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
Deed Is Done
Dave Matthews Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, Pray
Oh, so I'm praying all at night
And I wake up praying the whole daylight
I pray to you, and hear my request
I ask of you to save this baby
Oh, look at the girl
Awful inside, is cancer-eaten, is life-deprived,
I see no need for a baby's wisdom for you
Oh, God, the girl, all yellow turned
Her cheeks are swollen, and soul is burned
Oh, but the girl, the girl is gone
And the deed is done, oh it must be wrong
Check it down, check it down down
Oh and I pray, my prayer's not heard
Could it be you're deaf, deaf to mortal words?
Oh, and see her pain, and drain and drain
Could you be deaf, and blind my friend?
Oh, and so we hold
Can you not hear? Can you not see?
And if with words
You could change the way things are arranged
Surely you'd be speaking, speaking no change
Oh, but the girl, deaf, dumb, and blind
From the cancer burning deep down inside
Oh, but the deed is done
And the girl is gone
And I see no faith
That I have won
Check it down, check it down, yeah
Well, you may find your religion
You may find your attraction
You may go, for me the girl is gone
Oh, you may find you're faithful
You may find out the reaction
But to me the baby is gone
The baby...
Hey... hey...
The song "Deed is Done" by Dave Matthews Band is a poignant and powerful plea to God to help save a baby girl who is suffering from cancer. The lyrics tell of the singer praying day and night to God, begging for help and asking that the baby be saved. The singer describes the baby girl as being "awful inside, is cancer-eaten, is life-deprived," and pleads with God to show mercy and heal her. However, despite his prayers, the girl succumbs to her illness and dies, leaving the singer feeling helpless and questioning his faith.
The tone of the song is one of desperation and sadness, as the singer grapples with his belief in God and his own ability to affect change in the face of such tragedy. The lyrics address some of the age-old philosophical questions surrounding the nature of God, the purpose of suffering, and the role of human agency in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. It is emotionally charged and heart-wrenching, and speaks to a deep well of grief and uncertainty that many people feel when confronted with the harsh realities of life.
Overall, "Deed is Done" is a powerful song that explores some of the deepest and most troubling questions about faith, mortality, and the human condition. It is a haunting reminder of the fragility and beauty of life, and the importance of holding on to hope and faith in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Pray
The singer acknowledges the need for spiritual intervention and begins to pray.
Oh, so I'm praying all at night
The singer prays throughout the night, demonstrating the urgency and seriousness of the situation.
And I wake up praying the whole daylight
The singer continues to pray fervently, even during the day.
I pray to you, and hear my request
The artist speaks directly to their deity with a humble request.
I ask of you to save this baby
The artist pleads with their deity to spare the life of a suffering infant.
Oh, look at the girl
The singer draws attention to a young, innocent victim of disease.
Awful inside, is cancer-eaten, is life-deprived,
The girl is in a terrible condition, ravaged by cancer and robbed of the joys of life.
And if so by who? Could it be you?
The artist wonders if their deity is responsible for the girl's suffering and impending death.
I see no need for a baby's wisdom for you
The artist questions the purpose of this tragedy in the grand scheme of the universe.
Oh, God, the girl, all yellow turned
The artist paints a vivid picture of the girl's physical decline, emphasizing how sick she has become.
Her cheeks are swollen, and soul is burned
The girl's condition has affected both her body and her spirit.
Oh, but the girl, the girl is gone
The girl has tragically passed away, leaving behind a great deal of sadness and pain.
And the deed is done, oh it must be wrong
The singer questions the morality and ethics of what has happened to the girl.
Check it down, check it down down
This repeated phrase serves as a rhythmic interlude between verses, adding emphasis and complexity to the song's structure.
Oh and I pray, my prayer's not heard
The singer expresses their frustration and feelings of abandonment, wondering why their prayers have gone unanswered.
Could it be you're deaf, deaf to mortal words?
The artist wonders if their deity is truly ignoring them or if they are incapable of hearing human pleas.
Oh, and see her pain, and drain and drain
The artist reflects on the endless pain and suffering the girl has experienced during her illness.
Could you be deaf, and blind my friend?
The singer questions the limitations of their deity and their ability (or inability) to observe the world's suffering.
Oh, and so we hold
The singer and other mourners continue to grapple with their emotions and grief.
Can you not hear? Can you not see?
The artist grapples with the seeming lack of response from a higher power in the face of tragedy.
And if with words
The artist proposes a hypothetical situation and its unlikely outcome.
You could change the way things are arranged
The artist suggests that if divine intervention were possible, the world might be a different place.
Surely you'd be speaking, speaking no change
The singer contemplates whether or not their deity's silence is a sign that things are the way they are meant to be.
Oh, but the girl, deaf, dumb, and blind
The artist continues to emphasize the girl's physical and spiritual suffering.
From the cancer burning deep down inside
The singer underscores the physical cause of the girl's pain and death.
Oh, but the deed is done
The singer acknowledges that the girl is gone and that there is no changing that fact.
And the girl is gone
Reiterates the tragic loss of the young girl.
And I see no faith
The artist mourns the loss of their faith in a deity who would seemingly allow something like this to happen.
That I have won
The artist reflects on a sense of helplessness in the face of tragedy and the inexplicable actions (or inactions) of a higher power.
Well, you may find your religion
The singer recognizes that people find solace and meaning in different religions.
You may find your attraction
People may be drawn to certain aspects of faith or spirituality for their own reasons.
You may go, for me the girl is gone
The artist expresses their own inability to find comfort or resolution in the aftermath of the girl's death.
Oh, you may find you're faithful
The artist again acknowledges the different ways in which people cope with tragedy and pain.
You may find out the reaction
People may explore different religious or philosophical ideas in an attempt to understand the world's suffering.
But to me the baby is gone
The singer reiterates their own loss and grief in the wake of the girl's death.
The baby...
A somber, mournful conclusion to the song, emphasizing the tragedy of a young life cut short.
Contributed by Alaina I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.