"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."
Straitjacket
Marc Martel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a danger to myself
Every flag of every nation
Waves another sweet temptation
I'm a danger to myself
Got an angel back at home
But the devil in my bones
Take what I got comin' to me
I got an angel back at home
She keeps my hands tied safely behind me
I never thought that giving up my heart
Could free my soul
No waking up cold
with no stranger beside me
Tonight I take the warm embrace
Of my straight, straitjacket
Now bouncing of the walls
And it doesn't hurt at all
No amount of medication
Justifies the devastation
I'm a danger to myself
When I'm dying on that bed
Well there won't be no regret
Save me from the skies of bruises
A man becomes just what he chooses
I won't feel no regret
She keeps my hands tied safely behind me
I never thought that giving up my heart
Could free my soul
No waking up cold
with no stranger beside me
Tonight I take the warm embrace
Of my straight, straitjacket
Straitjacket
Let the old men complain
About their ball and chain
If it wasn't for that woman
Lord, I swear I'd go insane
She keeps my hands tied safely behind me
I never thought that giving up my heart
Could free my soul
No waking up cold
with no stranger beside me
Tonight I take the warm embrace
Of my straight, straitjacket
The lyrics of Marc Martel's song 'Straitjacket' depict the struggles of a man who knows he is a danger to himself. The man describes himself as a danger to himself, and every flag of every nation waves another sweet temptation, highlighting how he is easily swayed by temptation. Even though he has an angel waiting for him at home, the devil in his bones sees a feast he can't resist. He acknowledges the dangers of his actions and uses the metaphor of a straightjacket to symbolize his desire to be constrained from making harmful decisions. The man feels trapped and understands that he needs help to break free from the chains of his addiction. He expresses gratitude for his lover who has tied his hands securely behind him, keeping him safe but frustrated.
The song is an ode to the struggles of addiction and mental health issues. The man in the song is aware of the damage his addiction can cause but feels like he is unable to control himself. It speaks to the feeling of being in a situation where external factors control your actions, and you feel powerless.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a danger to myself
I am my own worst enemy and pose a threat to my own well-being.
Every flag of every nation
Waves another sweet temptation
There are temptations everywhere, and they come in many different forms from all over the world.
Got an angel back at home
But the devil in my bones
Sees a royal feast of plenty
Take what I got comin' to me
I got an angel back at home
Although I have a loving partner at home, my sinful nature still desires to indulge in what I shouldn't, and my sense of entitlement fuels my actions.
She keeps my hands tied safely behind me
I never thought that giving up my heart
Could free my soul
No waking up cold
with no stranger beside me
Tonight I take the warm embrace
Of my straight, straitjacket
My partner helps keep me grounded, and while I initially felt restricted by her guidance, it ultimately allowed me to feel free from the consequences of reckless behavior; tonight, I am grateful for her influence and the security of a committed relationship.
Now bouncing off the walls
And it doesn't hurt at all
No amount of medication
Justifies the devastation
I'm a danger to myself
I am recklessly acting out, and despite the temporary high it gives me, I know deep down that it is causing more harm than good and is not warranted by any amount of justification or medication.
When I'm dying on that bed
Well there won't be no regret
Save me from the skies of bruises
A man becomes just what he chooses
I won't feel no regret
When I die, I won't have any regrets about the choices I've made that led me here. I don't want to be remembered for the bruises I've caused or the mistakes I've made, but rather as someone who owned up to their decisions and accepted responsibility for their actions.
Let the old men complain
About their ball and chain
If it wasn't for that woman
Lord, I swear I'd go insane
Other men may complain about being stuck in a relationship, but without my partner, the only thing keeping me sane, I would likely lose control and spiral out of control.
Contributed by Alexis L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.