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
Soul
Matchbox Twenty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stare at your feelings to see where they end
You're waiting here for someone else to break you from the inside
You've been so composed
We all know there's always something tearing you apart
It's always so much longer than you counted on
And it hits you so much harder then you thought
Cause you've got soul
You're so heavy, you're so misunderstood
And I spent all my wishes wishing times were good
When I still could
Wait around here for someone else to take me past the good side
You've been here so longer
We all know there's always something tearing you apart
It's always so much longer than you counted on
And it hits you so much harder then you thought
But you don't worry, you don't worry
Cause darling, you've got so much soul
Darling, you've got so much soul
Well, there's always something tearing you apart
It's always so much longer than you counted on
And it hits you so much harder then you thought
Then you ever thought it would
But you don't worry, and you don't worry
Cause you don't worry, you don't worry
Cause you don't worry, you don't worry
Cause you've got soul
The lyrics of Matchbox Twenty's "Soul" are a reminder that life can be tough, and at times it can feel like there's always something tearing you apart. The singer is observing the listener, who is feeling down and waiting for someone else to come and fix things for them. Despite this, the singer notes that the listener has an inner strength, an indescribable quality that they refer to as soul.
The first verse paints a picture of the listener staring out of a window, lost in their thoughts and feelings. The singer sees that the listener is struggling, but they are keeping up appearances and trying to stay strong. The line "You've been so composed" suggests that the listener is maintaining a brave face even though they are troubled.
The chorus is where the message of the song becomes clear. The singer acknowledges that life can be difficult and that things often don't go to plan. However, they reassure the listener that it's okay because they have soul. This is a powerful statement, as it suggests that having soul is something that enables you to deal with life's challenges.
In the second verse, the singer identifies with the listener's struggles, sharing that they too have experienced tough times. The line "You're so heavy, you're so misunderstood" suggests that both the singer and listener feel weighed down by life and that people often don't understand them.
Overall, "Soul" is a song that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. It reminds us that even when life gets tough, we have something within us that enables us to endure.
Line by Line Meaning
Hang out my window and over your head
Observing you from a distance, trying to understand your emotions and state of mind
Stare at your feelings to see where they end
Intensely studying your emotions to learn how they are affecting you
You're waiting here for someone else to break you from the inside
Hoping that someone else will help you deal with the inner turmoil that is causing you distress
You've been so composed
Despite your struggles, you have been able to keep your emotions under control
We all know there's always something tearing you apart
It is common knowledge that you are going through a difficult time that is causing you pain
It's always so much longer than you counted on
The duration of your pain and struggles is lasting longer than you initially anticipated
And it hits you so much harder then you thought
The emotional toll of your situation is far greater than you expected it to be
But you don't worry, you don't worry
You remain calm and level-headed despite the challenges you face
Cause you've got soul
Your inner strength and resilience will carry you through this difficult time
You're so heavy, you're so misunderstood
You are feeling weighed down by your struggles and feel that others do not fully understand what you are going through
And I spent all my wishes wishing times were good
I have been wishing that you did not have to face such difficult times and that things could be better for you
When I still could
A reference to a time when the situation was not as difficult and things were better
Wait around here for someone else to take me past the good side
Hopeful that someone else will help you move beyond your struggles and overcome the challenges you face
You've been here so longer
Your situation has been ongoing and has lasted for a significant period of time
Cause darling, you've got so much soul
Your inner strength and resilience are admirable, and will help you overcome your struggles
Well, there's always something tearing you apart
Despite your strength, you are still facing challenges that are causing you pain
Then you ever thought it would
The emotional toll of your situation is greater than you anticipated
Cause you don't worry, you don't worry
Despite the emotional pain you are experiencing, you remain calm and composed
Cause you've got soul
Your inner strength and resilience will help you overcome your struggles and persevere through difficult times
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: BILLIE RAY MARTIN, ARTHUR BAKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind