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/
Timberline
Five for Fighting Lyrics
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Looking through the trees
Sitting on the 405
Hoping for a breeze
Everybody's gunning
You got something to see
I gotta sell this ticket
So what is your problem
You been moping around
You need to find a mountaintop
And get out of this town
She says sometimes
You gotta get away
Clear out that noggin
Open up the day
Above the timberline
The higher I go, the harder I climb
I'm closer to you
It's clear in my mind
Love shines bright above the timberline
Things get slower
When it's harder to breath
I can almost touch the stars
That are hanging over me
You've never been more beautiful
And it's easy to see
All that really matters
You're all I'll ever need
I'm getting to the home
At the top of the world
Leading to realities
Up down at the curb
Oh the noise between us,
Now it can't be heard
I'm listening to the wind
I'm writing down the words
Above the timberline
The higher I go, the harder I climb
I'm closer to you
It's clear in my mind
Love shines bright above the timberline
Now I'll be coming home,
I'll be coming home soon
Before I head on down
I'm gonna kiss the moon
Above the timberline
The higher I go, the harder I climb
I'm closer to you
It's clear in my mind
Love shines bright above the timberline
Above the timberline
No heading up race, no waiting in line
The farther I go
The harder you climb
Love shines bright above the timberline
The lyrics of Five for Fighting's "Timberline" express a desire to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and find peace and clarity in the solitude of nature. The singer is tired of the noise and chaos of daily life, and longs to be above the trees and closer to his loved one. He encourages his partner to do the same, to find a mountaintop and clear out their mind. The higher the singer climbs, the clearer his thoughts become and the brighter his love shines for his partner.
"Timberline" is a song about the transcendent power of nature and the rejuvenating effects of spending time outdoors. It speaks to the universal human need for solitude, reflection and connection with the natural world. The imagery of climbing mountains and gazing at the stars is a powerful reminder of the beauty of the world around us and the importance of taking the time to appreciate it.
Line by Line Meaning
I get a little tired
I am exhausted.
Looking through the trees
Searching through the forest of issues and obstacles.
Sitting on the 405
I am on the freeway, feeling stuck in traffic.
Hoping for a breeze
Desiring a refreshing break of positive energy.
Everybody's gunning
People are fighting to get to the top.
You got something to see
You have something exciting to explore or witness.
I gotta sell this ticket
I need to move on and bring closure from the past mistakes.
Get the shadow off of me
Let go of the darkness that's been following me around.
So what is your problem
What is the issue that's been troubling you?
You been moping around
You have been down about something.
You need to find a mountaintop
You should seek higher ground and gain a new perspective.
And get out of this town
And escape from the negative environment you're in.
She says sometimes
She suggests that on occasion,
You gotta get away
You need to take some time to escape from the routine.
Clear out that noggin
Refresh your mind.
Open up the day
Embrace the opportunities that come your way.
Above the timberline
Looking from a higher altitude.
The higher I go, the harder I climb
The more I progress, the bigger the challenges become.
I'm closer to you
I am getting closer to understanding your perspective.
It's clear in my mind
I comprehend everything now.
Love shines bright above the timberline
Love and affection become more apparent with new-found clarity.
Things get slower
Life tends to become more relaxed.
When it's harder to breath
When the going gets tough.
I can almost touch the stars
A moment of bliss and enchantment appears.
That are hanging over me
The stars are glowing illuminating my path.
You've never been more beautiful
You look more radiant than ever before.
And it's easy to see
It is impossible to miss your beauty.
All that really matters
What is most important?
You're all I'll ever need
The answer is you.
I'm getting to the home
I am close to finding the right place.
At the top of the world
I am at the highest point imaginable.
Leading to realities
Pointing towards the most realistic and desirable solutions.
Up down at the curb
The climb feels like a never-ending roller coaster ride.
Oh the noise between us,
The problems and disagreements that caused the gap between us,
Now it can't be heard
Are no longer capable of creating issues.
I'm listening to the wind
I am opening up to new ideas.
I'm writing down the words
I am noting down the solutions to the problems I face.
No heading up race, no waiting in line
There is no urgency for competition or wait in line when you're above the timberline.
The farther I go
As I move closer towards my optimistic outlook,
The harder you climb
I face a greater deal of skepticism about the future.
Love shines bright above the timberline
Love and passion stand out even more once you embrace the uncertainty.
Now I'll be coming home,
I am now returning to regularity,
I'll be coming home soon
And doing away with the unfamiliar and the new.
Before I head on down
But before I return to the routine,
I'm gonna kiss the moon
I want to leave with exciting and memorable experiences.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: JOHN ONDRASIK, STEPHEN SCHWARTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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