“By the Grace of God” is a personal, power ballad about rising above heartbreak and depression, and not letting either of them bring her down.
[Verse 1]
Was 27, surviving my return of Saturn
A long vacation didn't sound so bad
Was full of secrets, locked up tight like Iron Mountain
Running on empty, so out of gas
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Thought I wasn’t enough
Found I wasn’t so tough
Laying on the bathroom floor
We were living on a fault line
And I felt the fault was all mine
Couldn’t take it anymore
[Chorus]
By the grace of God (There was no other way)
I picked myself back up (I knew I had to stay)
I put one foot in front of the other and I
Looked in the mirror and decided to stay
Wasn't gonna let love take me out that way
[Verse 2]
I thank my sister for keeping my head above the water
When the truth was like swallowing sand
Now every morning, there is no more mourning
Oh, I can finally see myself again
[Pre-Chorus 2]
I know I am enough, possible to be loved
It was not about me
Now I have to rise above
Let the universe call the bluff
Yeah, the truth will set you free
[Chorus]
By the grace of God (There was no other way)
I picked myself back up (I knew I had to stay)
I put one foot in front of the other and I
Looked in the mirror and decided to stay
Wasn't gonna let love take me out
[Bridge]
Oh, that way, no
That way, no
Not in the name of love (In the name of love)
That way, no
That way, no
I am not giving up
[Breakdown]
By the grace of God
I picked myself back up
I put one foot in front of the other
And I looked in the mirror (Looked in the mirror)
Looked in the mirror (Looked in the mirror)
[Chorus]
By the grace of God (By the grace of God)
(There was no other way)
I picked myself back up (Picked myself back up)
(I knew I had to stay)
I put one foot in front of the other and I (In front of the other)
Looked in the mirror and decided to stay
Wasn't gonna let love take me out that way
[Produced by Katy Perry and Greg Wells]
By the Grace of God was written by Greg Wells & Katy Perry.
By the Grace of God was produced by Greg Wells & Katy Perry.
Katy Perry released By the Grace of God on Fri Oct 18 2013.
That song is evident of how tough it really was at a certain point. I asked myself, “Do I want to endure? Should I continue living?”
Yes, she performed it live for the first and only time televised, at the 2015 Grammy Awards:
Though not released as an official single from the album, it managed to peak #77 in South Korea, #179 in the UK, #10 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, and #71 on the US Hot Digital Songs chart.