'God Does' by The Red Clay Strays - Lyrics & Meaning

Written by Drew Nix a few years previously, 'God Does' had been sat in The Strays' back pocket, awaiting the perfect moment to be realised on record.

Having been peppered sporadically through the band's set, particularly since 2023, the band explored different ways of performing it live. As late as July 2023, the song was performed solo by frontman Brandon Coleman simply on an acoustic guitar. In other performances, the band have joined him for a richer edition of the track.

Through this exploration and experimentation live, the song found it's place as the closer of their sophomore album, Made By These Moments.

Recorded live in the studio with Dave Cobb, the song captures a close intimate proceeding, with the band slowly introducing themselves into the fray.

Coleman's heard counting himself in in a whisper, before strumming an acoustic guitar with purposeful drive. Amidst the battles and hope that Coleman sings of, a light trickle of percussion from John Hall subtly enters, before the whole band arise for the lifting, euphoric chorus.

The song has evolved from a stripped-back, more pacey arrangement live into a sweeping, more exultant prospect, befitting of the strength in faith and comforting relief exuded in the song.

Strength and comfort from credence through tough battles and times in one's life has been frequently explored subject matter across The Red Clay Strays catalogue.

While the band describe Made By These Moments as an exploration of the human condition, the bigger picture on the whole is a thankful and seemingly freeing observation on one's belief, and how it will guide you through life's hurdles.

For this reason, 'God Does' feels like the quintessential album closer - a song that encapsulates how faith will not necessarily carry you, but aid you in finding your path, particularly through the pains and struggles that are brewed up through the rest of the album.

“Whenever I'm lacking

It's he who makes me whole

Shining through the darkness

And cleaning out my soul

While I'm fighting daily battles, on him I can depend

When I open up my heart and let him in”

One of Nix's most forthcoming choruses, 'God Does' feels like a personal hymn, one that bolsters his convictions and thanks God for watching over him. The way Coleman performs the song is comforting and undeniably moving, as the narrative of the album finds a fulfilling close in a rapturous moment. 'God Does' is the band sharing in their belief in not just God, but one another.

At a show in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, back in February of 2023, Coleman delved into the song's creation and what inspired it. "We were labelled non-essential", he explains about a "terrible time" in the band's existence. "It took a lot of praying and a lot of trust in God. We didn't really know what the future held, but we knew who held the future".

Before performing the song at another show at The Mill & Mine in Knoxville, TN, in February 2024, Coleman further shared his and the band's feelings about it; "I think it's a very beautiful song, and it came around at a very perfect time in our lives, when we were struggling and trying to figure out how to make this thing work." "It gave us hope in a way", the lead singer admitted.

"I was very adamant about that," Brandon Coleman says about deciding to end the album with it. "I wanted that song to be the last song that I left people with. It's kinda the whole point of the album, in that one song right there."

"Most of the time we're not setting out to write a worship song… or anything like that," he told GRAMMY.com. "We don't want to be a Christian band or even a country band — we just want to make music, plain and simple."

Somedays the devil bates her, to see if I will bite
A lot of times it feels like, I just can't do right
But I know that God does
I know that God does

Somedays waking up for me alone is such a chore
Sometimes I don't have the strength to go on anymore
But I know that God does
Well I know that God does

Whenever I'm lacking
It's he who makes me whole
Shining through the darkness
And cleaning out my soul
While i'm fighting daily battles, on him I can depend
When i open up my heart and let him in
When the temperature is rising
and patience wearing thin
I don't have what it takes
to cool back down again
But I know that God does
I know that God does

When the rain just keeps pouring
I can't see the road
Even with a map sometimes I don't know where to go
But I know that God does
I know that God does
Whenever I'm lacking
It's he who makes me whole
Shining through the darkness
Cleaning out my soul
While I'm fighting daily battles, on him I can depend
When I open up my heart and let him in
When I lie awake at night, fed up with myself
and wonder if I'm good enough for me or someone else
Well I know that God does
Well I know that God does

~~

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