Early 1990s
In the early 1990s, the band established a cult following through relentless touring with weekly stops at Virginia clubs known as Trax and Floodzone, an active taping community, and an independent LP, Remember Two Things. (Keyboardist Griesar left the band in 1993, shortly before the release of "Remember Two Things".) After signing to RCA Records, Dave Matthews Band, under the direction of producer Steve Lillywhite, released Under the Table and Dreaming in 1994, a critical and popular smash that firmly established the band's style of pop-rock with improvisational leanings. Under the Table and Dreaming would be the first of three albums released under Lillywhite's direction. This was followed by Crash (1996). For most of America, Crash was the record that put the Dave Matthews Band on the map. Featuring the hit single "Crash Into Me", as well as fan-favorites such as "Two Step", "Tripping Billies", and the Grammy-winning "So Much to Say", Crash would go on to be the band's best selling album.
The Mercy Songfacts reports that Lillywhite lent his skills to their 2012 album Away From The World. Lillywhite hadn't worked with the band since a series of unreleased recordings in 2000, which led to the leaked Lillywhite Sessions.
History
David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967. Two years later, his family moved to Westchester County, NY. His father was a physicist and worked for IBM at the time. He has two sisters (Anne and Jane) and a brother (Peter). After living in New York, his family moved to Cambridge, England in the early '70s. The family returned to New York where his father died in 1977. In 1980, the family moved to South Africa where the young Matthews went to several schools and "got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general." He first played at a club in Charlottesville (Miller's) where he worked as a bartender. He admitted to Playboy magazine that he was really never that good at bartending, but loved getting customers...well..."drunk as hell!" He was first discovered in a demo tape that he recorded with a couple of current band members. This all came about when he decided to put together a demo tape and decided that he needed some musical accompaniment; which ended up as the Dave Matthews Band. In 1994, his sister Anne died in a domestic tragedy at her home in South Africa. The Grammy nominated album "Under The Table and Dreaming" is dedicated to her.
Community
Dave Matthews Band is highly involved in giving a helping hand. In 2003, the Band held a concert entitled, "The Central Park Concert" which was held in New York City's Central Park. The concert helped New York City Public Schools, the band is a big supporter of education.
The band also held a concert that helped victims of Katrina.
Sadly, Leroi Moore passed away in 2008. After being seriously injured in an ATV accident in Virginia, Moore succumbed to his injuries on August 19, 2008. He was replaced by Jeff Coffin, famous for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.
Excerpt taken from Wikipedia.org -- the rest of this article can be found at:
Wikipedia
Official site: www.dmband.com
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Dave Matthews Band Lyrics
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Naked, afraid
Young mother screams and pushes you
The day you came
Oh joy begin
Weak little thing
More precious there'll be nothing, no
Let's not forget these early days
Remember we begin the same
We lose our way in fear and pain
Oh joy begin
First just one step
One word and then
With laughter sing, oh life begin
First just one step
Let's not forget these early days
Remembering we began the same
We lose our way in fear and pain
Oh joy begin
Innocent kiss
Black magic bliss
First broken bone
Sudden and swift
Oh innocence
Let's not forget these early days
Remember we begin the same
We lose our way in fear and pain
Oh joy begin
Oh joy begin
The lyrics to Dave Matthews's song "Oh" contemplate the cycle of life from birth to death. The song begins with the joy of birth; the day the subject of the song was born, the mother screams and pushes, but the joyful moment cannot be contained - "Oh joy begin." The line "weak little thing, more precious there will be nothing" demonstrates the sentiment of a parent who welcomes a new existence into the world. The second verse is about the struggles that all humans go through as they navigate through life, they can lose their way, feel fear and pain, but the joy that they felt on the day of their birth should encourage them to carry on.
The chorus repeats variously throughout the song and changes the emphasis from each passing moment in life, from first steps to first words, from innocence to broken bones, from fear and pain to joy. Each distinct moment is a reminder that life is fragile but that joy can outweigh fear and pain. The song is gentle and delicate, offering comfort through tough times, particularly for the subject of the song as they reach the end of their life. The lyrics are personal, but every listener can easily relate to them as they can recall their own moments of joy, fear, and pain.
Line by Line Meaning
The day you came
The moment you were born into this world
Naked, afraid
Without any knowledge or understanding of the world, feeling vulnerable
Young mother screams and pushes you
The intense physical pain and struggle of childbirth
Oh joy begin
Happiness and excitement at the start of a new life
Weak little thing
The fragility and smallness of a newborn baby
More precious there'll be nothing, no
The immense value and importance of new life, above all else
Let's not forget these early days
Remembering the first moments of life and how we all start out the same
Remember we begin the same
We all start our lives without knowledge or understanding, learning as we go
We lose our way in fear and pain
As we grow and learn, it's easy to become fearful and hurt
First just one step
The beginning of learning and exploring the world
One word and then
After taking the first step, starting to learn how to communicate
With laughter sing, oh life begin
Celebrating the joys of life and the start of a new adventure
Innocent kiss
The first experience with love and affection
Black magic bliss
The intensity and power of early romantic love
First broken bone
The pain and vulnerability of physical injury
Sudden and swift
The unexpectedness of negative experiences in life
Oh innocence
Realizing that the innocence of youth is fleeting and temporary
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dave Matthews, Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Tim Reynolds, Rashawn Ross, Jeff Coffin, Buddy Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind