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
Damn
Matchbox Twenty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't it make you wanna think damn
This cold girl well
Don't she wanna make you scream, damn
What's the matter girl, well
Don't you think I'm good enough
This old heart's had a whole lot a breakin' down
All that time she knew if I lied
You can bet she will
She's taking her time 'til I thought I would die
And I can't sit still
Things got turned 'round
Don't know where I started from, damn
Can't eat, can't sleep
Could have been a bigger man, damn
What's the matter girl don't you think I'm bright enough
This old man had a hard time getting here
You can leave your number at the door
All that time she knew if I lied
You can bet she will
She's taking her time 'til I thought I would die
And I can't sit still
And there's nothing at all
Yeah there's nothing at all
Well there's nothing at all
To make her change her mind
Make her change her mind
To make her change her
This old house been quiet since
You went away, damn
Mixed up fixed out
Don't forget who got you here, damn
What's the matter world
Don't you see I opened up
This whole part's been played by another man
I pulled out the reason card instead
All that time she knew if I lied
You can bet she will
She's taking her time 'til I thought I would die
And I can't sit still
She says she can find
The things that make up a life
Well I can bet she will
She says stays behind, I could stay here all night
I could stay here until
Until there's nothing at all
Yeah there's nothing at all
Well there's nothing at all
To make her change her mind
Make her change her mind
To make her change her mind
The lyrics of Matchbox Twenty's song "Damn" seem to describe a complex relationship between two people who are struggling to connect. The first verse speaks about the state of the world and a "cold girl" who is causing frustration and anger. The singer seems to be questioning whether he is "good enough" for her and if his heart can take any more pain. The second verse speaks about things being turned around and the singer feeling lost, unable to eat or sleep. He asks the same question, wondering if he is "bright enough" for the girl. In the chorus, the singer repeats that he can't sit still and is stuck in limbo.
The third verse adds a new layer to the story, as the singer talks about an old house and someone who has left, further deepening the sense of loss and loneliness. The bridge is particularly poignant, as the singer realizes that someone else has taken his role and that he is left trying to understand why the relationship fell apart. The final chorus brings closure to the song, as the singer realizes that he cannot make the other person change their mind, even if he wants to. The repetition of the phrase "there's nothing at all" reinforces the theme of helplessness and resignation.
Line by Line Meaning
This old world well
The state of the world can make you feel a certain way.
Don't it make you wanna think damn
It can make you want to curse in frustration.
This cold girl well
The singer is referring to a girl who is distant and unresponsive.
Don't she wanna make you scream, damn
He is frustrated with her behavior, and it's making him want to scream in anger and confusion.
What's the matter girl, well
The artist is questioning the girl's behavior or attitude.
Don't you think I'm good enough
He's asking if he's inadequate in some way.
This old heart's had a whole lot a breakin' down
The singer is saying that his heart has been through a lot of pain and suffering.
She's got all these reasons in her head
The girl is being difficult, and has many excuses for her behavior.
All that time she knew if I lied
The girl has been suspicious of the artist's honesty for a long time.
You can bet she will
The girl will definitely call out the artist if she thinks he's lying.
She's taking her time 'til I thought I would die
The girl is making the singer wait for her response, and it's agonizing.
And I can't sit still
The waiting is making the artist very anxious.
Things got turned 'round
The situation has become confusing or complicated.
Don't know where I started from, damn
The singer is lost or confused about how things got to this point.
Can't eat, can't sleep
The singer is so troubled by the situation that they can't even take care of their basic needs.
Could have been a bigger man, damn
The artist is regretting their actions or behavior.
What's the matter girl don't you think I'm bright enough
The artist is wondering if the girl thinks he's not intelligent or capable enough.
This old man had a hard time getting here
The singer has been through a lot in their life to reach this point.
You can leave your number at the door
The singer is telling the girl that he doesn't want her around anymore.
This old house been quiet since
The artist is talking about how lonely and empty the house feels without the girl around.
You went away, damn
The artist is expressing frustration or sadness about the girl leaving.
Mixed up fixed out
The situation is confusing and complicated, but the artist is determined to fix it.
Don't forget who got you here, damn
The singer is reminding the girl that he was the one who helped her get to where she is now.
What's the matter world
The artist is asking why things have to be so difficult or challenging.
Don't you see I opened up
The singer is saying that he's been vulnerable and honest with the girl.
This whole part's been played by another man
The girl has been affected by other people or experiences, and it's making it hard for her to connect with the singer.
I pulled out the reason card instead
The singer is resorting to logic and reason in an attempt to solve the problem.
She says she can find
The girl believes that she can figure out what she wants and needs.
The things that make up a life
She thinks she knows what she needs to be happy and fulfilled in life.
She says stays behind, I could stay here all night
The girl is staying where she is, and the singer is willing to wait.
Until there's nothing at all
The situation will continue until it falls apart completely.
To make her change her mind
The artist is hoping that something will happen to make the girl change her behavior or attitude.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JAMES HARRISON, TOMMY CECIL, MATT THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind