tell us how loud or soft to perform music. The dynamic symbol for loud is called forte (FOR-tay), and looks like the letter f. The dynamic symbol for soft is called piano (Pe-AH-no, the same as the musical instrument) and looks like the letter p.
What does the name Rascal Flatts mean? ›
What does Rascal Flatts mean? It's a catchy name and I like it. Rascal Flatts doesn't mean anything. Our logo is a dog that's flat and run over, but we were actually in a club -- playing at the Fiddle & Steel Guitar Bar in Nashville -- and we were getting ready to sign with Lyric Street and we didn't have a name.