What is “Hallelujah Anyway” about?
"Hallelujah Anyway" is a hymn for bad days. The narrator wakes on a Sunday to an empty bottle, no rent money and a letter from his ex-wife's lawyer, then remembers his mother singing in church after his father left, insisting that praise is for the days that nearly break you. He carries that idea down to the corner bar and calls for a round for everyone who got up that morning anyway. Track thirteen on The Last Porch Light, it brings the album's church and barroom threads together.
Hallelujah Anyway lyrics
I woke up on a Sunday with the devil on my back
Empty bottle on the nightstand, rent money I ain't got
The landlord's knocking, the phone is dead
My ex-wife's lawyer sent another letter I ain't read
But the sun came through the curtain like it didn't know my name
And the mockingbird outside was singing just the same
Hallelujah anyway
Hallelujah even when the world says don't you dare
Hallelujah for the ones who stayed
For the busted-up and beautiful who still show up for prayer
When the roof is leaking and the car won't start
And you're running on nothing but a stubborn heart
Raise your glass and your voice and say
Hallelujah anyway
My mama sang in church with a voice like honeycomb
Even after daddy left us, even when we lost the home
She'd say baby, praise ain't for the perfect days
It's for the ones that nearly break you but you make it through the haze
So I put my boots on, walked down to the corner bar
Where the saints and the sinners are the same folks that they are
Hallelujah anyway
Hallelujah even when the world says don't you dare
Hallelujah for the ones who stayed
For the busted-up and beautiful who still show up for prayer
When the roof is leaking and the car won't start
And you're running on nothing but a stubborn heart
Raise your glass and your voice and say
Hallelujah anyway
Somebody buy another round
For every soul in this broken-down town
Who got up this morning even though they could've quit
Who chose to keep on living even when it hurt like this
We ain't got much but we got each other
We ain't got answers but we got one another
Hallelujah anyway
Hallelujah 'cause we're still breathing still standing here
Hallelujah for the hell we've raised
For the tears and the laughter and the years of wear
When there's nothing left but love and dust
When the whole damn thing is held by trust
Raise your glass and your voice and say
Hallelujah anyway
Hallelujah anyway
Yeah, hallelujah anyway