John Ondrasik was born in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. He grew up there in a musical family, with his mother teaching him the piano from the age of two. As a teenager, he learned how to play the guitar as well and started to write music. While he also learned to sing opera briefly, he quickly decided that he would like to be a piano playing popular musician along the lines of Elton John and Billy Joel. Ondrasik adopted the name "Five for Fighting" which is an expression in ice hockey when a player is sent from the rink by the referee for a major penalty. The name was used for the reason that it would be more memorable than his real name.
In 1997, his first album, 'Message for Albert', was released by EMI. Although not quite breaking through commercially, fans of modern singer-songwriter music provided a warm audience for Ondrasik. After the success of 'America Town', Capitol Records re-released this debut album to give it a more mainstream audience.
In 2000, Ondrasik signed with the aforementioned Columbia Records and released 'America Town' on September 26, 2000. At first, it made little impact until track "Superman (It's Not Easy)" became an American anthem after the September 11 attacks. Ondrasik performed the song at 'The Concert for New York Cit'y in late 2001.
"Superman (It's Not Easy)" started climbing the charts reaching the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Adult Top 40. While 'America Town' itself failed to make the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album charts, its consistent sales led to it going platinum. "Superman (It's Not Easy)" was also an international hit reaching number one on a composite adult international chart (based on performance in the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Australia). Ondrasik's second single, "Easy Tonight", would make the top 20 of the world adult chart as well as going top 20 in New Zealand.
His third album, 'The Battle for Everything', debuted at number 20 on the Billboard 200 in February 2004. Its first single, "100 Years", was another top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and again reached number one on the World Adult Top 40. It also was number one on a composite world airplay chart and top 10 on a composite world modern rock chart. (based on USA, Germany, United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, Canada and Australia).
The Five for Fighting song "100 Years" was used in a ubiquitous JP Morgan Chase commercial, and more recently in an episode of Scrubs. The song was also used in the last scenes of the final episode of JAG.
Lately, Ondrasik's sixth album, 2013's 'Bookmarks', came out after a four year gap between his last release. The album has received critical praise from a variety of publications such as Allmusic, where the reviewer lauded how Five for Fighting produced " sturdy tunes wrapped up neatly in a shiny, appealing gloss". Released by the label Universal, his work also hit the #54 slot on the Billboard 200, with his fans happily looking forwards to his future endeavors.
See more at: http://www.fiveforfighting.com/
Nobody
Five for Fighting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take off your rented mental health
Take off your raincoat, settle down
Take off your nightmare and your frown
There is a place for you to go
To see another ringer in a rock show
Take my pretense for a time
Cause I want to say to you
I'm nobody without you, buddy
My long lost friend
If you're not here to hear me scream
Am I silent like a dream
Where all the dragons are my friends
Each night we meet our bitter ends
Do I need you to make me real
Like Wheeler spinning his own wheel
Quantum strings within my brain
Popping sanities insane
I'm nobody without you, buddy
My long lost friend
Not everybody has a brain
Not everybody's going sane
Not everybody wishes well
Not everybody's heaven's hell
Sometimes there's someone to blame
Sometimes a place for shame
Sometimes good's better than bad
Sometimes good's better than bad
Sometimes good's better than bad
Sometimes you're better than me
Heaven fell on herself tonight
As the devil met me in the wishing well
And in that moment I found myself knowing
That in the end it's just about you and me
Nothing smaller or larger
Though dragons are good for the soul
Nothing can be better than baring yourself for another,
Open for scrutiny, ridicule, and indulgence
Therein lies the balls, and the mind, and the heart,
As fear is truly the Mindkiller,
When nothing is left,
Everything is gained,
You see I wish I was a poet
But I know as we go round and round
Though endings are never ever happy
It's the happy moments along the way
That in the end
Make it, OK
The song "Nobody" by Five for Fighting is about the importance of connection and companionship in life. The lyrics suggest that we must take off our masks and pretenses in order to truly connect with others. The lines "Take my pretense for a time, cause I want to say to you, I'm nobody without you buddy, my long lost friend" demonstrate the singer's vulnerability and desperation for connection with their friend. The song also touches on themes of insanity, isolation, and the search for meaning in life. The verse "Do I need you to make me real, like Wheeler spinning his own wheel, quantum strings within my brain, popping sanities insane" highlights how the singer is struggling to hold on to their sanity and find meaning in their life without their friend there with them.
Throughout the song, the imagery of dragons is used to represent the singer's inner demons and the struggles they face. The dragons are also portrayed as potential allies and helpers, suggesting that the singer needs someone to confide in and share their struggles with. Ultimately, the song suggests that the happy moments we experience in life are what make the struggles and challenges worthwhile. Even though life's endings are often not happy, the connections we make with others and the experiences we share with them make it okay.
Line by Line Meaning
Take off your shoes, take off yourself
Let go of the external materialism that weighs you down, and free yourself
Take off your rented mental health
Do not accept the flawed belief that a cure can be rented for mental health issues, seek authentic help
Take off your raincoat, settle down
Do not be overly cautious or guarded, relax and be open to new experiences
Take off your nightmare and your frown
Release the negative emotions and anxieties that cause you to worry and stress
There is a place for you to go
There is a community to connect with and support you
To see another ringer in a rock show
To find like-minded people who share your passions and enthusiasms
Take my pretense for a time
Take my false facade or act off and be truly honest and sincere
Cause I want to say to you
Because I genuinely care and want to communicate with you
I'm nobody without you, buddy
My identity and worth are deeply tied to your support and companionship
My long lost friend
My long-time companion who I have missed
If you're not here to hear me scream
If you are not here to empathize and acknowledge my struggles
Am I silent like a dream
Am I rendered voiceless and powerless, like figments of a dream
Where all the dragons are my friends
In my imagination, where all the mythical beasts are my allies and confidants
Each night we meet our bitter ends
Each night we face our darkest fears and failures
Do I need you to make me real
Do I require your presence to validate my existence and worth
Like Wheeler spinning his own wheel
Like Wheeler, the artist from Stranger in a Strange Land, navigating his own path
Quantum strings within my brain
The complex and interconnecting thoughts and emotions in my mind
Popping sanities insane
Challenging the conventional definition of sanity and rationality, revealing the true nature of reality
Not everybody has a brain
Not everyone possesses the capacity for wondering and reflecting
Not everybody's going sane
Not everyone is capable of attaining a state of balance and clarity
Not everybody wishes well
Not everyone desires the best for others
Not everybody's heaven's hell
Not everyone's perception of heaven or utopia aligns with yours
Sometimes there's someone to blame
Sometimes we need to find someone to hold accountable for our misfortunes and disappointments
Sometimes a place for shame
There are moments where we feel ashamed of our actions or decisions
Sometimes good's better than bad
Sometimes, the outcome of our efforts exceeds expectations despite initial hardships
Sometimes you're better than me
There are times where the other person's abilities and skills outshine our own
Heaven fell on herself tonight
The ideal or aspiration of a perfect realm or reality dissipated into chaos
As the devil met me in the wishing well
As inner turmoil and trepidation took hold of me
And in that moment I found myself knowing
During that instance, my realization and comprehension came to light
That in the end it's just about you and me
Ultimately, the most critical aspect is the connection and relationship between us
Nothing smaller or larger
No other factor is more important or significant
Though dragons are good for the soul
Despite the non-existent nature of dragons, such fantasies have a favorable impact on us
Nothing can be better than baring yourself for another,
Sharing vulnerably and transparently with another person is a wholly satisfying experience
Open for scrutiny, ridicule, and indulgence
Being honest and genuine sometimes leads to rejection, which takes courage to withstand
Therein lies the balls, and the mind, and the heart,
It requires a combination of bravery, intelligence, and emotional intelligence
As fear is truly the Mindkiller,
Fear impedes our ability to function rationally and objectively
When nothing is left,
In a state of utter depletion and exhaustion
Everything is gained,
Have nothing to lose since one can only gain more eventually
You see I wish I was a poet
The singer wishes that he had the talent of a poet to express his thoughts more profoundly
But I know as we go round and round
Life is a cyclical and continuous journey with occasional moments of enlightenment
Though endings are never ever happy
Concluding chapters of anything can rarely ever satisfy all stakeholders
It's the happy moments along the way
But in the ups and downs of the journey, the joyous moments make life worthwhile
That in the end
Ultimately, these instances are the ones that really matter
Make it, OK
They create a sense of peace and contentment that brings closure and acceptance
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOHN ONDRASIK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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