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.”
Thornside
Matt Brouwer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can build your house of cards
But they’ll burn it to the ground
Oh, I’ve been stuck in Thornside all my life
I was making my escape when a standoff at sundown
And an itchy trigger finger left me haunted by the sound
I got it from a bullet, but I wear it like a badge
I’ve been searching for a face in the crowd
I’ve been waiting for this thorn in my side
To set me free
Preacher said, “Now son it’s time you’ve got
To lay that burden down, cause a well
Without the water’s just a hole in the ground
The ghosts you feared your whole life
Are gone without a trace what you’re
Running from in Thornside, might be your
Saving grace”
I’ve been waiting for a break in the clouds
I’ve been searching for a face in the crowd
I’ve been waiting for this thorn in my side
To set me free
Set me free, come on and rescue me
Set me free when the waters are rising
Set me free, come on and rescue me
Set me free cause the waters are rising
Free, free, set me free
Free, free, set me free
I’ve been waiting for a break in the clouds
I’ve been searching for a face in the crowd
I’ve been waiting for this thorn in my side
To set me free
Set me free, come on and rescue me
Set me free when the waters are rising
Set me free, come on and rescue me
Set me free cause the waters are rising
Free, free, set me free
The song "Thornside" by Matt Brouwer tells the story of someone struggling to break free from the constraints and secrets of a small town. The lyrics paint a picture of a town with a population so small that secrets cannot be kept, where even the slightest mistake can lead to one's downfall. The singer expresses a desire to escape and find their place in the world. However, they find themselves haunted by past mistakes, represented by the bullet wound they received during a showdown. Despite this, they wear the wound as a badge of honor; a reminder of the danger and excitement that exists beyond the borders of Thornside.
The chorus repeats the line "I've been waiting for this thorn in my side to set me free." The lyrics suggest that the singer sees the small town and their past as a thorn in their side, something that causes pain and irritation. In order to be free, they need to confront these issues and leave them behind. The preacher's advice to "lay that burden down" hints that while the town and past may feel like a curse, it is ultimately up to the singer to choose how to move forward.
Overall, "Thornside" is a song about growing up in a small town and the desire to escape its limitations. It touches on themes of identity, self-discovery, and the need to confront past mistakes in order to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it’s hard to keep a secret in a one horse town
Keeping secrets in a small town is challenging because everyone knows everyone else's business.
You can build your house of cards
You can create a flimsy foundation that's not built to last.
But they'll burn it to the ground
They'll destroy what you've built.
Oh, I’ve been stuck in Thornside all my life
I've lived in Thornside forever.
I was making my escape when a standoff at sundown
I was leaving Thornside when there was a violent confrontation.
And an itchy trigger finger left me haunted by the sound
The sound of a gunshot has stayed with me ever since.
I got it from a bullet, but I wear it like a badge
I was shot, but I see the experience as a defining characteristic that I carry with pride.
I’ve been waiting for a break in the clouds
I've been hoping for a positive change.
I’ve been searching for a face in the crowd
I'm looking for someone specific in a crowd of people.
I’ve been waiting for this thorn in my side
I've been anticipating freedom from the problems that have been weighing me down.
To set me free
So I can move forward without obstacles.
Preacher said, “Now son it’s time you’ve got
The sermon advised me that it's time to let go of my burdens.
To lay that burden down, cause a well
To stop carrying the heavy load on my shoulders, as it's like having a dry well.
Without the water’s just a hole in the ground
A well without water is merely an empty hole in the earth.
The ghosts you feared your whole life
The fears that have haunted me are now gone.
Are gone without a trace what you’re
They've disappeared without a trace.
Running from in Thornside, might be your
What I've been avoiding in Thornside could be the key to my freedom.
Saving grace”
The means of finding my salvation and happiness.
Set me free, come on and rescue me
Help me overcome my problems and set me free.
Set me free when the waters are rising
Please help me when the situation is dire.
Set me free cause the waters are rising
Please help me when I'm drowning in my problems.
Free, free, set me free
I want to be freed from my troubles.
Lyrics © 2012 Unlearning Music Pub, Jeff Somers Music
Written by: Jeff Somers, Matt Brouwer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jonathanfoxloggins
Found this today thank you for this song brother! You just don’t even know how much I need it. God bless you!
Eric Williston
Love it, it's really driving and has a southern feel
Robin Candelario
Of all of Matt's songs this is my favorite. Then Love Will Find A Way.