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
rockstar
A Great Big World Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sittin' in a junk pile laughing at the sun
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
There's a boy in the backseat singin' to the song
Playin' on the radio, knowing he's the one
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
There's a girl in the tree top looking at the stars
Waiting for a touchdown comin' in from Mars
Thinkin' "is there anybody out there?"
There's a boy thinking of here playin' his guitar
Searching for the answer buried in his heart
Thinkin' "ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there?"
Singin' "ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there"
If there's a meaning can you show me a sign
The more I look it just gets harder to find
The world is spinnin' and I wanna know why
And we're all getting older wishin' we were young
Hangin' on the memory of what we would become
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
If there's a meaning can you show me a sign
The more I look it just gets harder to find
The world is spinnin' and I wanna know why
And maybe we will never figure it out
I got a feelin' that's what life's all about
I'm learning anything is possible now
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
The lyrics to A Great Big World's "Rockstar" describe the dreams and ambitions of ordinary people who long for something more in life. The song is an anthem for the dreamers, the misfits, and the underdogs who strive to become famous rockstars. The song starts with a girl in the backyard banging on her drum and singing that she wants to be a rockstar. The chorus repeats the phrase "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar" with unbridled enthusiasm.
The second verse describes a boy playing his guitar and searching for answers buried in his heart. He thinks about whether there is anyone else out there who feels the same way he does. The bridge of the song poses a question about the meaning of life and hints at the longing for something more profound than just the desire to be famous. The repeated phrase "Take a ticket and get off the line" suggests that there is more to life than being part of the crowd.
The final verse acknowledges that life may be tough, and it may be difficult to find meaning in it all. But it also implies that anything is possible if one is ready to take a chance and follow their dreams. Overall, the song is about finding one's place in the world and pursuing one's passions, no matter how challenging they may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a girl in the backyard bangin' on her drum
Sittin' in a junk pile laughing at the sun
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
A girl is in the backyard playing the drums and ignore anything else around her. She sings that she only wants to be a rockstar and nothing else.
There's a boy in the backseat singin' to the song
Playin' on the radio, knowing he's the one
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
A boy is in the backseat and singing along to the song playing on the radio. He sings that he wants to be a rockstar so bad that he could feel it inside of him.
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
The singer asserts that he was born to be a rockstar and that's all he wants in life.
There's a girl in the tree top looking at the stars
Waiting for a touchdown comin' in from Mars
Thinkin' "is there anybody out there?"
A girl is on a tree, staring at the stars and waiting for a touchdown from Mars. She wonders if there are any other intelligent lives out there.
There's a boy thinking of here playin' his guitar
Searching for the answer buried in his heart
Thinkin' "ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there?"
A boy is thinking of the here and now while strumming his guitar. He's looking for an answer within himself and wonders if there's anyone out there who could relate to him.
Singin' "ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there"
The singer expresses the idea of questioning whether there's anyone else out there that shares their feelings and experiences.
If there's a meaning can you show me a sign
The more I look, it just gets harder to find
The world is spinnin' and I wanna know why
The singer wonders if there's any particular meaning in his or her life, and asks for a sign to prove it. The more they look, the more they get lost. Moreover, they also want to know why.
And we're all getting older wishin' we were young
Hangin' on the memory of what we would become
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
The idea of getting older and wanting to be young again is presented here. People tend to live on memories and dream of what they could have become. The singer repeats that they were born to be a rockstar because that's their dream.
And maybe we will never figure it out
I got a feelin' that's what life's all about
I'm learning anything is possible now
The singer realizes that they might never get the answers to all their questions, but they believe that wondering about it is the essence of living. Also, they're learning that anything is possible.
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
The singer uses the metaphor of a line and the act of taking a ticket and getting off the line to mean that one should step out of their comfort zone and pursue their dreams.
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
The stanza repeats the main theme of the song – the singer's desire to be a rockstar because that's what they were born to do.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD VACCARINO, IAN AXEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bharat B
There's a girl in the backyard bangin' on her drum
Sittin' in a junk pile laughing at the sun
Singin', "Ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar."
There's a boy in the backseat singin' to the song
Playin' on the radio, knowing he's the one
Singin', "Ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar."
Singin', "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
There's a girl in the tree top looking at the stars
Waiting for a touchdown comin' in from Mars
Thinkin', "Is there anybody out there?"
There's a boy thinking of her playin' his guitar
Searching for the answer buried in his heart
Thinkin', "Ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there?"
Singin', "Ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there?"
If there's a meaning can you show me a sign?
The more I look it just gets harder to find
The world is spinnin' and I wanna know why
And we're all getting older wishin' we were young
Hangin' on the memory of what we would become
Singin', "Ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar."
Singin', "Ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar."
Singin', "Ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
If there's a meaning can you show me a sign?
The more I look it just gets harder to find
The world is spinnin' and I wanna know why
And maybe we will never figure it out
I got a feelin' that's what life's all about
I'm learning anything is possible now
Take a ticket and get off the line [8x]
Singing, "Ah ha ha I just wanna be a rockstar." [4x]
LOVE IT
Hhh Mlvv
There's a girl in the backyard bangin' on her drum
Sittin' in a junk pile laughing at the sun
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
There's a boy in the backseat singin' to the song
Playin' on the radio, knowing he's the one
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
There's a girl in the tree top looking at the stars
Waiting for a touchdown comin' in from Mars
Thinkin' "is there anybody out there?"
There's a boy thinking of here playin' his guitar
Searching for the answer buried in his heart
Thinkin' "ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there?"
Singin' "ah, ha ha, is there anybody out there"
If there's a meaning can you show me a sign
The more I look it just gets harder to find
The world is spinnin' and I wanna know why
And we're all getting older wishin' we were young
Hangin' on the memory of what we would become
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
If there's a meaning can you show me a sign
The more I look it just gets harder to find
The world is spinnin' and I wanna know why
And maybe we will never figure it out
I got a feelin' that's what life's all about
I'm learning anything is possible now
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
Take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
So take a ticket and get off the line
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I just wanna be a rockstar"
Singin' "ah ha ha, I was born to be a rockstar!"
Sam Carter
All of your songs are just so perfect. The piano is always very upbeat, but relaxing and then the lyrics always tend to paint a picture. I'm a huge fan.
Jade FOBPanicker
Same - I actually adore them !!!! Their style reminds me a lot of Fun and especially Owl City - to describe them in two words is difficult but : SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL ! I wish they could come and tour in the Uk
Sam Carter
downeyjriscool Yeah that's a good way to describe them actually! They're one of my favorite bands.
Carl beaumont
Well said
Extremely Ethan
I literally listen to this song every day sometimes twice a day🎉😊❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊🎉🎉
I O
I seriously wonder why this song isn't more popular
Emma Hoard
Same
Megan Fyhn
Ireoluwatomiwa Opayemi elsker dig Jeg håber at vi skal mødet i københauen
Jeeanna Pierantoni
Ireoluwatomiwa Opayemi same
Antonio Innocente
I like it up to 1:25 but I find the rest quite disappointing