Marty Friedman (born December 8, 1962 in Washington, D.C.) has become recog… Read Full Bio ↴Marty Friedman (born December 8, 1962 in Washington, D.C.) has become recognized worldwide as a guitarist and composer of consummate skill and a style of playing that is instantly recognizable as uniquely his. Marty is a self-taught guitarist famous for his natural improvisation abilities and for pioneering the fusion of exotic Eastern musical scales with Western musical styles such as neo-classical, thrash metal and later on into rock, pop, jazz, metal and anything in between. Going beyond traditional scales, Marty often arpeggiates the chords he is playing over, his picking technique is unorthodox and his bends and vibrato are very distinctive.

He was the lead guitarist for the thrash metal band Megadeth for a period of almost ten years (from February 1990 to December 1999). During this period, perhaps its most successful, Megadeth released a string of gold and platinum albums. At the same time, Megadeth's musical style became less Thrash, and more melodic, which many attribute primarily to Marty's creative influence.

Prior to joining Megadeth, he formed and played lead guitar in several bands that attained loyal and faithful followings, including Deuce, Hawaii, Vixen (not the all-female band of the same name), and notably Cacophony. Marty collaborated with Jason Becker on two albums, "Go Off" and "Speed Metal Symphony" that are considered masterpieces and works of reference for pure virtuoso and creative guitar playing. His solo albums, including one in conjunction with Japanese maestro Kitaro, reveal the wide range of Marty's musical exploration, from the very melodic music of "Scenes" and "Introduction" to the hard driving rock of "Music for Speeding", to the variety of styles presented in "True Obsessions". His solo albums seldom conform to a specific genre and often reminds the listener of Marty's creative exploration in music.

Currently living in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Marty travels the world giving eagerly anticipated clinics, performances and master classes in dozens of countries in Asia, Europe, and North and South America. He has become a major force in the Japanese music scene, playing lead guitar in the bands of the some of the country's most famous performers. He is also making his mark as a popular versatile and talented performer on several hit shows on Japanese television, and as a columnist for a major Japanese music magazine and a national daily newspaper.

Marty speaks fluent Japanese. He once appeared on TXN's musical TV program "hebimetasan" with Japanese idol Yoko Kumada etc. Marty has recently appeared on the track "Born Of Anger" on the album "All That Remains" by Fozzy. Marty is a big fan of the Ramones, KISS (during its early years) and Frank Marino. Marty very much enjoys playing guitar -- which he 'speaks' as fluently as he does Japanese. With music, there is never a language barrier.

03- Last September
Marty Friedman Lyrics

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I've been away from home
More than I care to remember
Kept your memory alive
Those days of last September

Those days are gone
The nights are long
And you will never really fade away

But come tomorrow,to have you back
I'd sell my yesterdays

And I shed a tear
When I think about last September morning
Don't wanna cry myself to sleep
I don't wanna cry myself to sleep

Lazy shining sun
It was another morning after
I slowly crawl out of bed
Reach for the whiskey
But the bottle was empty again

So I shed a tear
When I think about last September morning
Don't wanna cry myself to sleep
I don't wanna cry myself to sleep

Yeah I shed a tear
But I don't wanna cry no more, baby

When I think about last September
Think about last September

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Marty Friedman's song "03- Last September" are about the pain and longing of being away from home and someone you love. The singer has been away for so long that remembering the past seems like a chore, but the memory of the person he left behind is what keeps him going. The line "Those days of last September" suggests that something significant happened in that month, possibly the last time he was with the person, and he longs to return to that time. The line "And you will never really fade away" shows that the memory of the person is so strong that it never leaves even though the person is physically gone.

The singer's pain is evident in lines like "The nights are long" and "I'd sell my yesterdays," implying that he would give up anything to be with the person again. The second verse shows the singer waking up to another day alone and reaching for the bottle of whiskey, only to find it empty again. The singer is clearly using alcohol to cope with his feelings of loss and longing, which adds to the themes of pain and suffering in the lyrics. The chorus repeats the lines "When I think about last September morning, Don't wanna cry myself to sleep," emphasizing the singer's deep sadness and desperation.

Overall, "03- Last September" is a powerful and emotional song that captures the pain of separation and loneliness. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer's state of mind, and the use of music adds to the emotional impact of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been away from home
I have been away from my home

More than I care to remember
It has been so long that I have lost track of how much time has passed

Kept your memory alive
I kept the memory of you alive in my mind

Those days of last September
I remember those days from last September

Those days are gone
Those days I remember are over now

The nights are long
The nights seem endless without you

And you will never really fade away
Your memory will never truly leave me

But come tomorrow,to have you back
If I could have you back, even just for a day, I would do it willingly

I'd sell my yesterdays
I would give anything from my past to have you back again

And I shed a tear
I cry a tear

When I think about last September morning
When I remember the mornings from September, I feel emotional