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
Say Something
A Great Big World Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be the one, if you want me to
Anywhere, I would've followed you
Say something, I'm giving up on you
And I am feeling so small
It was over my head
I know nothing at all
And I will stumble and fall
I'm still learning to love
Just starting to crawl
Say something, I'm giving up on you
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
Anywhere, I would've followed you
Say something, I'm giving up on you
And I will swallow my pride
You're the one that I love
And I'm saying goodbye
Say something, I'm giving up on you
And I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
And anywhere, I would have followed you, oh-oh
Say something, I'm giving up on you
Say something, I'm giving up on you
Say something
In A Great Big World's hit song "Say Something," the singer is pleading with their lover to communicate with them before they give up. The singer seems to be at a breaking point in their relationship, feeling small and inadequate. They express their willingness to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work, even if it means following their lover anywhere. The singer admits to stumbling and falling in their attempts to love their partner, but they are still learning and crawling towards a better understanding of love.
The chorus of the song is the most emotionally charged part, as the singer repeats the phrase "Say something, I'm giving up on you" as a final plea for communication from their partner. The song closes with the singer swallowing their pride and saying goodbye, recognizing that their efforts to save the relationship may have been in vain.
Line by Line Meaning
Say something, I'm giving up on you
I am at a point where I cannot make progress in our relationship without your input or response. I am about to give up.
I'll be the one, if you want me to
I am willing to be the support you need if you choose to reciprocate my love and effort.
Anywhere, I would've followed you
I am committed to you and would go anywhere or do anything to be with you.
And I am feeling so small
I am vulnerable and insecure in this situation.
It was over my head
I was overwhelmed and out of my depth in dealing with our relationship troubles.
I know nothing at all
I am lost and unsure of what to do or say to make things better.
And I will stumble and fall
I know I will encounter obstacles and make mistakes in trying to repair our relationship.
I'm still learning to love
I am still working on improving my ability to love and communicate effectively in a relationship.
Just starting to crawl
I am at the beginning stages of relearning how to build a strong relationship, like a baby learning to crawl.
I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you
I regret that I was unable to reach you and resolve our issues.
And I will swallow my pride
I am willing to put my own pride and ego aside for the sake of our relationship.
You're the one that I love
Despite our problems, I still love and care for you deeply.
And I'm saying goodbye
If there is no response or effort from you, I may have to come to terms with the end of our relationship.
And anywhere, I would have followed you, oh-oh
I still feel strongly for you and would do anything to make things work.
Say something
I am pleading with you to say something, anything, in response to my efforts to repair our relationship.
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group, Anthem Entertainment, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Chad Vaccarino, Ian Axel, Mike Campbell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind