Thank goodness for persistent parents. Jeremy is now the frontman and chief songwriting force behind Days Difference, a young quartet from Virginia Beach, VA, who are gearing up to release their self-titled debut album — a breezy collection of pop gems that showcases the melody-minded songwriting, expressive vocals, and dynamic piano sound of 20-year-old Jeremy. Jeremy formed Days Difference in May 2004 with his 22-year-old brother Jonathan on drums and another set of brothers, 21-year-old Micah and 22-year-old Jeremiah Ricks, who play bass and guitar, respectively. The siblings met when Jeremy and Jonathan filled in for a no-show pianist and drummer at a high school concert that Micah and Jeremiah were performing. “We jammed it out onstage and the chemistry and connection we had together was incredible,” Jeremy recalls. “We knew it was special and that we had to do something together.”
Fully committed to giving the band a shot by May of 2006, Days Difference spent several years honing their propulsive pop sound by opening for artists such as Paramore, Lifehouse, Third Eye Blind, Jack’s Mannequin, and Yellowcard when those artists came through Virginia Beach. In 2007, they released an independent album, Numbers, then embarked on a nationwide tour, in which everything that could have gone wrong did: a tire on their trailer fell off, a show was canceled when the promoter got hit by a car, Jonathan got a concussion playing soccer, Micah broke his collarbone playing football, and they received a $500 parking ticket to top it all off. “I never really believed the whole ‘earn your keep’ thing, but we’ve really paid our dues,” Jeremy says.
The tour may have been grueling, but “it taught us a lot,” Jeremy says. “We really grew as a band and as friends. We had some tough times, but we never doubted ourselves.” You can hear that confidence and camaraderie in the songs on their debut album, an all-killer, no filler set that brims with fresh-faced enthusiasm and the wide-ranging talent of this young group of musicians. To help bring out their best, the band’s team enlisted several veteran co-writers and producers, including Wayne Wilkins (Beyoncé, Natasha Bedingfield), Andrew Frampton (Natasha Bedingfield, Kylie Minogue), Stefanie Ridel Fair (Fergie, Pussycat Dolls), Michael Smidi Smith (Pussycat Dolls, Tupac), and Tim Myers, former bassist for OneRepublic. Myers and Jeremy co-wrote four key tracks: the irresistible first single “Radio Song,” the touching ballad “Imperfections,” and the radio-ready “Falling Into You” and “Magnetized.”
“From the second we worked together, Tim and I saw eye to eye on everything, including the way the melodies and lyrics were supposed to sound,” Jeremy says. “It’s almost as if he were my musical twin, but better. As far as co-writing, I just wanted to create the best songs possible. Great songs make great bands, and if you don't have great songs, then there's really no point in releasing an album. We wanted to make an album of hit singles — with great lyrics, great melodies, and great hooks. If you strike that chord with every song, people will connect with you better.”
Certainly the folks at Universal Motown saw the potential in Days Difference and their ability to connect with a wide audience. The band signed to the label a mere 24 hours after playing a well-attended industry showcase in June 2008. Disney has also climbed aboard, casting Jeremy, Jonathan, Micah, and Jeremiah as members of Miley Cyrus’s backing band in the big-screen version of Hannah Montana: The Movie, which hits theaters in April, a month after Days Difference perform at the taste-making music festival South by Southwest in March.
Jeremy, for one, can’t wait to get things going. “I’m excited to go around the country and meet people and play for them,” he says. “I love music and I figure that when you love something and you’re able to share it with others, it’s inspiring. As a band, we want to have a positive effect on people and influence them in a good way. What better way than to pursue your dreams and do what you really love?”
Days Difference will be released in Summer 2009 on Universal Motown Records.
Tonight
Days Difference Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where do we go, where do we go from here?
When the days were long, and the grass was cool
Kissing you by the swimming pool
Where do we go, where do we go from here?
Now it's not that simple, it's not that simple
Tonight, tonight, everything is right
We're not innocent, our jaded hearts have grown apart
Take me back in time tonight, tonight
American girl big dreams, wide eyed
When life was sweet like apple pie
Where do we go, where do we go from here?
Virginia beach on a starry night
I held you close under the moonlight
Where do we go, where do we go from here?
Now it's not that simple, it's not that simple
Tonight, tonight, everything is right
Tonight, tonight, take me back to nineteen ninety-five
We're not innocent, our jaded hearts have grown apart
Take me back in time tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight
Life was simple when we were younger
Let's make this simple, just try a little
Tonight, tonight, everything is right
Tonight, tonight, take me back to nineteen ninety-five
We're not innocent, our jaded hearts have grown apart
Take me back in time tonight, tonight
Days Difference's song "Tonight" is a nostalgic track that reminisces over youthful innocence and past relationships. The lyrics transport the listener back in time to the spring of 1995, where the singer was naive and alive. The first verse sets the scene of long days and cool grass as the singer kisses their partner by the swimming pool, wondering where they should go from there. The chorus then reflects on how life has become more complicated, but the singer longs to go back in time to when everything was simpler.
The second verse pays tribute to an American girl with big dreams and wide eyes, whose life was sweet like apple pie. The singer remembers holding her close under the moonlight at Virginia Beach on a starry night, but again questioning where they should go from there. The second chorus reassures that everything is right tonight and the singer begs to be taken back to 1995, despite their jaded hearts having grown apart.
The melancholic yet serene melody of "Tonight" captures the wistful and longing mood of the lyrics, making the listener reflect on their own past relationships and simpler times. The song is a poignant reminder that life is not always easy or straightforward, and even past memories can bring a mix of bittersweet feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in spring of ninety-five, so naive and so alive
Reminiscing about the past where life was simpler and full of excitement
Where do we go, where do we go from here?
Questioning what comes next amidst the uncertainty of present day
When the days were long, and the grass was cool
Reflecting on a carefree time when days were seemingly endless
Kissing you by the swimming pool
Recalling a passionate moment that encapsulated the essence of young love
Now it's not that simple, it's not that simple
Acknowledging that life has become more complex and challenging
Tonight, tonight, everything is right
Expressing a desire to escape reality, even if just for one night
Tonight, tonight, take me back to nineteen ninety-five
Longing to relive a time when things were simpler and more carefree
We're not innocent, our jaded hearts have grown apart
Admitting that time has changed us and our perceptions of the world, making it harder to connect with others
American girl big dreams, wide eyed
Referencing the stereotypical American Dream of youth and optimism about the future
When life was sweet like apple pie
Reminding of a time when life was good and simple, like a comforting slice of pie
Virginia beach on a starry night
Revisiting a picturesque moment and place in time
I held you close under the moonlight
Rekindling memories of a special moment shared with a loved one
Life was simple when we were younger
Acknowledging the truth and nostalgia of simpler times in our youth
Let's make this simple, just try a little
Asking for the chance to simplify life, even for just a little while
Tonight, tonight
Emphasizing the immediate desire to escape reality and reminisce on past times
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JONATHAN LINDLEY SMITH, JORDAN FELIZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jonasbrosfanemily
it turned out really good! great job! hope the guys get to see it glad i could b apart in it :) -emily