Matt and Kim released their first album, Matt & Kim, on October 26, 2006. The album sold modestly, primarily at live shows. Many indie fans praised their music, and the two gained popularity through their many outgoing tours. Following the release of their first album, Matt and Kim began playing high profile music festivals, such as The Siren Music Festival and Lollapalooza. The duo signed with Fader Label and their second album, Grand, recorded in Matt's childhood bedroom at his parents' home in Vermont, was released on January 20, 2009. A video for one of the album's highlights, "Lessons Learned", in which the duo strips nude in Times Square, was shot during a very cold winter day in February 2009.
On November 2, 2010, the duo released their third album, Sidewalks. Co-produced by Ben Allen, Oliver Strauss and Matt, the album as a whole adopted a more refined, yet dense hip-hop influence in comparison to the previous two, while still maintaining the upbeat and party-esque style they are known for. Matt and Kim headlined two U.S. tours in support, in Fall 2010 and again during May/June 2011. They also played numerous festivals including Australia's Big Day Out, Japan's Fuji and V in the UK. In addition, they played at many American colleges, worked extensively through Europe and South America and, in Fall 2011, they supported Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance on select dates. Although not officially released as a single, the song "Good for Great" received significant airplay in some markets, and was ranked #65 on Boston station WFNX's Top 101 of 2011 list.
On June 22, 2012, Matt and Kim issued a brand new track, "Let's Go" as a digital single, meanwhile, the band put finishing touches on their fourth full length album, Lightning, released on October 2, 2012. The single, "Let's Go", peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. On June 25, 2012, the duo uploaded a video to their YouTube channel featuring ball handler Pat the Roc performing basketball tricks as "Let's Go" plays in full. Then on September 4, 2012, the duo released a lyric video for another new song on the album, "Now". On October 1, 2012, "Overexposed", "Not That Bad", "Much Too Late", "Ten Dollars I Found", "Tonight", "It's Alright", "I Said" and "I Wonder" were released on YouTube as official first listens. Matt and Kim premiered their official music video for "Let's Go" via the Funny or Die website in November.
The full-length album got a digital/CD/vinyl release on October 2, 2012 and the band began their official US Fall Lightning Tour the next day in Burlington, Vermont. On February 5, 2013, Matt and Kim kicked off their US tour with Passion Pit. While on tour, the official music video for "It's Alright" was released on February 25, 2013, featuring Matt and Kim in a choreographed dance routine in bed. In March 2013 Matt and Kim wrapped their US tour and performed at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida before heading to Australia for a three-week tour at the end of April.
In May, Matt and Kim announced their touring schedule for summer 2013, starting with a show at the Great GoogaMooga in Brooklyn, NY on May 18, 2013. In June, Matt and Kim performed at Free Press Summer Fest, Sandy Parts Festival, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Firefly Music Festival, Summerfest and Party in the Park. In July, they played at the Keloha Music & Arts Fest and the Forecastle Festival. In August, they played at Lollapalooza in Chicago. In October, they played at Corona Capital, in Mexico City.
On January 13, 2015, Matt and Kim released the single "Get It" in promotion of their fifth album. Along with this, they also released Spring tour dates, an album pre-order, and a lyric video to accompany the single. "Get It" received mixed reviews from fans as it ventures away from their past DIY sound. On February 10, 2015 Matt and Kim released the promotional video for the single "Hey Now" through their official VEVO Youtube account. On February 24, 2015, the band released "Hoodie On" through their official VEVO account. On April 7, 2015, Matt and Kim released the full album and held an in store performance at Amoeba Music's Hollywood store to celebrate.
Good for Great
Matt & Kim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hope you sneaked in all of my friends just so we could leave together.
The books I won't read,
The air that I will breathe,
The colors I'd have seen,
I'll leave these pages in the trees.
Today, leave good for great
Leave good for great
Leave sleep for late
Leave good for great
Leave sleep for late
Leave good
So many books that I didn't read,
But there's so much air I chose to breathe.
