Upon arriving in New York, Andrew found odd jobs in art galleries, department stores, avant-garde fashion boutiques, selling opera tickets, and as a gumball machine salesman; anything to support his real interest: making the most exciting music he could. He pursued this goal day and night, putting all of his abilities and resources into the writing and recording of his own material. Shortening his name from Andrew Wilkes-Krier to Andrew W.K., he set out on a mission to get his music heard not only in New York, but also around the world. Without a band or even a partner, Andrew began performing solo concerts anywhere he could get them. Using only a keyboard, drum machine, and his voice, Andrew played shows up and down the east coast. He vowed to play any show, any place, any time, and wound up performing everywhere from coffee houses to basements. Quickly the word spread of the energy and raw excitement of Andrew and the music, and soon he found himself performing for larger crowds. After performing several shows with friends and fellow New York performers, Fishcerspooner, Andrew was invited to play 2 engagements at a popular Belgian Arts Festival called Over The Edges. This was only the very beginning of a fast and wild ride.
Andrew signed a recording contract with Island Def Jam Records/Universal Music, and began the recording of his debut full-length CD. Titled I GET WET, the album's release in 2001 caused a widespread and diverse wave of reaction, landing Andrew on the covers of international music magazines, like the UK's NME, which featured him not once, but twice on the cover of the same issue (adding an additional page to accommodate the double image). More press followed, catapulting Andrew to overnight exposure in the international music world. Magazines worldwide praised the originality and undeniable intensity of his music, and articles in GQ, Rolling Stone, Spin, Q, Mojo, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, Jane, The New Yorker, FHM, Playboy, Oui, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Alternative Press, i-D, The Face, Dazed & Confused, Bizzare, Newsweek, The New York Post, Stuff, The Washington Post, The Village Voice, and dozens and dozens and dozens of others, the world over, all agreed that the A.W.K. style had made a mark in the wide world of music.
Now that Andrew W.K. had arrived, it was time to take the music to the stage, and Andrew had to form a band. Instead of auditioning random applicants, Andrew decided to write a letter to his favorite drummer, a man named Donald Tardy, who plays in the band Obituary. Andrew sent Donald the music and asked if he would join his band. Having no expectations, Andrew was shocked when Tardy wrote back and agreed to play the music. After Donald came an additional 7 musicians, including Gregg Roberts (bass guitar, vocals), Sgt. Frank (guitar), Jimmy Coup (guitar, vocals), Kendall A. (guitar, vocals), E. Payne (guitar, vocals), John Sutton (guitar), and even a second drummer, Richie Russo, who played on stage next to Donald, in perfect synchronicity. Andrew relocated to Brandon, Florida, in order to rehearse with the band and prepare the music for live performances. Immediately following the release of I GET WET, Andrew W.K. and his newly formed band began a world tour, which would continue for 3 years and over 500 concerts. Major U.S. tours, including highly coveted Ozzfest and Warped Tour dates, as well as countless hall and arena shows with everyone from Aerosmith, to The Locust, gave the music even further exposure and proved that A.W.K. music goes beyond genre and classifaction - it seemed purely "a man and music". Major network television appearances on Saturday Night Live, Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Last Call With Carson Daly, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, CNN, Fox Sports, Access Hollywood, Top Of The Pops, VH1, and MTV led to an eventual T.V. series of his own, entitled Your Friend, Andrew W.K. The show featured Andrew giving personal advice to fans who wrote in asking for help. MTV2 presented the series, along with countless other Andrew W.K. appearances on MTV, VH1, Much Music, and FUSE.
In the midst of his non-stop schedule, Andrew recorded and released his second album, THE WOLF, which was received with enthusiasm by both fans and the media alike. The album was recorded much in the same tradition Andrew established with his earliest songs: Andrew himself playing every instrument, and recording track after track of music, with each song tracking at least 90 individual parts, if not 200 or more individual tracks. Andrew and his band took the new album to the stage and performed tours across the globe, including festivals in Reading, Leeds, Tokyo, Osaka, and Taiwan. During this wave of shows, Andrew broke his foot on stage while getting tangled in his own microphone cable. Rather than sit it out and heal at home, W.K. decided to continue the tour, and played the remaining 60 shows in a wheelchair. One of these performances was filmed at the Spike T.V. Video Game Awards. Earlier in the year, W.K. had sustained a head injury during the filming of his music video, We Want Fun, with director Spike Jonze, for the Jackass Movie soundtrack. Despite these physical setbacks, the music continued and the party continues to spread, one person at a time.
At the close of 2004, Andrew began work on the massive WHO KNOWS? live-concert movie. In it, more than 300 hours of live concert footage, spanning 1992-2004, was condensed into a rapid-fire viewing experience. The film was edited using a special multi-track video process, in which multiple performances can be synchronized and layered together, with the audio and video overlapping to create a seamless sequence of shots from different concerts. The layering process of the video is similar to the layering process Andrew uses to record his music, and when performing. The movie was screened at sell-out shows in New York City and Hollywood, where Andrew performed in-person piano solos. WHO KNOWS? was released on DVD by Music Video Distributors / R. Jayne / R.C.U. Video.
Andrew W.K. released his third album, entitled "Close Calls With Brick Walls" in Spring 2006. The album was released exclusively in Asia due to legal issues surrounding usage of the name "Andrew W.K." Andrew toured both South Korea and Japan extensively in 2006. .
In December 2009, a lecture recorded at Madame Jojo's in London in September 2008 was published online. In it Andrew W.K. claimed that the Andrew W.K. persona was created by a committee including himself, his father, and other individuals, and that he was the "next person playing Andrew W.K." Claiming, "I'm not the guy you've seen from the I Get Wet album... I'm not that same person. I don't just mean that in a philosophical or conceptual way. It's not the same person at all." Andrew W.K. later went on to clarify that he believed that he, as well as his fans that have followed him since the original album, have become "different people."
He went further on to say: "Andrew W.K. was created by a large group of people. They met, and I was there, and we talked about how we could come up with something that would move people. It was done in the spirit of commerce. It was done in the spirit of entertainment, which usually goes hand in hand with commerce. I was auditioned, along side many other people, to fill this role of a 'great frontman', 'a great performer'. On the one hand it may be a little scary to admit this to you all, that I may not be exactly who you thought I was, and that the guy who was, in fact, first hired as Andrew W.K. is a different person than the guy sitting here on the stage tonight. I'm the next person who is playing Andrew W.K."
However On Tuesday 24 February, 2010, Andrew WK hosted an event Santos Party House in New York, where members of the public could ask him anything they liked. He stated that "I am Andrew W.K., the same that has been here from the beginning... I am... I am, I am the same Andrew W.K. at this appearance as at all Andrew W.K.-related appearances."
Later in 2010 due to finding a loophole in his contractual agreements he was able to release his 2006 album "Close Calls With Brick Walls" world wide. He released this along with another album called "Mother Of Mankind" which contained rare and unreleased tracks from 1999 right through to 2010.
He still lives in New York City.
In 2011, he released an EP called the "Party all Goddamn night" EP. This was released exclusively in Japan. Andrew W.K. is currently working on a new as yet unnamed album which is due for release some time in 2012.
On March 2, 2018, Andrew W.K. released "You're Not Alone", returning to the anthemic sounds of his first two albums.
On May 6, 2021, Andrew W.K. announced that his sixth studio album, God Is Partying, was to be released on September 10, 2021. In September 2021, the album was released alongside the single "Stay True To Your Heart". Shortly after the release of the album, W.K. delayed upcoming shows and deleted his website and social media pages with no explanation, his label also remaining quiet on what was happening.
This Is My World
Andrew W.K. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You never seem to know just what to say
You don't know what you really have
You don't know that you're much stronger
Until there's something getting in your way
It can pull you in, it can push you up
Lift you up and then knock you down
Raise your head, better shout it out
This is my time to hold the world within my hands
Let them know I'm here
That I got no fear
This is my time to rise above and make a stand
Feel I'm getting near
As it all becomes clear
This is my time
Hey hey this is my time
Everybody is talking 'bout decisions
In the end it's still my choice to make
(To make, to make, to make)
This time is my compromise
I'm not prepared to think it over
So you better not get in my way
You can suck me in, you can spit me out
You know I'm not gonna back down
Lift my head, I can rise above
And let them know what this is (this is my time y'all)
This is my time to hold the world within my hands
Let them know I'm here
That I got no fear
This is my time to rise above and make a stand
Feel I'm getting near
As it all becomes clear
Are you a fighter when they see what you can see?
'You a survivor when they knock what you believe?
Will you shake their hands when they break you down?
Will you stand or will you fall? (will you fall)
Let's take it higher and you will rise above them all
Rise above them all
Oh yeah oh yeah
This is my time to hold the world within my hands
Let them know I'm here
That I got no fear
This is my time to rise above and make a stand
Feel I'm getting near
As it all becomes clear
This is my time to hold the world within my hands
Let them know I'm here
That I got no fear
This is my time to rise above and make a stand
Feel I'm getting near
As it all becomes clear
I'm still gonna shine, I'm still gonna get mine
My name is Booga Loco you can call me Prime Time
I'm doin it with ease, I'm still gonna believe
I'm still gonna be in your face and making this cheese
I'm still gonna play, no matter what they say
Get out my way you might get caught when I swing and I sway
I'm still gonna make moves, I'm still gonna be shrewd
I gat them tracks that make you and your crew move a loo
Ha ha life is a party and a party is life
We've got to keep it together and keep on staying alive
Keepin' a smile for the nickel and the dime
The world is yours, the world is mine
It's my time
This is my time y'all
Come on, this is my time y'all
The song "This is My World" by Andrew W.K. is an empowering track about taking control of one's life and making it their own. The lyrics are a declaration of ownership over one's own destiny and the determination to rise above obstacles in order to achieve success. The opening lines express frustration with going through the motions and feeling directionless. The singer bemoans the fact that others don't seem to understand them or their potential. They insist that they are much stronger than others realize, and that they will prove it when faced with adversity.
