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/
Silent Night
Five for Fighting Lyrics
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Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
I'm 22 for a moment
And she feels better than ever
And we're on fire
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a ‘they'
A kid on the way, babe
A family on my mind
I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose yourself
Within a morning star
15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
Half time goes by
Suddenly you're wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on
I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
15 there's still time for you
22 I feel her too
33 you're on your way
Every day's a new day
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
The lyrics of Five for Fighting's "100 Years" take listeners on a journey through one's life, from a teenage age to approaching the end of one's life. The first verse reveals the singer's current age of 15, caught between adolescence and adulthood, dreaming of being with their loved one. The second verse fast-forwards to the age of 22, where the singer is on fire, feeling better than ever with their significant other. In the third verse, the singer is now 33, a family on their mind with a kid on the way, revealing a shift in their priorities. The fourth verse depicts their age of 45, feeling the weight of chasing the years of their life and heading into a crisis, trying to cope with the ever-changing world around them. The final verse sees the singer as 99 years old, desperate for just one more moment, still dreaming of being with their love.
The song emphasizes the limited time we have in our lives and that each moment is important, encouraging listeners to make the most out of every day. It urges people to cherish the good moments, accept the changes that come with life, and live without regrets. It also reminds listeners that age is just a number, and it's never too late to pursue our dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm 15 for a moment
Being 15 represents a moment caught in between childhood and adulthood
Caught in between 10 and 20
10 and 20 represent the two separate worlds a 15-year-old can experience
And I'm just dreaming
15 is an age where one can only dream of what the future holds
Counting the ways to where you are
As a teenager, one is always searching for a sense of belonging or a person to connect with
I'm 22 for a moment
22 represents a young adult who is still learning and growing
And she feels better than ever
Finding love at this age can be a significant part of growing up
And we're on fire
New love can feel all-consuming and passionate
Making our way back from Mars
This line may be interpreted literally, but it also could refer to the extreme feeling of being far away from a connection
15 there's still time for you
At 15, there is still plenty of time to figure out what one wants out of life
Time to buy and time to lose
One may take risks, and find out what he or she likes and dislikes
15, there's never a wish better than this
This represents the endless possibilities and freedom of being 15
When you only got 100 years to live
Reminds us to take advantage of every moment because life is fleeting
I'm 33 for a moment
At 33, one may be experiencing both feelings of being an adult and feeling like a kid
Still the man, but you see I'm a ‘they'
This could express the duality of a person's identity: being mature and still trying to fit in
A kid on the way, babe
The birth of a child can be both joyous and terrifying
A family on my mind
This line symbolizes maturity, moving toward building a family and having a sense of responsibility
I'm 45 for a moment
At 45, one may be experiencing a mid-life crisis
The sea is high
This line could describe the ups and downs of life
And I'm heading into a crisis
This could represent the fear of getting older and the mortality of life
Chasing the years of my life
This line may correspond with a sense of urgency and regret about time passing too quickly
Half time goes by
This second half of life moves more quickly than the first
Suddenly you're wise
As one gets older, he or she gains wisdom and life experience
Another blink of an eye
Time moves even more quickly than one may realize
67 is gone
At 67, one may begin to think about his or her own mortality
The sun is getting high
The sun may symbolize time or the end of life
We're moving on
This line could represent the continuation of life for those who are still living
I'm 99 for a moment
At 99, one may be at the end of life and wishing for just one more moment
Dying for just another moment
This line represents the desire to keep living, even when there may not be much time left
And I'm just dreaming
This line represents the longing to connect with something or someone beyond the present moment
Counting the ways to where you are
This line represents the search for meaning in one's life and the desire to reach a particular goal, whether that may be internal or external
22 I feel her too
This line may refer to the continuation of a relationship that began at the age of 22
33 you're on your way
At 33, one may feel as though they are on the journey of figuring out their lives and ambitions
Every day's a new day
Each day is a chance to start anew and continue pursuing what one wants out of life
Time to buy and time to choose
At any age, one may be faced with significant life decisions and choose what they want out of life
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
This line expresses the idea that being 15 can be an age of hope and endless possibilities
When you only got 100 years to live
This serves as a reminder to take advantage of every moment because life is fleeting.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Cixqo, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Anthem Entertainment, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Rossio Music Publishing
Written by: Chuck Howard, Franz Gruber, John Berry, Joseph Mohr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alethajerome9350
Beautifully sung! My favorite this year. I had never heard this til this year
@SweetBunny706
Thank you so much!
@ChristmasMusicOfficial
You're welcome!
@christymcdaniel3906
This reminds me of Rainbow Connection