Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop sounds, Matisyahu is most recognizable for being an orthodox Jew and writing a number of songs based on his faith and beliefs. Since 2004, he has released four studio albums as well as one live album, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert, and a number of interviews. Through his short career, Matisyahu has teamed up with some of the biggest names in reggae production including Bill Laswell and duo Sly & Robbie. The Tel Aviv'n Songfacts states several tracks of his fourth studio album, Spark Seeker, were recorded in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Since his debut, Matisyahu has received positive reviews from both rock and reggae outlets. Most recently, he was named Top Reggae Artist of 2006 by Billboard as well as being named a spokesperson for Kenneth Cole.
Matthew Miller was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA on June 30th 1979, corresponding to the Jewish date of the 5th of Tamuz 5740. Shortly after his birth, the Miller family moved to Berkeley, CA and eventually settled in White Plains, NY. Growing up, Matisyahu's parents sent him to Hebrew School a couple of times a week, but like many kids, he resisted the additional school hours and was frequently threatened with expulsion for disrupting the lessons.
By the age of 14, Matthew Miller slid comfortably into the laid-back lifestyle of a teenage hippie. Having fallen in with the "Dead-Head" crowd, he grew dreadlocks and wore his Birkenstocks all winter long. He played his bongos in the lunchroom and learned how to beat-box in the back of class. By 11th grade, despite his carefree days, Matisyahu couldn't ignore the void in his life. After nearly burning down his chemistry class, he knew his mission must begin immediately. He decided to set off on a camping trip in Colorado. Away from his suburban life in White Plains, Matisyahu had the opportunity to take an introspective look at himself and contemplate his environment. It was there in the awe-inspiring landscape of the Rocky Mountains, that Matisyahu had an eye-opening realization: there is a God.
After Colorado, his spiritual curiosity piqued and Matisyahu took his first trip to Israel. There, for the first time in his life, he felt a connection to the God he discovered in Colorado. Israel was a major turning point. Matisyahu relished the time he spent there, praying, exploring, and dancing in Jerusalem. In every nook he encountered, his dormant Jewish identity stirred into consciousness.
Leaving Israel proved to be a difficult transition. Once back in White Plains, Matisyahu didn't know how to maintain his new connection with Judaism. Feeling dejected, he fatefully dropped out of high school and began following Phish on a national tour. On the road, Matisyahu thought seriously about his life, his music, and his thirst for Judaism.
After a few months, burnt out and broke, he returned home. By this time his parents insisted that Matisyahu go and "straighten" himself out at a wilderness school in Bend, Oregon. The school encouraged artistic pursuits and Matisyahu took advantage of this time to delve further into his music. He studied up on reggae and hip-hop. He attended a weekly open-mic where he rapped, sang, beat-boxed, and did almost anything he could to stay creatively charged. It was then that he started to develop the unique reggae-hip hop sound for which he would one day become known.
After 2 years in the "sticks," the 19-year old Matisyahu returned to New York a changed man. He moved to the city to attend The New School where he continued honing his musical craft, and also dabbled in the theater. During this time, he happened on the Carlebach Shul, a synagogue on the Upper West Side, well known for its hippie-friendly vibe and exuberant singing. This encounter further fueled his soul-fire, turning him on to the mystical power of song in Hasidic Judaism. Now, instead of beat boxing in the back of the classroom, he was leaving the classroom to pray on the school's roof. (Religious or not, this guy ain't made for the classrooms.)
While studying at New School, Matisyahu wrote a play entitled "Echad" (One). The play was about a boy who meets a Hasidic rabbi in Washington Square Park and through him becomes religious. Shortly after the play's performance, Matisyahu's life strangely imitated his art. Indeed, years after the initial sparks were lit, Matisyahu met a Lubavitcher rabbi in the park, spurring his transformation from Matthew to Matisyahu.
A person who was once skeptical of authority and rules, Matisyahu began to explore and eventually fully take on the Lubavitch Hasidic lifestyle. He thrived on the discipline and structure of Judaism, making every attempt to abide by Jewish Law. The Chabad-Lubavitch philosophy proved to be a powerful guide for Matisyahu. It surrounded him with the spiritual dialogue and intellectual challenge he had been seeking for the past decade. The turmoil and frustration of his search subsided, and now, 2 years later, Matisyahu lives in Crown Heights, splitting his time between the stage and his yeshiva.
Drawing from the sounds of Bob Marley, Shlomo Carlebach, Buju Banton, and Sizzla, yet remaining wholly original, Matisyahu's performance is an uplifting, powerful experience for all in his presence. Even the most pessimistic in his audience is inspired by his ability to so honestly convey such a delicate topic as faith/spirituality. It is his dedication to his belief and openness to others that compels one to respect his artistry and message. It's in that fleeting moment when our skepticism melts and our souls open up, that Matisyahu enters with his booming sound of faith.
http://www.matisyahuworld.com/
One Day
Matisyahu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(One day, one day, one day)
(Ah no oh oh oh)
Sometimes I lay under the moon
I thank God I'm breathin'
Then I pray don't take me soon
'Cause I am here for a reason
Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let it get me down
So when negativity surrounds
I know someday it'll all turn around because
All my life I been waitin' for
I been prayin' for, for the people to say
That we don't want to fight no more
They'll be no more wars
And our children will play
One day (one day), one day (one day), one day
(Oh oh oh)
One day (one day), one day (one day), one day
(Oh oh oh)
It's not about win or lose 'cause we all lose
When they feed on the souls of the innocent
Blood drenched pavement
Keep on movin', though the waters stay ragin'
In this maze you can lose your way, your way
It might drive you crazy
But don't let it phase you, no way, no way
Sometimes in my tears I drown (I drown)
But I never let it get me down (get me down)
So when negativity surrounds (surrounds)
I know someday it'll all turn around because
All my life I been waitin' for (waitin' for)
I been prayin' for (prayin' for), for the people to say
That we don't want to fight no more (fight no more)
They'll be no more wars (no more wars)
And our children will play
One day (one day), one day (one day), one day (oh oh oh oh)
One day (oh oh oh)
One day (one day), one day (one day), one day
(Oh oh oh)
One day this all will change
Treat people the same
Stop with the violence down with the hate
One day we'll all be free and proud to be
Under the same sun
Singing songs of freedom like
One day, one day
(Oh oh oh)
One day, one day
(Oh oh oh)
All my life I been waitin' for
I been prayin' for, for the people to say
That we don't want to fight no more
They'll be no more wars
And our children will play
One day (one day), one day (one day), one day
(Oh oh oh)
One day (one day), one day (one day), one day
(Oh oh oh)
(Ooh ooh-hoo, ah ya, ah no ah ah oh)
(One day, one day, one day)
(Ah no oh oh oh)
Matisyahu's "One Day" is a song about hope and the desire for a more peaceful world. The song speaks to both the challenges and the possibilities that exist in the world. The opening lines, "Sometimes I lay under the moon, I thank God I'm breathing," express the gratitude for life itself. The next line, "Then I pray don't take me soon 'cause I am here for a reason," shows the singer's determination to fulfill his purpose and make a difference in the world.
The chorus, "All my life I been waiting for, I been praying for, for the people to say that we don't want to fight no more," shows that the singer is not alone in his yearning for peace. He is hopeful that one day humanity will unite and end the wars and hate. The idea that peace is something that everyone desires is further reinforced in the line "It's not about win or lose 'cause we all lose, when they feed on the souls of the innocent."
The song carries a message of hope that someday the world will become a better place, and people can become unified and treat each other with equality and respect. Although struggles exist in the world, people can learn to overcome them and not let negativity impact their life experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I lay under the moon
At times, I will lie outside and gaze up at the moon.
I thank God I'm breathin'
I am grateful to be alive.
Then I pray don't take me soon
I ask a higher power not to take my life prematurely.
'Cause I am here for a reason
I have a purpose in this life.
Sometimes in my tears I drown
I become overwhelmed with sadness and cry.
But I never let it get me down
Despite this, I don't let it have a negative impact on my attitude and spirit.
So when negativity surrounds
When negative energy is present in my life.
I know someday it'll all turn around because
I am confident that things will improve eventually.
All my life I been waitin' for
Throughout my existence, I have been hoping for something.
I been prayin' for, for the people to say
I have been praying for someone to speak up.
That we don't want to fight no more
We no longer wish to engage in conflict.
They'll be no more wars
There will not be any more battles.
And our children will play
Children will be able to live in a happy and peaceful environment.
One day (one day), one day (one day), one day
At some point in the future.
(Oh oh oh)
Musical interlude.
It's not about win or lose 'cause we all lose
The outcome doesn't matter, as everyone is negatively impacted.
When they feed on the souls of the innocent
When those with evil intent harm the blameless.
Blood drenched pavement
The ground is covered in blood.
Keep on movin', though the waters stay ragin'
Despite the chaos and turmoil, one must continue moving forward.
In this maze you can lose your way, your way
Life can be bewildering and cause confusion.
It might drive you crazy
It could potentially make you insane, emotionally or mentally.
But don't let it phase you, no way, no way
However, don't let this bring you down or cause you to lose hope.
One day this all will change
At some future point, everything will be different.
Treat people the same
We should all be treated equally, regardless of our differences.
Stop with the violence down with the hate
We need to stop exhibiting harmful behavior and negative emotions.
One day we'll all be free and proud to be
In the future, everyone will be liberated and happy to express their individuality.
Under the same sun
We are all living under the same sun in this world.
Singing songs of freedom like
We'll be joyfully singing songs of liberty.
One day, one day
In the future.
(Oh oh oh)
Musical interlude.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ari Levine, Peter Gene Hernandez, Philip Martin II Lawrence, Matthew Miller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Grant Harris
Sometimes I lay
Under the moon
And thank God I'm breathing
Then I pray
Don't take me soon
'Cause I am here for a reason
Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let it get me down
So when negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [6x]
It's not about
Win or lose
'Cause we all lose
When they feed on the souls of the innocent
Blood-drenched pavement
Keep on moving though the waters stay raging
In this maze you can lose your way (your way)
It might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you, no way (no way)
Sometimes in my tears I drown (I drown)
But I never let it get me down (get me down)
So when negativity surrounds (surrounds)
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [6x]
One day this all will change
Treat people the same
Stop with the violence
Down with the hate
One day we'll all be free
And proud to be
Under the same sun
Singing songs of freedom like
One day [4x]
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [6x
CC SpiceOLife
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Jodi Michelle Schoenherr
Beautiful ♥
Kewl Beans
this song always makes me bawl for one reason: ideals are peaceful, history is violent.
Oscar Magaña
Still my favorite version of this song...
Mtnlightworker
This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, it's timing coincides with the great changes coming to our world!
Jodi Michelle Schoenherr
Yes indeed. ♥
Grant Harris
Sometimes I lay
Under the moon
And thank God I'm breathing
Then I pray
Don't take me soon
'Cause I am here for a reason
Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let it get me down
So when negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [6x]
It's not about
Win or lose
'Cause we all lose
When they feed on the souls of the innocent
Blood-drenched pavement
Keep on moving though the waters stay raging
In this maze you can lose your way (your way)
It might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you, no way (no way)
Sometimes in my tears I drown (I drown)
But I never let it get me down (get me down)
So when negativity surrounds (surrounds)
I know some day it'll all turn around because...
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [6x]
One day this all will change
Treat people the same
Stop with the violence
Down with the hate
One day we'll all be free
And proud to be
Under the same sun
Singing songs of freedom like
One day [4x]
All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
There will be no more wars
And our children will play
One day [6x
yiras1
Beautiful, Matis! Thanks for doing this version. Love the delicate acoustic guitar work. - - makes me want to hear more. It seems to me, it allows the light of your incredibly refreshing, honest, caring, concerned, uplifting, prayerful, lyrics, to shine more brightly. What do others think?
Jodi Michelle Schoenherr
Others think he is the most beautiful person God ever made. ♥
Brian Murray
They need to release this version! It's really good!