Since Mutemath released its first EP in late 2004 and hit the road in 2005, their musical style has transformed over the years. By the time of their 2006 self-titled debut, their blending of adverse genres earned them a reputation as one of modern music’s most daring young groups. By 2007, they found themselves Grammy nominated and declared by Alternative Press as “the #1 band you need to see live before you die.” But in the band almost broke up during the making of their sophomore album Armistice. “It was a risk we had to take,” says King looking back on what they set out to accomplish for Armistice. “This record was by far the most painful music-making experience I’ve ever had, but also the one I’m most proud of.”
The band is best known for the 2007 single “Typical”, taken from their 2006 self titled album. The song’s innovative backwards video was nominated for a Grammy in 2008 for Best Short Form Music Video. Speaking with Songfacts in a 2011 interview, Darren King poked fun at the somewhat futile nomination : "For the rest of our career, we get to say "Grammy nominated band." We don't have to say what it was for. (Laughing)." Mutemath re-enacted the "Typical" video during a live performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, using the same reverse playback technique used in the original video. The song also peaked at #33 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The band has contributed songs to various films such as Twilight, Transformers, Never Back Down, The Stepfather, The Rocker, and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.
Alongside contributing songs to film and product endorsements, Mutemath has appeared on every major late night television program including: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
In April 2011, it was announced on their official website that founding guitarist Greg Hill had left the band in October 2010. The new album was recorded with other band members filling in on guitar and a new guitarist, Todd Gummerman, was named shortly after Odd Soul was released and he features in most music videos from the album.
All or Nothing
MUTEMATH Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Always know if you're holding back
Don't slow yourself down anymore
We watch the days fly
While all the years try
Telling us something
Don't waste a whole life
It's all or nothing
Cold sparks are seconds from burn out
Everyone has an hour glass
To turn back upside down
We watch the days fly
While all the years try
Telling us something
Don't waste a whole life
On just a half try
It's all or nothing
The lyrics to MUTEMATH's song "All or Nothing" are all about living life to the fullest and not holding back. The first line "Aligning stars that you wait for" is a reference to waiting for the perfect opportunity. The singer is telling the listener to stop waiting for the stars to align and take action. The second line "Always know if you're holding back" is a reminder to not hold back and give it your all.
The chorus is a call to action to not waste your life on just a half-hearted attempt. The line "Don't waste a whole life on just a half try, it's all or nothing" is a powerful reminder that life is short and we shouldn't waste it on something that we're not fully invested in. The line "Cold sparks are seconds from burn out" is a metaphor for life being short and time slipping away.
The song is a reminder to take risks and make the most of our time here on earth. We shouldn't be afraid to go after what we want and take chances. The song encourages us to be bold and live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Aligning stars that you wait for
There are some things in life that you anticipate and wait for, as if all the stars need to align for them to happen.
Always know if you're holding back
You should always be aware of when you're holding back in life, when you're not giving it your all.
Don't slow yourself down anymore
Stop impeding your own progress and don't let unnecessary obstacles slow you down.
We watch the days fly
Time passes quickly and we often feel like we're just helplessly watching it go by.
While all the years try
Despite our best efforts to make the most of our time, the years still seem to slip away from us.
Telling us something
Time has its own way of reminding us that life is fleeting and that we should make the most of the opportunities we have.
Don't waste a whole life
We only have one life to live, so it's crucial that we make the most of every moment and not waste any of our time.
On just a half try
We shouldn't just give our efforts halfway, we need to give it our all and not hold anything back.
It's all or nothing
We need to put everything we have into what we do, and not settle for anything less than our best effort.
Cold sparks are seconds from burn out
Just like sparks that quickly lose their heat and fade away, we need to be aware of how time can quickly pass us by without making the most of it.
Everyone has an hour glass
We all have a limited amount of time in life, just like an hourglass that will eventually run out of sand.
To turn back upside down
We should make use of the time we have left to turn things around and make the most of what we have.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: DARREN KING, PAUL MEANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@libbypeasley7368
i discovered mutemath when i randomly picked out this album at an opshop... holy shit what an awesome score ! they are one of my all time favourite bands now.. especially this song <3
@carly2332
Driving in my car to this song, is the BEST! Sounds so good, I put it on repeat...again and again
@gretchenhope1418
This song blows my mind. It's incredible. MuteMath is my favorite band, and their creativity never ceases to amaze me!
@LuisBarajas
By far my favorite song on the album. It's absolutely amazing.
@theblindsniper
This is such an amazing song, I can't love it enough. I'm relistening to the whole album again and coming across this again is just too sweet. That build up is PERFECT.
@kawaiifoxbabe300
Instant favorite! Every song I hear from Mutemath is complete genius.
@MishaLaGrange
they're undefined thats whats makes their music AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Bernardusaurus
What genre would this song fall under? I wish Mutemath did more stuff like this because apparently, they're great at it.
@tynie626
the first time i heard this, i got teary eyed.. something about paul's voice on this one. god i'm so proud of these guys. so talented.
@95ninjakid
Never heard this band before and I love their sound already! Thanks for the upload :)