Lyrics
Intro (Aaron Cole)
Yeah, ayy, Rhythm, uh, okay
Chorus (Aaron Cole)
I remember back when
I remember back then
I was bad Mike Jackson
That's when God came and tapped in
I can never go back then
Never go back then
Never go back then
Never go back then
Chorus (Repeat)
Verse 1 (Aaron Cole)
Look, now, I just lean on the rock, ayy
I've been tryna get right
Weight on me, heavy, I look to the light
Been in the trenches, I thought I would die
If you know me, then you know how I was
Went all around, I was looking for love
Went through the L's just to get to the dubs
Only get that if I look up above
World tryna hold me down, gotta run away, ayy
Far from the fame, yeah, I'm try'na dodge L.A., ayy
Gotta get back to Your love
Went from the rags to the top
Like He raised Lazarus up
Yeah, I've been raising the stocks, let's go
Chorus (Repeat)
Verse 2 (Jordan Holiday)
Why, why, why, why, why
Should I waste all my time
Losing my mind and believe all their lies?
Why, why, why, why, why
Would I try to rewind?
I just hit my prime
I just hit my stride
Chorus (Repeat)
Bridge (Davide Mutendji)
I cannot repeat
Saving up for the Yeezy's
Problems lookin' like 3D
Wishin' life would be easy
But livin' ain't easy
Used to be a rookie, left D league
John Cena can't see me
Ask anybody who knew who I was
Feet on the ground, but my head in the clouds
Losin' my way, didn't know who to trust
That when He touched down and gave me His love
Thank God, He showed me who He really was
And I know He wasn't hiding in the clouds
Chasing me down, ninety-nine for the one
Son of a King, royalty's in my blood
Chorus (Repeat x2)
Breakdown (Aaron Cole & Davide Mutendji)
Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy (Repeat, with crowd instructions)
Chorus (Repeat, Final)
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
"Back Then" contrasts a specific past identity with a decisive turning point, repeating a refrain that insists a return to that former life is no longer possible. The first verse names concrete struggles directly, leaning on faith for support, feeling weighed down, and admitting a period so difficult that death felt close, before crediting God's intervention as the reason none of that remains the present reality. A second verse shifts from personal struggle to inner doubt, questioning why time would be spent rehearsing old lies or wishing to rewind, when a new stage of life has already begun. A bridge from a third contributor lists specific pressures, financial strain and constant comparison, before describing a moment of being reached and given love despite feeling unseen or unworthy, comparing that pursuit to leaving many to search for one. A direct reference to Lazarus rising from death frames personal transformation as resurrection rather than gradual self-improvement. Structurally the song alternates between three voices sharing variations of the same testimony, letting the repeated chorus function as a shared boundary line between a former identity and a new one.
Related Scripture
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Describes anyone in Christ as a new creation with the old gone, matching the song's repeated claim of never going back.
- Luke 15:4 Describes leaving ninety-nine to search for one lost sheep, directly matching the lyric "chasing me down, ninety-nine for the one."
- John 11:43-44 Records Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, directly matching the song's reference to being raised like Lazarus.