A Lafayette High School alum, Duncan first gained attention with the now-defunct Parlour Boys, one of Lexington’s strongest indie bands in decades. A pianist and vocalist who also plays bass, guitar and a number of other instruments, Duncan is also a member of the band Englishman, a project of Andrew English.
Matt Duncan’s 5-song EP is in the Top 10 Local Bestsellers of 2010 list at CD Central. And mind you, that list included Apples In Stereo, who had a little bit of a head start, and the remarkable Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore Subpop release, “Dear Companion.”
But Duncan’s CD is also on the bestseller list of all music, checking in at No. 5, just in front of Vampire Weekend. It has been picked up by the indie music tipster aggregator site Hype Machine and also used, under license, as music on recent episodes of the television shows “Vampire Diaries” and “Private Practice.”
http://www.matt-duncan.com
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The Keys
Matt Duncan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can hear that rambling tune
From the pool hall or any shopping mall
We're going crazy as a loon
Tell me where we're gonna go
Where there's no sorrow, there's no snow
Pack your suitcase light, we're gonna leave tonight
'Cause I think I might just know
Oh if I lose it
I'm gonna move it
Down to the Keys
Maybe Idaho's not for me
Don't need no jacket
If you can't hack it
You better come with me
Down to the Keys
There's a place down by the beach
Where you can buy a peach
Hear any Buffet tune if it's after noon
And you promise not to preach
There's a bar down by the pier
Where I like to drink my beer
And I can pay my tab with the gift of gab
While the tourists shuffle through
Oh if I lose it
I'm gonna move it
Down to the Keys
Maybe Idaho's not for me
Don't need no jacket
If you can't hack it
You better come with me
Down to the Keys
Mr. Gore don't lie, when the tide is high
And we're swallowed by the sea
Gonna float on down to the promised land
Where the healthcare will be free
In Matt Duncan's song "The Keys," the lyrics speak to a feeling of restlessness and a desire to escape. The opening line "Everybody's leaving soon, I can hear that rambling tune" expresses a sense of urgency to get away from wherever the singer is currently located. The repeated suggestion to "come with me down to the Keys" implies that this is the destination that the singer has in mind, and that it will be a place of freedom and escape.
The lyrics go on to describe the Keys as a place where there is "no sorrow, there's no snow" and where one doesn't "need no jacket." The image of a beachside town where one can drink beer by the pier, listen to Jimmy Buffett's music after noon, and pay for drinks with "the gift of gab" conjures up a feeling of carefree abandon. The line "Mr. Gore don't lie, when the tide is high and we're swallowed by the sea" suggests a sense of danger that only adds to the thrill of the adventure.
Overall, "The Keys" is a song that captures the feeling of being stuck in one place and the desire to break free and find a place where life is simpler and more enjoyable. The singer's invitation to "come with me down to the Keys" serves as an invitation to the listener to share in this sense of adventure and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's leaving soon
Everyone is leaving this place soon.
I can hear that rambling tune
I can hear a tune playing that sounds restless and aimless.
From the pool hall or any shopping mall
The tune is so common and ubiquitous that it can be heard even inside a pool hall or a shopping mall.
We're going crazy as a loon
We are becoming insane and irrational.
Tell me where we're gonna go
Please tell me where we are going to relocate ourselves.
Where there's no sorrow, there's no snow
We should go to a place where there is no unhappiness or blizzards.
Pack your suitcase light, we're gonna leave tonight
Don't pack too much, we are going to leave tonight.
'Cause I think I might just know
I have a hunch about where we should go.
Oh if I lose it
If I go crazy or lose control.
I'm gonna move it
I'll relocate myself to another place.
Down to the Keys
I'll move to the Florida Keys.
Maybe Idaho's not for me
Perhaps Idaho is not the best place for me to be in.
Don't need no jacket
There's no need to wear a jacket.
If you can't hack it
If you can't handle it or don't like it.
You better come with me
You should come with me to the Florida Keys.
There's a place down by the beach
There is a location near the seashore.
Where you can buy a peach
There is a spot where you can purchase peaches.
Hear any Buffet tune if it's after noon
You can hear a Jimmy Buffet song if it's past noon.
And you promise not to preach
And you vow not to lecture or sermonize.
There's a bar down by the pier
There's a watering hole near the wharf.
Where I like to drink my beer
Where I enjoy consuming my beer.
And I can pay my tab with the gift of gab
I can pay my bill by using my smooth-talking conversation skills.
While the tourists shuffle through
While the tourists pass by aimlessly.
Mr. Gore don't lie, when the tide is high
The sea levels will rise and Al Gore's predictions are not unfounded.
And we're swallowed by the sea
And we will be consumed by the ocean.
Gonna float on down to the promised land
We will float downstream to the place of our dreams.
Where the healthcare will be free
Where healthcare services will not involve any fees.
Contributed by Charlotte F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.