In early 2003, Costa's homemade demo reached No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont, who offered to record more demos for Costa in his home studio. Those first recordings led to two EPs that Costa and Dumont distributed themselves. These were later combined and mixed by Phil Ek in order to form Costa's first full-length CD entitled Songs We Sing.
Costa spent the summer of 2005 opening on Jack Johnson's summer tour. He has since toured with Modest Mouse, Oasis, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, G. Love & Special Sauce, and Death Cab for Cutie. Costa joined Jack Johnson for his 2006 European tour. He has also contributed to the Jack Johnson and Friends Curious George soundtrack; his track is entitled "Lullaby". This song was taken from his The Elasmosaurus EP. Costa has also toured extensively in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Asia and South America.
The video for Costa's first single "Cold December" was released February 2, 2006. On July 31, 2007, he released a song titled "If You Took To Me" as part of the environmentally minded polar bear documentary Arctic Tale and its soundtrack.
On October 7, 2007, Costa released the first single, "Mr. Pitiful," from his record Unfamiliar Faces. The song "Mr. Pitiful" was used during a scene with Paul Rudd in the movie I Love You, Man, the redband trailer for the film Youth in Revolt starring Michael Cera, and the movie Marmaduke. The song is featured during the opening credits of The Answer Man (film). Apple also used an instrumental cut of this song for the worldwide iPhone 3GS ads.
Mobile Chateau, Costa's next album, was released on September 21, 2010, via Brushfire Records. His 2013 self-titled album was recorded at Pheasant Studios in Santa Ana, CA, as Costa's first solo production.
Bound
Matt Costa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They tried to mine a miner for his golden veins
But a guy gets lonely and a guy gets sick
Evil woman you're bound to make a mess of it
[Chorus]
Cause your bound,
Your bound[x3]
She laid me down in her golden sheets
Lord save me, Lord I was knee deep
Well a hundred soldiers and a thousand men
Couldn't drag me down but I'm back on my knees again
[Chorus]
Cause I'm bound,
I'm bound[x3]
Wanna leave, wanna go
That woman is a devil yes I know
Wanna leave, gotta go
That woman is a devil yes I know
Wanna leave, wanna go
That woman is a devil yes I know
Wanna leave, gotta go
That woman is a devil yes I know
[Chorus]
Cause I'm bound,
I'm bound[x3]
But I know more than you think I do
You got a hole in your face where I can see through you
Well holy me, you've got devils in your sleeves
With the bull in your court you're bound
To make a mess of me
Cause your bound,
Your bound[x3]
Wanna leave, gotta go
That woman is a devil yes I know
Wanna leave, gotta go
That woman is a devil yes I know
Wanna leave, wanna go
That woman is a devil yes I know
Wanna leave, gotta go
That woman is a devil yes I know
The lyrics of Matt Costa's song "Bound" seem to tell a tale of a man who's caught in a difficult and potentially dangerous situation with a woman who's manipulative and scheming. The opening lines suggest that the man in question is a miner who's being coerced or threatened into giving up the riches he's uncovered: "They tried to mine a miner for his golden veins." However, he's beginning to feel trapped and afraid of what might happen to him: "But a guy gets lonely and a guy gets sick / Evil woman you're bound to make a mess of it."
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the woman has somehow gotten the better of the man and is using her wiles to control and manipulate him. He describes being taken to her bed ("She laid me down in her golden sheets"), but even this intimate moment doesn't seem to bring him any comfort or security ("Lord save me, Lord I was knee deep"). In fact, he feels more powerless and vulnerable than ever before, noting that even an army of men wouldn't be able to suppress his fear and uncertainty ("Well a hundred soldiers and a thousand men / Couldn't drag me down but I'm back on my knees again").
The chorus of the song is repeated several times, with the phrase "You're bound" echoing through it. This suggests that the man is stuck in a cycle of fear and manipulation that he can't seem to break free from. He wants to leave and escape the woman's grip, but he feels like he's trapped and can't get away from her. Even when the song seems to offer a glimmer of hope ("But I know more than you think I do"), it's quickly dashed by the realization that the woman has more tricks up her sleeve and is determined to get what she wants at all costs.
Line by Line Meaning
Behind the mountains where the Cuckoo sings
In a place far from civilization and surrounded by nature
They tried to mine a miner for his golden veins
Someone attempted to exploit a person for their wealth or resources
But a guy gets lonely and a guy gets sick
People can experience feelings of loneliness and sickness
Evil woman you're bound to make a mess of it
Addressing a person who is likely to cause trouble or chaos
Cause your bound, Your bound[x3]
Repetition of the idea of being stuck, trapped or destined for failure
She laid me down in her golden sheets
Describing an intimate moment or a relationship involving luxury
Lord save me, Lord I was knee deep
Feeling overwhelmed or in need of help
Well a hundred soldiers and a thousand men
Even with massive support, the situation does not improve
Couldn't drag me down but I'm back on my knees again
Despite overcoming previous hardships, another obstacle arises
Wanna leave, wanna go
Expressing a desire to escape the current situation
That woman is a devil yes I know
Referring to a person who causes problems or brings misfortune
But I know more than you think I do
Asserting that one possesses greater knowledge or insight than others believe
You got a hole in your face where I can see through you
Perceiving that someone is not genuine or hiding something
Well holy me, you've got devils in your sleeves
Describing that someone is manipulative, deceptive, or dangerous
With the bull in your court you're bound To make a mess of me
Speculating that the other person has power and control, and will use it to cause trouble
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MATTHEW ALBERT COSTA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind