Daniel Powter is a Canadian recording artist, born on 25 February 1971. He … Read Full Bio ↴Daniel Powter is a Canadian recording artist, born on 25 February 1971. He grew up in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, in the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia. With few local musical influences, he credits his early exposure to music to his mother, who was a pianist and took her son on long distance trips to see artists like Prince perform in Vancouver.

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".

Styrofoam
Daniel Powter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I try real folling
Relax
Sixteen are you still
I try I come back it's from cool
I fade a long weekends
Edu exboyfriend when he died
Be a long you understood

I paid bills and paid more
Isn't it an ordinary song?
Styrofoam

I don't never feel on
Like tryed it
We never left
And you come and down
I don't try be perfect
We never left
Is not so easy when you down

I'm some good
I'm some memoir
When do I believe a long?
Styrofoam
Styrofoam

I'm some good
I'm some memoir
When do I believe a long?
Styrofoam

Styrofoam
Styrofoam

Overall Meaning

The song "Styrofoam" by Daniel Powter is a melancholic expression of the challenges of life, relationships, and personal struggles. Each line of the lyrics suggests a different aspect of the singer's story. He sings about trying hard but feeling like he's failing somehow. He recalls the time he tried to relax but couldn't, with the number sixteen possibly referencing his young age or how long ago the memory was. He tries to come back from something "cool," but it's unclear what he means by that. He mentions someone, possibly an ex-boyfriend, who died, and how hard it was to understand that loss.

Powter uses the chorus of the song to emphasize the theme of feeling fragile and disposable, like Styrofoam. He talks about the mundane nature of life, paying bills and how it feels like an "ordinary song." He says he never feels like he's doing enough, and it's not easy when he's down. In the second verse, he repeats the idea that he and his companions "never left," despite the challenges they face. He doesn't try to be perfect, but he still wants to be understood. Through the song, the singer's emotions seem to fluctuate between hopefulness and discouragement.

Overall, the song suggests that life is tough sometimes, and it's hard to stay positive. The metaphor of Styrofoam underscores the idea that sometimes people feel like they're not important and that their lives are disposable. However, through the song's repetition and Powter's plaintive vocals, there is a sense of resilience and a desire to keep going, even when times are tough.

Line by Line Meaning

I try real folling
I attempt to maintain my composure

Relax
Calm yourself down

Sixteen are you still
Do you still feel young and vibrant?

I try I come back it's from cool
I try to regain my cool demeanor

I fade a long weekends
I become sullen after a long weekend

Edu exboyfriend when he died
I mourn the loss of my ex-boyfriend, Eduardo

Be a long you understood
You've known me for a long time and understand me

I paid bills and paid more
I've paid my dues and then some

Isn't it an ordinary song?
This song isn't particularly special

Styrofoam
A symbol for something fragile and cheap

I don't never feel on
I rarely feel good