At the heart of his appeal is a lyrical honesty and devotion to his fans seldom found in today's mainstream musical landscape. And his fans love him for it. As testament to this artist-fan connection, out of 1,700 artists entered in the SSL/Eventful/Tunecore "Lay It Down And Mix It Up In The UK" Contest, Gavin took first place, winning by a margin of over 13,000 votes and more than doubling the number of votes cast for the second place finisher. Having won, Gavin traveled to Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios to begin work on his new studio album (due for release in 2013). Like his previous offerings, the album is sure to please fans and critics alike, showcasing his poignant lyrics, true musicianship, and further setting him apart from other artists in the piano singer-songwriter genre. Talented, down-to-earth, and with songs that touch the soul, Gavin is truly one to watch in 2013.
It's Time To Begin
Gavin Mikhail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you said that you were spent?
And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit
Right to the top
Don't hold back
Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check
I don't ever want to let you down
I don't ever want to leave this town
This city never sleeps at night
It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit
Bigger, but then, I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am?
So this is where you fell
And I am left to sell
The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell
Right to the top
Don't look back
Turning to rags and giving the commodities a rain check
I don't ever want to let you down
I don't ever want to leave this town
'Cause after all
This city never sleeps at night
It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then, I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am?
It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am?
This road never looked so lonely
This house doesn't burn down slowly
To ashes, to ashes
It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am?
It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
That I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am?
The lyrics of Gavin Mikhail's "It's Time to Begin" describes a turning point in the singer's life. He has hit rock bottom, and now realizes that it's time to start again, to climb back up to the top. At the same time, he emphasizes that he's not going to change who he is, even if he gets a little bit "bigger" (perhaps in terms of his success or fame). He's not going to forget where he came from or the people who helped him along the way.
The reference to the "bottom of the pit" could be interpreted as a metaphor for depression or some other challenging circumstance that the singer has been dealing with. Throughout the song, he acknowledges his flaws and admits that he's not perfect, but he's determined to keep moving forward anyway. The line "This house doesn't burn down slowly" is a powerful image of destruction and loss, but even in the face of that, the singer is ready to rebuild.
Overall, the song is about resilience and self-acceptance, as well as the importance of staying true to oneself through all of life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
So this is what you meant,
When you said that you were spent?
Are you feeling drained and tired just like you mentioned before?
And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit
Right to the top
Don't hold back
It's time to start from the very bottom and work your way up, with no holding back.
Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check
I don't ever want to let you down
I don't ever want to leave this town
I'm ready to move forward and take new opportunities, but I never want to disappoint you or leave this place.
'Cause after all
This city never sleeps at night
This city is always bustling and active, even during the night time.
It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit
Bigger, but then, I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am?
It's time to start anew, even if it means growing and changing in some aspects, but at my core, I am still the same person and I will always stay true to myself.
So this is where you fell
And I am left to sell
The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell
Right to the top
Don't look back
Turning to rags and giving the commodities a rain check
I'm left to guide you through a difficult time, where the path to success is obscured with challenges. But I will not look back, even if it means sacrificing material possessions.
This road never looked so lonely
This house doesn't burn down slowly
To ashes, to ashes
The path to success can sometimes be a lonely one, and it's a journey where you cannot afford to take things slowly, or your efforts will be reduced to nothing.
Contributed by Dylan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.