Ward was previously with the band Rodriguez, which included bassist Kyle Field (of Little Wings fame) and drummer Mike Funk. They recorded and released on cassette Box Plots and Cash Crops and then the album Swing Like a Metronome in 2000. Duet for Guitars #2 was released on Howe Gelb's Ow Om record label. Ward's 2001 album, End of Amnesia, was released by Future Farmer Records, and his subsequent albums have been released on Merge Records. A collection of live recordings, Live Music & the Voices of Strangers, was a self-released disc that was sold at his shows. His next album, Transfiguration of Vincent, was released in 2003, followed by Transistor Radio in 2005. A year later, Post War was released.
In 2006, he contributed a song to, and helped produce, the John Fahey tribute album, I Am the Resurrection. He also contributed the song "Transfiguration #1" from Transfiguration of Vincent to the Brushfire Records soundtrack for A Brokedown Melody, a Jack Johnson surfing film.
His album, Hold Time, was released in 2009. The album A Wasteland Companion followed in 2012. The album title alludes to T.S. Eliot's 1922 modernist poem, The Waste Land. In 2016, he released More Rain. On June 8, 2018, M. Ward released What a Wonderful Industry.
Side Projects
In 2008 M. Ward combined forces with Zooey Deschanel and became She & Him. They have released two albums so far, Volume One in 2008 and Volume Two in 2010. He is also one fourth of the folk supergroup, Monsters of Folk, alongside Jim James from My Morning Jacket, and Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes. Their self-titled release, Monsters of Folk, was released in 2009.
* Official website
Sad Sad Song
M. Ward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do you do when your true love leaves?
He said the hardest thing in the world to do,
Is to find somebody believes in you.
Make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad sad song
Make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad song
What do you do when your true love leaves?
He said I only have but one trick up my sleeve,
I sing it over and over 'til she comes back to me.
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad sad song
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad song
And so I went to the whale, I said killer whale please,
What do you do when your true love leaves?
He said I only have but one trick up my sleeve,
I sing it over and over 'til she comes back to me.
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad sad song
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad song
Oh I went to my mama, I said mama please,
What do you do when your true love leaves?
She said the hardest thing in the world to do,
Is to find somebody believes in you.
The song "Sad Sad Song" by M. Ward is a melancholic tune that explores the aftermath of a failed relationship. The singer seeks advice from different creatures, starting with a doctor. However, instead of a medical treatment, the doctor's response is philosophical, stating that finding someone who believes in you is the hardest thing in the world to do. This can be interpreted as the singer struggling to find someone who loves and appreciates them for who they are since their true love has left.
The singer then turns to the whippoorwill, a bird renowned for its mournful song. The bird's response is to sing a sad tune repeatedly until the singer's true love returns. This could be interpreted as the singer trying to win their love back through gestures and sad songs. The use of the same phrase 'make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad song' repeatedly reinforces the mournful tone of the song.
The singer then turns to a killer whale, which suggests the same method as the whippoorwill, further emphasizing the sadness and loneliness of the singer. Finally, the singer turns to their mother, and just like the doctor, she provides philosophical advice, suggesting that it is difficult to find someone who believes in you.
Overall, the song expresses the emotional pain and the difficult journey of finding someone who truly values and accepts you.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I went to the Doctor, I said Doctor please,
The singer seeks advice from his doctor about coping with lost love.
What do you do when your true love leaves?
The singer is facing a situation where his true love has left him and he is seeking help.
He said the hardest thing in the world to do,
The doctor believes that it is incredibly difficult to move on after someone you love leaves you.
Is to find somebody believes in you.
The doctor suggests that finding someone who believes in you can help ease the pain of losing a loved one.
Make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad sad song
The artist acknowledges that his heartbreak is profound and suggests channeling that feeling into a sad song.
And so I went to the whippoorwill, I said whippoorwill please,
The singer continues his search for guidance and turns to nature for answers.
He said I only have but one trick up my sleeve,
The whippoorwill confesses that he only has one method for winning back lost love.
I sing it over and over 'til she comes back to me.
The whippoorwill suggests that persistence is key to winning back lost love.
And so I went to the whale, I said killer whale please,
The artist continues his search and seeks help from another animal.
Oh I went to my mama, I said mama please,
The artist finally turns to his own mother for advice.
She said the hardest thing in the world to do,
The singer's mother echoes the doctor's sentiment that moving on from lost love is incredibly difficult.
Is to find somebody believes in you.
The artist's mother suggests that finding someone who believes in you can help.
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad sad sad song
The song concludes with the singer repeating the idea of channeling heartbreak into a sad song.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Matthew Stephen Ward
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bagaya
Oh, I went to the doctor
I said doctor, please
What do you do when your true love leaves?
He said the hardest thing in the world to do
Is to find somebody believes in you
Make a sad, make a sad, make a sad, sad song
Make a sad, make a sad, make a sad, sad song
And so I went to the whip–poor–will
I said whip–poor–will, please
What do you do when your true love leaves?
He said I only have but one trick up my sleeve
I sing it over and over 'till she comes back to me
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad, sad song
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad, sad song
And so I went to a whale
I said killer whale, please
What do you do when your true love leaves?
He said I only have but one trick up my sleeve
I sing it over and over 'till she comes back to me
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad, sad song
I make a sad, make a sad, make a sad, sad song
And so I went to my momma
I said momma, please
What do you do when your true love leaves?
She said the hardest thing in the world to do
Is to find somebody believes in you
Michael Morrell
first heard it on chinese translation, this guy is an awesome strummer. one of the best talents in the industry.
MikeyMike
Just discovered this guy and LOVE this music!!! Downloaded his music from Amazon and can't stop listening.
Chris Brussel
Such emotion and passion is what other people may be needing. After watching him play its as if he helped me just mend a piece of my heart back. Just what the dr ordered. 💚
hassan mohammad
I Lov sad because I grew with sad
hassan mohammad
I love it
Renata Stachnik
Love this song a lot. I am so happy I saw live performance <3.
Madan Maddy
pure soothing music
wharfrat360
He preformed this at Bumbershoot on Saturday September 1, 2012 and it was absolutely amazing. It was my first M. Ward show. And to say the least Im now hooked!!!!
afiboyspam
how can somebody dislike this?
A. Simonds
on my last breath, this song will be upon my lips...