Daniel Powter released his debut album, I'm Your Betty, in 2000. The album, limited to a very small print, contains ten songs, two of which—"More Than I" and "Negative Fashion"—were featured on the television show Higher Ground. Powter has a music publishing deal with BMG Music Publishing for France.
Daniel Powter's first piano pop single, "Bad Day," debuted not in his home country of Canada, but rather in Europe in mid-2005. It was chosen by Warner Brothers as a submission for commercial production and was subsequently chosen by Coca-Cola as the theme song for an ad campaign in Europe. Additionally, "Bad Day" is currently being used extensively by American Idol in its fifth season. Powter sang the song live at the end of the penulimate show of that season. The song achieved heavy airplay in most European countries, and made it as high as number three on the overall European airplay chart. It did best in Germany, where it peaked at number one in national airplay, Ireland where it peaked at #1 on the Singles Chart, and in the UK, where it peaked at number two in the singles chart and stayed in the top 10 for 13 weeks. In the United States the song peaked at number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 seven weeks after it was released. In Australia, it peaked at number three. The song reached top five in Canada and is now a top 10 hit at Adult Top 40 radio. It was fifth place in the British Record of the Year 2005.
On July 2, 2005, Powter performed at the Berlin installment of Live 8, a simultaneous group of concerts in nine countries intended to raise awareness of poverty in Africa and put pressure on world leaders for aid.
On April 1, 2006, he was named the best new artist at the Canadian Juno Awards.
In March 2008, a song by Japanese singer Haru featuring Powter, "Find My Way", was released. In September, Powter released his third album, Under the Radar.
Powter also performed piano on tracks for what was scheduled to be Marcy Playground frontman John Wozniak's solo album, Leaving Wonderland...in a fit of rage, but the album will now be released under the band's name. Powter will still be given credit for his contributions to the album, particularly the album's single "Good Times".
Selfish
Daniel Powter Lyrics
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Some say you almost lose your mind
You got under my skin
The moment you walked in
And no matter how hard I try
Rejection kept me occupied
But now I can't contain
When I see your face
I won't compromise
You belong to me
It's you and I
It's no wonder
I'm selfish
Maybe I want to lose control
Maybe I'm better off this way
It gets harder every day
I'm selfish
Maybe I want to lose control
Maybe it's wrong and I can't tell
It's you or no one else
I knew I'd get you in the end
It wasn't how but only when
And then I'll win my prize
And I'll be satisfied
When I see your face
I won't compromise
You belong to me
It's you and I
It's no wonder
'Cause I'm selfish
Maybe I want to lose control
Maybe I'm better off this way
It gets harder every day
I'm selfish
Maybe I want to lose control
Maybe it's wrong and I can't tell
It's you or no one else
'Cause in a perfect world
It's a perfect dream
I'll never be afraid
I'll never be alone
'Cause it's you I'm sure
I'm good for
Why, maybe I'm selfish
And I can't help but lose control
Maybe I'm better off this way
And I won’t suffer every day
Now I'm selfish
Maybe I want to lose control
Maybe it's wrong and I can't tell
It's you or no one else
Maybe I'm selfish
It's you or no one else
The lyrics of Daniel Powter's Selfish reveals a desire for love and companionship that may seem irrational to some. The song implies that the singer has been infatuated with someone for a long time and that person's rejection only added fuel to the fire. The singer describes himself as selfish, willing to lose control and compromise anything to get what he wants. He is transparent about his unhealthy fixation on the other person, whom he sees as belonging to him alone.
The lines "And no matter how hard I try/Rejection kept me occupied" are particularly telling. They suggest that the singer has been pursuing this person relentlessly but has always been rejected. However, this rejection only makes the person more desirable, and the singer can't help but continue to pursue them. Throughout the song, the singer seems to be struggling with his desires, unsure whether his behavior is right or wrong.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Maybe I want to lose control," which could be interpreted as the singer wanting to give up his inhibitions and just give in to his feelings. The closing lines, "Maybe I'm selfish/It's you or no one else," sums up the song's sentiment. Despite his self-awareness about his behavior, the singer is willing to embrace his selfishness and do whatever it takes to win over the person he desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Some say that love is blind
Love can be blinding for some individuals
Some say you almost lose your mind
Love can drive some people to the point of losing their sanity
You got under my skin
You had a profound impact on me
The moment you walked in
From the first time I saw you
And no matter how hard I try
Even if I put in a lot of effort
Rejection kept me occupied
The fear of rejection consumed me
But now I can't contain
But now, I can no longer control
The way that I behave
My actions towards you
When I see your face
Whenever I lay eyes on you
I won't compromise
I won't settle for less
You belong to me
You are mine
It's you and I
We are meant to be together
It's no wonder
It's no surprise
I'm selfish
I only care about my own happiness
Maybe I want to lose control
Perhaps, I want to let go and give in to my feelings
Maybe I'm better off this way
Perhaps, it's best for me to pursue my desires
It gets harder every day
It's becoming more difficult with time
I knew I'd get you in the end
I was confident that I would win your heart eventually
It wasn't how but only when
It didn't matter how it happened, only when it would happen
And then I'll win my prize
Once I have you, I'll have achieved my goal
And I'll be satisfied
I will finally be content
'Cause in a perfect world
In an ideal world
It's a perfect dream
It's a flawless vision
I'll never be afraid
I won't experience fear
I'll never be alone
I won't be lonely
'Cause it's you I'm sure
Because I am certain that it's meant to be you
I'm good for
I am the best partner for you
Why, maybe I'm selfish
Perhaps I am self-centered
And I can't help but lose control
And, I can't resist giving in to my feelings
And I won’t suffer every day
And, I won't be miserable every day
It's you or no one else
I only want you and no one else
Maybe I'm selfish
Perhaps I am self-centered
Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.