Start Again

According to bandsonfire.com, the song was inspired by a close friend of the band's divorce.

"This piano-driven anthem “Start Again” finds its roots in the personal struggle of a friend, described as very close to the band, who suffered through a divorce that tore him apart. “We’ve all felt the sting of regret; we’ve all wished we could wipe the slate clean sometimes,” says songwriter-guitarist Jasen Rauch. “We wanted this song to be a biographical appeal looking back on everything that happened and asking for ‘one more try,’ one more chance to start over again.” The song re-imagines arguments with lines like “What if I let you win?” and reconsiders the effort with “What if I want to try?” then offers unreserved honesty with “I can’t stop holding on… I’m lost without you.” Rauch continues, “It’s really just about feeling genuinely sorry for past mistakes, and about hoping there might still be a chance to put the pieces back together.”"

Christian band means that all the members are christian.It doesn't mean that all the songs they write have to be about Jesus and God.They have been through problems in their lives so it's normal for them to write songs about forgiveness,struggles inside,identity,the world,etc.Besides,the person listening can interpret it however he/she likes.

This song is clearly not about the a broken relationship with God: it doesn't make sense to interpret it that way. One would not plead to God for forgiveness in this way. The tone of the pleading is as if the singer is begging for forgiveness from someone who doesn't want to forgive them, not a loving or caring God who is always willing to take you back.

"What if I let you win? What if I make it right? What if I give it up? What if I want to try? What if you take a chance? What if I learn to love? What if, what if we start again?"

These phrases, while each by themselves could each be asking God for forgiveness, together do not give that same meaning. Instead, they give off the feeling of helplessness in a broken relationship that the singer (I will use "singer" to mean the main character that the song describes. I understand that the one singing the song may not actually have these feelings) cannot possibly return to, probably because the party in question does not want to take him back.

The song is a heartfelt plea, beginning with regret for the singer's past actions. "Gave it all away, like it wasn't enough". Following up this regret, the singer offers compensation. "What if I let you win?" and later, pleas with the promise "I can make it right, with one more try". Ultimately, the singer confesses his heartfelt pain, "I'm lost inside the pain I feel without you. I can't stop holding on", caused by his time of regret and again pleas with "Can we start again?"

This final stage of the singer's emotions is what convinces me that this song is not about God. While one might be lost without God, one would not confess that they cannot stop holding on to God. "I can't stop holding on" is a phrase which implies that one wants to stop holding on, because doing so is causing pain. One can also rule out the possibility that "holding on" refers to mistakes made by the singer, or guild caused by sins against God because of the placement of the line, after "I'm lost inside the pain I feel without you".

The song details the stages of regret that the singer feels about a human relationship gone bad. The party in question, for whatever reason, either cannot forgive the singer, or if she can, is still scarred by the event and cannot or will not take him back. All the singer wants is one last chance - one chance to make everything right - one chance to show that he is capable of love.

considering they are a christian band, i believe this is about someone who has lost their faith. feeling terrible about things they said, what has gone on without Him in their life. he realizes he needs this, he sees things clearly now and whats to "start again."

most people will argue, its about a boy and a girl, but they are a christian band. pretty much 100% of the songs a band such as this, ties into religion. example, As I Lay Dying, Underoath, and The Devil Wears Prada are all the same way.

I believe that it is about a relationship gone bad, most probably one cheating on the other and breaking up over it and how the person who cheated wishes they didn't do it and all they want is another chance for the relationship to work because what they had was so amazing and how they can't live without them.

I'm lost inside the pain I feel without you I can't stop holding on I need you with me

I think that is the most meaningful part of the song which means that they can't live without the other person, that they need to be with them otherwise they're nothing and just full of hurt and regret.

That is my opinion on the song anyway :)

this song brings tears to my eyes when he sings the chorus.... This is a powerful and moving song that evokes so many emotions in me personally, because i understand this on the Christian level and on the personal level with someone i did wrong...so powerful

I think it could be either about lost faith like what you said dieboy or in a non-christian view it could be a bad relationship in an interview i saw on the internet they mentioned a bad relationship

but the reason why i like Red so much is that it can be either or. Which is why they have such a wide variety of fans

This is such a great song, my favorite from their new album. I'm sure it's going to be their next single :D They make such great music and they will make it big one day :)

This song is beautiful no matter how you interpret it. The pure emotion and drive behind the powerful message of regret is incredible. Thank you to fallacyofdualism for finding that little bio on the song, you can feel the heartbreak and regret throughout the whole song.

The lyrics

"All this time I can make it right..."

I think it is talking about a broken relationship with Christ, where they have fallen away and life is not the same. They feel a sorrow about it and they realize that Christ died on the cross for there sin and all they need to do is ask for forgiveness...that's all. "All this time" that's all they had to do to "make it right."