In mid-2005 he began work on a second album with the intention of creating something organic, classic and real. True to his indie spirit, when it came time to record and funds weren't readily available, he called out to his grass-roots fan base for assistance. Loyal fans, eager for a second release, pre-ordered the upcoming album and a small back-log of unreleased demos, generating enough revenue for a completely fan-funded album.
Mattox's stunning sophomore release, Prizefighter [November 1, 2005] is already a knock-out with fans. "My goal was to spend the time and make an album that is easily accessible to people; something they could grasp onto and call their own," he says. He took the better part of 6 months off the road and came up with eleven tales of turmoil and triumph that bob and weave beautifully throughout this stark masterpiece. Mattox and his band recorded Prizefighter during an eight week lock-out with Producer John Briglevich (Goo Goo Dolls, Edwin McCain, Chuck D) at Sonica Recording Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. "I wanted Prizefighter to be very much about my personal struggles this past year," says Mattox "I needed it to reflect who I am as a person and stand as an example for what you can accomplish if you just get up, dust yourself off, and keep going."
Mattox and his band are currently out on the road in support of Prizefighter. "I have had the pleasure of collaborating with a lot of really good musicians over the past two years," says Mattox, "but there's nothing more powerful than sharing a stage and making a record with my best friends." His current touring line-up includes long-time drummer Andy Bauer, keys and rhythm guitarist Rivers Pearce, bassist Mike Lamond and lead guitarist Chris Skogen. Mattox lives in Athens, Georgia, while the band resides in Atlanta, allowing them the privilege of calling both places "home".
Mattox has seen national success on MTV's Real World, Turner Network Television's NASCAR, Delta Airline's Campus Movie Fest, "Good Morning Atlanta" on CBS, and has performed live on FOX Charlotte, Q100's "The Bert Show", and Music Midtown 2004 alongside the Foo Fighters and Switchfoot. His last two Atlanta performances at The Roxy Theatre had over 1,000 in attendance and he has recently seen airplay on The UK's SKY Channel 905, XM radio, Atlanta, Ga.'s 99x, Macon, Ga.'s Q106, and Auburn, Al.'s TigerFM.
Mattox currently reigns as an award-winning artist for:
"Best Rock Band" and "Best Singer-Songwriter" Flagpole Music Awards (Athens, Ga.)
"Best Front-Man" Atlanta Music Guide Music Awards
"Best Singer-Songwriter" and "Best Instrumentalist" Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta
#1 on The Best Unsigned Band List Alternative Addiction
Creative Loafing says, "As long as Bain Mattox keeps writing simple, stunning, sad songs, he'll maintain both mainstream and indie cred."
Bleeding Me Dry
Bain Mattox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you want to go, go
Just know it's shredding me apart
If you want to leave, leave
If you want to go, go
Just know I'm retiring my heart
So you say... you'll be back some other day
You're bleeding me dry
Of everything but blood
You leave me empty inside
If you want to lie, lie
I wish you could cry, cry
Just so, you'd feel as bad as I
If you want to leave please
Take all of everything
Just so to me you weren't alive
So you say... you'll be back some other day
You're bleeding me dry
Of everything but blood
You leave me empty inside
You're leaving my life
With everything but love
It hurts my body this time
My mind will know
But there's something hoping different deep down below
You kind just goes
And your choices are like cement, set in stone
You're bleeding me dry
Of everything but blood
You leave me empty inside
You're leaving my life
With everything but love
It hurts my body this time
If you want to leave, leave
If you want to go, go
Just know I'm retiring my heart.
The lyrics of Bain Mattox's song Bleeding Me Dry talks about a painful relationship where one partner is clearly not committed to making things work. The first and second verses both repeat the lines "if you want to leave, leave" and "if you want to go, go" to show that the singer is willing to let their partner leave if that's what they really want. However, the chorus emphasizes the pain this brings to the singer as they feel "bled dry" of everything but blood and left "empty inside" by their partner's actions. The bridge talks about the singer's conflicting emotions - their mind knows that their partner's decision is final and that they won't be coming back out of any sense of remorse or love, but deep down, they still hope for a different outcome.
Overall, the song speaks to the agony of unrequited love, the feeling of being left behind or used by someone who never truly cared, and the emotions that are left behind when a situation like this arises.
Line by Line Meaning
If you want to leave, leave
If you want to depart, please depart
If you want to go, go
If you want to leave this place, abandon it
Just know it's shredding me apart
Know that your action is causing me immense pain
Just know I'm retiring my heart
I am giving up love for good
So you say... you'll be back some other day
You claim that you will return at some point in time
You're bleeding me dry
Of everything but blood
You leave me empty inside
You're taking everything from me except my blood, leaving me feeling hollow
If you want to lie, lie
I wish you could cry, cry
Just so, you'd feel as bad as I
If you want to deceive, do it
I desire that you could cry to understand how bad that I feel
If you want to leave please
Take all of everything
Just so to me you weren't alive
If you're going to forsake, take everything with you
So I won't remember you
You're leaving my life
With everything but love
It hurts my body this time
You're departing with everything you came with except for love
It's physically paining me this time
My mind will know
But there's something hoping different deep down below
You kind just goes
And your choices are like cement, set in stone
My mind will understand your leaving,
But something deeper hopes that you stay
You just leave without a care
Your decisions are final and unwavering
If you want to leave, leave
If you want to go, go
Just know I'm retiring my heart.
You can depart if that's what you want,
But know that my heart is done with love
Contributed by Penelope F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.