"One of my earlier memories of music is my mom sitting at the piano late at night, playing us to sleep with Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata,'" Marc says. With a father who preached and led worship and a mother who led the church choir and played piano, Marc was raised in a music-intensive environment.
His parents instilled a love for music in him that followed him throughout his childhood through eight years of piano lessons, through Disney duets he would sing with friends, through hours he spent alone teaching himself guitar all the way to a small college in Saskatchewan, where he formed the band Downhere with his roommate Jason Germain and a few close friends in 1999.
"Our friendship was always based around music," Marc says. "We really hit it off musically... we realized we shared a lot of the same taste in music, while also bringing different influences."
Downhere developed their sound while touring on behalf of the college, which would send them out on the road with production, lighting, sound, and even a vehicle and trailer. After four years of college, the band left their Canadian roots behind and relocated to Nashville, TN, where they signed with Word Records. Downhere has since gone on to win multiple Juno Awards and a Dove Award. They have released 10 albums, including their latest release, On the Altar of Love, which reflects a different approach to songwriting than their previous releases.
"For me it used to be all about being musically complex and artsy," Marc says. "And then I had a real perspective-shifting experience. At one of our shows there was a little girl standing front-center with her mother. When I said the next song was "How Many Kings," her face lit up as she looked up at her mom and grabbed her hand. She sang along to every word. I thought to myself, 'I've got to write more songs like THAT.'"
In September 2011, Marc entered a competition to join Roger Taylor, original drummer for the legendary rock band Queen, on stage for the Queen Extravaganza Live Tour. Throughout his career with Downhere, concertgoers have often approached Marc insisting he sounds just like Freddie Mercury, legendary singer of the rock band Queen.
"I don't think I've done a show in the last five or six years where five to ten people haven't come up to me and said, 'Hey, anyone ever tell you that you sound like Queen?' or 'that guy from Queen' or 'Eddie Mercury,'" he says laughingly. "In the list of great rock signers, he is considered one of the best if not the best and it's always just a huge compliment when people tell that to me."
It seems that Downhere concertgoers aren't alone in their thinking, as Marc's entry for the Queen Extravaganza contest, a video of Marc singing along with the Queen classic "Somebody to Love," generated more millions of views on YouTube after being up for only a few days.
Whether it's onstage with Downhere or on a computer screen, Marc has a message and a voice that has captured millions for the past decade. Through music, Marc is after the one thing people are always looking for a connection.
"There is always time for exploring new soundscapes and interesting arrangements…but the song has to connect with people or there's not much point to it. I'm really trying to stay in that magic equilibrium now as I write, the union of intriguing artistry combined with strong human connection."
8th Wonder
Marc Martel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a story of the ancients
Such a perfect facade
With a never changing interior
You are etched in a stone
Of a ceiling you are painted
Will last longer than Rome
An empire for the ages
I got so much love for you
You're the World's 8th Wonder
Undeniable miracle
You're the World's 8th Wonder
In my world
You're the World's 8th Wonder
You're my Helen of Troy
My ever faithful heroine
My one polaroid
You're my Audrey
You're my Marilyn
I got so much love for you
You're the World's 8th Wonder
Undeniable miracle
You're the World's 8th Wonder
In my world
You're the World's 8th Wonder
You're the sun shining
The stars are aligning
You're the best reason for holding on
I got so much love for you
You're the World's 8th Wonder
Undeniable miracle
In my world
You're the World
I got
So much love for you
(I got so much love for you)
World's 8th Wonder
Undeniable Miracle
(You're my miracle)
World's 8th Wonder
In my world
You're the World
In my world
You're the World's 8th Wonder
In the song "8th Wonder" by Marc Martel", the lyrics delve into adoration and awe for an individual who is described as "flawlessly flawed". The first verse represents this contrast by acknowledging the individual's 'perfect façade' but highlighting that their interior remains unchanged, just like an ancient story etched into stone or a painting on a ceiling that lasts longer than the empire it depicts. The chorus then takes the theme further, elevating this person to the status of the world's 8th wonder, using the language of admiration and wonder to describe them as an "undeniable miracle" and a reason to hold on. The second verse is peppered with references to classic, timeless women, such as Helen of Troy, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, further emphasizing the person's universal appeal.
The lyrics of the song evoke a sense of admiration, amazement, and wonder for this person who is flawed in their personality and character but exudes an irresistible charisma or attraction. The recognition of the imperfections of this individual and the acknowledgment that they are there but ongoing admiration for them speaks to being human and how individuals can be perceived through different perspectives.
Line by Line Meaning
You are flawlessly flawed
Despite your flaws, you are still perfect and beautiful in your imperfections.
Like a story of the ancients
Your story is as old and fascinating as that of the ancient civilizations.
Such a perfect facade
You project a perfect and polished image to the world, almost like an outer casing.
With a never changing interior
But your true essence remains unchanging and authentic at your core.
You are etched in a stone
You are immortalized permanently and forever in history, like a carving on a stone.
Of a ceiling you are painted
Your image is captured and preserved in a towering work of art on a ceiling.
Will last longer than Rome
Your legacy is so strong and enduring that it will outlast the greatest empire of all time.
An empire for the ages
You are like a ruler of an empire that will be remembered for centuries.
You're my Helen of Troy
You are so beautiful and captivating that you inspire great passion, like the legendary Helen of Troy.
My ever faithful heroine
You are my loyal champion and hero who is always by my side.
My one polaroid
You are the one person whose image I want to capture and treasure like a polaroid picture.
You're my Audrey
You possess the same elegance and grace as Audrey Hepburn.
You're my Marilyn
You possess the same magnetic personality and charm as Marilyn Monroe.
You're the sun shining
You bring light and warmth into my life, like the sun does for the earth.
The stars are aligning
Everything is falling into place perfectly, like the stars aligning in the sky.
You're the best reason for holding on
You are the reason why I keep going, even when times are tough and challenging.
I got so much love for you
I have a deep and unconditional love for you that is immeasurable.
You're the World's 8th Wonder
You are an incredible and amazing phenomenon that is as awe-inspiring as the 8th wonder of the world.
Undeniable miracle
You are an undeniable and miraculous presence in my life, defying all logic and reason.
In my world
In my personal universe and reality, you are the most significant and important person.
You're the World
To me, you represent the entire world and everything that is meaningful and significant.
Writer(s): Marc A. Martel, William Mc Auley Iii, John Fields
Contributed by Asher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.