Soon after, XM Satellite Radio’s “The Loft” (Channel 50) added Duke’s songs from XYX into its rotation. Duke’s songs were among the most requested at The Loft, joining Bruce Springsteen and Ben Harper for six weeks at the top spot. These placements helped MAD Dragon Records secure national distribution through Rykodisc. In late 2005, Duke entered the studio to record his debut LP, Winter Child for MAD Dragon Records. He released this LP in September 2006. Winter Child was co-produced by Stewart Lerman (Loudon Wainwright, Dar Williams) and Steuart Smith (The Eagles, Shawn Colvin) at The Shinebox Studios in New York City. The record features contributions by musicians such as Marshall Crenshaw, Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies), Suzzy Roche (The Roches), Steve Holley (Wings, Ian Hunter), David Mansfield (Bob Dylan, Bruce Hornsby), and more.
Duke’s lyrics in Winter Child tackle a number of topics ranging from self-destructive behavior ("To Whom It May Concern", "Listen to Your Window"), to casualties of inner city violence ("One Small Bird"), to the mourning of a loved one ("Don’t Ask for Too Much") and the Apocalypse ("Tidal Waves").
Matt Duke released his second album Kingdom Underground in September 2008 under Mad Dragon/Rykodisc. Additionally, he came out with an Acoustic Kingdom Underground EP in June 2009. The Acoustic EP features six tracks that were largely inspired by Matt’s literary experiences. Although he dropped out of college after “15 minutes,” he has used many classic novels as a jumping-off point for many of his tunes.
Behold
Matt Duke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haunt me like ghosts in the dark.
I keep drunk so they'll stay where they are.
The hangover's hard.
All of the words I believed,
The view from the passenger seat.
I eject from the crash as I bleed.
Stumble right up to the door,
The same one I walked out before.
I need a seat and some quiet, nothing more.
Nothing more.
Washed my hands with the holiest water,
Almost blessed myself, why should I bother?
My eyes caught a glimpse of the altar,
"Behold."
I felt heavy; The sadness! The pain!
Felt the floor start to crumble away.
Felt the air in the room dissipate,
"Behold."
And I'm ready to reach for the cross,
A compass for the weary, the lost.
Fuck you, man, he was your son.
What have you done?
"Behold."
Behold!
In "Behold" by Matt Duke, the singer explores the overwhelming feelings of regret and despair that come with memories of past mistakes. The opening lines illustrate how the singer's past choices have come back to haunt him, as the things he once believed now feel like ghosts that he cannot escape. The chorus portrays his desperation as he turns to alcohol to dull the pain and the horror of what he's done.
The second verse continues the theme of running away from the consequences of his actions. He's now crashing and bleeding but refuses to face the reality of the situation, while the person he's with chooses to abandon him. The bridge describes his potentially religious or spiritual experience, as he tries to find redemption and solace through faith. However, the final lines suggest that this doesn't provide the comfort he seeks, as he can't help but question why God would allow him to suffer so much.
Overall, "Behold" is a raw and emotional song that captures the complexity of human emotions and the struggle to confront one's mistakes and find forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
The things that I knew from the start,
The singer is haunted by his past actions and decisions.
Haunt me like ghosts in the dark.
The consequences of the singer's past actions are still affecting him.
I keep drunk so they'll stay where they are.
The singer tries to numb himself with alcohol to avoid facing his problems.
The hangover's hard.
The aftermath of drinking and avoiding his problems is just as difficult to deal with.
All of the words I believed,
The singer trusted someone or something that ended up betraying him.
The view from the passenger seat.
The deception was subtle and the singer didn't realize what was happening until it was too late.
I eject from the crash as I bleed.
The betrayal was a painful experience and the singer is struggling to recover.
You run from the scene.
The one who caused the singer's pain is avoiding responsibility for their actions.
Stumble right up to the door,
The singer is returning to a familiar place.
The same one I walked out before.
The singer has been here before, possibly seeking solace or answers.
I need a seat and some quiet, nothing more.
The singer is looking for a moment of calm to reflect on his situation.
Washed my hands with the holiest water,
The singer is seeking spiritual relief and purification.
Almost blessed myself, why should I bother?
Despite his efforts to find spirituality, the singer questions the validity of the ritual.
My eyes caught a glimpse of the altar,
The singer sees a symbol of hope and redemption.
"Behold."
The singer is drawing attention to the importance of what he is witnessing.
I felt heavy; The sadness! The pain!
The singer is overwhelmed by his emotions.
Felt the floor start to crumble away.
The singer's world is falling apart.
Felt the air in the room dissipate,
The atmosphere around the singer is changing for the worse.
"Behold."
The singer is still emphasizing the significance of what he is observing.
And I'm ready to reach for the cross,
The singer is willing to embrace religion to help him through his struggles.
A compass for the weary, the lost.
The singer sees religion as a guiding force to help him find his way.
Fuck you, man, he was your son.
The singer is angry at someone, possibly God, for their indifference to human suffering.
What have you done?
The singer is questioning the purpose of the singer's pain and suffering.
"Behold."
The song ends with the singer repeating the word, emphasizing his building frustrations and hopelessness.
Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.