The chorus serves as an anthem of self-determination. The singer declares that this is their time to hold the world in their hands, and that they won't back down. They refuse to compromise or allow others to dictate their path. They acknowledge that there will be setbacks and difficulties, but they are determined to rise above them and make a stand. The final verse features a guest verse by rapper Booga Loco, who echoes the main themes of the song, emphasizing the need to keep moving forward and staying true to oneself.
Overall, "This is My World" is a passionate and uplifting song that encourages listeners to take control of their lives and pursue their dreams with conviction and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm sick and tired of going through the motions
I am exhausted of living a monotonous life
You never seem to know just what to say
You lack words of support when I need them the most
You don't know what you really have
You fail to recognize the power you hold within yourself
You don't know that you're much stronger
You are not aware of your true strength
Until there's something getting in your way
Until an obstacle stops you in your tracks
It can pull you in, it can push you up
Obstacles can either make you give up or motivate you to do better
Lift you up and then knock you down
Obstacles can be unpredictable, sometimes making things better, other times worse
Raise your head, better shout it out
Stand tall and voice out your goals and dreams
And let them know this is (This is my time y'all)
Show everyone that this is your moment to succeed
This is my time to hold the world within my hands
I am confident and capable of achieving my goals
Let them know I'm here
Make my presence known to everyone around me
That I got no fear
I am unafraid to go after what I want in life
This is my time to rise above and make a stand
I will surpass all difficulties and make a statement
Feel I'm getting near
I am approaching my goals and dreams
As it all becomes clear
Everything is starting to make sense and fall into place
Everybody is talking 'bout decisions
Everyone is discussing what path to take in life
In the end it's still my choice to make
Ultimately, it is my decision to decide my own fate
(To make, to make, to make)
I need to choose wisely and take action
This time is my compromise
I will not make any concessions this time
I'm not prepared to think it over
I am not willing to overthink things and doubt myself.
So you better not get in my way
Do not stand in my path and obstruct my progress
You can suck me in, you can spit me out
Challenges may knock me down, but I will get back up
You know I'm not gonna back down
I have resilience and willpower to keep moving forward
Lift my head, I can rise above
I will keep my chin up and overcome any obstacles
And let them know what this is (this is my time y'all)
Announce to everyone that this is your moment to shine.
Are you a fighter when they see what you can see?
Do you have the strength to fight for what you believe in?
'You a survivor when they knock what you believe?
Can you endure when people challenge your beliefs?
Will you shake their hands when they break you down?
Will you forgive those who hurt you and move on?
Will you stand or will you fall? (will you fall)
Will you give up or persevere in the face of adversity?
Let's take it higher and you will rise above them all
Aim higher and surpass all those who doubt you
This is my time to hold the world within my hands
I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind on
My name is Booga Loco you can call me Prime Time
An upbeat line, that links the song to the party lifestyle that Andrew W.K. is known for.
I'm doin it with ease, I'm still gonna believe
I will make things happen, no matter the challenges.
I'm still gonna be in your face and making this cheese
I will do what it takes to achieve success and fortune
I'm still gonna play, no matter what they say
I will keep striving towards my dreams, despite what others say.
Get out my way you might get caught when I swing and I sway
I can overcome any obstacle or challenge that comes my way.
I'm still gonna make moves, I'm still gonna be shrewd
I will keep taking calculated risks and be shrewd in my decisions
I gat them tracks that make you and your crew move a loo
Andrew W.K's upbeat party tracks keep the party going and moving.
Ha ha life is a party and a party is life
Life should be celebrated and enjoyed, and parties are the perfect occasion for that
We've got to keep it together and keep on staying alive
We need to stay positive and push forward, no matter what happens.
Keepin' a smile for the nickel and the dime
Even small joys and accomplishments should be celebrated and enjoyed.
The world is yours, the world is mine
The world belongs to everyone, and we should all have the opportunity to shine and succeed.
Come on, this is my time y'all
Encouragement from Andrew W.K to own your time and achieve your dreams.
Lyrics © Global Talent Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AARON SMITH, ANDY LOVE, JOS JORGENSEN, KEVIN SPENCER, RICHARD RANDOLPH, TERRI WALKER, RICKY SMITH, JOS HARTVIG JORGENSEN, RICKY DARNELL SMITH, ANDREW NICHOLAS LOVE, RICHARD KEVIN RANDOLPH, KEVIN BION SPENCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind