Day eventually signed a recording contract with major label Epic Records in 2002 and has since re-released his debut as well as producing a follow up, Stop All The World Now. Despite initially sluggish sales, Stop All The World Now was certified gold in early 2005 and has produced a number of singles, including "Collide", Day's most successful to date, and the hit "She Says". The track became Epic Records’ first platinum single, eventually selling 1.5 million downloads.
After a five year tour before the release of Stop All The World Now followed by a three year tour, Day took some time off and focused on writing music. Since then Day released his Be There EP in May 2009 which will be followed by Sound The Alarm in September 2009.
Stop All the World Now (2003–2008)
After the EP's release, Day relocated to London, England to record Australia's follow up, which was provisionally titled From a Northern Sky. The album, which would eventually become Stop All The World Now, was recorded in London's famous Olympic Studios with Martin "Youth" Glover, the bassist for British band Killing Joke, whose previous production credits included The Verve's Urban Hymns, one of Howie's favorite albums.
While certain tracks on Australia had featured session musicians, Stop All The World Now saw Howie joined for the first time by a permanent backing band, consisting of multi-instrumentalist Les Hall, drummer Laurie Jenkins and ex-Verve bassist Simon Jones. In addition, the majority of the album's songs were co-written with either Better than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin or Jump Little Children's Jay Clifford.
A full band tour to promote Stop All the World Now began on September 27, 2003. Due to other commitments, Simon Jones was unable to tour with the group and was replaced by Jeremy Curtis. The album was released one week and three days later on October 7 to tepid critical reactions. Rolling Stone's Pat Blashill referred to Stop as "not bad" but "indistinct", but Popmatters' Devon Powers noted that though Australia had been an album one falls for passionately, "Stop All the World Now is an album you have a crush on, not one you fall deeply, complexly, and foolishly in love with. And crushes have a way of disappearing suddenly, without a trace."Stop
Sales of Stop were initially sluggish, but slowly began to rise beginning in late 2004 with the single release of ballad "Collide", which became a popular radio hit and was featured on TV shows such as Scrubs, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, and One Tree Hill as well as soundtracking a promotional trailer for the 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Stop was finally certified gold in early 2005. Fan favourite "She Says", which was first released on 1998's White EP, was released as a follow-up to "Collide", although as of 2006 it has not achieved the same success, it became a mid-level hit.
Boosted by the slow burning success of Stop All the World Now, Epic released the Live From... EP on December 6, 2005. The 7-track EP contains live renditions of songs from Australia and Stop All the World Now as well as a cover of Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over". The EP has not been widely reviewed, though Allmusic referred to the release as "holiday market product," "tepid", and "directionless".
Sound The Alarm (2009)
Howie Day released his third full length, "Sound The Alarm", under the Epic music label on September 8, 2009. After an extensive tour schedule following the release of "Stop All The World Now", Day decided to take some time off, during which he sorted through his emotions by writing songs, many of which have made their way onto Sound the Alarm. “I toured for five years straight before Stop All The World Now came out, then for three years non-stop after it was released," Day says.
To get his desired range of sounds and moods, Day recorded in a variety of locations, including Los Angeles, New York, London, Minneapolis, and Bloomington, Indiana, between the spring of 2006 and fall of 2008. He also collaborated with several musicians and producers, including Martin Terefe (Jason Mraz, KT Tunstall), Mike Denneen (Aimee Mann, Fountains of Wayne), Mike Flynn (The Fray, Augustana), Warren Huart (The Fray, Augustana, Better Than Ezra]) and Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin — each one of them an expert in pulling superlative performances out of the artists they work with.
She Says
Howie Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of her room
Window open, lit by candle light
How would you know
Cold winter on the shore
Chills the dress she wore
It's on the floor
Still it feels so warm today
And that's why I'm wondering
Why you had to tell me
What's going on in your head
What's wrong
Come around another time
When you don't have to run
And when she says she wants somebody else
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and makes a sound
You never hear her the way that I do
And when she says she wants someone to love
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and let's you down
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
Yeah yeah no no
Swing into flight
Over hills
Over her hills it's twilight
Yeah I guess that's right now
And why won't you tell me
Why it's so funny
That you're so funny
When you're mad
'Cause it's mad, so mad
And that's why I'm wondering
Why you had to tell me
What's going on in your head
What's wrong
Come around to another time
When you don't have to run
And when she says she wants somebody else
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and makes a sound
You'll never hear her the way that I do
And when she says she wants someone to love
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and let's you down
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
The lyrics of Howie Day's "She Says" paint a picture of a girl whom the singer is attracted to. The opening lines depict her room, with its window open and lit by candlelight, evoking a warm and inviting atmosphere. However, as the lyrics go on, we hear a note of sadness and detachment in the singer's voice. He talks of the winter chill on the shore and how it makes her dress fall to the floor. Despite this, he says, "still it feels so warm today."
The second stanza of the song goes deeper into the singer's emotions. He is clearly bothered by something going on in the girl's head but is frustrated because she won't tell him what it is. He implores her to come around another time when she doesn't have to run from whatever is bothering her. The chorus of the song is repeated three times throughout, each time with a slightly different variation, each time the singer expressing hope that the girl's desires and actions don't have anything to do with him. He also describes what he observes as she swings into flight over "her" hills in twilight.
One interpretation of "She Says" is that the singer is in love with this girl who is either unavailable or ambivalent towards him. His pining after her is causing frustration and confusion for both of them, and the chorus speaks to his fears that she is not talking about him when she talks about wanting love or looking for someone else. The song captures the bittersweet feeling of longing for someone you can't have and feeling like you're not quite able to connect with the person you're drawn to.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet is the sight
The sight of her room with the window open and lit by candle light is lovely.
Of her room
The sight is specifically of her room.
Window open, lit by candle light
The window is open and there is light coming from candles that provide a warm and inviting atmosphere.
How would you know
The artist questions if the listener would know what it feels like to be in the presence of the woman in question.
Cold winter on the shore
The winter is cold and the location is near the shoreline.
Chills the dress she wore
The woman is likely cold and her dress is not enough to keep her warm.
It's on the floor
The dress is on the floor, potentially indicating that the woman has changed into something warmer.
Still it feels so warm today
Despite the cold weather, the artist is reminded of the warmth of being near the woman.
And that's why I'm wondering
The artist is questioning something due to the thoughts and feelings he is experiencing.
Why you had to tell me
The artist is questioning why the listener shared something with him.
What's going on in your head
The listener shared what is happening in their mind with the singer.
What's wrong
The artist is questioning what is causing the listener to feel upset or unhappy.
Come around another time
The singer suggests the listener come back at a later time when they are not in a rush or upset.
When you don't have to run
The singer wants the listener to come back when they are not in a hurry or feeling anxious.
And when she says she wants somebody else
The woman expressed a desire for someone else.
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
The artist wants to make sure the listener does not misinterpret the woman’s statement as being about them.
And when she breaks down and makes a sound
The woman becomes emotional and cries.
You never hear her the way that I do
The singer has a unique understanding of the woman’s emotions and feelings that the listener might not understand.
And when she says she wants someone to love
The woman expressed a desire for someone to love.
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
The artist wants to clarify that the woman is not referring to the listener as the person she wants to love.
And when she breaks down and let's you down
The woman becomes emotional and disappoints the listener.
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
The artist wants to make sure the listener doesn’t take the woman’s actions personally.
Swing into flight
The singer is in a carefree and lighthearted mood.
Over hills
The artist is flying over hills in a carefree manner.
Over her hills it's twilight
The singer is flying over hills that belong to the woman as it is becoming dark outside.
Yeah I guess that's right now
The singer is confirming the accuracy of something that was just stated.
And why won't you tell me
The singer is once again asking the listener to share something with him.
Why it's so funny
The artist wants to know why the listener finds something humorous.
That you're so funny
The artist is acknowledging that the listener has a good sense of humor.
When you're mad
The listener has a tendency to exhibit humor even in tense or negative situations.
'Cause it's mad, so mad
The situation has escalated and become tense or negative.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWIE DAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@revilz
Sweet is the sight
Of her room
Window open, lit by candle light
How would you know
Cold winter on the shore
Chills the dress she wore
It's on the floor
Still it feels so warm today
And that's why I'm wondering
Why you had to tell me
What's going on in your head
What's wrong
Come around another time
When you don't have to run
And when she says she wants somebody else
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and makes a sound
You never hear her the way that I do
And when she says she wants someone to love
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and let's you down
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
Yeah yeah no no
Swing into flight
Over hills
Over her hills it's twilight
Yeah I guess that's right now
And why won't you tell me
Why it's so funny
That you're so funny
When you're mad
'Cause it's mad, so mad
And that's why I'm wondering
Why you had to tell me
What's going on in your head
What's wrong
Come around to another time
When you don't have to run
And when she says she wants somebody else
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and makes a sound
You'll never hear her the way that I do
And when she says she wants someone to love
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
And when she breaks down and let's you down
I hope you know that she doesn't mean you
@MrAerialsound
So refreshing to hear this song today....
@ryandagas
How did I forget not only this song but this singer .. i miss your voice man .. and I didn’t forget the lyrics even after 12 years 😂❤
@yehorkauvarov
Я тож часто пою эту песню) особенно в душе.
@bcscollectibles2718
Howie had this amazing album and then disappeared!!
@cupcakequeen0617
He's such an extremely underrated artist. I wonder why I haven't heard of this song till 11 years too late.
@martasilva4084
💜💜
@ahhwe-any7434
Let's leave the underated artists exactly where they're at tho. .. 🤗
@joedd215
Not too late. He still tours
@karenwalkersginglass
He seems to be a complete jerk irl, though. Read up about his multiple arrests.
@charlenemack7040
@@karenwalkersginglass That was a long time ago he’s cleaned up his act