Be My Escape
Encyclopedia
"Be My Escape" is the first single
from Christian rock
band Relient K
's fourth full-length album, Mmhmm
. It was certified a platinum single in November of 2005 and is usually referred to as Relient K's most popular mainstream song, other than "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been
". The song is Relient K's fourth most popular song on iTunes.
"Be My Escape" was featured in the 2006 Men's U.S. Open
Tennis
Championship, with the song's opening guitar
solo playing as the event headed into a commercial
.
, given the band's Christian
background, the song is usually taken to refer to Him. "Be My Escape" uses guitar
s, drums
, and keyboards
, and the pace is varied effectively to give a sense of longing and desperation. The last forty seconds or so are a slow epilogue, with no instruments other than the drums, vibraphone
and piano
.
The song's lyrics at the beginning of the verses are often mistaken. Many have thought the first lines of the two verses to be "I'm giving up, I'm giving up slowly" and "I'm giving up, I'm doing this alone now". The actual lines from the beginning of the first two verses are "I've given up on givin' up slowly" and "I've given up on doing this alone now".
An acoustic version of the song was released in November 2005 on the Apathetic EP
. It included the addition of a mandolin
.
The song has more or less been in every position of Relient K's set list since the band started performing it. From the release of Mmhmm until October 2005, the song was mainly played a little past the halfway point of the band's set. For the Panic With A K Tour in October 2005, it and I So Hate Consequences were the encore songs in that order. From the Matt Hoopes Birthday Tour in February 2006 through the 06 festival season, it was the opening song. The band moved it to the second song for the 2006 Nintendo Fusion Tour. For basically all of 2007, it was included in a three song encore of Sadie Hawkins Dance, Be My Escape, and I So Hate Consequences. In 2008, it once again become the band's opening song, with a slightly modified opening to included a little more guitar and drums before the song really begins. The song was moved to second in the set list for the November and December 2008 Winter Wonder Slam Tour with TobyMac
. For some 2009 shows so far, it has been near the end of the set.
The music video
shows the band playing in a room where the walls are slowly closing in on them. At the end, a burst of light appears and the walls of the room fall down, but away from the band. The band then plays in an open field with the album cover's sunflowers in it, with the background shot on a blue screen. Lead singer Matt Thiessen
has been quoted as being a little unhappy with it, claiming that the band wanted more animation
other than clouds. The moving walls were simply stagehands pushing them inwards. Still, they did not complain about the video other than Thiessen's one mention of those details. Some fans wondered about the inclusion of a girl in this video when the song has Christian
themes, but others have pointed out that it still works as it could be asking Jesus
for escape from a problem with the girl in the video. This video was the first Relient K
music video
to feature bassist
John Warne
and guitarist
Jon Schneck
.
In addition, the piano solo at the end of the song was removed in the video, and an extra vocal line was added during the second and third refrains to add to the harmony. The opening guitar
riff was also shorter, repeated only once instead of thrice unlike the original song. Exclusions visually include Dave Douglas singing background vocals, and Matt Thiessen
playing the piano.
The video debuted at # 67 on iTunes
top 100 music videos and soon progressed to #27. It stayed on the list for 12 weeks.
The music video entered TRLs Top 10 in 2005, reaching as high as #9 on the countdown.
The music video was directed by Charles Jensen and produced by Rachel Curl.
uploaded by CapitolRecords
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band Relient K
Relient K
Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
's fourth full-length album, Mmhmm
Mmhmm
Mmhmm is the fourth full-length album by Christian rock band Relient K, released in November 2004. This album is especially notable for two reasons: First, it marked their debut on Capitol; and second, it was Brian Pittman's last album with the band...
. It was certified a platinum single in November of 2005 and is usually referred to as Relient K's most popular mainstream song, other than "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been
Who I Am Hates Who I've Been
"Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" is the second single by the Christian rock band Relient K, from their 2004 album Mmhmm. An acoustic version, originally recorded for Apathetic EP, is included on the B-side, was included on the 2008 "The Bird and the Bee Sides" album. The music video entered TRL's Top...
". The song is Relient K's fourth most popular song on iTunes.
"Be My Escape" was featured in the 2006 Men's U.S. Open
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
Championship, with the song's opening guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
solo playing as the event headed into a commercial
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
.
Song
The song is the singer's plea for "escape" from his past mistakes. Although the lyrics avoid directly mentioning GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, given the band's Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
background, the song is usually taken to refer to Him. "Be My Escape" uses guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, and keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, and the pace is varied effectively to give a sense of longing and desperation. The last forty seconds or so are a slow epilogue, with no instruments other than the drums, vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
.
