"An old soul in a young man's voice" is the headline on the front page of t… Read Full Bio ↴"An old soul in a young man's voice" is the headline on the front page of the Los Angeles Times Calendar section. The article is about 26 year old Keaton Simons, whose voice is described as having a "lived-in quality that will echo in our minds and hearts for years to come". Keaton's fascination with music surfaced early. Singing since he could talk and picking up Beethoven on the piano by ear while still in preschool, Keaton finally started his lifetime love affair with the guitar at age 12.

As a 17 year old out of high school, Keaton started thinking about college. He decided on The Evergreen State College, located in Olympia, Washington. The area, which has become known as a fertile breeding ground for music and art, proved perfect to set in motion his initiation into the immense world of music. It was there that Keaton started writing songs. He dove in headfirst, taking on courses ranging from 20th century classical composition to Indonesian gamelan music to jazz and quite a lot in between. Keaton's years at Evergreen not only introduced him to diverse global music but also taught him to incorporate everything into his own sensibilities. Major record labels have accused Keaton of being too diverse to contain.

After an early graduation, it was back to Los Angeles, playing music with old friends like Tre Hardson (of The Pharcyde) and new ones like singer N'Dea Davenport (of the Brand New Heavies), Kim Hill (of the Black Eyed Peas), underground hip-hop legend Medusa and appearing on Jay Leno's TONIGHT SHOW with hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg.

Before Keaton was 21 years old he was asked to compose music for the motion picture Mercy Streets. Labels began to investigate and eventually he landed a deal with Maverick Records. Keaton released a five-song EP with Maverick entitled "Currently". The EP displays a taste of bluesy, rootsy, guitar-driven songs & ballads, with stylish arrangements that showcase his rich, often spooky melodies. Indeed, the disc's delicate, down-home title track is in rotation at radio stations around America. Recently reaching ..1 on the charts of Tucson, AZ's KWMT 92.9 The Mountain.

One of the first to play Keaton's music was influential LA public radio station KCRW, which afforded him the opportunity in early 2005 to play the Universal Amphitheatre supporting Coldplay. Keaton's music has also been featured on LA's ..1 mid-day radio show, KLSX 97.1, "Heidi, Frosty and Frank". Here is where leaks have started of some of the tracks on Keaton's album that were produced by well known producing team, The Matrix. The timing for Keaton's meeting (through a mutual friend) with the Matrix really worked for both. Keaton's songs were thought of as being too alternatively structured to be radio friendly, though many agreed there was something there. The Matrix, just off Avril Lavigne's COMPLICATED, were seeking something to ground them, and reveal the soul in their pop music. The team loved every second of working together, and ended up with an album that was completed just in time for the record label to conclude changes that made releasing such a "big album" impossible. Hence, a move to the beautiful freedom and diversity of CD Baby.

Keaton participated in the 2005 Sundance Film Festival as a part of BMI's annual showcase. Sharing the bill with Vanessa Carlton, Minnie Driver, Joe Firstman and Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service). Keaton is no stranger to the world of film and television. It's kind of the family business. Keaton's little stepsister, Emma Roberts, costars with JoJo in the just completed AQUAMARINE. Emma has an album coming out, featuring songs from her television series UNFABULOUS. Keaton's sister, Morgan Simons, is a culinary artist who tries to feed actresses healthfully enough such that they will not need to name their babies after food!

Keaton's grandfather, Don Garrett, has been publicist to such world renowned sensations as everything from The Supremes to "The Flintstones". Another of Keaton's grandfathers, screenwriter David Rayfiel, wrote such loved films as "Three Days of the Condor" & "Round Midnight", to name a few. Keaton's grandmother, Lila Garrett (whom Keaton immortalized in the song "Joseph" on which Keaton took the opportunity to play all the instruments including drums, bass, piano, guitar and vocals) has credits and Emmy awards as writer/ producer/ director on pretty much every situation comedy from the 1960s to the 2000s. Keaton and his father, Jimmy Simons, had a chance recently to work together when Keaton appeared on Fox Televisions' MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, which Jimmy produces and sometimes directs. Keaton was cast by his episode's director, Bryan Cranston, who also plays "Hal" on the series. Keaton's mother, Eliza Roberts, has made a name for herself as a Hollywood Jane of all trades. From actress to casting director, manager to writer. In her early 20s she became producer of the pre-MTV phenomenon "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert". With baby Keaton in tow, Eliza's show hosted live performances from such acts as Chuck Berry, James Brown, The Brothers Johnson, Donna Summers, Abba, Natalie Cole, and featured early comedy by David Letterman, Andy Kaufman, Michael Keaton and almost Robin Williams - but no one could quite figure out what his act was.

Beyond MALCOLM, like many musicians today, Keaton has crossed over into the world of acting, having performed a heart-stopping rendition of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" on NBC's acclaimed "American Dreams". Keaton will also be seen starring in Henry Jaglom's upcoming feature film, "Hollywood Dreams" (Lots of "dreams" needed to sort through some of the harsh realities of our world these days, it would seem). Keaton's earliest work features his mother, Eliza (Garrett), three months pregnant with him, when she appeared as "Brunella, at the desk" in NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE.

Burch Mog
Keaton Simons Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Drunken
She waits watching the distance
Dreading the fear
Brought by each freshly fallen tear
The words can barely crawl up
Her throat
She doesn't want to be you
Don't let her slip

They all badger
But I couldn't even cause her to
She thinks I want to be
Just like her
Drifting
With misguided direction
Luckily, or so it would seem
Caught by the same constant branch
A plummet becomes a swan dive
That becomes a glide
Silent, like a feather far from your ears
She doesn't want to be you
Don't let her slip
They all badger
But I couldn't even cause her to
She thinks I want to be
Just like her
Darling
Your smile can make the sun rise
Anytime at all
So clear your eyes
Rid the sorrow
Make the sun come up tomorrow
Settle down
Take your time
Have a ball
She doesn't want to be you
Don't let her slip
They all badger
But I couldn't even cause her to

She thinks I want to be
Just like her

Overall Meaning

The song "Burch Mog" by Keaton Simons seems to be a comforting ballad to someone who is struggling emotionally. The female protagonist in the song is seen as someone who is drowning in her tears and fears, and the narrative voice of the song seeks to reassure her that she doesn't have to be someone she isn't. The character is perceived by others as someone who is an object of envy or admiration, but she feels that she is not living up to their expectations. The singer wants to be herself and not someone else, and the singer empathetically affirms this by urging her not to give up or lose herself. The use of the phrase "don't let her slip" underscores the idea that the female character is in danger of losing her footing and needs someone to hold her up.

The song's lyrics employ metaphors to describe the singer's journey. She's drifting with misguided direction, caught by a constant branch, and plunging into a swan dive that becomes a glide. These phrases imply that the character may be moving through life without a clear sense of direction, but that there is still hope for her to regain her footing and achieve momentum again. Additionally, the song reflects a strong sense of empathy, with the singer projecting a sense of warmth and understanding towards the character.

Line by Line Meaning

Drunken
Intoxicated or overwhelmed by emotions

She waits watching the distance
She waits while watching what is happening far away from her

Dreading the fear
Fearful of the unknown or impending danger

Brought by each freshly fallen tear
The fear is evoked each time a tear falls from her eyes

The words can barely crawl up
She is having difficulty expressing herself

Her throat
Her voice box or vocal cords

She doesn't want to be you
She does not want to become someone else

Don't let her slip
Don't let her fall further into despair

They all badger
People are bothering her or harassing her

But I couldn't even cause her to
I am not able to cause her to feel this way

She thinks I want to be
She believes I desire to become