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.
What Do You Do?
Keaton Simons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Full of holes
'Cause they remind me of the million miles that I have walked beside you
Good and bad times, we have been through
You know that car you drive keeps breaking down
It never starts
But it reminds me of you and me
In the back-seat, drivin' it home
What do you do?
What do you do?
When everything is broken
What do you say?
What do you say?
When no words fit the moment
'Cause you're not here and even
If you were
All I could say, is what do I do?
What do I do?
We're broken but I can't throw us away
Lookin' out the window with the scratches on it at the sun
The world looks different when you focus passed your own reflection
The sky is better twisted
Just like you and me
I miss it
You snap it, bend it, burn it
Then you find that you can't fix it
Fall back
On whatever still remains
What do you do?
What do you do?
When everything is broken
What do you say?
What do you say?
When no words fit the moment
'Cause you're not here and even if you were
All I could say, is what do I do?
What do I do?
We're broken but I can't throw us away
Breakin' you in, breakin' your heart
I was takin' it all and I tore you apart
Breakin' me in breakin' my heart
And the damage was done
But I took what you got
We were breakin' it, smashin' it takin' it
Lovin' it, hatin' it
Drivin' it
Home
And now I'm all
Now I'm all, alone
What do you do?
What do you do?
When everything is broken
What do you say?
What do you say?
When no words fit the moment
'Cause you're not here and even if
You were
All I could say, is what do I do?
What do I do?
We're broken but I can't throw us away
What do I do?
What do I do?
We're broken but I can't throw us away
The song "What Do You Do?" by Keaton Simons explores the theme of a broken relationship and the emotions that come with it. The lyrics describe the singer's nostalgic feelings for the past, as evidenced by the statement "I wear these old shoes / Full of holes / 'Cause they remind me of the million miles that I have walked beside you." They express the struggles of dealing with the end of a relationship, including feeling alone and unable to find the right words to say. The singer also acknowledges the complexity of the situation and the difficulty of throwing away a relationship despite the damage that has been done.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of ruminating on the past, as the singer reflects on the good and bad times they've shared with their partner while grappling with the pain of their current separation. The lyrics reflect a sense of desperation, asking the question "what do you do?" repeatedly, looking for solutions or answers to the problems they face. The chorus asks what to do and what to say when everything is broken and no words fit the moment.
In conclusion, "What Do You Do?" is a poignant song about the struggles and complexities of a broken relationship that speaks to the human experience of love, loss, and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
I wear these old shoes
I keep these worn-out shoes because they remind me of the long journey we went through together.
Full of holes
The shoes have holes, but their symbolic meaning is still intact.
'Cause they remind me of the million miles that I have walked beside you
The tattered shoes serve as a reminder of our shared experiences, both good and bad.
Good and bad times, we have been through
We have been through many ups and downs together.
You know that car you drive keeps breaking down
Your car is always breaking down, but it reflects the journey we went on together.
It never starts
The car is unreliable, but it still carries a deep meaning for us.
But it reminds me of you and me
The car is symbolic of our relationship and the memories we share.
In the back-seat, drivin' it home
We spent many hours in the car, driving together in the back seat.
And now I'm all, alone
Now, without you, I feel very lonely.
What do you do?
What can one do in the face of heartbreak and loss?
When everything is broken
When everything falls apart and nothing seems to work anymore.
What do you say?
What can you possibly say to make things better?
When no words fit the moment
When there are no words that can adequately express the depth of your emotions.
'Cause you're not here and even
Because you are not here, and your absence is felt deeply.
If you were
If you were here, things might be different.
All I could say, is what do I do?
Even if you were here, I have no idea what to do next.
We're broken but I can't throw us away
Our relationship may be damaged, but I am not ready to give up on it yet.
Lookin' out the window with the scratches on it at the sun
Gazing out the window, noticing the scratches, and observing the world beyond.
The world looks different when you focus passed your own reflection
When you look beyond your own problems, the world often appears in a different light.
The sky is better twisted
The natural world is often unpredictable, and changes in ways we cannot control.
Just like you and me
Our relationship is complex, with many twists and turns.
I miss it
I miss the way things used to be between us.
You snap it, bend it, burn it
We have been through many difficult times together and we have tested our relationship to the limit.
Then you find that you can't fix it
Despite our best efforts, sometimes things cannot be repaired.
Fall back
Even in moments of despair, we must always keep moving forward.
On whatever still remains
We must find hope in whatever we have left.
Breakin' you in, breakin' your heart
I may have hurt you deeply, caused you pain, but I still care about you.
I was takin' it all and I tore you apart
I was selfish, and I didn't consider your feelings or needs.
Breakin' me in breakin' my heart
The pain we caused each other cuts both ways.
And the damage was done
Despite our best efforts, we caused harm to our relationship.
But I took what you got
I took what you had to offer, and I am grateful for it, even if it ended badly.
We were breakin' it, smashin' it takin' it
Our relationship was intense, full of passion, and sometimes destructive.
Lovin' it, hatin' it
We experienced both love and hate in our relationship.
Drivin' it home
We always found our way back to each other, despite the difficulties we faced.
What do I do?
I am lost and confused, unsure of what to do next.
Contributed by Tristan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.