Hello! So, some of you might have seen Half•Alive songs here and there on my page. It’s because they are one of my favorite bands! After their latest song release, What’s Wrong, their lyrics have been stuck in my head almost constantly. So today I figured that I’d choose some of my favorites, and share why. (I tried to put them somewhat in order of release.) But first, a bit about the band (that might’ve been “inspired” by Wikipedia…)
Half•Alive (also sometimes known as h•a) is an American band from Long beach, California that was formed in 2016. It originally was just two friends, Josh Taylor (lead vocalist) and Brett Kramer (drummer). They knew each other from their church. Then J. Tyler Johnson (bassist) joined in 2017, after which the band signed a record deal with RCA Records. They currently only have one album, called Now, Not Yet, but another album in the making has been confirmed! They also have three singles (still feel., arrow, and What’s Wrong) and two EPs (3 and in Florescence). Their music style goes by many names; a few of which are “electropop”, indie pop, alternative rock, and electronic rock. They are known not only for their spectacular music, but also for their engaging choreography and cinematography.
Okay, now let’s do this!
Aawake At Night
This is my go-to 3am thoughts song. I often feel like I’m caught in a patch of pure madness, and oftentimes I don’t tell others what’s going on. Because every time I try to explain, I just feel more and more alone. So I bottle it up until 3am (sometimes later) where I find myself crying on the floor, screaming out to God so that I’m not alone. It is a very real and raw song for me.
My favorite lyric is:
“I’ve wrestled with the truth for quite some time
It reminds me that when I’m alone, in a dark room, crying my eyes out… I’m not really alone.
And I’ve been drowning in this restless mind…
I’m sick of being so unsatisfied,
Tell me that the answer’s right,
God, are you awake at night?”
still feel.
(Oh, I love this song. This is the first song I ever heard by them, which was put on a playlist for me by Drummer Boy ♡. I knew right off the bat that I wanted to hear more.) I sometimes feel detached, both from the world and from myself. It’s been especially bad lately. I spend so much time focusing on getting things done or being there for other people that it becomes my personality. I barely have inside jokes, self care, or self love anymore. I don’t have time for it. So this song sometimes helps to draw me back in when I’m getting distracted with worldly things.
My favorite lyric is:
“So, when I lose my gravity in this sleepy womb
When I’m drifting, this is a good reminder that I need to strip away everything I’ve been carrying and return to who God is making me to be.
Drifting as I dream, I’ll wake up soon
To realize the hand of life is reaching out
To rid me of my pride, I call allegiance to myself”
Arrow
I love this song so much that I even referenced it on a Tuesday night when I preached for my youth group. To me, it speaks about how our plans are nothing in comparison to God’s. Living the life that God wants us to can be very difficult and scary, because we aren’t in control. But this song is a good reminder that God is holding the situation, and even when it feels like you can’t keep up, it’s okay. Because He will carry you.
My favorite lyric is:
“The hardest place to be
It reminds me to trust God; because just as He has been by my side in the past, He will be by my side forever. And I’m not alone in the chaos.
Is right where you are.”
RUNAWAY
This song is for those who feel like they aren’t enough. It speaks volumes to me, because I’ve been there. I am there frequently. It’s a dark place to be, but this song brings me light. (In all honesty, I never watched the whole music video. But the lyrics alone make me tear up at times. I like the orchestra version the best; it’s from the “in Florescence” EP.) It reminds me that I’m doing the best I can and if that’s not enough for somebody, then they were never meant for me. Because my best is my best, and that’s something to be proud of.
My favorite lyrics are: (There’s three)
“Lean on truth inside the promise, it is well.”
Take a deep breath. When God says that it is well, it is so. Let it be so.
“I hold my life out in front of me
A good reminder that who you are is enough for God. He doesn’t need you to be somebody else, or some “better” version of yourself. That’s a waste of who He made you to be.
Dreams of who I want to be
I’m seeing every empty page
I find that everything I am is
Everything I should be
I don’t need to run away”
“Something’s working, heart is turning
Who you are now might not always be the same as who you will be in the future; in fact, I hope it’s not. God designed us to grow and change for His good and glory when we are rooted in Him. So don’t worry too much about everything; focus in on Jesus.
Vision’s clear, and still I’m learning
That what I am, what I am, what I am, what I am
Is something more than I can plan”
TrusT
This song is AMAZING. Sometimes life can seem scary, if you forget that God is taking you to a safe place. You can trust Him, because He has your best interest at heart and the grandest plans set ahead of you. It might be tempting to give up and try to go your own way, and seek control, but you can rest assured that 1) He has your back and 2) even if you do stray, His love is never ending. And that’s exactly what the song is about.
My favorite lyric is:
“Hold to this, significance
God’s love is unwavering and unconditional. It pursues right through your doubt and questioning, making its home right in your heart.
Lean into the process
Rest and know, the love you hold
Won’t be taken back, no
How sweet the taste of certainty
That gift you gave is safe with me…”
Pure Gold
This song (at least to my ears) talks about the beauty of getting knocked down, and how you rise up again. It’s really painful sometimes when trouble comes your way and you don’t know what to do, but the best thing to do is breathe and give it to God. He might let you fall, but only so you can learn and grow.
My favorite lyric is:
“Wait, for the tides of change will come
Because just as God strips away all of your pride and sin and ego, He will also dress you in love and peace and wisdom. If you let Him.
And reach, for the sight of being undone.”
ice cold.
This one is a good bop. I love it. I see both the good and bad in things pretty equally (I like to think, anyway) but I tend to only voice the negative side out of concern. This song reminds me that every dark day has it’s light moments, and every thundercloud has a silver lining. And focusing on the bad things won’t help, so why not try to be cheery and dance in the rain?
My favorite lyrics are: (I have two)
“Holding that pain is holding you back,
This one reminds me to let those bad feelings go.
Keeping that rage is keeping you sad
Caught in the wake of memories past
Pulling you down till you drown in the bath”
“Elevate, elevate elevate
And this one reminds me that it will get better.
Celebrate celebrate celebrate
Take a moment and appreciate
All the best things resting on the way
I wanna see you wake up
Shake free of all these hang ups
Your heart is filling with glory
Lifting your mind and lifting your words”
creature
To me, this song talks about how it feels to be a human with faith. I often struggle with who I am. Sometimes I feel like I have no value, after everything I’ve been through. My story might seem like nothing to some, but that opinion of some should mean nothing to me. I have to focus on trusting my creator to shape and mold me into who He made me to be. Because in the long run, He’s the one that matters. So even on my worst days, I can turn to Him. He has never left me, and He never will.
My favorite lyric is:
“My dirt transformed within a breath
I’m getting CHILLS
Before I took a single step
I’m looking forward to the day
When life can grow without decay
Humanity is not alone
When Jesus Christ sits on the throne
His hidden years expose the mess
The selfish turns to selflessness
Haunted by a darker side
Transcends to walking in the light
Slowly I’m recovering
The beauty of discovering…”
What’s Wrong
If I’m being completely honest here, I don’t understand much of this song right now. I haven’t dug into it quite yet. But right now, I know that I love it and it has a good message. Sometimes it’s easy to blame others for our faults, or try not to focus on them, or say “I’ll work on that later”. But in truth, there’s no better time than the present. Whether it’s owning up to a mistake, working on improving a difficult personality trait, putting a stop to that toxic relationship or environment, or simply taking time to look at yourself honestly and trying to improve… putting it on the back burner will only give it more heat, and soon it will boil over. So make that effort.
My favorite lyric is:
“The time’s always right to fix what’s wrong”
Because it’s true.
Thanks for reading, and sticking it out through my crazy random posts that have basically nothing to do with each other. 🙂 This band has really been resonating with me lately, and so I wanted to share why. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have a great day!
♡, Shortie
And I would like to apologize for the light colored font for the quotes; I cannot change it for some reason. Oops.