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
Real World
Matchbox Twenty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder what it's like to know that I made the rain
I'd store it in boxes with little yellow tags on every one
And you can come and see them when I'm
Done, when I'm done
I wonder what it's like to be a superhero
I wonder where I'd go if I could fly around downtown, yeahFrom some other planet, I'd get this funky high on a yellow sun
Boy, I bet my friends will all be
Stunned, they're stunned
Yeah, yeah
Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here?
If I were someone else, would this all fall apart?
Strange, where were you when we started this gig?
I wish the real world would just stop hassling me
Do you?
Do you?
And me
Well, I wonder what it's like to be the head honcho
I wonder what I'd do if they all did just what I said (just what I said)
Well, I'd shout out an order, "I think we're out of this, man, get me some"
Boy, don't make me wanna change my
Tone, my tone
Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here?
If I were someone else, would this all fall apart?
Strange, where were you when we started this gig?
I wish the real world would just stop hassling me
Please don't change, please don't break
Well, the only thing that seems to work at all is you
Please don't change at all
From me to you
And you, to me, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here?
If I were someone else, would this all just fall apart?
Strange, where were you when we started this gig?
I wish the real world would just stop hassling me
I wish the real world would just stop hassling me
I wish the real world would just stop hassling me
A you, and me
The lyrics of Matchbox Twenty's song "Real World" explore the fantasy of being someone else or having a different life, a common theme in popular music. The song's verses present three different scenarios - being a rainmaker, being a superhero, and being the head honcho - all of which involve having a significant amount of power and control. The singer wonders what it would feel like to have these abilities and how they would affect their relationship with their peers.
At the same time, the chorus expresses the singer's frustration with reality and a desire to escape it. The line "I wish the real world would just stop hassling me" is repeated multiple times, creating a sense of overwhelming anxiety and exhaustion. The singer questions the purpose of their existence and wonders what they could learn by being someone else. The song paints a picture of a person struggling to find meaning in their life and seeking refuge in their imagination.
Overall, "Real World" is a song that speaks to the universal human experience of feeling lost and overwhelmed. The lyrics offer a glimpse into the human desire to transcend reality and seek out a more fulfilling existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I wonder what it's like to be the rainmaker
I am curious about how it feels to have the power to control something as significant as the rain.
I wonder what it's like to know that I made the rain
I wonder how it feels to know that I am the one who caused or influenced the rain to fall.
I'd store it in boxes with little yellow tags on every one
I would label and keep each amount of rain I create in separate boxes to make it easier to access or show others.
And you can come and see them when I'm
Done, when I'm done
Once I am finished collecting and storing the rain, I would let others come and see my collection.
I wonder what it's like to be a superhero
I am curious to know what it feels like to have superhuman powers and abilities.
I wonder where I'd go if I could fly around downtown, yeah
If I had the power of flight, I wonder where I would go and explore in the city.
From some other planet, I'd get this funky high on a yellow sun
If I were an alien from another planet, I would feel energized and excited by the yellow sun on Earth.
Boy, I bet my friends will all be
Stunned, they're stunned
My friends would be amazed and surprised to see me with these new superhuman abilities.
Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here?
I want to know what you were expecting to gain knowledge of based on being here.
If I were someone else, would this all fall apart?
If I were not me, would everything fall apart or continue to function as it is?
Strange, where were you when we started this gig?
It's odd that I don't recall where you were when the work first began.
I wish the real world would just stop hassling me
I desire the actual, physical world, with all its troubles and complications, to stop causing me difficulties.
Well, the only thing that seems to work at all is you
You are the only thing that seems to be successful or effective to me.
Please don't change, please don't break
I beg of you, please remain the same and don't fall apart or become damaged.
From me to you
And you, to me, yeah, yeah
I want you to know that I care for you, and I hope you feel the same way about me.
I wish the real world would just stop hassling me
I can't help but wish that the real world would stop causing me so much stress and anxiety.
A you, and me
Together, it's just you and me trying to navigate through this complicated world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@andre41184
Lyrics:
What I wonder it's like to be the rainmaker
I wonder what it's like to know that I made the rain
I'd store it in boxes with little yellow tags on everyone
And you can come and see them when I'm
Done, when I'm done
I wonder what it's like to be a super hero
I wonder where I'd go if I could fly around downtown
From some other planet, I get this funky high on yellow sun
Boy I bet my friends will all be
stunned, they're stunned
Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here
If I were someone else, would this all fall apart
Strange, where were you, when we started this gig,
I wish the real world, would just stop hassling me
And you, and you, and me
I wonder what it's like to be the head honcho
I wonder what I'd do if they all did just what I said
I'd shout out an order, I think we're out of this man get me some
Boy don't make me wanna change my
tone, my tone
Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here
If I were someone else, would this all fall apart
Strange, where were you, when we started this gig
I wish the real world, would just stop hassling me
Please don't change, please don't break
Could the only thing that seems to work at all is you
Please don't change, at all from me to you
And you, to me
Straight up, what did you hope to learn about here
If I were someone else, would this all fall apart
Strange, where were you, when we started this gi
I wish the real world, would just stop hassling me
I wish the real world, would just stop hassling me
I wish the real world, would just stop hassling me
And you, and me
@Tigers_and_Tarot
Listening to Matchbox Twenty is like getting back in touch with an old friend.
@sierraarneson46
Got to see the old friends live last Friday, they sound as amazing as always. They're my favorite feel good go-to, always will be. ❤
@RogerGilland-cc8nb
All right that's great
@charissedecalongne2553
I love this! My stepdad was a big fan. I miss him a lot. When I listen to M20 it’s like I have him back just for a few minutes.
@iamPauleyD
Except all my old friends have fucked me over or are all on meth😂
@JasonDumke
Yeah, more like being touched by an older friend.
@joshuamoore4537
Nothing brightens up my day like Matchbox 20; I was born in the late 80s & got to spend my childhood dancing away to “3 Am”, “Push”, “Back 2 Good”, “If you’re gone”, & “Real World.”
@lordluckylucan
same. although i wasn’t super into them as a kid, always had a soft spot for Rob. i consider Smooth probably the best pop rock song of the 90’s.
@kirstyjayes2668
Sooo I woke up with this song stuck in my head and wanted to look at the lyrics... This song is sooo much deeper than I remember. Beautiful message. He knows some things many can't grasp I'll just say that!
@Kittykupkakes2
I can't stop crying. My mom loved Matchbox 20 and Rob Thomas. She passed at a young 44. I miss her so much and this reminds me of her. We would do road trips and their music would play constantly on the CD back in the day. I miss you mommah. :(