Recorded as a duet with Kate Bush for his 1986 album ‘So,’ this inspirational song expertly weaves a man’s feeling of depression with the hopeful message of a female friend. What many people don’t know is that Kate Bush was not Peter Gabriel’s first choice to sing on this track as he revealed in 2011. He commented to the music press “There was this reference point of American roots music in it when I first wrote it, it was suggested that Dolly Parton sing on it. But Dolly turned it down... and I'm glad she did because what Kate did on it is... brilliant.”
we were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail
no fight left or so it seems
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
I've changed my face, I've changed my name
but no one wants you when you lose
don't give up
'cos you have friends
don't give up
you're not beaten yet
don't give up
I know you can make it good
though I saw it all around
never thought I could be affected
thought that we'd be the last to go
it is so strange the way things turn
drove the night toward my home
the place that I was born, on the lakeside
as daylight broke, I saw the earth
the trees had burned down to the ground
don't give up
you still have us
don't give up
we don't need much of anything
don't give up
'cause somewhere there's a place
where we belong
rest your head
you worry too much
it's going to be alright
when times get rough
you can fall back on us
don't give up
please don't give up
'got to walk out of here
I can't take anymore
going to stand on that bridge
keep my eyes down below
whatever may come
and whatever may go
that river's flowing
that river's flowing
moved on to another town
tried hard to settle down
for every job, so many men
so many men no-one needs
don't give up
'cause you have friends
don't give up
you're not the only one
don't give up
no reason to be ashamed
don't give up
you still have us
don't give up now
we're proud of who you are
don't give up
you know it's never been easy
don't give up
'cause I believe there's a place
there's a place where we belong
On the influences behind the song Jill Gabriel, who was Peter's wife at the time is reported as saying "I saw an article in a newspaper about a woman who jumped out of a huge block of flats with her child and killed herself. I gave it to Peter and it was the original inspiration and he was heartbroken to read it. However his lyrics are always multilayered with many different influences."
Peter has also cited a TV show about unemployment and family life, and a photo of a family in the dust bowl depression as influences on the song. Peter Gabriel had some kind of nervous breakdown in 1985, and he wrote this song to reward the support he got from his family. This album provides a glimpse of Gabriel's state of mind: it's a mixture of excessive enthusiast songs ("Big Time," "Sledgehammer") and depressive ones "Don't Give Up," "Mercy Street". Gabriel said of this song's message: "The basic idea is that handling failure is one of the hardest things we have to learn to do."
To fail from time to time is only human, but to be a “failure” is when we are defeated by failure, refusing to rise and try again. Followers of Jesus sometimes believe they should be immune to failure by virtue of their relationship with God, but the truth is that God often allows us to fail for a variety of reasons. Job 14:1 says, "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” That doesn’t say “unbelievers” or “the ungodly.” It says man born of woman. What does that mean? Everyone. Life is full of trouble, even for those who belong to God through faith in Christ. We are to expect it. This means God does not promise life to be without problems, sorrow, and, yes, failure, just because we believe in Him.
Luke 9:1-5 describes how Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the gospel and perform miracles. He also taught them how to handle failure. “If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." Jesus wanted the soon-to-be apostles to model themselves after Him. He gave them power and authority over devils, power to heal the sick, etc. Most of all, Jesus wanted them to have boldness. He knew that not everyone was going to receive the truth about Him, but in saying “Shake the dust from your feet,” He meant for them to move on and plow forward. Being rejected for who we are and what we stand for can make us feel like failures, but if we understand we are to expect it (John 15:18), what appears to be failure actually becomes a comfort to us.
When we feel failure come against us, our first reaction may be to run or give up. When it comes to sin, we are all capable of avoiding it. Even in complete love, faith and devotion to God, we can fall, but God is not shocked by this which is why He sent Jesus in the first place. We get back up again, and we start over. But we should know that we cannot do it alone. We must keep our eyes on our Jesus, following and obeying Him and laying aside the sin that inevitably leads to spiritual failure, as Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” God has marked out a course for each of us, and sometimes that course includes failure. But when we cling to the Jesus, even our failures can be turned into successes by the One who controls all things and who strengthens us in our weakness (Philippians 4:11-13). Our ultimate victory in Jesus is assured, but complete victory will only come when we are out of this world of temptation and safe in the arms of the Lord in heaven.
Psalm 145:14 says that the "Lord will raise up those who fall" That is good news indeed.
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