Lee Dewyze attended an alternative high school but states that music and his teachers were his inspiration to go back to his studies. Before Idol, DeWyze worked as a paint salesclerk. His musical influences include Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, Ben Harper, and Simon & Garfunkel.
DeWyze's career began when he was 16 or 17, after he met Louis Svitek, owner of WuLi Records, and Ryan McGuire of the Virginia Gentlemen. Lee DeWyze auditioned in Chicago for the ninth season of American Idol with the song "Ain't No Sunshine", which was also covered by Kris Allen. During Hollywood week, his group included Aaron Kelly and Crystal Bowersox, who all made it into the Top 24. During the first week, he performed "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, which was praised by Simon Cowell. The next week he sang "Lips of an Angel", which did not get the same response as his first performance but was good enough to get him into the top 16. His third song, "Fireflies", came as a surprise and was generally liked by the viewers, critics, and the judges.
After making it to the Top 12, DeWyze performed Beast of Burden during The Rolling Stones week. For the Top 11's theme, Billboard #1 Hits, DeWyze performed The Letter by the The Box Tops. The following week DeWyze performed Treat Her Like a Lady impressing mentor Usher and all four judges including Cowell who said that "This is the night that your life may have changed forever." For the Top 9 week Lee performed Hey Jude by The Beatles. His closest friend is his fellow roomate, Andrew Garcia.
Beautiful Day
Lee DeWyze Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shoots up through the stony ground
There's no room
No space to rent in this town
You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
You thought you'd found a friend
To take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace
It's a beautiful day
The sky falls, you feel like
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination
You love this town
Even if that doesn't ring true
You've been all over
And it's been all over you
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day
So touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case
See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
So touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case
What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
Don't need it now
Was a beautiful day
The song "Beautiful Day" by Lee DeWyze appears to be about seizing the present moment and appreciating the world around us, despite the hardships and challenges we may face. The first few lines describe how difficult life can be, with the heart as a symbol for hope and perseverance trying to grow through the "stony ground" that may exist in our lives. The lyrics also touch on the frustration of feeling stuck and unable to move forward in traffic, both literally and metaphorically.
The chorus of the song provides a glimmer of hope, with the singer proclaiming that despite any difficulties, it is still a beautiful day that should not be wasted. The second verse talks about feeling lost and uncertain, but still having an appreciation for the town and the world around us. The bridge of the song prompts the listener to "see" the beauty of the world, from the colors after a flood to the tuna fleets in the ocean.
Overall, "Beautiful Day" seems to uplift listeners and encourage them to find the beauty in the world, even during tough times. It emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment and making the most of it.
Line by Line Meaning
The heart is a bloom
Love is like a flower that grows in unexpected places.
Shoots up through the stony ground
Love can grow even in difficult circumstances.
There's no room
The world can be a crowded place where it can be hard to find love.
No space to rent in this town
There may be no traditional way to find love in the place you currently live.
You're out of luck
You may feel hopeless in your search for love.
And the reason that you had to care
Love is a powerful force that can motivate us to do amazing things.
The traffic is stuck
You're feeling trapped in your current situation.
And you're not moving anywhere
You're stuck in a rut and can't seem to move forward.
You thought you'd found a friend
You were hoping to find a companion to help you through your difficulties.
To take you out of this place
You wanted to escape your current circumstances with your new companion.
Someone you could lend a hand
You wanted to be a source of support for your new companion as well.
In return for grace
You hoped that your new companion would show you kindness and compassion.
It's a beautiful day
Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, there is still beauty to be found in the world.
The sky falls, you feel like
You feel overwhelmed and like everything is falling apart.
Don't let it get away
Hold onto hope and don't give up on finding love or happiness.
You're on the road
Life is a journey and you are traveling through it.
But you've got no destination
You may not know where you're going or what you want out of life.
You're in the mud
Life can be messy and difficult to navigate.
In the maze of her imagination
Navigating relationships and love can be confusing and feel like you're walking through a maze.
You love this town
Despite its flaws, there are things about your current situation that you appreciate.
Even if that doesn't ring true
Despite that, it may be hard to fully believe or accept it.
You've been all over
You've experienced many different things in life.
And it's been all over you
Those experiences have shaped who you are as a person and how you see the world.
So touch me
You desire human connection and love, both physically and emotionally.
Take me to that other place
You yearn for a change or escape from your current circumstances.
Teach me
You are open and willing to learn and grow in your relationships.
I know I'm not a hopeless case
You recognize that you have the potential for love and happiness.
See the world in green and blue
You should appreciate the beauty of the natural world around you.
See China right in front of you
You should embrace the diversity of different cultures in the world.
See the canyons broken by cloud
There is beauty to be found in even the most rugged landscapes.
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
Humans are capable of incredible feats of strength and endurance.
See the Bedouin fires at night
Other cultures have their own unique and beautiful traditions.
See the oil fields at first light
The world can be full of both beauty and industry, and it's important to appreciate both.
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
Even animals can show behaviors that inspire us to find beauty in the world.
After the flood all the colors came out
Even after times of great hardship or tragedy, there can be a renewal of hope and joy in life.
Reach me
You desire intimacy and connection in your relationships.
What you don't have you don't need it now
You should focus on being content with what you have and not constantly searching for something more.
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
Sometimes we don't know exactly what we want, but we can still feel when something is right or wrong.
Don't need it now
It's important to live in the present and not be consumed by past or future desires.
Was a beautiful day
The song reflects on a previous day that was full of beauty and wonder, and encourages the listener to seek out that beauty again in life.
Contributed by Liliana N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.