The song "All I Need" by Sara Groves tells the story of a couple starting their life together. They are newly married and have moved into a new apartment. However, they don't have much money, so they have to use furniture that was saved from the dump. The husband jokingly suggests that maybe they can afford a trashcan next month, highlighting their financial struggles. Despite their limited resources, the couple finds happiness in their love for each other and their simple life. When they have a new baby, they decide to teach the child to speak French, even though they can't afford expensive language lessons. They make do with what they have, with the husband making curtains and the wife making shelves. As time goes on, the couple wants to improve their home. The wife suggests adding something to their bare mantle, and someone tells her about a man who makes animals from driftwood. In order to afford this wooden walrus, the husband hopes to use his monthly bonus. Later, the couple plans to have guests over and realizes that their house needs renovations and new decorations. The husband lists the things they need, including a sectional, a satellite TV, custom-built cabinets, and a painting by a renowned artist who paints with his feet. These desires reflect their growing desire for material possessions to impress others and elevate their status. Throughout the song, the couple's priorities gradually shift from valuing love and simplicity to placing importance on material possessions and the image they project to others. This highlights the societal pressure to constantly improve one's material wealth and how easily one can become consumed by the pursuit of possessions. Despite the couple's changing desires, the underlying message of the song is that love and appreciation for one another should be the true focus in life.
