Awake was Skillet’s seventh studio album and the follow-up to their massively successful Comatose (2006). It marked their official crossover from primarily Christian rock to mainstream rock radio, while retaining spiritual themes. The album was written during a turbulent time for the band, including vocalist/bassist John Cooper battling severe anxiety and creative pressure to deliver a hit.
The emotional gut-punch of the album. "Lucy" tells the true story of a young couple who aborted a baby. The song imagines the father meeting the daughter he never had in heaven. "Lucy, I remember the sound of your laugh" Cooper sings softly over acoustic guitar before the band crashes in with raw grief. It is a bold, pro-life message wrapped in a tragic story, and it remains one of Skillet's most controversial yet beautiful tracks. awake album skillet