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.
No More Sad Songs
Clay Aiken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I'm no longer connected, to your memory.
This is the day that I'm making my defection,
That I claim back the affection that you stole from me.
I used to hear your music so loud.
But its so long, you're just another face in the crowd.
I'm letting you know
No more sad songs.
I'm letting it go now.
Switch off, switch on,
I'm letting you know.
You turned out the light.
I'm gonna be alright
When I turn the radio on,
No more sad songs.
These are the words to describe all your offenses,
You said love in the past tense,
Then you let it go.
Haven't you heard?
You are no longer respected.
You are formally rejected,
From the one you hurt.
I used to have the longing to heal what was in your heart,
But now it seems I'm over the fear of this falling apart.
No more sad songs.
I'm letting it go now.
Switch off, switch on,
I'm letting you know.
You turned out the light.I'm gonna be alright
When I turn your radio on,
No more sad songs.
In the song "No More Sad Songs" by Clay Aiken, the singer takes a stand for his independence and announces that he is no longer connected to the memory of the person he is singing to. He declares that he is making a defection and claiming back the affection that was stolen from him. Aiken mentions how he used to listen to their music together but now he's moved on and that person is just another face in the crowd. The lyrics clearly express that the singer is done with the relationship and will no longer allow himself to be manipulated by the other person.
The chorus, "No more sad songs, I'm letting it go now," emphasizes that the singer is ready to move on and leave the sad moments in the past. He pledges to "switch off, switch on" and let go of the person who turned out the light in his life. He claims that when he turns on the radio now, there will be no more sad songs.
Overall, the song "No More Sad Songs" is a declaration of the singer's independence and determination to let go of a relationship that no longer serves him. The lyrics are empowering and inspiring to anyone who has experienced a similar situation.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the way that I'll state my independence,
I am claiming my independence and breaking free from the grip of your memory.
That I'm no longer connected, to your memory.
I have disconnected myself from your memory and am moving forward with my life.
This is the day that I'm making my defection,
Today is the day I am defecting from the hold you once had on me.
That I claim back the affection that you stole from me.
I am taking back the affection that you once took from me.
I used to hear your music so loud.
I used to pay so much attention to you and your words.
But its so long, you're just another face in the crowd.
Now, it's been so long that you're just like any other ordinary person in a crowd.
I'm letting you know
I need to let you know
No more sad songs.
I can't listen to any more sad songs that remind me of you and our past.
I'm letting it go now.
I am finally letting go of my attachment to you and our past.
Switch off, switch on,
I'm ending it one day and starting something new the next day.
You turned out the light.
You no longer have control over me and my emotions.
I'm gonna be alright
I will be okay and moving forward with my life in a positive direction.
When I turn the radio on,
I will listen to the radio again.
No more sad songs.
But only if there are no more sad songs to remind me of you.
These are the words to describe all your offenses,
These are the words I am using to describe all the wrongs you did to me.
You said love in the past tense,
You spoke of our love in the past tense, indicating that it was over.
Then you let it go.
You gave up on our relationship and let it go.
Haven't you heard?
Didn't you know?
You are no longer respected.
You have lost my respect and admiration.
You are formally rejected,
I am formally rejecting you and all that you represent.
From the one you hurt.
You hurt me, the one you claimed to love, and now you are rejected.
I used to have the longing to heal what was in your heart,
I used to have a deep desire to heal the pain and suffering you were experiencing.
But now it seems I'm over the fear of this falling apart.
But now I have overcome my fear of our relationship falling apart and I'm moving on with my life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JIMMY HARRY, WAYNE HECTOR, SHEPPARD J SOLOMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind