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Jackie Kasner

Dr. Adrienne Cassel

English Composition II

03 February 2020

I’ve Got My Eye On It

Many people today feel like they are not accomplishing much in their lives. They often

feel lonely, depressed and weary, but Tobymac’s “Eye on it” inspires people to keep moving

forward. This message is seen as the music video shows Tobymac moving forward, through an

abandoned building, while the live version shows Tobymac constantly moving around the stage.

It seems like the song is like other songs, keeping people motivated to move forward. However,

this song is about being determined to do whatever you can to glorify God. In “Eye on it,”

Tobymac’s approach to keep moving forward is evident in both the concert and the music video,

but the live performance of the song is aimed more for younger audiences, particularly ages 15-

30, due to the visual, onstage effects and the hip hop dancing used.

The lyrics are evident,

“I set my eyes to the West, walking away from it all,

Reaching for what lies ahead, I’ve got my eye on it,”

Tobymac is seen in the music video walking forward from the abandoned building the

music video is set in. This indicates that Tobymac is appealing to Christians, telling them to

move forward and to be who you want to be, while honoring God. The music video is evident of

this because it uses upbeat, rock style music to empower the listener to move forward with
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purpose and optimism. Tobymac also uses “Eye On It” as a way to show that people could be at

the most abandoned part of their life, but these people would be just as capable to move forward

in their lives, which is why there is a more broader audience, as people ages 15-45 would

understand the purpose behind “Eye On It.”

However, in the concert version of “Eye On It,” Tobymac has more eccentricity, and uses

hip hop dancing with other stage effects to not only entertain his younger audience, but to

provide a message of including everyone, regardless of skin color, disability, and anything else

that might prevent someone from being who they want to be. This world is a world that is full of

hate, racism and constant division, in this Concert, Tobymac proves that we can all come

together, regardless of who we are or where we come from. There are many different instruments

used, like different kinds of drums and another singer, indicating Tobymac values diversity and

change through his music. The live performance of “Eye On It,” shows that concert audiences

can come together through worshipping God, but outside of the concert, Christians should

choose to include everyone, regardless if they believe or do not believe in God.

Tobymac uses the music video to appeal to the audience with a positive and optimistic

outlook, saying that not all change is bad and that change can lead to a more clear and more

brighter outlook on the World. This is intended to inspire the audience to believe not only in

God, but in how they can overcome change as well. The music video starts out with an eye

spinning around in what seems like an abandoned building, then with break dancing to

symbolize the craziness of life, and eventually Tobymac, the main character of the story, is seen

walking forward toward a brighter perspective. There are not any facts, statistics or expert

opinions but instead “Eye On It” appeals to a more emotional perspective, something which

teens and adults understand alike.

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The concert performance of “Eye On It” is more for young middle and/or upper class

because it shows people having fun at a concert in a venue where tickets were probably

expensive. The audience’s faces in the live video show that they are younger and excited about

Tobymac being on stage. Tobymac does dance moves that the older generation would not be able

to understand, but the younger generation will easily grasp. He also has different sound effects

and stage effects, which allow the younger audiences to relate more to the meaning behind the

song. “Eye On It” in the concert setting provides the audience a life experience about going to a

concert, while Tobymac is using “Eye On It” as a way to teach audiences about diversity and

inclusion.

In the original music video, there are various break dancers dancing rapidly throughout

the video, representing how fast life can be. Tobymac incorporates those break dancers in as a

way to show his more broader audience that their lives may be moving as fast as the dancers are,

but that God can handle everyone’s life and the situations that can occur, no matter how fast or

how slow it is. There is often an emphasis in the journey of life throughout the Christian life,

which Tobymac understands and relates to. He uses “Eye On It” as a way to inspire the audience

that yes, life can be as fast and challenging, but God can handle it.

Throughout both versions of “Eye On It,” Tobymac emphasizes the value of differences,

and how people can be who they want to be, they just have to keep moving forward and

honoring God with their lives. Although, this is a religious song, “Eye on It” is way for people to

keep the determination, even if the road ahead does not sound significant enough. The road may

be rough, but “Eye on It” proves that if a person has their eyes on the prize, which is whatever

goal a person needs to meet, the goal can be achieved. The song’s idea of determination is also

incorporated through upbeat music, as “Eye On It” can be used to empower people to keep
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moving forward, as long as these people do it for the glory of God. “Eye On It” also proves that a

person can be whatever they want to be, as long as they are honoring God in the process.
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Works Cited

“Tobymac-Eye on It Ft. Britt Nicole.” YouTube, Google, 15 Jan. 2013,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAdxaXSnMq4. Accessed 08 Feb. 2020.

“TobyMac-Eye On It (Live) Ft. Britt Nicole.” YouTube, Google, 27 Jan. 2017,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GPmsuJ5S-I. Accessed 08 Feb. 2020.