Axel’s known for the 2011 viral hit “This Is the New Year,” which solidified him as an indie pop presence with staggering YouTube views and numerous syncs on film and television. Teaming up with longtime collaborator Chad, he’s expanding his horizons immensely into A Great Big World.
The seeds for the partnership were planted early, even before Ian’s solo career took off. While both studying music at NYU, Ian tracked Chad down in the school’s practice rooms.
Chad smiles, “I kept blowing him off, and then I heard him singing nervously at the piano. I was like, ‘your voice is amazing. Let’s work on these songs. Let’s be friends.’”
Ian laughs, “I kind of forced my friendship on him. I stalked him and made him listen to my songs. He told me I needed to be singing. This realization changed my life. Our relationship is super special. I feel like we’ve known each other forever.”
Ian was the artist, and Chad shared writing duties and became his manager. Playing around New York, Ian eventually stepped into the spotlight and released an independent solo album entitled This Is the New Year in 2010.
The title track featured a vocal cameo from Chad. The song’s low budget music video shot at a Brooklyn party garnered over 1.5 million views and stirred an overwhelming viral buzz. Given the track’s success, tinyOGRE Entertainment signed Ian, remixing and re-releasing the record through Sony. “We finally got to quit our day jobs and do this,” Chad goes on. “It was surreal how quickly everything moved forward from that point.”
As they hit the road, “This Is the New Year” continued to gain steam. MTV utilized it as the theme song for their hit documentary series I Used to Be Fat and then it played over the title credits of Garry Marshall’s New Year’s Eve. Their music became a favorite of music supervisors. One Tree Hill, Amazing Race, ESPN, and Good Morning America all incorporated their songs, and Rachael Ray invited them to perform on her nationally syndicated talk show.
They completed their first national tours and opened shows for Ingrid Michaelson, Five For Fighting, and Glee star Matthew Morrison. Their live performances feature a warm, engaging interplay reminiscent of the intimacy and energy of artists like Elton John, Regina Spektor, and Simon and Garfunkel.
In late 2011, tinyOGRE Entertainment informed all of their artists that they were shutting down. “It was bittersweet,” admits Ian. “On the one hand, we lost our whole team. On the other, my relationship with Chad was as strong as it ever was. We were re-capturing the creative spark we had in college. Our music wasn’t just about ‘Ian Axel.’ We had always been in this together.”
That’s when A Great Big World was officially born. Making positive, piano-driven pop bursting with harmonies and woven together with a fun theatrical twist, the duo crafted a six-song EP funded entirely on Kickstarter by fans. “It’s optimistic pop music,” Chad says. “There are fewer songs about heartbreak and more about the big picture. But even the most painful of our songs are hopeful.”
They’ve certainly chased their dreams and they’re going to continue to do so. But there is something even greater at play. “Writing is our therapy,” Ian concludes. “And when we can connect with people through our music, it’s transformational. We’re not alone. Our songs are your songs. And that’s what it’s all about.”
www.agreatbigworld.com
I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else
A Great Big World Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, you had me in a dream,
I lived in every word you said
The stars had aligned
I thought that I found you
And I don't wanna love somebody else
Oh, we left it all unspoken
And now it's screaming in my head
Oh, I shouldn't go on hoping
Oh, that you will change your mind
And one day we could start again
Well I don't care if loneliness kills me
I don't wanna love somebody else
Oh, I thought that I could change you
Oh, I thought that we would be the greatest story that I tell
I know that it's time to tell you it's over
But I don't wanna love somebody else
In these lyrics, the singer is expressing their deep love for someone they built their world around. They were enamored by this person and every word they said held meaning for them. They believed that the stars had aligned for them to find this person, and now they refuse to love someone else. However, they admit to leaving things unspoken and hiding their feelings, creating a buried and toxic dynamic between them. The singer hopes that the person they love will change their mind and allow them to start over, even though they know it's time to end things. They fear loneliness but refuse to love someone else because their heart belongs to the one they built their world around.
The lyrics express a complex emotional state that many people relate to when it comes to love. The idea of building a world around someone shows how infatuation can take over and become all-consuming. The singer expects the relationship to go a certain way, but they are met with disappointment as their feelings remain unspoken and are left to fester. The line "I don't wanna love somebody else" illustrates how the singer is holding on to their love for this person, even though they know it's time to move on.
Overall, the lyrics are a poignant representation of unrequited love, the burden of hope and desires that go unfulfilled, and the fear of losing somebody you love.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I built a world around you
I put all my focus and effort into making a life centered around you
Oh, you had me in a dream,
You had me under a spell, in a dream-like state
I lived in every word you said
I took everything you said to heart and based my life around it
The stars had aligned
I believed that fate brought us together
I thought that I found you
I thought I had found my soulmate
And I don't wanna love somebody else
I don't want to move on and love anyone else
Oh, we left it all unspoken
We never talked about how we truly felt
Oh, we buried it alive
We ignored our feelings and pushed them deep down inside
And now it's screaming in my head
All those feelings that we buried are coming back and overwhelming me
Oh, I shouldn't go on hoping
I shouldn't keep hoping things will magically work out
Oh, that you will change your mind
That you will suddenly want to be with me
And one day we could start again
And we could give it another try in the future
Well I don't care if loneliness kills me
I would rather be alone than be with someone else when my heart belongs to you
I don't wanna love somebody else
I don't want to move on and love anyone else, even if it means being alone
Oh, I thought that I could change you
I thought that my love could change you and make you want to be with me
Oh, I thought that we would be the greatest story that I tell
I thought that our love story would be epic and that we would live happily ever after
I know that it's time to tell you it's over
I know that I need to accept that it's over between us
But I don't wanna love somebody else
I don't want to move on and love anyone else, even if it means accepting that our relationship is over
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ALLISON K M SACCONE, IAN AXEL, CHAD VACCARINO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JuneAnji
Oh, I built a world around you
Oh, you had me in a dream,
I lived in every word you said
The stars had aligned
I thought that I found you
And I don't wanna love somebody else
Oh, we left it all unspoken
Oh, we buried it alive
and now it's screaming in my head
Oh, I shouldn't go on hoping
Oh, that you will change your mind
and one day we could start again
Well I don't care if loneliness kills me
I don't wanna love somebody else
Oh, I thought that I could change you
Oh, I thought that we would be the greatest story that I tell
I know that it's time to tell you it's over
But I don't wanna love somebody else
@dianalaura8746
Lyrics (just un case you want them):
Oh, I built a world around you
Oh, you had me in a dream,
I lived in every word you said
The stars had aligned
I thought that I found you
And I don't wanna love somebody else
Oh, we left it all unspoken
Oh, we buried it alive
and now it's screaming in my head
Oh, I shouldn't go on hoping
Oh, that you will change your mind
and one day we could start again
Well I don't care if loneliness kills me
I don't wanna love somebody else
Oh, I thought that I could change you
Oh, I thought that we would be the greatest story that I tell
I know that it's time to tell you it's over
But I don't wanna love somebody else
@solarmangos
there was a girl in my class that usually cried everyday. nobody seemed to care much, because she was always alone. one day I decided to talk to her. she was in her desk, as always, crying with her head down. so I took her hand with strenght and waited until she realises. when she did, and saw me, I looked directly to her eyes and smile. she did the same and we both started to laugh. I felt beautifully.
Time passed and we both became really close "friends". we used to walk holding hands, eating together, making music ( thats because she sings like an angel and I have experience playing the piano). but we were just that, close "friends". sometimes ,when we were alone, we were so close that almost kissed. that situation happenned many times.
I discovered that she suffered depression, and she needed to take a lot of pills because of it. so I decided to always been there to make her smile. It was sometimes really hard, but I had recently realised that I was in love with her since the moment I saw her crying.
we used to spend really good moments together. time used to pass magically fast when talking to her. even in parties, when we both didn't dance well, we tried, ending up laughing. otherwise, she was an amazing artist. she could draw or paint anything perfectly just in a few minutes.
when I was sad, angry or something, she was always there. when other people attacked me, she could have gived her life just to defend me. I felt in safe when I was next to her.
Oh, didn't I told you the best part? the first moment we met, she told me she was a lesbian.
@ChrisAESpecialist
This song brings me to tears every time. I fell so deep for my first love. And I was her first love also. We were together for 3 years. But then 2 years after we were together...she told me that she had leukemia. A year after, she passed. After that I've just been afraid to even get close to somebody.
This song is incredible. It describes me. Love it.
Edit:(2/26/2015) After almost 2 years of her passing away I have finally found a girl that loves me and that has got me to open my heart up again. I love her <3 I trust her. I'm in love with her. It's the best feeling of having someone that loves you more than you love yourself after all this time of being alone......Don't give up on love. I did. It was a mistake to. Thank you all for showing support while I was going through a really dark time :D <3 you have my eternal thanks.
R.I.P. 9/1/2013
@hayleeganter970
I am so sorry for your loss. I may not know you but you can talk to me if you want. That is awful and I could never imagine it.
@laurenonderwater7742
you made me cry me more! Great story, so sorry
@SnapCrackleandPopJr
I'm sorry for your loss ='/
@ashleycisneros5902
Aww this story and this song bring me to tears and I feel so horrible when I hear this song beacuse my first boyfreind thought that I was cheating on him with his brother cause he saw us kissing in the hallway but I wasn't kissing his brother his brother was kissing me but I don't know what got into his brother and when we where in class both of us where in tears and I was trying to tell him that he just came up to me and kissed me without saying a word and I just feel so horrible about it and ok I'm ganna go cry now bye
@ChrisAESpecialist
I never got to say goodbye.
@GeneseChannel
He sounds like he's holding back tears when he says 'I thought that we could be the greatest story that I tell'
@alyssadoughty9356
I am when he sings it
@queenroaa.7307
the most amazing part i have ever seen
@TheRealDreaZombie
Yes. Its the most beautiful part of the song because you can feel the sorrow in his voice. You can't pretend, and make it sound the same. You have to really be feeling it for it to come through like that. Heartbreaking and beautiful.