From an early age, Matt Dusk wanted to become a performer. At the age of seven, he was accepted into the St. Michael's Choir School, where he remained for eleven years. Originally Dusk performed opera and classical music but after hearing a couple Tony Bennett and Sarah Vaughan records at the age of 17 he began to change his musical style and direction. In 1998 he won the top spot in the Canadian National Exhibition Rising Star Competition, beating out 654 contestants. However, Dusk was on a path to take over the family business, and in 1998 went to Toronto's York University to study economics. After spending a year in the economics department, Dusk could not forget his passion for music and in 1999 changed programs to study for a BFA in music, where his emphasis was squarely on jazz and popular music. He studied jazz theory with John Gittins, jazz vocal with Bob Fenton, and attended a masterclass with Oscar Peterson. Dusk was also awarded the university’s Oscar Peterson Scholarship and in 2002 graduated with an honors degree in music.
Before Dusk had secured a major record deal, he recorded four independent CDs (The Way It Is being the only one re-released thusfar) and many of his songs became popular on MP3 websites. In March 2003 he signed a major record deal with Decca Records. In 2004 Dusk was invited to the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas to perform as in-house entertainer throughout the filming of the hit reality TV show on FOX, "The Casino".
His debut album "Two Shots" was released on June 5, 2004. The album produced the hit single, "Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad" which was written by Bono and The Edge from the Irish rock band U2. Dusk followed up his debut album with a holiday album entitled "Peace On Earth" which was released November 30, 2005.
In January 2006 Dusk travelled to Los Angeles to record his next album Back In Town at Capitol Records fabled Studio A. Here, Dusk recorded with a 58 piece orchestra. Back In Town features a mix of jazz standards and originals, and was released in June of 2006. As a promotion, Matt included personally signed liner notes with every pre-ordered copy of this album.
Back In Town
Matt Dusk Lyrics
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Yankee's hat upon my head and your voice in my ear
As I talked about the future and all the things we'd do
I never thought your lovin' words would frighten me from you
I remember when I sold my car to board that train
You said you were sure that I would not come back again
And now you see with your own eyes and start to realize
The way you think about your life
Is gonna change, change tonight
Don't even try out that frown
'cause your man is back in town
I'm sure you've been thinkin' 'bout just where the hell I've been'
Painted your own pictures of the trouble I got in
There were times I will admit my heart saw better days
But I'm the type that has to lose to find I had it made
No use talkin' too much about things we cannot change
I know you think it's crazy but I'm here to set things straight
I'm standing here to say that I'll give love a try
It's my complicated way to say I'll simplify
The way you think about your life
Is gonna change, change tonight
Don't even try out that frown
'cause you man is back in town
Baby, it's cool to take your time
I was a fool out of my mind
So let's jump off of this merry-go-round
'cause your man is back in town
I was drawn away, now I'm back to stay
I was wrong to think there was a better way
Now I see with my own eyes, 'bout time I realize
I hope in time you will forgive, I'll never leave your side
The way you think about your life
Is gonna change, change tonight
Don't even try out that frown
'cause you man is back in town
Baby, it's cool to take your time
I was a fool out of my mind
So let's jump off of this merry-go-round
'cause your man is back in town
So let's jump off of this merry-go-round
'cause your man is back in town
The lyrics of Matt Dusk's Back In Town suggest that the singer has returned to his hometown after a period of absence, during which his relationship with the woman he's singing to has become strained. He reminisces about their past and how he never thought her loving words would drive him away, but he's now back to try to make things right. He acknowledges that he's made mistakes and has had to lose to realize what he had with her. The song carries a sense of longing and regret, but also hope for a second chance.
The opening lines, "It seems just like yesterday when we were standing here, Yankee's hat upon my head and your voice in my ear" suggest a strong sense of nostalgia and bring the listener into a specific moment in time. The mention of the singer's hat is a nice detail that helps to paint a picture of the memory. The following lines, which reference conversations about the couple's future plans, create a sense of intimacy between the two. The next verse shows the consequences of the singer's decision to leave, with the woman believing he wouldn't return, and now struggling to trust him again.
The chorus reiterates that the singer has changed and is eager to make things right, while the bridge acknowledges the mistakes he's made and the need to leave behind past pain to move forward. The final verse offers a promise that the singer will never leave her side and a hope for forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems just like yesterday when we were standing here
I reminisce about the past and how quickly time has flown by, it feels like it was just yesterday when we last stood here together
Yankee's hat upon my head and your voice in my ear
I recall the specific details of the moment, a Yankees hat on my head and your voice whispering in my ear
As I talked about the future and all the things we'd do
During that conversation, we discussed our plans for the future and everything we had hoped to accomplish together
I never thought your lovin' words would frighten me from you
At that time, I didn't anticipate that your loving words would scare me away from being with you
I remember when I sold my car to board that train
I recall having to sell my car to afford a train ticket that would take me away from you
You said you were sure that I would not come back again
You expressed your doubts about me ever returning to our hometown
And now you see with your own eyes and start to realize
Now that I have returned, you can clearly see the reality of the situation
I'm not the man I thought I was so try to sympathize
I have come to realize that I am not the person I had thought I was, so I hope you can understand and empathize with me
The way you think about your life
I think you need to take a step back and reconsider your priorities
Is gonna change, change tonight
After tonight, your perspective on your life will be completely different
Don't even try out that frown
Don't be upset or angry with me
'cause your man is back in town
Because I have returned to be with you
I'm sure you've been thinkin' 'bout just where the hell I've been'
I know you have been wondering where I have been all this time
Painted your own pictures of the trouble I got in
You probably imagined the worst-case scenarios and created your own ideas of what may have happened to me
There were times I will admit my heart saw better days
I must confess that there were times when I was not at my best emotionally
But I'm the type that has to lose to find I had it made
I am someone who needs to experience loss in order to appreciate what I had before
No use talkin' too much about things we cannot change
We cannot change what has already happened, so it is not productive to dwell on it too much
I know you think it's crazy but I'm here to set things straight
I understand you might think I'm insane, but I am here to clarify things and tell you the truth
I'm standing here to say that I'll give love a try
I am making a commitment to you that I will try to make our relationship work
It's my complicated way to say I'll simplify
I am acknowledging that my way of expressing love can be convoluted and confusing, but I will try to make it simpler for you
Baby, it's cool to take your time
I want you to know that I am willing to be patient with you
I was a fool out of my mind
I regret my previous actions and choices
So let's jump off of this merry-go-round
Let's end our cycle of drama and difficulties
'cause your man is back in town
Now that I am here, we can move forward together
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MATTHEW MARSTON, MATT DUSK, ENRICO GIARETTA, OLEN CESARI, TERRY SAWCHUK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind