The current members of the band are Rob Thomas (vocals, piano), Paul Doucette (drums, now guitar), Kyle Cook (lead guitar, vocals) and Brian Yale (bass). Adam Gaynor (rhythm guitar), who has left the band, performed on their first three albums, as well. Rob Thomas is the principal songwriter and lead singer.
Thomas, Yale and Doucette performed in the band Tabitha's Secret out of Orlando, Florida before splitting apart to form Matchbox Twenty with Cook and Gaynor.
Matchbox Twenty released their first album, Yourself or Someone Like You in 1996. While their first single, "Long Day", was a rock radio-only smash, the album soon spun off several Top 40 hit singles throughout 1997 and 1998, including "Push", "3 A.M.", "Real World" and "Back 2 Good". The album eventually went on to sell over 12 million copies in the U.S. alone, earning diamond status. The band toured relentlessly for several years, performing the songs from their one and only album, along with some beloved cover songs such as Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and The Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down". Their fan base grew from concert to concert because of their electrifying live performances and the longevity of their hit singles on radio. The same year, Matchbox Twenty recorded a live version of their Top-40 hit "3 A.M." for release on the charity album Live in the X Lounge, benefiting cerebral palsy research.
Before recording their second album, Rob Thomas collaborated with Itaal Shur on a song entitled "Smooth" for Carlos Santana's comeback album, Supernatural. The song had a pop-tinged Latin beat and showcased Thomas' lyrical talents. Thomas was supposed to act solely as songwriter on "Smooth", but Carlos Santana had him sing on it as well after hearing the song's demo recording. "Smooth", was the album's lead single and became a gigantic hit in 1999; Thomas earned three Grammys for writing and performing on "Smooth", including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
In 2000, Matchbox 20 renamed themselves Matchbox Twenty and released their second album, Mad Season. The album featured lush instrumental arrangements and spun off several hit singles, including "Bent" (Number One on Hot 100) and "If You're Gone". The video for "Bent", poked fun of singer Thomas' heightened profile from "Smooth" by showing the other band members assaulting him mercilessly. The evocatively arranged ballad "If You're Gone" became a big hit, especially on adult contemporary formats. The band's next two singles, "Mad Season" and "Last Beautiful Girl" were not particularly successful. Fans also note hearing "Black & White People" receive radio play, despite not being released as a single.
For their third album, More Than You Think You Are, the band returned to a harder rock sound. Thomas shared the songwriting efforts with the other band members on several songs. The album spun off hit singles "Disease", "Unwell", and "Bright Lights".
In May 2004, the band released a live concert DVD, Show: A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty, filmed in Atlanta and featuring 20 songs, including all of their hit singles.
In February 2005, rhythm guitarist Gaynor officially left the group, which had been on hiatus to allow other members to pursue side projects. Rob Thomas went on to release a solo album entitled ...Something To Be which became the U.S. Billboard 200 #1 album the first week of its release. The album featured four hit singles: "Lonely No More", "This is How a Heart Breaks", "Ever the Same" and "Streetcorner Symphony".
In January 2007, Rob Thomas released a single entitled "Little Wonders" which he wrote for the Disney movie Meet the Robinsons.
Their "Exile On Mainstream" album was released on October 2, 2007 as a two disc set. The first disc featured 6 new songs, including the hit "How Far We've Come", which could be heard on the accompanying website, along with the music video. The second disc contained 11 of their greatest hits, such as "Push", "Bent" and "Unwell".
The She’s So Mean Songfacts reports that Matchbox Twenty's fourth studio album North is the first record of new material that the band has released for ten years, although they did record seven new songs for their 2007 compilation album Exile On Mainstream. The album was released on September 4, 2012.
www.matchboxtwenty.com
Can't Let You Go
Matchbox Twenty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See how bad it gets
I'll settle down and deal with old regrets
You know I, I adore you
I can't let you go
Can't let you go
You're part of my soul
I can't let you go
Is it better now
Do you feel like all is fair
Can we work it out
So that it's easier for me to bare
Because life, it can blind you
I can't let you go
Can't let you go
You're part of my soul
You're all that I know
I can't let you go
Down from the edge I can see you where we are
And I'd give up all of my days to go back
There was all this wonder
And all this magic
Has all this wonder, over and done
If love were a whisper
What could I give you to speak
Maybe you're out of my reach
I can't let you go
I can't let you go
You're part of my soul
You're all that I know
I can't let you go
I can't let you go
You're part of my soul
You're all that I know
In Matchbox Twenty's "Can't Let You Go," the singer expresses their unconditional love and refusal to let go of the person they adore. This song is particularly powerful as it is a declaration of love that is raw and emotive. The opening lines "I'll stick around, see how bad it gets; I'll settle down and deal with old regrets" reveal that the singer is willing to endure any struggles that may arise in the relationship. They are ready to confront their mistakes and learn from them so they can maintain the relationship with the one they love. The singer confirms this love in the chorus, stating that they can't let go of the person as they are "part of [their] soul" and all they know.
The second verse poses questions to the person being addressed, pondering if it's better now and whether things are fair. It also suggests that the singer is willing to work through any issues in the relationship if it makes it easier to continue being with the one they love. The bridge is particularly poignant as it takes the listener back to when the relationship began, alluding to the wonder and magic of the past when the love was just beginning to blossom. The singer is so deeply in love that they feel like they would give up all their days to go back to that moment in time.
The chorus repeats several times, emphasising the depth of the singer's feelings for the person they can't let go. The song ends with the singer stating their love once again, reiterating that the person is a part of their soul and all they know. Overall, "Can't Let You Go" is a powerful song that reveals the raw and emotive nature of love, and the lengths people will go to keep the person they love close to them.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll stick around
I am willing to stay and support you
See how bad it gets
I will remain by your side and face any challenges that come our way
I'll settle down and deal with old regrets
I will calm down and confront past mistakes
You know I, I adore you
I love you dearly
I can't let you go
I cannot live without you
Can't let you go
I cannot bear to see you leave
You're part of my soul
You are an integral part of me
You're all that I know
You are my everything
Is it better now
Have things improved?
Do you feel like all is fair
Do you think everything is just?
Can we work it out
Can we resolve our issues?
So that it's easier for me to bare
To make it less painful for me
Because life, it can blind you
Life can be overwhelming
Down from the edge I can see you where we are
I can see you from afar
And I'd give up all of my days to go back
I would do anything to return to the past with you
There was all this wonder
There used to be so much excitement and joy
And all this magic
And there was a sense of enchantment
Has all this wonder, over and done
Has all the excitement and happiness vanished?
If love were a whisper
If love was something quiet or subtle
What could I give you to speak
What could I do to make you express your love for me?
Maybe you're out of my reach
Perhaps you are too far away from me or unattainable
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KYLE COOK, PAUL DOUCETTE, ROB THOMAS, ROBERT THOMAS, BRIAN YALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind