Clay's first CD, Measure of a Man (Number One, Top 200), went triple platinum selling more than 613,000 copies in its first week. Including singles like "Invisible", "The Way," "I Will Carry You" and the Neil Sedaka cover "Solitaire," it was the subject of conflicting reviews. Billboard Magazine called it the best pop album of 2003. Many fans and some critics recognized and admired the pure pop sound ("so pure it floats") and top-notch production values while others heard only a manufactured sound, noting that the singer hadn't earned his musical chops but "merely" sang his way to the hearts of millions on television, a perceived unjust leap-frogging of "the true path of the true artist."
Aiken fronted a country band, Just By Chance, pre-Idol and recorded 3 demo CDs. As a young man he was a member of the Raleigh Boy's Choir and was in numerous musical productions in North Carolina Theater.
The National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel/Aiken Foundation) was launched in 2003, supporting the integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of their non-disabled peers. In November 2004, Clay was appointed as a National Ambassador for UNICEF, with a mission to help ensure that children everywhere are afforded a primary education.
In November 2004, Clay released Merry Christmas With Love (Number One, Top 200). His first Christmas album, it went platinum, won 2 Billboard Music Awards and spurred a yearly holiday tour and a follow-up EP, All Is Well - Songs for Christmas. 2004 was also the year Clay made #2 on the New York Times Best Seller List with his "inspirational memoir" titled Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life.
His next studio album, 2006's A Thousand Different Ways (Number Two, Top 200), was, through the direction of mega-producer Clive Davis, largely a covers CD. Ten of the fourteen cuts being well known melodic pop songs ranging from Richard Marx, Bryan Adams, Dolly Parton, Mister Mister, and Elton John. Two other songs, available only on digital versions of the album, are "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (through K-Mart.com) and "Lover All Alone" (through iTunes and co-written by Aiken himself). Many fans have wondered about the relative exclusion of the latter song, left languishing from the song list present on the physical CD, as its intimate emotional material and Aiken's own writing handiwork produce a spellbinding effect.
In May of 2008 Aiken released On My Way Here (Number Four, Top 200), his first album of original material since his 2003 chart-topping debut Measure of A Man. While searching for songs for this album, he fell in love with a song written by OneRepublic front man Ryan "Alias" Tedder called "On My Way Here." The message of the lyrics -- how the lessons we learn while growing up shape us into who we become as adults -- struck such a deep chord with Clay that it wound up inspiring the theme (and title) of his new collection. In addition to enlisting Grammy-Award winning British songwriter and producer Kipper, On My Way Here also included the talented musicians of none other then the Steely Dan band.
A fifth album, The Very Best of Clay Aiken, was released at the end of March 2009 on Sony's Legacy Recordings Playlist Series.
To date, Aiken has headlined 8 tours., one of them co-headlining with Kelly Clarkson.
Aiken made his Broadway debut playing the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot in January 2008. His first run ended in May. He rejoined the cast as Sir Robin in September and remained through January 4, 2009.
In August of 2008 Clay became a father to Parker Foster Aiken with producer Jaymes Foster, the sister of record producer David Foster.
Clay will release a brand new album, titled "Tried and True", on June 1, 2010 on the Decca Records label.
Clay also has made numerous TV appearances, guest-starring on everything from Scrubs to Days of Our Lives to the season finale of the popular show 30 Rock. He has earned a place on such talk-shows as Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show, Late Night With David Letterman, Tyra Banks, Rachel Ray, Ellen and has cooked with both Martha Stewart and Paula Deen.
Though clearly, based on his television and concert appeal, a performing artist whose live presentations show consummate showmanship, bringing surprising dynamism to studio songs, Aiken has had to endure a persistent hammering from entertainment critics and a tenacious (not to say malevolent) interest on the part of some in the media relating to questions about his personal life.
Always full of surprises, fans look forward to the continued ways in which this multi-talented artist expresses himself and uses his voice in ways that will expand his appeal in and beyond the US.
Invisible
Clay Aiken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What she doin' tonight?
I wish I could be a fly on your wall.
Are you really alone? Who's stealing dreams?
Why can't I breathe you into my life?
(So tell me) What would it take to make you see that I'm alive?
