Michael Garner and Dan Chang grew up in Danville, CA -- a small town in Nor… Read Full Bio ↴Michael Garner and Dan Chang grew up in Danville, CA -- a small town in Northern California home to fond childhood memories, girls with cooties, and the world’s best deli, Doeminico’s Delicatessen. While strangers to each other in Danville, Michael and Dan would eventually meet at UCLA on one fortuitous night while auditioning for Awaken A Cappella, UCLA’s premiere a cappella group to which Matt Frankel already belonged. With Matt’s approval, Michael and Dan became the newest members of the group on that fateful night and thus began the friendship of the trynamic trio, which would eventually lead to the beauty and dysfunction (every family has its dysfunction) of lady danville.

After singing together sans instruments, Michael and Dan decided to pick up the piano and guitar (respectively (Michael’s really strong; he bench presses two pianos for fun)) and attempt the college cliché endeavor of writing a song about a girl instead of focusing their efforts on the 20-page paper* due the next day. Finding success with their first song, “Easy On Me”, both decided that their collective musical ambitions were something worth exploring. In 2006, exactly a year after the debut of “Easy on Me”, Michael and Dan performed at UCLA’s Spring Sing as mikey g and dan from danville and won the award for Best Duet and Best Overall Entry with their song, “Cast Away” – an honor shared with past winners such as Sara Bareilles, Maroon 5, and Tyrone Wells. Despite their success at UCLA however, both members felt that something, or someone was missing.

Cue Matt Frankel (enter stage left (he was a theater major, so these instructions are more than appropriate)). Yearning for a more driving and rhythmic sound, Michael and Dan turned to Matt Frankel whose natural control of rhythm combined with his onstage presence and ability to grow manly facial hair (Dan is still jealous) proved to be just the jelly to their peanut and butter. Thus began lady danville.

With Michael on the keys, Dan on guitar, and Matt on the cajon (literally), lady danville has begun to make a name for themselves in the L.A. area playing at some of L.A.’s most treasured venues – The Hotel Café, The Roxy, The El Rey, The Temple Bar, The Knitting Factory – with artists including Tyrone Wells, Adele, Jason Reeves, to name a few.

In September of 2007, lady danville won the Annual 98.7 Star Lounge Competition with their song, “Tired Magician” which can now be found on the Star Lounge Compilation CD with artists such as John Mayer, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, and many more. After releasing their first EP back in December of 2007, lady danville is now working hard to write more songs that people can connect with all the while maintaining and building their fan base all across the galaxies, starting with the Milky Way, in L.A.

While working hard on music and life in general, the boys of lady danville still acknowledge the need to have fun and stay youthful which is why on holidays, they head back home to Danville, (Matt lives a few towns away in Hillsborough) and have back to back sleepovers where they fight for spots on the swings, slides, and the new girl in the sandbox.

The band started at UCLA, where huge support among the students and of course, their mothers, have helped them continue their passion for music. Sharing a love for grass stains and insomnia, these three good ole all American boys have come together to create music armed with a guitar, piano, cajon, aww-inducing lyrics, and sweet blending harmonies. It started in Danville and it continues with lady danville...right here.

*Note: Michael and Dan eventually finished their papers and turned them in with 3 minutes to spare. Matt drove them to campus. Long live procrastination.

Anthem
Lady Danville Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm slipping out of these warm clothes now and I'm beginning this
Whole new beginning thing
Made a new year's resolution on the 2nd of December
And I'm keeping it

Leave it to me
I made a different plan than all of my friends
I'm on my best behavior

And pretty soon you'll see what I have done

Hard to explain, but
You've become a novelty at last, put your hands together
Shouldn't complain, but
It seems your memories have past, but was it that forever

Sing for the people
While you find yourself
Insanity
And you
Fill every cup up with your songs of love and tragedy

Put your hands, keep it all together
Put your hands, keep it all together

Situation of a young boy trying to find a tight grip
On something familiar
Oh look the sky is falling, cliché calling
Gets the best of him

Leave it to me
He says with unspoken doubt
She won't agree
To be alone to figure this out

Breathe it in and breathe it all in again
Look at me
Ok
We just don't understand this

Take the pictures of us off the wall
We can fight but then we're all gonna fall

Sing for the people
While you find yourself
Insanity
Fill every cup up with your soul

Put your hands together

Put your hands together
Put your hands together

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Lady Danville’s “Anthem” starts with a somber tone as the singer describes that they are taking off their warm clothes and “beginning this whole new beginning thing.” It’s revealed that this is due to a New Year’s resolution made the previous month that they are “keeping.” The singer is making a different plan than their friends and is on their “best behavior”. They promise that soon the listener will see what they have done. The chorus is a series of calls to “Sing for the people” and “Fill every cup up with your songs of love and tragedy” while also urging for unity through the repeated line “Put your hands, keep it all together”.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm slipping out of these warm clothes now and I'm beginning this Whole new beginning thing
Starting fresh and shedding old habits during a transition period

Made a new year's resolution on the 2nd of December And I'm keeping it
Setting a goal ahead of time and following through with it

Leave it to me I made a different plan than all of my friends I'm on my best behavior And pretty soon you'll see what I have done
Going against the norm and striving to achieve success in one's own way

Hard to explain, but You've become a novelty at last, put your hands together Shouldn't complain, but It seems your memories have past, but was it that forever
Acknowledging change and accepting it, even if it comes at a cost

Sing for the people While you find yourself Insanity And you Fill every cup up with your songs of love and tragedy
Channeling emotions into creative expression and using art to connect with others

Put your hands, keep it all together Put your hands, keep it all together
Emphasizing the importance of unity and sticking together through tough times

Situation of a young boy trying to find a tight grip On something familiar Oh look the sky is falling, cliché calling Gets the best of him
Describing the feeling of uncertainty in a relatable way

He says with unspoken doubt She won't agree To be alone to figure this out
Struggling with the idea of seeking help and feeling isolated

Breathe it in and breathe it all in again Look at me Ok We just don't understand this
Pausing to take a breath and reflect on confusion with an open mind

Take the pictures of us off the wall We can fight but then we're all gonna fall
Acknowledging that conflict can have consequences for all parties involved

Writer(s): Matthew Scott Frankel, Daniel Chang, Michael Ryan Garner Copyright: Lady Danville

Contributed by Elizabeth P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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