The song's lyrics at the beginning of the verses are often mistaken. Many have thought the first lines of the two verses to be "I'm giving up, I'm giving up slowly" and "I'm giving up, I'm doing this alone now". The actual lines from the beginning of the first two verses are "I've given up on givin' up slowly" and "I've given up on doing this alone now".
An acoustic version of the song was released in November 2005 on the Apathetic EP
Apathetic EP
- Credits :* Matt Thiessen – lead vocals, guitar, piano, organ, bells* Matt Hoopes – guitar, backing vocals* Dave Douglas – drums, backing vocals* John Warne – bass, backing vocals* Jon Schneck – guitar, banjo, mandolin, backing vocals* J.R...
. It included the addition of a mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
.
The song has more or less been in every position of Relient K's set list since the band started performing it. From the release of Mmhmm until October 2005, the song was mainly played a little past the halfway point of the band's set. For the Panic With A K Tour in October 2005, it and I So Hate Consequences were the encore songs in that order. From the Matt Hoopes Birthday Tour in February 2006 through the 06 festival season, it was the opening song. The band moved it to the second song for the 2006 Nintendo Fusion Tour. For basically all of 2007, it was included in a three song encore of Sadie Hawkins Dance, Be My Escape, and I So Hate Consequences. In 2008, it once again become the band's opening song, with a slightly modified opening to included a little more guitar and drums before the song really begins. The song was moved to second in the set list for the November and December 2008 Winter Wonder Slam Tour with TobyMac
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
. For some 2009 shows so far, it has been near the end of the set.
Music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
shows the band playing in a room where the walls are slowly closing in on them. At the end, a burst of light appears and the walls of the room fall down, but away from the band. The band then plays in an open field with the album cover's sunflowers in it, with the background shot on a blue screen. Lead singer Matt Thiessen
Matt Thiessen
Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
has been quoted as being a little unhappy with it, claiming that the band wanted more animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
other than clouds. The moving walls were simply stagehands pushing them inwards. Still, they did not complain about the video other than Thiessen's one mention of those details. Some fans wondered about the inclusion of a girl in this video when the song has Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
themes, but others have pointed out that it still works as it could be asking Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
for escape from a problem with the girl in the video. This video was the first Relient K
Relient K
Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
to feature bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
John Warne
John Warne
John Warne is an American musician who has been active in the Christian rock scene since 1996. He is best known for being the bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K as well as being a founding member of the Christian punk band Ace Troubleshooter...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Jon Schneck
Jonathan Schneck
Jonathan Schneck is a guitarist, banjo player, and bell player for the band Relient K. He joined the band in January 2005, shortly after the release of their fourth full-length album Mmhmm. Schneck is the band's youngest member...
.
In addition, the piano solo at the end of the song was removed in the video, and an extra vocal line was added during the second and third refrains to add to the harmony. The opening guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
riff was also shorter, repeated only once instead of thrice unlike the original song. Exclusions visually include Dave Douglas singing background vocals, and Matt Thiessen
Matt Thiessen
Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
playing the piano.
The video debuted at # 67 on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
top 100 music videos and soon progressed to #27. It stayed on the list for 12 weeks.
The music video entered TRLs Top 10 in 2005, reaching as high as #9 on the countdown.
The music video was directed by Charles Jensen and produced by Rachel Curl.
uploaded by CapitolRecords
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
Awards
The song was nominated for two Dove Awards at the 37th GMA Dove Awards: Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year and Short Form Music Video of the Year.Video credits
- Matt ThiessenMatt ThiessenMatthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
- Lead Vocals, GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Matt HoopesMatt HoopesMatthew Ryan Hoopes is the lead guitarist of Relient K, a Christian rock band that was formed in 1998. Hoopes has played guitar and performed backing vocals for Relient K for twelve years. Hoopes has slowly developed into the band's lead guitarist over the years, despite Matt Thiessen playing lead...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Dave DouglasDave Douglas (drummer)Dave Douglas is a musician, most widely known for being in the Christian music industry as the former drummer of the Christian rock band Relient K. Douglas joined the band after their former drummer, Stephen Cushman, departed in late 2000. Douglas had been playing the drums and doing background...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - John WarneJohn WarneJohn Warne is an American musician who has been active in the Christian rock scene since 1996. He is best known for being the bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K as well as being a founding member of the Christian punk band Ace Troubleshooter...
- BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Jon SchneckJonathan SchneckJonathan Schneck is a guitarist, banjo player, and bell player for the band Relient K. He joined the band in January 2005, shortly after the release of their fourth full-length album Mmhmm. Schneck is the band's youngest member...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...