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.
Precious Years
Matt Dusk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The tallest tree
Is there to climb
Is evergreen
In summer fields we dream our dreams
When love is young
When love is young
Forbidden fruit is all we eat
An august moon is your conceit
When love is young
These are precious years
Such intoxicating years
When our innocence slowly comes undone
Hearts are split on purest silk
When love is young
These are precious years
Such intoxicating years
When our innocence slowly comes undone
Hearts are split on purest silk
When love is young
When love is young
The glass is full
No empty chairs, no silent walls
Like warriors, we conquer all
When love is young
These are precious years
Such intoxicating years
When our innocence slowly comes undone
Hearts are split on purest silk
These precious years
These precious years
Never will grow old
They are forever gold
The opening lines of the song Precious Years by Matt Dusk capture the essence of a young, innocent love that is pure and evergreen. The imagery of the tallest tree being there to climb signifies the thirst for adventure and a sense of invincibility that is often associated with young love. The reference to an evergreen is a symbol of the enduring nature of love that is in its nascent stages.
The next verse describes the sweetness of love, at a time when everything seems possible and no dream is too big. The allusion to forbidden fruit is an interesting play on words and suggests that love at a young age is often fraught with danger and risk-taking behavior. The mention of an August moon being the lover’s conceit alludes to the passion and intensity that governs youthful love.
The chorus of the song points to the beauty and fragility of young love. These precious years of intoxicating passion and innocence are fleeting and come undone over time. The hearts that beat on purest silk are bound to be split open as people grow older and more experienced.
Line by Line Meaning
When love is young
At the beginning of a relationship, when love is new and fresh
The tallest tree
Everything seems possible and achievable when love is young
Is there to climb
Opportunities related to love are endless and give a sense of freedom
Is evergreen
The love we experience at a young age is ever-lasting
In summer fields we dream our dreams
With love being fresh and new, dreams about the future seem promising
The air is sweet
The feeling of love is delightful
Forbidden fruit is all we eat
The relationship seems forbidden, and it gives a sense of thrill and excitement
An august moon is your conceit
With a new love, everything revolves around the person you're with, and they become the focus of your world
These are precious years
The early stages of a relationship are special and important
Such intoxicating years
The feeling of love is all-consuming and can be overwhelming
When our innocence slowly comes undone
As a relationship progresses, the innocence of the love fades away
Hearts are split on purest silk
Even when things get tough, the love we had in the beginning of our relationship is still there
The glass is full
With a new relationship, everything seems to be perfect
No empty chairs, no silent walls
Your partner is always with you, and you're not lonely anymore
Like warriors, we conquer all
The feeling of a new love is powerful and invincible
These precious years
The early stages of the relationship need to be cherished and appreciated
Never will grow old
Even though the early stages of a relationship may fade away, the memories and feelings will stay with us forever
They are forever gold
The special moments and feelings experienced during the early stages of a relationship are valuable and precious
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK ADRIAN NIEDZWIEDZ, ROBYN SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind