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.
You & A Promise
Howie Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She left it up to fate
Standing at a phone, oh
And she knows what she wants
And she came here to take it
How perfect it could be
You and me
"I don't want you anymore"
"Remember what you said?"
You and a promise
You and a promise
You...
Turned and he didn't wait
He walked right through the gate
So glad to be alone, mmmm
And he knows who to call
"I'll always be there for you,
call me anytime"
"I don't mean to offend,
the voice on the other end
is a stranger to me"
You and a promise
You and a promise
You...
And they say to themselves
And they say to themselves
How could I ever let this happen
You and a promise
You and a promise
Take me back
Or let this happen
The lyrics of Howie Day’s You & A Promise tell a bittersweet story about a woman who arrives at a designated location to meet a man with whom she has an unconsummated romantic connection. The woman is nervous and late, but she leaves everything to fate as she stands at a phone, waiting for the man. She knows what she wants and is determined to take it. As the man arrives, she greets him at the door and tells him that she doesn't want him anymore, reminding him of his previous words. Though the man walks right through the gate, the lyrics later reveal that he had said that he would always be there for her, and she could call him anytime.
The pain and regrets of missed opportunities in the past resurface as the characters lament over how they let the situation develop. They end up saying to themselves, "How could I ever let this happen?" As the chorus of the song repeats the words, "You and a promise," it is evident that both characters do not find comfort in their empty promises. The lyrics tell a tale of two individuals caught in a moment of indecision, which creates consequences that they may later regret.
Overall, the lyrics of You & A Promise beautifully encapsulate the feelings of longing, regret, and missed opportunities that many people have or experience at some point in their lives, making it an incredibly relatable song.
Line by Line Meaning
She was nervous she was late
She was feeling anxious and worried because she was running behind schedule.
She left it up to fate
She allowed destiny to decide the outcome of the situation.
Standing at a phone, oh
She was waiting by the telephone apparatus.
And she knows what she wants
She understands what she desires.
And she came here to take it
She arrived with the intent of obtaining what she wanted.
How perfect it could be
The situation had the potential to be flawless.
You and me
The two of us together.
And she met him at the door
She encountered him when he arrived.
"I don't want you anymore"
She expressed that she no longer desired to be with him.
"Remember what you said?"
She reminded him of a previous conversation or promise he made.
You and a promise
You and a promise
You...
The person is being reminded of a promise they made.
Turned and he didn't wait
He immediately departed without any hesitation or delay.
He walked right through the gate
He left through the entranceway.
So glad to be alone, mmmm
He was content and pleased to be by himself.
And he knows who to call
He is aware of which individual to contact.
"I'll always be there for you,
call me anytime"
He promised to be available for assistance whenever needed.
"I don't mean to offend,
the voice on the other end
is a stranger to me"
He apologized and explained that he did not recognize the person answering the phone.
And they say to themselves
And they say to themselves
How could I ever let this happen
The individuals ponder and ask themselves how they allowed the situation to occur.
Take me back
Or let this happen
The person is presenting two feasible options: return to a previous state or let things unfold as they may.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWIE DAY, JAY CLIFFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind