Shane & Shane Music: 'Bring Your Nothing,' Stories Behind The Songs

Article By: Anna Dinger

Shane and Shane have released a series of videos on YouTube that explain the stories behind the songs on their new album, 'Bring Your Nothing,' which was released in May.

On April 26, the musical duo released their first video, in which described the story behind the album itself. Shane Barnard explained that the album kind of came about by accident. They decided it was time to make a new album and, since they were teaching a song writing class at the time, they decided to write the music as part of that class. "After a year goes by, you have about 30 songs or so and so we had some songs to draw from and our heart for this record is really our heart for those students and our heart for people in general just to know the truth of the Gospel," Barnard said.

"The CD is called, 'Bring Your Nothing,' which is just another way to say Grace, in fact it comes from the title track, 'Bring Your Nothing,' which is the song about Isaiah 55 that says, 'Come those of you that don't have any money, come and buy the richest of foods, the richest of fair,'" he went on to say. "This idea that we have nothing to bring to Jesus, besides what put him on a cross, and he gives us everything in return, it's the great exchange."

On May 1, they released the video explaining the story behind, 'That's How You Forgive.' Barnard explained that this song was written to be a corporate anthem for the church that speaks about the core of their beliefs. "We started the first verse off with Psalm 145, 'The Lord Is Gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, all who call upon him will be safe,'" he said. "The chorus is just this big corporate chorus that says, 'You live the life that I could never live, you died the death that I deserve, and then you rose again and now you live, and that's how you forgive.' So it's just this, this is how you forgive us, you went to the cross for us."

On May 21, the pair released a video explaining the story behind, 'The One You'll Find.' The theme that is communicated through this song is this idea of God as the great finder and the great pursuer of the church, His bride. "The scripture verse it comes from is 2 Chronicles, and it talks about how the Lord's eyes are moving to and fro across the land to find those hearts who are fully committed to Him," Shane Everett said. "And this song is just us hoping and asking that our hearts would be the ones that he sees."

On May 28, Shane and Shane released the story behind their song, 'You Loved My Heart To Death.' The pair originally disagreed about the song when they were writing it. Everett originally thought the title line in the chorus was kind of cheesy, but he said that, now, this song has actually become one of his favorite songs on the record. "You hear this phrase, you know, like when you're growing up, your Grandma/ your Mom is like, 'I love you to death, I just love you to death.' And it's kind of a weird phrase, you know? But when we apply it to Christ it becomes really accurate, doesn't it? He really did love us so much that he took our dead hearts, buried them and resurrected them and brought life into them." Barnard said. "We hope that this could be a devotional song for you and for the folks who hear it and draw you closer to the heart of God."

On June 10, they released a video explaining the story behind 'Crucify Him.' They explained that the title of the song sounds harsh because the reality of what Christ went through was harsh. "The Jewish people, when Jesus came in on the donkey and they started to worship him, 'Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,' and those same people, in the same week were the ones going, 'Crucify Him, Crucify Him.'" Barnard said. "My question to myself and my question to our listeners is, what are the ways that we do that?" They pair hopes that this song will confront listeners with the truth of human nature while acknowledging are redemption through Mercy and Grace despite our failings.

On July 9, Shane and Shane released a video explaining the story behind the title track on the album, 'Bring Your Nothing.' "What kind of thing is this, that we bring our nothing and we get His his everything, you know? This concept is the Gospel, it is the Bible," Barnard said. He went on to quote Isaiah 55 again, emphasizing the importance of filling ones self with something that is truly satisfying, rather than something that will not fill but only leave emptiness. This is the beauty of accepting Christ and living for Him.

Finally, the most recent video release was the story behind the song, 'Eyes On You.' "It comes from the Bible, 2 Chronicles, chapter 20, there's this king, king Jehoshaphat, and he is getting surrounded by a hoard of nations coming up against the nation of Judah. And this is what he says, 'For we are powerless against this great hoard that is coming against us, we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." Barnard said. "I don't know where you are in life, but that's often what I am saying is, 'I have no idea what to do Lord, but I'm just going to fix my eyes on you, the author and perfecter of my faith." In the end, God went before the nation of Judah and single-handedly defeats their enemies, and this is just a reminder that the battle is the Lord's and not our own.

The new album was a collaborative effort between Shane and Shane as well as their friends and colleagues, Jason Hoard (Third Day), Tyler Chester (Fiction Family), Josh Moore (Caedmon's Call) and the drummer for Shane and Shane, Joey Parish. The album was ultimately a week-long recording experience of these musicians performing together simultaneously in one-room. The album was ultimately put together to become inspiration for both their fans and their students, inspiration through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"I think we've been, you know, we've been trying to write those songs for years and this another collection of that heart and that He is in the earth, and that He is a friend, and a brother, and a God, who is there to help us in times of need," Everett said. "And this record is hopefully that to you, a help, because we all need it. And so, we hope you enjoy it."