"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."
Magnetic
Marc Martel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Red from your neck and the sway of your hips oh
Far as the sea on the Orient shore
Every new moment I'm missing you more oh
Through a rock track I always know what to do
Something leads me right back to you
Like the moon
It's drawing you closer to me
It's magnetic
And the North Star
Pulling me straight to your heart
The power between you and me
It's magnetic
The push and the pull it's the way it goes
Living in the tension baby we both know oh
Baby we know oh
I'm weak where you're strong
Strong where you're weak
Takes two together now to make it complete oh
Baby we know oh
That lovers and clarity are just gonna do what they do
And I'll just keep coming back to you
Like the moon
Changing the tides of the sea
It's drawing you closer to me
It's magnetic
And the North Star
Pulling me straight to your heart
The power between you and me
It's magnetic
Magnetic
Nothing but love will come between us
Nothing in the world will tear you away
Nothing but love will come between us
Nothing in the world will tear you away
Like the moon
Changing the tides of the sea
It's drawing you closer to me
Like the North Star
Pulling me straight to your heart
The power between you and me
It's magnetic
Magnetic
It's magnetic
Marc Martel's song "Magnetic" is a love song that celebrates the strong attraction that exists between him and his lover. At the start of the song, the lyrics "Close as a kiss on a pair of lips, Red from your neck and the sway of your hips" describe the intimate moments shared between the two partners. The verse "Far as the sea on the Orient shore, Every new moment I'm missing you more" highlights the feeling of separation when they are apart, and how despite the physical distance, their emotional connection remains strong.
The chorus "Like the moon, Changing the tides of the sea, It's drawing you closer to me, It's magnetic, And the North Star, Pulling me straight to your heart, The power between you and me, It's magnetic" compares the force of their love to the natural phenomenon of the moon's gravitational pull that creates tides in the sea. The metaphorical comparison of their love to a magnetic force emphasizes the strength of their bond and how it has an irresistible power that continually draws them to each other despite any challenges they may face.
Overall, “Magnetic” is a heartfelt and romantic song that portrays the magic of true love and how it can withstand the test of time and distance.
Line by Line Meaning
Close as a kiss on a pair of lips
Our relationship is intimate and close, much like a kiss shared between two people.
Red from your neck and the sway of your hips oh
I can vividly recall moments of intimacy between us when your physical affection would leave marks upon your skin.
Far as the sea on the Orient shore
Despite physical distance, my love for you stretches far and wide to the furthest of shores.
Every new moment I'm missing you more oh
As time passes by, my affection for you grows stronger and I yearn for you more with each passing moment.
Through a rock track I always know what to do
Even when the going gets tough, I know that I can find my way back to you no matter what obstacles arise in my path.
Something leads me right back to you
There's an unexplainable force that continuously guides me back towards your love, no matter how far apart we are.
Like the moon
Similar to the way the moon affects the tides of the sea,
Changing the tides of the sea
our love for each other has the power to stir and impact our feelings and actions.
It's drawing you closer to me
Our attraction to each other, like the force of the moon, draws us together in a powerful way.
It's magnetic
The bond between us is irresistibly strong, just like the way that magnets are drawn to one another.
And the North Star
Similar to how the North Star serves as a directional guide,
Pulling me straight to your heart
our love pulls me towards you and acts as a guiding force in my life.
The power between you and me
The tether between our hearts is electric and undeniable
The push and the pull it's the way it goes
Our relationship has its ups and downs, but that's a natural part of being in love and creates the passion that we share.
Living in the tension baby we both know oh
We are aware of the tension in our love for one another, but we are willing to accept it as a necessary part of our relationship.
I'm weak where you're strong
We complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, creating a wholeness in our relationship.
Strong where you're weak
We balance each other out in all aspects of life, allowing us to work together as a team.
Takes two together now to make it complete oh
Our love requires both of us working together to create a full and satisfying relationship.
That lovers and clarity are just gonna do what they do
The nature of love is sometimes confusing and unclear, but we understand that it's a journey with ups and downs that are worth experiencing.
And I'll just keep coming back to you
Despite any challenges or obstacles we may face, my love for you will continue to draw me towards you.
Nothing but love will come between us
Our love is so strong that nothing, not even distance or outside influences, can come between us.
Nothing in the world will tear you away
Our bond is unbreakable and we will remain together through thick and thin.
Contributed by Sadie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.