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
27
Dave Matthews Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been down
My head in the clouds
And my hands in the ground
In the arms of the woman
I found my way home
And in the arms of the woman
When Im so lost that this losing feels like dying
I hope you'll be by me then
When Im so lost that this losing feels like dying
I hope you'll be by me then
As a young man I was afraid
Of my life
Oh what would I make
I will make Iove
What will I hate
What better sweet road will I choose to the grave
And if I'm old 'til this oldness has me dying
I hope youll be by me then
'Cause if I'm old 'til this oldness has me dying
I hope youll be by me then
I'm sick of you, sick of me
I'm sick of war, and I'm sick of peace
I'm sick of sound like I'm sick of silence
I grow sick of the darkness 'til I'm sick of the light
When, I'm so sick that this sickness has me dying
I hope you'll be by me then
Well, I'm so sick that this sickness has me dying
I hope you'll be by me then
I hope you'll be by me then
Once as a boy, I saw what happened
I saw them beat him down to the cold cold ground
I watched those big boys cut that man down
And I was too weak, too weak to take a stand
When, I'm so weak that this weakness has me dying
I hope you'll be by me then
When, I'm so weak that this weakness feels like dying
I hope you'll be by me then
But if I'm old 'til this oldness has me dying
I hope you'll be by me then
So I will live as I see fit
And there will be those who will not like it
But in the arms of a woman
I found my way home
So to the arms of a woman
I will go
And if I'm old til this oldness has me dying
I hope you'll be by me then
If I'm old 'til this oldness has me dying
The lyrics to Dave Matthews Band's "27" explore themes of love, loss, and mortality. Matthews sings about his past experiences of being high and low, with his head in the clouds and his hands in the ground. The song then turns to a woman who has been a source of comfort and guidance, helping Matthews find his way home and also causing him to feel lost at times. The lyrics express a desire for this woman to stay with him through life's ups and downs, even when he is close to dying.
Matthews also reflects on his own past fears and uncertainties as a young man, wondering what his life's path would be like. He ultimately decides to choose a "better sweet road" and hopes that this woman will continue to be by his side as he grows older. The song then takes a darker turn, with Matthews expressing frustration and exhaustion with many aspects of life, including war, sound, silence, and darkness. He hopes that this woman will still be with him when he is "so sick that this sickness has [him] dying" and "so weak that this weakness feels like dying."
Overall, "27" is a powerful exploration of the ups and downs of life, and the way that love and companionship can provide comfort and stability even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been high
I have experienced moments of great happiness and joy in my life
I've been down
I have experienced moments of great sadness and despair in my life
My head in the clouds
I can be a dreamer and lost in thought at times
And my hands in the ground
I understand the importance of hard work and getting my hands dirty
In the arms of the woman
I found comfort and guidance from a significant other in my life
I found my way home
They helped me find my way back to feeling like myself again
And in the arms of the woman
But, at times, I lost myself when I was with them
I have been lost
I felt directionless and needed help finding my way
When Im so lost that this losing feels like dying
Sometimes, being lost can feel unbearable
I hope you'll be by me then
But I hope I will have someone to support me through those tough times
As a young man I was afraid
In my youth, I was scared about what the future would hold for me
Of my life
I wasn't confident or sure about what path in life I should take
Oh what would I make
I didn't know what I wanted to achieve or create
I will make Iove
But now I have found purpose in loving others
What will I hate
I no longer focus on hate, but rather love and compassion
What better sweet road will I choose to the grave
There is no better way to live your life than with love and kindness
And if I'm old 'til this oldness has me dying
Even if I live a long life, I hope I won't be alone when I pass away
I'm sick of you, sick of me
I can become frustrated and tired of myself and others in my life
I'm sick of war, and I'm sick of peace
I become exhausted by the world's conflicts and the fleeting times of peace
I'm sick of sound like I'm sick of silence
I can grow tired of both noise and quietness
I grow sick of the darkness 'til I'm sick of the light
I can feel overwhelmed by both the hard times and the good times
When, I'm so sick that this sickness has me dying
Sometimes, being mentally and emotionally unwell can feel like dying
Well, I'm so sick that this sickness has me dying
When I am truly suffering, I hope I will have someone by my side to support me
Once as a boy, I saw what happened
As a child, I witnessed something traumatic
I saw them beat him down to the cold cold ground
I saw someone being attacked and hurt
I watched those big boys cut that man down
I saw a group of people bring harm to someone much smaller than them
And I was too weak, too weak to take a stand
I was too scared and powerless to intervene and do something to help
So to the arms of a woman
I have found love and comfort with the women in my life
I will go
And I will seek solace and guidance from them when I need it
So I will live as I see fit
I will choose to live my life according to my own beliefs and values
And there will be those who will not like it
Some people may not agree with my choices and way of life
If I'm old 'til this oldness has me dying
Even if I live a long life, I hope to have someone supporting me through it all
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID JOHN MATTHEWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@WillieMcX
Don't you love it when you discover a "new to you" song by a favorite artist you somehow missed over the years. One of my favorites now.
@carolyork8612
One of the most underrated songs. Adore this song
@succubus20y
True
@Rtytanicj
100 percent agree. Such a good one!
@tifanerees6101
Favorite line: so I will live as I see fit and there will be those who will not like it! ❤🎶
@samantharobertson7550
100% mine as well
@yonaj9100
my facebook cover
@nononono12345
This, 41, Two Step, Dont Drink the Water and Lying In The Hands is God my all time favs 🙏🏾
@zaheeraswing4158
Me too!
@castle228
So many changes, I miss Boyd and his presence on stage. Haven't been to a show in about 10 years but going to see them in Huntsville. Loved this one so much when it first came out I put in on my license plate, "NMBR27". Still have that plate on my wall next to all my Dave posters.