Gather ’round this table, boys
You bring your shame, I’ll lose my voice
Screaming at the gods about the bad we’ve done
Merle said mama tried but the prison still won
Your transgressions are mine as well
Anger grows in my bones if you could not tell
But I’ll find comfort in company
Lord forgive us, my boys and me
We’re having an all-night revival
Someone call the women and someone steal the Bibles
For the sake of my survival
Baptize me in a bottle of Beam and put Johnny on the vinyl
Well the devil can scrap but the Lord has won
And I’ll talk to him on the rising sun
His son rose and mine did too
I was coming down but now I’m talking to you
‘Cause we’re having an all-night revival
Someone call the women and someone steal the Bibles
For the sake of my survival
Baptize me in a bottle of Beam and put Johnny on the vinyl
‘Cause we’re having an all-night revival
Someone call the women and someone steal the Bibles
For the sake of my survival
Baptize me in a bottle of Beam and put Johnny on the vinyl
Gather ’round this table, boys
Bring your shame, I’ll lose my voice
Screaming at the gods about the bad we’ve done
Merle said mama tried but the prison still won
A Gritty Gathering of Redemption
“Revival” by Zach Bryan taps into the raw, communal spirit of country music, inviting listeners to a table where camaraderie, confession, and catharsis blend seamlessly. The lyrics evoke scenes of men wrestling with their past mistakes, seeking solace in each other’s company, and using music and whiskey as a means of spiritual survival. References to Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash anchor the song deeply in the tradition of outlaw country, while the recurring motif of an “all-night revival” transforms the rowdy gathering into a kind of secular salvation. The imagery of being “baptized” in bourbon and spinning old vinyl records suggests that healing comes not from perfection, but from honest fellowship and shared struggle. Bryan’s storytelling captures both the pain and the hope that define the human experience.
Song Credits
- Songwriter: Zach Bryan
- Release Year: 2022