Why Martina McBride’s “I'm Gonna Love You Through It” Speaks to Cancer Survivors
The message is so powerful.
Tired of scrolling? Click here to bump NBC.com's latest news to the top of your search results.
You may want to watch the October 27 episode of The Voice with tissues nearby.
During the first batch of Knockouts, one talented Artist chose to sing Martina McBride's 2011 hit "I'm Gonna Love You Through It," which Coach Snoop Dogg admitted he hadn't heard before. Even still, the song moved him to literal tears because he related to the story. If you also aren't familiar with the tune, keep reading.
"I'm Gonna Love You Through It," from McBride's album Eleven, follows a classic country song structure: something very bad happens — in this case, a cancer diagnosis — but through love and faith, things end up more or less OK. "She dropped the phone and burst into tears. The doctor just confirmed her fears. Her husband held it in and held her tight. Cancer don't discriminate or care if you're just 38," it begins. The lyrics specify that the song's central couple has three kids, and the woman is facing breast cancer.
"Now, it's forced smiles and baggy shirts to hide what the cancer took from her. But she just wants to feel like a woman again," sings McBride. The response from the husband in the song is so beautiful. "That's what my love is for...When you're weak, I'll be strong...When you need to cry, I swear that I'll be there to dry your eyes," the lyrics read. These words reinforce that cancer happens not just to a person but an entire family — and that sometimes, love is the best medicine.
The story behind "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" by Martina McBride
The song was written by Ben Hayslip and husband-and-wife duo Sonya Isaacs and Jimmy Yeary. It was inspired by Isaacs' mother Lily's own cancer journey, according to Taste of Country. "Sonya had the idea when she came in that day. Sonya’s mom had breast cancer and fought a hard battle through it. We started on this song, and we actually called Sonya’s mom on the phone and put her on speaker phone. We probably talked to her for a good 45 minutes, just about what she went through and how Sonya’s dad handled it," Hayslip told the outlet.
"It’s one of the realest songs that I’ve ever written," he added. "I was sitting there tearing up listening to her mom talk. I’ve never had anybody in my family go through breast cancer, knock on wood, but just to hear her story ... It was unbelievable. The stuff that she had to go through to stay alive. I think it’s a big song, and I think it’s a real song. Hopefully, this song can change lives. Most of the time, we try to write fun, up-tempo, feel-good songs, but this one is actually going to touch a lot of lives, I think." And it certainly did.
RELATED: The Unexpected Way Hoda Kotb's 8-Year-Old Daughter Found Out She Had Breast Cancer
RELATED: Hear Why Kirbi & Carolina Rodriguez’s “You Say” Battle Made Reba Do Praise Hands
The music video for the song included appearances from celebrity cancer survivors, including Robin Roberts, Sheryl Crow, and Hoda Kotb. It also featured cancer activist Katie Couric, who lost her husband to colon cancer in 1998. "I knew it was a song I wanted to record because of the strong message of hope that it sends. I believe 'I'm Gonna Love You Through It' will offer hope and inspiration to so many people who are going through or have been through cancer, and the people who love them through it," McBride told The Boot when the song came out.
