He has toured with Owl City, John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, The Fray, Jason Mraz, Vedera Newsboys, MUTEMATH, Meiko, Cary Brothers, and Train; and headlined VH1's first ever "You Oughta Know Tour" in the spring of 2007.
Kearney's songs have appeared on the television series: Dirty Sexy Money, Kyle XY, The Unit, Without A Trace, Laguna Beach, The Hills, Bones, Jericho, Friday Night Lights, Wildfire, What About Brian, South Beach, 8th & Ocean, One Tree Hill, Scrubs, The Closer, NCIS, Life Unexpected and Grey's Anatomy.
He attended California State University, Chico in Chico, California where he majored in literature and played soccer until his junior year. It was also at this time when Mat picked up a guitar for the first time. Using a roommate's guitar, he tried covering other songs. Realizing he wasn't too good at it, he began writing his own.
Kearney has stated that his legal name is Mathew due to a nurse's error on his birth certificate. He discovered the error while in the 8th grade when he noticed how his mom corrected the error with red ink, never legally correcting it. Since then, he embraced the one T in his legal name.
Renaissance
Mat Kearney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is my one response
This is the way I say I love you
This is my second chance
This is my one romance
This is the cutting line
On which I stand to show you
It happened fast in a flash, just this evening
As I hit the gas, horn blast, brakes were screaming
As the car crashed, broken glass, broke my dreaming
I hit the dash, so fast my ears are ringing
My sister's on the right side just slightly leaning
I grabbed her hand hard until she started breathing
My brother's in the back, jaw cracked from the beating
The breath in my chest has slipped and I'm sinking
Blinking through diamond spider webs of cracked glass
I'm trying to remember all the words you said in the past
Through the ash, siren screams and red beams
I hear you sing softly to me
I can be the wall when you fall down
Find me on the rocks when you break down
I heard it in the song when you call out
But I got to say now it's got to change
I can be the wall when you fall down
Find me on the rocks when you break down
I heard it in the song when you call out
But I got to say now it's got to change
This is my broken heart
This is my bleeding start
This is the way I've come to know you
This is my winding road
This is my way back home
This is the narrow door you know that I will walk through
I got a letter today of why she went away
She said, â??It's better this way, you knew I never could stay.â??
Half empty closets and frames, all that's left to my name
As she left in the rain and left my heart on a chain
Three years I've built this two-face tower for hours on a lease
You gave me one yellow flower that said rest in peace
In pieces I've broken open to think too much or just enough
Alone to trust midst the rubble and the dust
Humbled, it took this much to break down and understand
Spent my life this far on castles made of sand
Tossed in the breakers in the palm of your hand
Now I can finally stand
I can be the wall when you fall down
Find me on the rocks when you break down
I heard it in the song when you call out
But I got to say now it's got to change
I can be the wall when you fall down
Find me on the rocks when you break down
I heard it in the song when you call out
But I got to say now it's got to change
I can be the wall when you fall down
Find me on the rocks when you break down
I heard it in the song when you call out
But I got to say now it's got to change
I can be the wall when you fall down
Find me on the rocks when you break down
I heard it in the song when you call out
But I got to say now it's got to change
I can be the one
I heard it in the song
And I can be the one
I heard it in the song
This is my renaissance
This is my one response
This is the way I say I love you
The song "Renaissance" by Mat Kearney is a powerful expression of personal growth and a dedication to turning one's life around. The lyrics describe the singer's determination to overcome difficult circumstances, such as a car crash and relationship struggles, and to become a better person. The chorus emphasizes this sentiment by stating that the singer can be a reliable source of support for others when they fall down and need help.
The first verse starts with the lines "This is my renaissance / This is my one response / This is the way I say I love you." These lines establish the theme of the song as a rebirth, a new beginning in which the singer is taking control of their life and making positive changes. The next line, "This is my second chance / This is my one romance," suggests that this rebirth is closely tied to a romantic relationship that is renewing the singer's hope and motivation.
The second verse describes a car crash in which the singer's family is injured, and their own response to the situation. This is a powerful metaphor for the obstacles that can arise in life and how we respond to them. Despite the chaos and pain, the singer is able to find strength within themselves and offer support to their loved ones. The pre-chorus and chorus, in turn, reflect this strength by expressing the singer's commitment to being a source of hope and stability for others. The final line of the chorus, "This is the way I say I love you," is a powerful affirmation of the singer's determination to make positive change in their own life and to uplift the people around them.
Overall, "Renaissance" is a deeply heartfelt song that speaks to the power of personal transformation and the strength that can come from leaning on others. It is a song about perseverance, hope, and the importance of love and support in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
This is my renaissance
This is a rebirth or revival in my life
This is my one response
This is my only answer or reaction
This is the way I say I love you
This is my method of expressing love
This is my second chance
This is an opportunity to start over
This is my one romance
This is the only relationship that matters
This is the cutting line
This is the decisive point I stand on
On which I stand to show you
Where I position myself to demonstrate
It happened fast in a flash, just this evening
It occurred quickly, suddenly and unexpectedly
As I hit the gas, horn blast, brakes were screaming
As I accelerated and honked, brakes screeched loudly
As the car crashed, broken glass, broke my dreaming
The collision destroyed my aspirations and dreams
I hit the dash, so fast my ears are ringing
I collided with the dashboard and my ears are ringing from the impact
My sister's on the right side just slightly leaning
My sister was seated to the right, slightly leaning
I grabbed her hand hard until she started breathing
I gripped her hand tightly until she regained consciousness
My brother's in the back, jaw cracked from the beating
My brother was in the back, with a jaw broken from the impact
The breath in my chest has slipped and I'm sinking
I'm struggling to breathe and feeling overwhelmed
Blinking through diamond spider webs of cracked glass
Looking through glass fragments in the shape of spider webs
I'm trying to remember all the words you said in the past
I'm trying to recall your previous words
Through the ash, siren screams and red beams
Despite the chaos, noise and lights of emergency vehicles
I hear you sing softly to me
I hear you singing gently to me
This is my broken heart
This is my injured and damaged heart
This is my bleeding start
This is my beginning, marked by blood and pain
This is the way I've come to know you
This is how I've come to understand you
This is my winding road
This is my long and winding path
This is my way back home
This is my route to return to where I belong
This is the narrow door you know that I will walk through
This is the close passage where I must pass through
I got a letter today of why she went away
I received a letter explaining why she left me today
She said, 'It's better this way, you knew I never could stay.'
She indicated that it is better for her to go and that I knew she wouldn't remain
Half empty closets and frames, all that's left to my name
Only partially filled cabinets and picture frames are what I possess
As she left in the rain and left my heart on a chain
She departed in the rain, taking my heart with her
Three years I've built this two-face tower for hours on a lease
I've spent the past three years constructing this unstable structure within a restricted timeframe
You gave me one yellow flower that said rest in peace
You presented me with a single yellow flower that meant rest in peace
In pieces I've broken open to think too much or just enough
I'm shattered and broken, overthinking or reflecting just enough on everything
Alone to trust midst the rubble and the dust
I'm alone, trusting in the midst of chaos and debris
Humbled, it took this much to break down and understand
I'm humbled, yet it took this much to make me relinquish and comprehend
Spent my life this far on castles made of sand
I've previously been wasting my life building futile and weak structures
Tossed in the breakers in the palm of your hand
Crushed by the waves, helpless in your grasp
Now I can finally stand
Now I can ultimately remain standing
I can be the one
I can be the person you need
And I can be the one
I can be the one who provides assistance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATHEW KEARNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind