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
Leave
Matchbox Twenty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How you make your face just like a wall
How you take your heart and turn it off
How I turn my head and lose it all
It's unnerving
How just one move puts me by myself
There you go just trusting someone else
I'm not saying there wasn't nothing wrong
I just didn't think you'd ever get tired of me
I'm now saying we ever had the right to hold on
I just didn't wanna let it get away from me
But if that's how it's gonna leave
Straight out from underneath
Then we'll see who's sorry now
If that's how it's gonna stand, when
You know you've been depending on
The one you're leaving now
The one you're leaving out
It's aggravating
How you threw me on and you tore me out
How your good intentions turn to doubt
The way you needed time to sort it out
I'm not saying there wasn't nothing wrong
I just didn't think you'd ever get tired of me
I'm now saying we ever had the right to hold on
I just didn't wanna let it get away from me
But if that's how it's gonna leave
Straight out from underneath
Then we'll see who's sorry now
If that's how it's gonna stand, when
You know you've been depending on
The one you're leaving now
The one you're leaving out
The one you're leaving now
The one you're leaving out
I'm not saying there wasn't nothing wrong
I just didn't think you'd ever get tired of me
But if that's how it's gonna leave
Straight out from underneath
Then we'll see who's sorry now
If that's how it's gonna stand, when
You know you've been depending on
The one you're leaving now
The one you're leaving out
Tell me is that how it's going to end
When you know you've been depending on
The one you're leaving now
And the one you're leaving out
The one you're leaving now
The one you're leaving out
The lyrics to Matchbox Twenty's "Leave" express the pain and confusion of a breakup, particularly the feeling of being left behind and replaced by someone else. The first verse describes the way the other person seems to shut down emotionally, refusing to engage with the singer's feelings or needs. The second verse highlights the frustration of feeling used and discarded, as if the other person never cared in the first place. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer will be proven right in the end, that the other person will realize their mistake and regret leaving.
Throughout the song, there's an undercurrent of bitterness and anger alongside the sadness. The repetition of "I'm not saying there wasn't nothing wrong" suggests that there were problems in the relationship, but the singer is defensive and doesn't want to fully take responsibility for what went wrong. The line "I just didn't wanna let it get away from me" speaks to a fear of loss and a desire to hold onto something that was slipping away. Ultimately, the singer is left feeling betrayed and hurt, and wonders if the other person truly understands what they're giving up.
Overall, "Leave" is a poignant and relatable song about the pain of a breakup, capturing the complex mix of emotions that often accompany such a difficult experience.
Line by Line Meaning
It's amazing
Expressing surprise at the subject's ability to put up emotional walls and shut down their heart.
How you make your face just like a wall
Commenting on how the subject is able to hide their true emotions and feelings from the singer.
How you take your heart and turn it off
Noting the subject's ability to detach and avoid investing emotionally in the relationship.
How I turn my head and lose it all
The artist feels vulnerable and powerless in the face of the subject's emotional detachment.
It's unnerving
Describing the artist's unease when realizing how their partner is willing to trust someone else, despite their closed-off emotions.
How just one move puts me by myself
The subject's actions make the singer feel isolated and alone.
There you go just trusting someone else
Noting the subject's ease in trusting others, while not allowing the singer the same privilege.
Now I know I put us both through hell
Acknowledging how both parties were at fault in the relationship causing pain and heartache.
I'm not saying there wasn't nothing wrong
Admitting that there were issues between the artist and their partner that contributed to the breakdown of the relationship.
I just didn't think you'd ever get tired of me
The artist was blindsided by their partner's desire to end things and didn't see it coming.
I'm now saying we ever had the right to hold on
Reflecting on whether they had a valid reason to stay in the relationship, and questioning the strength of their connection.
I just didn't wanna let it get away from me
The artist was afraid of losing something they valued and didn't want to let go of the relationship so easily.
But if that's how it's gonna leave
Accepting that the relationship is over and is not meant to be saved or salvaged.
Straight out from underneath
The relationship ending abruptly and suddenly, leaving the singer feeling shocked and without support.
Then we'll see who's sorry now
A cautionary statement directed towards the subject, suggesting that they may come to regret their decision to leave.
If that's how it's gonna stand, when
Contemplating how things will be in the future if the relationship does end for good.
You know you've been depending on
Reminding the subject of how much they relied on the artist and the relationship.
The one you're leaving now
Highlighting the pain and difficulty of leaving a relationship and letting go of someone you care about.
The one you're leaving out
Emphasizing that the subject has made a conscious decision to exclude the singer from their life and move on without them.
It's aggravating
Expressing frustration at how the situation has unfolded and how the subject has treated the artist.
How you threw me on and you tore me out
Describing how the subject initially pulled the artist in, only to push them away forcefully and abruptly.
How your good intentions turn to doubt
Noting how the subject's positive and well-intentioned actions ended up causing confusion and uncertainty for the artist.
The way you needed time to sort it out
Understanding that the subject needed time to figure things out, but feeling hurt and abandoned during that process.
Tell me is that how it's going to end
Asking a rhetorical question about the future of the relationship and how it will ultimately conclude.
When you know you've been depending on
Highlighting the singer's dependence on the subject and how it makes letting go even harder.
The one you're leaving now
Reiterating the pain and difficulty of leaving a relationship and moving on from someone you care about.
And the one you're leaving out
Emphasizing the subject's decision to exclude the singer from their life and close themselves off emotionally.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROB THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bamcr1218
So many incredible Matchbox 20/Rob Thomas songs just like this one.
Rest stop
Hand me down
Push
Overjoyed
Cradle song
Some day
Little wonders
Bent
Back to good
I could go on and on. This is the only band/artist that I’ve listened to over the past 25 years where not one single song struck me as nothing special. Every single one of his songs are so beautiful, full of deep lyrics and music.
I hope Rob continues to put out such amazing songs for many years to come.
@SatyajeetDikshit
I'm not saying there wasn't nothing wrong
I just didn't think you'd ever get tired of me
I'm now saying we ever had the right to hold on
I just didn't wanna let it get away from me
But if that's how it's gonna leave
Straight out from underneath
Then we'll see who's sorry now
If that's how it's gonna stand, when
You know you've been depending on
The one you're leaving now
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LYRICS
@lstedmanfalls
Rob Thomas understands raw human emotion in such a way that can only be matched by some of the greatest poets in history. He will forever be a legend, a special gem.
@salmanazmat7142
True💯
@lilamize7676
Rob Thomas is a lyrical genius
@monikapavic6873
❤️🌞😊😘
@carolbadillo7347
Absolutely 💯, he's talented from within
@aussiegolfer2919
This man writes the best love songs ever , best singer and best band
@jacobmartinelli7496
he's actually singing about child predation
@jacobmartinelli7496
it was rampant in society
@germanshepard27
That voice. Those lyrics. It's impossible to listen to this without getting that ache in your chest and those chills. Such an amazing song. <3
@karensnow299
Rob Thomas writes such incredible songs. He really has a way of putting all of the gut wrenching stuff into worlds