In November 2004 Five Times August’s song “Better With You” was featured in MTV’s hit show Laguna Beach. The series’ music supervisor had found the song at random via online web portal CDBaby.com. By the end of the year that exposure had snowballed into an underground following for the one-man band, catapulting Myspace listens and iTunes sales. By Spring ’06 Five Times August was a national touring artist, performing solo acoustic shows across the country (to date FTA has performed in 43 of the 50 states). More song placements soon followed, with features on networks ranging from The CW and MTV to ABC, FOX and Lifetime, among many others. In 2007 Five Times August became the first unsigned act in history to accomplish national distribution through Wal-Mart stores.
It doesn’t stop there. Most recently you may have heard Five Times August in a national GMC commercial promoting their big summer savings event. Also, if you own any of HBO’s 2009 DVD releases, you’ll most likely be hearing the song “Do It Again” in a quick ad before the menu pops up.
“Life As A Song” is a twelve-track collection of Five Times August’s most popular songs in recent years. Based on fan favorites and the most licensed songs, Skistimas went back into the studio with Grammy Award winner Andy Zulla (Kelly Clarkson, Jessica Simpson, Rod Stewart) to polish and shine each song for more commercial success, re-recording many of the tune’s instrumentation and vocals from the ground up. “It’s an album of growth and change,” Skistimas says about the quazi “best of” album. “At the start of the album you’ll find me where I was as a songwriter, more innocent and raw. By the end you’ll see I’m not the same songwriter anymore, there’s a deeper outlook on life in the newer songs.”
The album includes new mainstream versions of underground college cult-hits like “Up To Me” and “Better With You” (the latter has sold 58,000 digital singles to date). Alongside those fan favorites, the album also includes a few new songs, one being the stand out piano ballad “Break,” which shadows influence from Nilsson’s classic hit “Without You.” Brad explains “the beauty of this album is that even though a lot of my fans may know the songs already, it’s going to be a brand new listening experience for them. They are going to hear these songs as if for the first time.” Skistimas’ mind rests knowing songs like “Wherever” and “The Lighting” finally sound like he had always envisioned.
Brad is furthering the expansion of Five Times August with a new concrete touring band. After spending the last three years touring solo, Skistimas is changing gears on the road, transitioning his intimate set list into a full on concert experience. Five Times August will be on several national tours surrounding the release of “Life As A Song,” in stores October 13th, 2009.
Save It For Later
Five Times August Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I do, when I look at you
Three words unheard
A verse that I should say, to you
But there's just no use
Cause I'm shy around the edges
‘Til I know what I should mention
to leave my mouth
I'm thinking I should wait
But it's getting kinda late
And I sure would really hate to leave
the same old way tonight tonight
(bridge)
'Cause I want you,
And I need you,
And I don't think I could leave with this in mind
So ohhh this time
Mentally incomplicated
Never speaking hopefully
The product of my motto
Will be something that my mother had said
But ohh instead
And I'll say the wrong words
And you'll move onward
Cause I'm a coward
I don't know how to work this out
(chorus)
But I'll save it for later
Cause I'm a terrible moderator
On what's happenin'
I don't know where to begin
So I'll save it for later
‘Til I get a little more creative
Cause just sayin' it, won't make it right, oh no
So look at me, do you see
That everything you want is here?
But it's far from near
And I'm a little more redundent than I ever could've thought it
I'm a little more redundent then I ever could've thought it
Well I tonight, deny that I
Never ever try to get a three word line to you
(bridge)
(chorus)
ooh tonight
ooh tonight
Well I tonight, deny that I
Had never really tried
To get a three word line to you
The song "Save It For Later" by Five Times August is a love song about the singer's inability to express his feelings to the person he loves. He begins by asking if there is anything she wants from him, and admits that he sees everything he wants when he looks at her. However, he is too shy to express his love and can't find the right words to say. He is worried about saying the wrong thing and being rejected, so he decides to save his feelings for later, hoping that he will become more creative with time.
The singer recognizes that he is mentally complicated and never speaks with confidence. He attributes this to his mother's influence and promises to try harder to find the right words to say in the future. He acknowledges that he is a coward for not expressing his feelings and worries that he will lose the person he loves because he is too afraid to take a chance.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at me, do you see anything you want?
I wonder if you are attracted to me and if there is something I could offer you.
I do when I look at you
Yes, I feel that you are someone who interests me.
Three words unheard
There are certain words I have not expressed that I should say to you.
A verse that I should say, to you
I want to express my feelings for you through a poetic verse.
But there's just no use
However, I fear expressing myself as it may not work out.
'Cause I'm shy around the edges
I am hesitant to step out of my comfort zone.
'Til I know what I should mention
Until I am certain of what I want to express, I would rather not say anything at all.
And my thoughts are still on catchin' up to leave my mouth
My thoughts are struggling to find the right words to leave my mouth.
I'm thinking I should wait, but it's getting kinda late
I am considering waiting for the right moment, but time is running out.
And I sure would really hate to leave the same old way tonight tonight
I would not want to leave tonight without making my feelings known to you.
'Cause I want you,
And I need you,
And I don't think I could leave with this in mind
So ohhh this time
I desire you and I feel that I cannot leave without making an attempt to win your heart. So, I must try.
Mentally incomplicated
Never speaking hopefully
The product of my motto
Will be something that my mother had said
But ohh instead
I feel that I am emotionally immature and lack the confidence to speak to you with hope. I should derive strength from what my mother said to me, but I cannot.
And I'll say the wrong words
And you'll move onward
Cause I'm a coward
I don't know how to work this out
I fear that anything I say will be misunderstood and you will move on from me. I lack self-assurance and do not know how to handle this situation.
But I'll save it for later
Cause I'm a terrible moderator
On what's happenin'
I don't know where to begin
So I'll save it for later
'Til I get a little more creative
Cause just sayin' it, won't make it right, oh no
I will defer expressing myself for a later time, as I am not good at judging the situation. I do not know where to start, so I choose to save it for a later time when I am more creative. Saying the words, without expressing my emotions genuinely, won't help me gain your affection.
So look at me, do you see
That everything you want is here?
But it's far from near
I hope you can see that I am the one you need. However, the distance between us makes it difficult for you to recognize it.
And I'm a little more redundent than I ever could've thought it
I'm a little more redundent then I ever could've thought it
Well I tonight, deny that I
Never ever try to get a three word line to you
I realize that I tend to repeat myself and I have been avoiding this situation for too long. I must admit that I have never tried to express my feelings for you in a simple three-word line.
ooh tonight
ooh tonight
I am feeling a newfound sense of courage tonight.
Well I tonight, deny that I
Had never really tried
To get a three word line to you
I admit that I have never tried expressing myself to you in a simple three-word expression.
Contributed by Emily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.