Matt is a native New Yorker who grew up in Virginia Beach, VA. He has acte… Read Full Bio ↴Matt is a native New Yorker who grew up in Virginia Beach, VA. He has acted in the theater throughout his life, from small community theaters in Virginia to Broadway, where he played the role of Mark in the musical RENT through the summer of 2006. An accomplished guitar player, Matt has been composing and performing songs for almost 10 years, and has toured the country playing in over 25 states and independently building a nationwide fanbase through concerts and record sales. Both of Matt's records - a self-titled demo (no longer in production) and Overtones (still available through mattcaplan.com or cdbaby.com) - are acoustic albums, and range in influence from folk to rock to classical. He is currently working on his first full-band record release.
---Courtesy (mostly) of the official matt caplan website---

Wither
Matt Caplan Lyrics

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Hold me closer now
Make believe I'm someone else
I can't hear, but I can listen to your lies
Show me beauty now
Make believe you look like you
I can't see but I can read between the lines

(Chorus)

Wo-oh-oh
Wishing I was there
Wishing I could bite the hand that feeds me,
The shiver and the stare
Wo-oh-oh
Wishing I was there
Wishing I could hold the ground that spins around
And leaves me unaware
Just say you love me now,
I cannot afford to wait
I cannot afford to wither

Hit me harder now
Make believe my face is numb
I can't feel but I can sense you in the air
Now lean in farther now
Make believe you're unafraid
I can't speak but I can whisper in your ear

(Chorus)

To deny your home is to deny me too
And I could start a religion with the things I don't do
To deny that faith is to deny the truth
It's not like you're scared anyhow

(Chorus)

Overall Meaning

The first verse of the song "Wither" by Matt Caplan seems to depict a sense of dissociation with reality. The persona seems to desire to escape from themselves by allowing another person to take over. Despite the lies and the deception, the persona chooses to listen and read between the lines. It could also be interpreted as a cry for help, a need for human connection, and a fear of being left alone. The chorus, on the other hand, shows the persona's longing for a sense of control and a need to be physically present. The phrase "bite the hand that feeds me" could signify independence from relying on others, although it could also mean a desire to hurt those who have caused harm in the past.

The second verse of the song could be interpreted as a plea for intimacy that transcends physical touch. The persona seems to crave for emotional intensity, despite feeling numb. The phrase "make believe you're unafraid" could be seen as an invitation to be vulnerable and open up to the persona, despite their apparent inability to speak. The repetition of the chorus drives home the message of wanting to stay grounded, even amidst the chaos of life. The bridge, however, seems to take an unexpected turn from the rest of the song's message. It speaks of denying one's faith and home, and starting a new religion from the things that one doesn't do. It is a possible commentary on the idea of free will and choice that goes against the norm.

Line by Line Meaning

Hold me closer now
Ask for more emotional intimacy from me right now

Make believe I'm someone else
Treat me as if I'm not my authentic self

I can't hear, but I can listen to your lies
I may not actually hear you, but I am aware of and receptive to the false things you tell me

Show me beauty now
Display external attractiveness for me now

Make believe you look like you
Give the illusion that you are your true self

I can't see but I can read between the lines
Even though I may be blind to the visible signs, I can still decipher the underlying message

Just say you love me now, I cannot afford to wait I cannot afford to wither
Declare affection for me now, as I cannot handle the prolonged lack of emotional validation

Hit me harder now
Demand more intense physical sensation now

Make believe my face is numb
Treat me as if I am less sensitive and less capable of feeling pain or pleasure

I can't feel but I can sense you in the air
Although I am emotionally numb to stimuli, I can still detect the presence of other people around me

Now lean in farther now Make believe you're unafraid I can't speak but I can whisper in your ear
Encourage you to get closer and act more confident, despite my inability to voice my own desires

To deny your home is to deny me too And I could start a religion with the things I don't do To deny that faith is to deny the truth It's not like you're scared anyhow
Assert that rejecting your roots is a form of rejecting your identity, and I could revolutionize a new dogma based on what I don't do; failing to acknowledge the existence of spiritual beliefs is tantamount to denying reality itself. It's not as if you have anything to be afraid of.

Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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