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.
Undressed
Howie Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This afternoon,
Somehow I've found myself with you
Start up, start up,
Our getaway car,
I'm in too deep,
we've come this far
So bright, so bright,
Your blinding sun
We'll need to hurry,
we've just begun
Call out, Call out,
Your oceans move the water's warm,
I'll swim in you
Come on, Get in
Let's go, Jump in
I must confess I like us best undressed
Turn on, Turn on,
Your stereo
Shake these walls, you sweet and low
Good love, good love,
I finally see,
The past is gone, for you, for me
Come on, Get in
Let's go, Jump in
I must confess I like us best undressed
In a world full of chaos, shut out the deafening world?
For just one moment more
Come on, Get in
Let's go, Jump in
I must confess I like us best
Come on, Get in
Let's go, jump in
I must confess I love you best undressed
I must confess I like us best undressed
The lyrics to Howie Day's song "Undressed" describe a moment of intimacy and freedom shared between two people. The first stanza sets the scene, with the singer finding themselves with someone they are attracted to and in a situation where they are "in too deep" - perhaps they have begun a romantic relationship that is moving quickly or they have left their responsibilities behind for a spontaneous adventure.
As the lyrics progress, the singer becomes more and more focused on the other person - they describe the other person's physical presence as a "blinding sun" and describe wanting to get closer in lines like "I'll swim in you." The chorus is a declaration of love and vulnerability, with the singer saying they like the other person "best undressed" and asking them to turn off the outside world and be present in the moment.
The second half of the song repeats this theme, with the singer asking the other person to "shut out the deafening world" and focus on their connection. The song ends with a declaration of love - "I must confess I love you best undressed" - that suggests the singer is looking for a deeper connection than just physical attraction.
Overall, the lyrics to "Undressed" capture a moment of intense intimacy and passion that is both physical and emotional. The singer is vulnerable and honest about their feelings, and the lyrics capture the excitement and intensity of a new relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Light up, Light up, This afternoon, Somehow I've found myself with you
I'm happy to be spending this afternoon with you, even though I didn't expect it
Start up, start up, Our getaway car, I'm in too deep, we've come this far
We've been on this adventure for a while now, and I'm committed to seeing it through with you
So bright, so bright, Your blinding sun We'll need to hurry, we've just begun
Your beauty is so intense that we shouldn't waste any time enjoying each other's company
Call out, Call out, Your oceans move the water's warm, I'll swim in you
Your emotions are affecting me deeply, and I'm willing to dive into them with you
Come on, Get in Let's go, Jump in I must confess I like us best undressed
I'm excited to be with you in this moment, without any distractions or barriers between us
Turn on, Turn on, Your stereo Shake these walls, you sweet and low
Let's make some noise together and enjoy the moment
Good love, good love, I finally see, The past is gone, for you, for me
Being with you has helped me realize that I don't need to dwell on the past, and that our love is all that matters now
In a world full of chaos, shut out the deafening world? For just one moment more
Even if everything else is chaotic, I want to focus on this moment with you and shut out the rest of the world
Come on, Get in Let's go, Jump in I must confess I like us best
I enjoy being with you in any situation, especially when we can be ourselves without any pretenses
Come on, Get in Let's go, jump in I must confess I love you best undressed
I love being with you in our most natural state, without any distractions or insecurities
Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.