Ca… Read Full Bio ↴“Turn the page because where we are is not where we’re going...”
Canadian-born singer/songwriter Matt Brouwer’s latest single, 'Waking Up', is more than just a nod to the past 14 years of being a recording artist, which Brouwer is celebrating on the release of his first career spanning ‘best of’ collection, "Writing To Remember". The sentiment of a bookend and a new beginning is no accident and reveals a season of transition that Brouwer is happily embracing. With more than a decade of hit songs, including “Water,” “I Shall Believe,” “Tonight,” and the Top 20 "Sometimes”; two GMA Canada Covenant Awards; two Canadian people’s choice Vibe Awards—not to mention a 2010 Juno Award (Canada’s Grammy equivalent) for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the year—Matt has a lot to celebrate in all that has been accomplished so far over the course of his career. With the passage of time inevitably comes change and it is in looking back that Matt is starting to see a new and exciting road ahead.
Matt Brouwer got his start in the music industry while studying music at school in Alberta, Canada. While in college he and fellow students founded the band Monday Night Worship (MNW). Because of the spiritual content of his lyrics he was 'discovered' by a Nashville record company in 2000, and in 2001 recorded his solo debut CD "Imagerical". The album was released on May 29, 2001 on Reunion Records. He then formed his own label called Black Shoe Records and released an album titled 'Unlearning' in 2005, 'Where’s Our Revolution' (Universal) in 2009, and 'Till The Sunrise' in 2012. Brouwer's music has been hailed for its relentless vulnerability as he shares his life's story of tragedy (the tragic death of his father) and hope (his Spiritual pilgrimage) with his listeners.
“I never imagined where this journey would take me”, says Brouwer. “I can remember being 17 or 18 and feeling so compelled to want to shout from the rooftops about the Spiritual awakening I was experiencing. It was like being embraced by the most incredible love and connection to the Lord and the key to unlocking this door to my heart was through music. I was so hungry for that and totally committed and determined to follow it wherever it might lead me. My time in college and the friends I made there, the energy that was driving us, or driving me, to write songs and attempt to share them with the world felt like a humble but passionate expression of a new but relevant faith that was growing like a wildfire at the time. Fifteen years or so later, I still feel that longing. With all the miles travelled and water under the bridge, I still sit down in front or a piano or with a guitar and dream about what could be possible. I believe in the power of God’s love, transforming hearts through music and worship because I’ve experienced it and I’ve seen it happen in sometimes subtle and not so subtle ways. It’s something I believe I’ll be pursuing my entire life.”
That’s not to say that Brouwer believes that all anyone needs to find peace in life is a three minute pop song to solve all of their problems. Growing up in a very devout Christian family, Matt’s mom made sure that he and his siblings were memorizing full chapters of scripture by the time they started kindergarten and spending as much or more time during the week at church gatherings than in front of the tv or devouring any type of pop culture media. “I used to feel embarrassed by how sheltered we were, but now I am so thankful because it gave me an incredible foundation of solid teaching and an education in Biblical theology. But knowledge alone is pretty useless until it makes an emotional connection somehow and finds it’s way into your heart. For me, the music is what connected the two.”
Like so many new beginnings, much of the genesis for this fresh optimism happened when Hannah entered Matt’s life. The two first met while Matt was on a mission trip in Guatemala, where Hannah’s parents serve as medical missionaries. The relationship blossomed and they were engaged in spring 2010 and married later that year. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in September of 2013 and life forever changed. The balance of career and family has been a stretch at times, but it’s something Matt says he is learning to embrace and explore. “It might sounds strange, but I’ve never been less interested in pursuing a music career. Being married and having a family has re-oriented my priorities completely and the career things that used to be so important to me have become less so. In that way it’s been very freeing and has forced me to let go of control and allowed my steps to be directed by opportunities that the Lord brings our way rather than striving and trying to ‘make it’. If ten or ten million people are listening, it really doesn’t matter. Being a great husband, father, and friend are much more important to me right now than striving for some big career that takes me away from these precious gifts of family and community.”
Community and camaraderie has become increasingly more important to the singer and one listen to 'Writing to Remember' reveals this collaborative spirit that is a hallmark of Matt’s musical pallet. Those lending their vocal talents include JJ Heller, Jill Paquette, and even Vince Gill and Amy Grant on a deeply personal and emotional track, 'The Other Side'. 'Writing to Remember' is equally saturated with a spirit of hope, togetherness, and God’s love. The album beautifully bookends this first chapter with a nod to the next waiting to unfold. “These 15 songs truly represent the progression of learning for me and express the joys and struggles of life that has been lived these past 14 years”, says Matt. “It’s been cool to re-discover how relevant these simple truths still are in my life and I believe for all of us.”
Good Night's Sleep
Matt Brouwer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And try to sleep but my mind starts racing
Cause the days are wearing thin
And I’ve been running
I’ve been trying to somehow find you now
Between dreams and clouds
Tonight it will be easy
Cause you’ll be on my mind
It’s been a long wait but I am ready
To leave it all behind
And dream my way back to you now
Stay with me though it’s hard to keep
Distractions from overwhelming
Cause it’s easy to forget
When the morning wakes this feeling
That life has passed us by
While we take our time
Tonight it will be easy
To get a good night’s sleep baby
Cause you’ll be on my mind
It’s been a long wait but I am ready
To leave it all behind
And dream my way back to you now
Now all the things we’ve said
All the promises we’ve thrown around
Are finding resolution now
Tonight it will be easy
To get a good night’s sleep baby
Cause you’ll be on my mind
It’s been a long wait but I am ready
To leave it all behind
And dream my way back to you now
I’ll find my way back to you now
The lyrics of "Good Night's Sleep" by Matt Brouwer speak of a longing for someone important who has been absent for some time. The singer speaks of the difficulty of falling asleep and the racing thoughts that come with it. The line "Cause the days are wearing thin" suggests that time is running out to find this person. The singer expresses a steady persistence in trying to locate their loved one, stating "I've been running, I've been trying to somehow find you now." The use of 'between dreams and clouds' suggests that the search is not easy, and that the singer may have to rely on dreams or fleeting thoughts to feel close to their loved one.
The chorus of the song speaks of the relief that comes from knowing that their loved one will be on their mind and how it will make it easy for the singer to finally relax and get a peaceful night's sleep. The reassurance that the wait is over and that they are ready to leave it all behind confirms that this person holds great significance to the singer. The line "And dream my way back to you now" confirms that the singer is hoping that in their sleep, they can be transported to where their loved one is currently residing.
The second verse of the song speaks of how distracted the singer is during the day, and how easy it is to forget the promise they made to themselves about finding their loved one. However, the line "while we take our time" suggests that the singer is not giving up, and that the search will continue. The bridge of the song states that all the promises made and things that were said will 'find resolution now' further confirming that this person is important to the singer and they will do all it takes to find them.
Line by Line Meaning
I close my eyes like I’ve done a thousand times
I'm trying to go to sleep, but this is a routine I've done many times before.
And try to sleep but my mind starts racing
I'm having trouble falling asleep because my mind won't stop racing with thoughts.
Cause the days are wearing thin
I feel like time is running out, the days are going by too quickly.
And I’ve been running
I've been working hard and trying to keep up with everything in my life.
I’ve been trying to somehow find you now
I've been looking for some kind of connection or closeness.
Between dreams and clouds
Maybe I'll find what I'm looking for in my dreams or in an undefined place, like clouds.
Tonight it will be easy
Tonight, I won't have trouble falling asleep.
To get a good night’s sleep baby
I'll be able to sleep well tonight.
Cause you’ll be on my mind
I'll be thinking of you tonight, which will bring me comfort.
It’s been a long wait but I am ready
I've been waiting for something, but now I'm ready for it to happen.
To leave it all behind
I'm ready to forget about everything else.
And dream my way back to you now
I'll try to dream of you and hope that it brings me closer to you.
Stay with me though it’s hard to keep
Help me stay focused and not get distracted.
Distractions from overwhelming
There are a lot of things competing for my attention.
Cause it’s easy to forget
Sometimes it's easy to forget what's important.
When the morning wakes this feeling
When I wake up in the morning, I might not feel the same way.
That life has passed us by
I'm worried that I'm missing out on something.
While we take our time
Even though we might be moving slowly.
Now all the things we’ve said
All the words we've shared.
All the promises we’ve thrown around
All the promises we've made to each other.
Are finding resolution now
We are making progress toward keeping those promises.
I’ll find my way back to you now
I'm determined to find my way back to you.
Lyrics © Unlearning Music Pub.
Written by: Matt Brouwer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind