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.
Won't Back Down
Mat Kearney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Running off the darkest night
The longest fight I've seen
Here goes a chance I know
Cashing in on all my chips
Let all my ships come fly
These days, a little bit longer than the last
And your light, found my bottle in the night
Gave me second life, kept me in this fight
And I won't back down
I won't turn around and around
And I won't back down
Doesn't matter what comes crashing down
I'm still gonna stand on solid ground
You found me once and for all
I laid it down in the sinking ground
The hopeless undertow
Singing out the gentle sound
Rattling through my smoking screens
My broken dreams last night
These days, a little bit longer than the last
And all of your ways, a little bit stronger than the past
And your light, found my bottle in the night
Kept me in this fight and gave me second life
And I won't back down
I won't turn around and around
And I won't back down
Doesn't matter what comes crashing down
I'm still gonna stand on solid ground
Hallelujah ripped through my veins
I heard the hammer drop
My blood in the rain
Hallelujah came like a train
When all is lost
All is left to gain
And I won't back down
I won't turn around and around
And I won't back down
Doesn't matter what comes crashing down
I'm still gonna stand on solid ground
And I won't back down
I won't turn around and around
And I won't back down
Doesn't matter what comes crashing down
I'm still gonna stand on solid ground
Hallelujah
The lyrics of Mat Kearney's song, Won't Back Down, speak about overcoming adversity and not giving up in the face of challenges. The song has a hopeful tone, with an acknowledgment that life can be tough but a belief that one can persevere. The opening lines, "You woke the morning up, Running off the darkest night, The longest fight I've seen," describe a difficult time in life, perhaps a personal struggle or a challenging situation. However, the singer recognizes that "Here goes a chance I know, Cashing in on all my chips, Let all my ships come fly," indicating a willingness to take a risk and try to move forward.
The chorus is a declaration of strength and determination. The repetition of "I won't back down" reinforces the idea that the singer is committed to standing their ground, no matter what comes their way. There is a sense of defiance here, with the singer challenging any obstacle that tries to knock them down. "Doesn't matter what comes crashing down, I'm still gonna stand on solid ground" speaks to the singer's resilience, that no matter what happens, they won't give up.
The lines "Hallelujah ripped through my veins, I heard the hammer drop, My blood in the rain" and "Hallelujah came like a train, When all is lost, All is left to gain" suggest a spiritual or religious aspect to the song. The word "Hallelujah" is often used in praise or worship, and here it seems to represent an awakening or a moment of clarity. Even in the face of difficult circumstances, the singer finds hope and redemption.
Overall, Won't Back Down is a song about pushing through hard times and refusing to give up. It's a message of strength, courage, and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
You woke the morning up
You brought energy and light into my life
Running off the darkest night
Moving forward from a difficult time
The longest fight I've seen
This struggle has been intense and drawn out
Here goes a chance I know
This is an opportunity that I recognize and am willing to take
Cashing in on all my chips
I am putting all of my resources and effort into this
Let all my ships come fly
Allowing everything that I have invested to come to fruition
These days, a little bit longer than the last
Time seems to be moving slowly
And all of your ways, a little bit stronger than the past
Your support and influence are increasing
And your light, found my bottle in the night
Your guidance helped me find my way in the darkest of times
Gave me second life, kept me in this fight
Your encouragement and support have given me renewed energy to keep going
And I won't back down
I am committed to this cause and won't give up
I won't turn around and around
I won't be swayed from my purpose
Doesn't matter what comes crashing down
External circumstances won't deter me
I'm still gonna stand on solid ground
I will hold firm in my beliefs and values
You found me once and for all
You gave me a sense of purpose and direction
I laid it down in the sinking ground
I let go of my past struggles and failures
The hopeless undertow
The feeling that I was being pulled under by negative forces
Singing out the gentle sound
Expressing gratitude for the positive influence in my life
Rattling through my smoking screens
Breaking through the barriers that have been blocking my progress
My broken dreams last night
The disappointments and failures of my past
Hallelujah ripped through my veins
A wave of joy and thankfulness overtook me
I heard the hammer drop
I felt the weight of responsibility and accountability
My blood in the rain
Sacrifice and struggle were necessary to reach this point
Hallelujah came like a train
A sudden and powerful rush of positivity and gratitude
When all is lost
Even in the most difficult circumstances
All is left to gain
There is still potential for growth and improvement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATHEW KEARNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind