Her somewhat contentious relationship with Green himself would be captured for audiences to see in the 2005 documentary film Rock School. Even at that young age, Madi had forceful ideas about her music, an instinct that has served her well in avoiding lazy categorization.
Green's School of Rock led to a scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where Madi would spend the next three years. Beyond musical education, it was at Berklee that she met producer Frank Charlton and engineer Martin Cooke, with whom she would record her first solo album, Skin and Bone, in early 2007. Joining her for the sessions was another Berklee student, Kyle Ryan, her songwriting and performing collaborator ever since.
Skin and Bone is a sparkling debut, capturing a rootsy side of Diaz as singer-songwriter and drawing comparisons to the work of artists like Patty Griffin. But just as soon as Skin and Bone arrived, Diaz was already moving forward. She and Ryan began co-writing with others, and the pair, often joined by bass player Adam Popick, started to play regularly in and around Boston. A chance meeting at a show in New York City lead Madi to her manager Ty Stiklorius (part of John Legend's management team) and in turn to a publishing deal with Cherry Lane (Ryan, too, signed with Cherry Lane).
With support from her new management and publisher, doors began to open and interest in Madi grew, especially after people saw her perform at places like the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, WXPN Phildelphia's XPoNential Music Festival and the Living Room in New York City's Lower East Side.
Diaz and Ryan began co-writing with folks like Sarah Siskind, Garrison Starr and David Mead, and recording demos with producers Gary Paczosa (Dixie Chicks, Alison Krauss), Marshall Altman (Matt Nathanson) and Jay Joyce (Patty Griffin). Those sessions eventually spurred Diaz and Ryan to uproot from Boston and move to Nashville, where they continued to write new material and ingratiate themselves into the local scene through local gigs at The Basement and Mercy Lounge. Nashville producers, Ian Fitchuck and Justin Loucks (Landon Pigg, Griffin House, De Novo Dahl) became friends and soon collaborators, the first byproduct of which is Diaz and Ryan's new EP, Ten Gun Salute.
The sound of Ten Gun Salute might surprise those who have heard Skin and Bone, as Madi and Kyle veer off into new sonic territories. Toy pianos plink. Fat basslines oomph. Americana overtones give way to imaginative pop structures. All the while there's that amazing voice weaving through. From the simple and sublime "Heavy Heart," to the instantly memorable "Nothing At All," the evocative storytelling of "Love You Now" to the damn-near-epic title track, Ten Gun Salute finds Diaz soaring.
If You Only Knew
Madi Diaz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stay for a little while with me
Oh, how the days go by but still I want to see
What we could be
If you only knew what it is you do
I'm at the bottom of the hill outside your house
When you find me dear
Well listen to the sound of water rushing down
If you only knew what it is you do
If you only knew what it is you do
In Madi Diaz's song "If You Only Knew," the singer is pleading for more time with their loved one before they have to leave. The opening lines of the song, "Slow, slow the seconds down before you have to leave, stay for a little while with me," set the tone for the desperation that the singer feels. Despite the passing of time, the singer still wants to see what could be between them, indicating that their relationship might not be fully realized or that they haven't given it a chance yet.
The chorus of the song is where the singer reveals the impact that their loved one has on them. The lyric "if you only knew what it is you do" shows that the person they are singing to has a profound effect on them even though they may not realize it. This line is repeated twice, emphasizing its importance.
In the second verse, the singer is outside their loved one's house, trying to spend every last moment with them before they have to go. The line "Turn off the lights and wander out" suggests a sense of secrecy or intimacy between the two of them, and "listen to the sound of water rushing down" implies that they are near a body of water, perhaps a river or stream.
Overall, "If You Only Knew" is a heartfelt plea for more time with someone who has a significant impact on the singer. The song captures the intense emotion and desire to connect with another person on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
Slow, slow the seconds down before you have to leave
I wish time would slow down so we can spend more time together before you have to go.
Stay for a little while with me
I want you to stay with me for just a bit longer.
Oh, how the days go by but still I want to see
What we could be
Despite the passing of time, I still hope to explore the possibilities of a future together.
If you only knew what it is you do
I wonder if you understand the effect you have on me.
I'm at the bottom of the hill outside your house
Turn off the lights and wander out
When you find me dear
Well listen to the sound of water rushing down
I'm waiting outside your home and hope you'll come out to join me. We can listen to the sound of the nearby water and enjoy each other's company.
If you only knew what it is you do
If you only knew what it is you do
I can't help but wonder if you're aware of the impact you have on me and my feelings towards you.
Writer(s): Madi Diaz, Kyle Hurlbut Copyright: BMG Ruby Songs, BMG Sapphire Songs, Madi Diaz Publishing, Happy The Kid
Contributed by Mason Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.