If I was invisible
If I was invincible
I'd make you mine tonight
If hearts were unbreakable
And I could just tell you where I stand
I would be the smartest man
If I was invisible
Wait, I already am
Saw your face in the crowd, I call out your name
You don't hear a sound
I keep tracing your steps, each move that you make
Wish I could read what goes through your mind
(Oh baby) Wish you could touch me with the colors of your light
If I was invisible
And I could just watch you in your room
If I was invincible
I'd make you mine tonight
If hearts were unbreakable
And I could just tell you where I stand
I would be the smartest man
If I was invisible
Wait, I already am
(I'd make you mine tonight) Invisible
I reach out but you don't even feel me
Even when I scream out
Baby, you don't hear me (you don't hear me)
I am nothing without you
Just a shadow passin' through
(Invisible, Invisible, Invisible, Invisible)
If I was invisible
And I could just watch you in your room
If I was invincible
I'd make you mine tonight
If hearts were unbreakable
And I could just tell you where I stand
I would be the smartest man
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
Clay Aiken's song "Invisible" tells the story of a person who is deeply infatuated with someone else but feels invisible to that person. The opening lines of the song express the singer's desire to be able to peek into the life of the person they are infatuated with, revealing their curiosity and longing.
The lyrics convey the singer's frustration that their feelings for this person are not reciprocated. Even as they stand in a crowd and call out the person's name, they feel ignored and alone. They long for a deep emotional connection with the other person, wishing that they could be heard and seen.
The lyrics are accompanied by a combination of pop and rock instrumentation, with a particularly catchy and upbeat chorus. While the song's romantic lyrics explore themes of unrequited love and longing, the lively melody and vibrant instrumentation make it an energetic and lively tune.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh-oh-ohh
The singer expresses his excitement to a person whom he wishes to be with.
What she doin' tonight?
The singer inquires about the person he is interested in and what they might be doing that night.
I wish I could be a fly on your wall.
The singer wishes he could get closer to the person he is interested in to know more about their life and thoughts.
Are you really alone? Who's stealing dreams?
The singer is curious if the person he loves is truly alone or if someone else is occupying their thoughts.
Why can't I breathe you into my life?
The singer is desperate and longing for the person he loves to be part of his life.
(So tell me) What would it take to make you see that I'm alive?
The singer is unsure why the person he loves is not noticing him and questions what he can do to make them pay attention to him.
If I was invisible
And I could just watch you in your room
If I was invincible
I'd make you mine tonight
If hearts were unbreakable
And I could just tell you where I stand
I would be the smartest man
If I was invisible
Wait, I already am
The singer wishes he were invisible so he could freely watch the person he loves without getting caught. He would use his invincibility to make them his tonight. If hearts were unbreakable, he would express his love to the person he loves, and he would feel like the most intelligent person ever. He finishes with admitting that, in a sense, he already is invisible because the person he loves is not aware of his presence.
Saw your face in the crowd, I call out your name
You don't hear a sound
I keep tracing your steps, each move that you make
Wish I could read what goes through your mind
(Oh baby) Wish you could touch me with the colors of your light
The singer is trying to get the person he loves to notice him by calling out their name, but they don't hear him. He follows them closely and wishes he could read their mind to know more about them. Additionally, he wishes the person could express their love for him by conveying their emotions symbolically.
I reach out but you don't even feel me
Even when I scream out
Baby, you don't hear me (you don't hear me)
I am nothing without you
Just a shadow passin' through
(Invisible, Invisible, Invisible, Invisible)
The singer is reaching out to the person he loves, but they don't seem to feel him. He screams out for them to notice him, but they still don't hear him. He feels incomplete without the person he loves, and he feels like a meaningless, invisible presence in their life.
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
If I was invisible (I'd make you mine)
The singer repeats the chorus, expressing his desire to be invisible to capture the attention and love of the person he desires.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER KENNETH N BRAIDE, ANDREAS MICHAEL CARLSSON, DESMOND N CHILD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
KMar2214
Well... the Christmas song is stalkerish type...
He sees you when you're sleeping
And he knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
You better watch out!
You better not cry
You better not pout, I'm telling you why
'Cause Santa Claus is coming to town
Oh let's go!
And no one say any till all starts to think in stalkers...
alberach
I haven't heard this song in probably 15 years, and all it took was a single verse before I remembered the whole song. How did I ever forget this gem?
alberach
Marty McFly II And? That tends to happen when people age.
Patrick B
Because it’s so forgettable? Like his first, and soon to be again 2nd failed congressional run. I dunno maybe 🤷♂ 😂🤣🤣
LeadMe2TheBliss
2022
itbepoetry
din know this was him till now
Chris
Literally me tonight as I was randomly in the mood for this song. What a gem for real 🔥 stalker jokes are hilarious too haha
Jenni M
20 years later, i still coming back to this song😻
Kei
👏🏻
GBoi1
I want to go back 20 years ago.Things we’re so much better then. 2020s suck!
Lice Canuwale
Indeed❤❤❤😢