Matthew Carl Ferguson was born in Conyers, Georgia.[2] He was adopted at birth by two parents, who had previously lost three of their four biological children to a house fire. Kennon's birth mother, who already had another son, made a decision to have an abortion, but she arrived at her doctor's office two weeks too late and was told she had to carry the child to full term.[3]
He began playing the drums at age seven, and went on to play drums in high school jazz bands.[4] Later on, he began performing at clubs in the Atlanta, Georgia area, playing cover versions of country and southern rock songs.[4]
In the late 2000s, Kennon self-released an album of his music, which he began selling at his concerts. He then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he met Travis Tritt's former manager Gary Falcon, who recommended him to Kyle Lehning, a record producer known for his work with Randy Travis.[4] After Travis recorded Kennon's "Turn It Around" and released it as a single,[5] Kennon was signed to a publishing contract. He also began working with another producer, James Stroud.[2]
Later in 2009, Kennon signed to BamaJam Records in association with Stroudavarious Records (which Stroud owns) and released his debut single "The Call,"[6] which he wrote with Jeremy Campbell and Noah Gordon. The song debuted at number 55 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for the week of October 17, 2009.[7] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the song a mostly-favorable review, saying that he did not enjoy the song upon first listen because of Kennon's voice, but said that the lyrics are "where it shines."[8]
Kennon's self-titled debut album was released on May 11, 2010. In advance of the album's release, he released a three-song extended play featuring "The Call" and two other songs from the album.[9]
In April 2011, Kennon self-released a second album titled 77.[10]
In October 2012, Kennon self-released a third album titled Makin Music That Matters.
In August 2013, Kennon also released an extended play titled Four on the Floor, which included four new songs and a previously recorded track.
Whatever
Matt Kennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know it's been a couple of years
but more and more you've been on my mind
I know it hurt when I took off
and I don't know which way your life has gone
but if you're free it's a beautiful day to ride
My bike's got a full tank of gas
We don't even have to talk about us
I just wanna listen to the sound of
the wind rushing and the engine humming
a song that will set us free
We don't have to think about forever
just spend a little time together
all I'm asking you to do is ride with me
ride with me
We'll find us a little town
where the speed of life slows down
grab a couple of beers and roll back the clock
God, I sure miss that smile
enough to drive five hundred miles and back
what a little vacation time I've got
So come on, baby, let's hit the road
it's up to you how far we go
We don't even have to talk about us
I just wanna listen to the sound of
the wind rushing and the engine humming
a song that will set us free
We don't have to think about forever
just spend a little time together
all I'm asking you to do is ride with me
We'll take the twist and turns
where the black top river bends
sail right through the curves
to whatever's at the end
We don't even have to talk about us
I just wanna listen to the sound of
the wind rushing and the engine humming
a song that will set us free
We don't have to think about forever
just spend a little time together
all I'm asking you to do is ride with me
ride with me
Yeah ride with me
ride with me
The lyrics of "Whatever" by Matt Kennon tell the story of someone who left their partner and wants to reconnect after a couple of years. The persona admits that leaving hurt the other person, but they miss them now and want to ride on their motorcycle with them to catch up. They do not want to talk about the past but instead want to enjoy the present and listen to the sound of the wind and the engine humming. They want to take a break from the speed of life and let time slip away. They have no expectations, and all they want is to spend a little time together.
The lyrics describe the desire for a slightly nostalgic adventure and acceptance of the present moment without dwelling on past mistakes. The main message of the song is the importance of living in the moment and enjoying simple pleasures, and not worrying about the future. The persona is not seeking a commitment but a chance to enter into a carefree space with someone they still hold dear.
Line by Line Meaning
Surprise, baby, look who's here
I'm here, unexpectedly, and want to see you after years of not connecting.
I know it's been a couple of years
It's been a long time since we've seen each other.
but more and more you've been on my mind
You've been on my mind a lot lately.
I know it hurt when I took off
I'm aware that leaving may have hurt you.
and I don't know which way your life has gone
I'm not sure how your life has turned out since we last saw each other.
but if you're free it's a beautiful day to ride
If you're available, it's a great day to go for a ride together.
My bike's got a full tank of gas
My motorcycle is ready to go with a full tank of gas.
and room for you on the back
There's space for you to ride behind me.
We don't even have to talk about us
We can just enjoy each other's company without discussing our relationship or past.
I just wanna listen to the sound of
I only want to hear the sounds of
the wind rushing and the engine humming
the wind and my motorcycle's engine.
a song that will set us free
The experience of riding together will bring us a sense of freedom.
We don't have to think about forever
We don't have to worry about what the future may hold.
just spend a little time together
We can just enjoy each other's company for a short while.
all I'm asking you to do is ride with me
I'm simply asking you to come ride with me.
We'll find us a little town
We'll discover a small and charming town to explore.
where the speed of life slows down
We'll find a place where the pace of life is much slower.
grab a couple of beers and roll back the clock
We'll have a few drinks and reminisce about the past.
God, I sure miss that smile
I can't stop thinking about how much I miss your smile.
enough to drive five hundred miles and back
I'm willing to travel a long distance just to see that smile again.
what a little vacation time I've got
I have some free time, and I want to spend it with you.
So come on, baby, let's hit the road
Let's leave and start our adventure together.
it's up to you how far we go
You can decide how long you'd like to ride with me.
We'll take the twist and turns
We'll experience the excitement of riding through curves and turns.
where the black top river bends
We'll ride on the winding road alongside a river.
sail right through the curves
We'll ride through the curves with ease and grace.
to whatever's at the end
We don't know what will come at the end of our ride, but we'll embrace it together.
Yeah ride with me
Come ride with me and let's make some new memories.
ride with me
Join me on this adventure and enjoy the freedom of the open road.
Writer(s): David R. Frasier, Matt Kennon, Aaron Scherz
Contributed by Isaac S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.