How about the colors that I've seen?
So I'll leave these pages in the trees.
I don't sit alone, I pick up my phone.
One day we'll say all that we had.
The beaten path is beaten fast.
I'm practicing hooks and jabs.
I traced a few lines, misread all the signs, slipped many times.
My blood's still red and I'm just fine.
Today, leave good for great
Leave sleep for late
Leave good for great.
So many books that I didn't read,
But there's so much air I chose to breathe.
How about the colors that I've seen?
So I'll leave these pages in the trees.
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
In the song "Good for Great" by Matt & Kim, the lyrics seem to be a meditation on making the most of life, regardless of obstacles or setbacks. The opening lines acknowledge that life is full of scrapes and bruises, but they are nothing more than the temporary bad weather that we experience along the journey. The second line mentions the hope of leaving with friends, suggesting that companionship is important in making the most of life.
The chorus reveals the underlying message of the song: leave "good" for "great" and leave sleep for late. This suggests that we should not settle for merely good experiences, but instead strive for greatness in every aspect of life. We should not waste time on sleep when there are opportunities to be seized. The repetition of this chorus emphasizes the importance of taking action and making choices that will lead to a great life.
The verses expand on this idea, with references to books not read, air not breathed, and colors not seen. These represent missed opportunities, which the singer now regrets. However, rather than dwelling on the past, they choose to embrace the present and the future, leaving those missed experiences behind like pages in the trees.
Overall, "Good for Great" is an uplifting and empowering song that urges listeners to live life to the fullest, no matter the obstacles that may occur.
Line by Line Meaning
Bruises and scrapes, our life's mistakes are nothing but bad weather.
Life's mistakes are just setbacks that come and go like bad weather.
Hope you sneaked in all of my friends just so we could leave together.
I hope you brought all of my friends with you so we could all leave together.
The books I won't read,
The air that I will breathe,
The colors I'd have seen,
I'll leave these pages in the trees.
I'll leave behind the things I didn't do or see, and instead focus on what's around me right now.
Today, leave good for great
Leave sleep for late
Leave good for great
Leave sleep for late
Leave good for great
Leave sleep for late
Leave good
Today, focus on doing great things rather than just good things, and stay up late to get them done.
I don't sit alone, I pick up my phone.
One day we'll say all that we had.
The beaten path is beaten fast.
I'm practicing hooks and jabs.
I don't stay idle, I always keep moving and working towards my goals. The road to success is well-traveled, so I'm working hard to stand out.
I traced a few lines, misread all the signs, slipped many times.
My blood's still red and I'm just fine.
I've made mistakes and had setbacks, but I'm still alive and well. It's all part of the process.
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
We sing along, but the notes are wrong
We sing along, through night and dawn
Sometimes we don't know all the lyrics or get everything right, but we keep going and moving forward anyway.
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BENJAMIN HEYWARD ALLEN, KIMBERLY ANN SCHIFINO, MATTHEW WESLEY JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
miked6706
This was my theme song when leaving college for my first real job and now here I am 10 years later revisiting this song awaiting the journey of fatherhood that awaits me at the end of the year. this song will always hold so much meaning to me.
hayden
best of luck mate
dkight
Was never into Matt & Kim until I stumbled upon their set at Bonnaroo. They are amazing live.
Thomas Pisapia
Same bro, wonder if we were at the same show.
Nicolas Leonard
Matt and Kim are .....just amazing i cant even explain you cant be sad and not like this music they have just helped me through alot when you fell down this is just a band who tells you to be happy and live life as beautiful and fun as possible along with all you friends
quila210
i honestly can't understand how anyone could dislike this song (or matt and kim for that matter).
Allison Iannolo
I love this! it always puts a smile on my face
Fuzzman109
their music never fails to make me feel happy :)
kismaokole
I really hope matt and kim never stop writing songs,but they will and i'll be so depressed
SlamtaroOW
i feel almost unworthy to be in the same time period of matt and kim. even after like 50 years i will still listen to them.