Matthew Stephen Ward (b 4th October 1973, Newbury Park, California), known … Read Full Bio ↴Matthew Stephen Ward (b 4th October 1973, Newbury Park, California), known by his stage name M. Ward, is a U.S. singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to prominence in the Portland, Oregon music scene. In addition to his solo work, he is known as a member of She & Him and Monsters of Folk.

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

Stars of Leo
M. Ward Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was born on the first day of December
That means the beginning of the end
Between the last in the line of an emotional time
And the patriarchal rash in the wind

And I'm overwhelmed at the range of emotion
I can ride in some high, lonesome sound
I get so low I need a little pick-me-up

I get so high I need a bring-me-down
I get so high I need a bring-me-down

And when I'm high above the sea of love
With the stars of Leo shining
Well, that's a long way to fall into the blue
But it's just a matter of time until I do, yeah

But now I'm under the ground in New York City
I miss the water from the wells back home
And that's exactly what the papers said would happen
If I keep boarding crowded subways alone
So I tried to surround myself with real love
You know, the kind that make them wheels go 'round
I get so low I need a little pick-me-up
I get so high I need a bring-me-down

Like when I'm high above that sea of love
With the stars of Leo shining
Well, that's the hardest way to fall into the blue
But it's just a matter of time until I do, yeah

Like when I'm high above the sea of love
With the stars of Leo shining

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of M. Ward's song "Stars of Leo" convey a sense of emotional turmoil and a desire for balance in the midst of it. The opening lines state that the singer was born at the beginning of December, which he associates with both the end of something and with the prevailing winds of patriarchy. This sets up a lyrical theme of juxtaposing opposing forces.

The singer goes on to express feeling overwhelmed by the range of emotions he experiences, from high to low. He references the need for both pick-me-ups and bring-me-downs. The chorus brings in the image of Leo, a constellation associated with courage and strength. The singer muses about the danger of being high above the sea of love with the stars of Leo shining, as it's just a matter of time until he falls into the blue.

The second verse is set in New York City, emphasizing a sense of displacement and missing home. The papers warned him against boarding crowded subways alone, suggesting a fear of losing himself in the anonymous and chaotic city. The singer strives to surround himself with real love in hopes of finding balance. Once again, the chorus returns with the image of Leo and the danger of falling.

Line by Line Meaning

I was born on the first day of December
The singer was born at the beginning of winter, which can symbolize a time of change and decay.

That means the beginning of the end
The singer's birth represents the start of something that will inevitably come to an end.

Between the last in the line of an emotional time
The singer is caught between the past and the present, between what has happened and what is yet to come.

And the patriarchal rash in the wind
The artist is exposed to a toxic masculinity that is pervasive in society and affects their surroundings.

And I'm overwhelmed at the range of emotion
The artist is emotionally overwhelmed and can experience both extreme highs and lows.

I can ride in some high, lonesome sound
The singer can find solace in music that expresses emotions of loneliness, sadness, and longing.

I get so low I need a little pick-me-up
The singer can reach such low points in their life that they require a small boost, whether it be from music or something else.

I get so high I need a bring-me-down
Likewise, the artist can reach extreme highs and need something to ground them and bring them back down to earth.

And when I'm high above the sea of love
The artist feels ecstatic and free when they experience love.

With the stars of Leo shining
The stars of Leo are symbols of bravery and strength, representing the artist's potential and aspirations.

Well, that's a long way to fall into the blue
Life is turbulent and one can fall from a place of joy and security into sadness and despair.

But it's just a matter of time until I do, yeah
It's inevitable that the artist will experience difficult times soon.

But now I'm under the ground in New York City
The singer feels buried and weighed down in a busy, noisy city far from home.

I miss the water from the wells back home
The singer yearns for simpler, more natural surroundings and longs for a sense of belonging.

And that's exactly what the papers said would happen
The singer remembers warnings and negative predictions about their decisions and lifestyle.

If I keep boarding crowded subways alone
The artist is making a conscious choice to isolate themselves and not seek out meaningful connections with others.

So I tried to surround myself with real love
The artist makes an effort to find genuine, wholesome relationships that will bring them happiness and fulfillment.

You know, the kind that make them wheels go 'round
The singer seeks relationships that motivate and inspire them to keep going through life's challenges.

Like when I'm high above that sea of love
Once again, the singer feels exhilarated when they experience love and affection.

With the stars of Leo shining
This symbolizes the artist's hope and determination to strive for success and fulfillment despite the difficulties that lie ahead.

Well, that's the hardest way to fall into the blue
The artist knows that falling from a place of happiness and love will be especially difficult to handle.

But it's just a matter of time until I do, yeah
The inevitable difficulty and pain of life will eventually catch up to the artist.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: M. WARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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