In 2003, Morris recorded and released an independent album titled, UnSpoken.
He performed at 2008's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and, on September 23, 2008, released a five song EP entitled "Backstage at Bonnaroo and Other Acoustic Performances".
In fall 2008 he toured extensively with Joan Osborne.
Morris is currently signed as a recording artist to Tennman Records. His debut album on Tennman, When Everything Breaks Open, was released on January 12th, 2010
What is it that separates Matt Morris from so many other recording artists? When you peel back all the layers – the diverse moods, styles and topics he sings about – there is one common denominator: They reflect Matt’s dedication to living and writing about a meaningful life.
In an increasingly rushed and rude world, in which politicians and talk radio hosts hurl epithets and insults, where honest disagreements are shouted down by dishonest rhetoric, Matt Morris gives voice to our best instincts. “We’re looking for a way to make it better/Looking for a way to change the weather,” he sings in “Live Forever” from his new album When Everything Breaks Open on Tennman Records. On the album, Matt embraces the personal and political, the romantic and the spiritual, in a way that recalls Stevie Wonder’s 1970s streak of masterworks.
He can build epic emotional epiphanies such as “Forgiveness” and “Eternity,” and switch gears with the rhythmic “Money.” He is bold and fearless with sarcasm on “The Un-American,” where Morris holds up a mirror to the demagogues of divisiveness and asks: “What if you’re the un-American?” The dynamic singer is also at home with the ambitious “Don’t You Dare”, on memorable love songs like “Just Before the Morning,” and shows his compassion with his message in “In This House.”
When Everything Breaks Open was produced in Austin, Texas, and in Los Angeles by Charlie Sexton and Tennman label founder Justin Timberlake – two names you wouldn’t intuitively expect to team up in the studio. “Charlie and Justin can be seen as representative of different sides of my music,” Morris says. “There is an earthy, rooted, sometimes melancholy side to some of my writing that is in line with Charlie’s personality and approach. There is a playful, high-energy, soulful side that speaks to who Justin is, as a person and producer. The two people are very different from one another, but they both have impeccable instincts.”
Morris has known Timberlake since the early 1990s, when the two were child co-stars of that era’s edition of “The All New Mickey Mouse Club.” Morris was on the show for four seasons, from 1991-1995. Even before what was popularly known as MMC, Morris was a stage savvy performer. His father is country artist Gary Morris, former Broadway actor and once one of country’s biggest stars. His parents divorced when he was young; he lived with his mother in Denver, but on summer vacations, he would often join his father not just on the road, but on stage.
In addition to Timberlake, Morris’ friends and contemporaries from the show included luminaries such as Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Keri Russell, Ryan Gosling, and JC Chasez. While many of his cohorts leveraged their Disney Channel exposure to successful pop and acting careers, Morris craved teenage normality, and the family headed back to Denver. “At 15, all I really wanted to do was hang out, get my learner’s permit, and not work” Morris says. “I didn’t want to be a celebrity; I wanted to be a kid."
During the summer between his Junior and Senior years in high school, Matt worked as a volunteer health activist for the non-profit organization, Amigos de las Americas. He worked in a remote village in Paraguay, South America, teaching hygiene to locals and assisting with sanitation. Matt’s experience with Amigos was a precursor to the work he would do as a partner artist with the Flobot’s non-profit, FightWithTools.org, an organization committed to providing support on many levels to communities in need.
Morris reunited as a collaborator for some of his fellow Mouseketeers as they pursued their music careers. Morris and Aguilera co-wrote five songs on her Stripped album, including the hit “Can’t Hold Us Down”; they also wrote Kelly Clarkson’s hit, “Miss Independent.” Morris teamed up with Timberlake to craft “The Only Promise That Remains” – a duet performed by Timberlake and Reba McEntire for the Reba Duets album. The pair also wrote “All Over Again (Another Song)” produced by mega-producer Rick Rubin, for Justin’s 2008 FutureSex/LoveSounds.
“To write for another person is to channel that person’s artistic vision,” Morris says. “I work to become aligned with their intentions, and allow my words to speak as close to their perspectives as possible. I think that’s why it is so easy for me to write with Justin, and why my time with Christina yielded so many songs. I know them; we have a shared context.”
Morris’ own music occupies a time and space entirely different from the songs he has collaborated on. In 2003, Matt released the DIY album, UnSpoken, and over the last couple of years has toured with Grammy award winners The Indigo Girls and Joan Osborne. In 2008, he performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, which spawned a five song EP – Backstage at Bonnaroo and other Acoustic Performances.
All these years of work paved the way for When Everything Breaks Open, which was conceived in a Middle Eastern restaurant in New York City. “Justin had just performed on “Saturday Night Live” for the first time, and I was there to support him and watch the show. At dinner after the show, he told me he was going to start a label of his own, and that he wanted to sign me as his artist. He said he was going to help me share my music with the world, and I believed him.”
On When Everything Breaks Open, Matt Morris has grown from an award-winning songwriter to a multi-talented recording artist with the first ambitious release of 2010.
Bloodline
Matt Morris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Praying for electricity to keep her warm for a little while
Nobody made her wise to the things a girl might find
In a belly of a hungry man who don't care nothing about his bloodline
She got lost in his bloodline
Heavy cost of a bloodline
She goes on she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
So much riding on a bloodline
It ain't right she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
She heard heaven is invite only preserved for Christian soldiers
Not on wet girls living in the city asking for change from strangers
But father said Jesus loves her even though she never married
God loves her more than the Christians did she's part of his holy bloodline
She got saved in her bloodline
The price he paid for the bloodline
Chased alive she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
She believes in his bloodline
Lives and breathes by the bloodline
With all her might she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
Ohhhhhhhhhh oooooooooooo
I know I should have never left her a shoulder of a burnt eye
She probably won't forgive me god might not even
I made a cross and laid it on her back
But I never broke her spirit and she owes that to her bloodline
She stood strong for the bloodline I did wrong by the bloodline
But she went on she cried at night and kept alive her bloodline
Sacrifice for the bloodline paid the price for the bloodline
For all her life she cried at night and kept alive her bloodline
Ohhhhhhhhhh she cried at night and kept alive her bloodline ooooooooooooo
The song "Bloodline" by Matt Morris tells the story of a girl who lives in the city and cleans up the old religion while she prays for electricity to keep her warm, even for a little while. The lyrics indicate that she is lost in the man's bloodline, which comes at a heavy cost. The man she's with doesn't care about his bloodline, but the girl keeps his bloodline alive by crying at night, which is indicative of her struggling to maintain a relationship with a man who doesn't have her best interests at heart. By maintaining his bloodline, she is continuing to contribute to his legacy and future generations.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of the bloodline, which is the genetic heritage that is passed down from generation to generation. The girl believes in his bloodline and lives and breathes by the bloodline. She is emotionally invested in the man, and even though he doesn't treat her well, she is still committed to maintaining his legacy. The lyrics demonstrate her struggle to reconcile her love for the man with her belief in his bloodline.
Overall, "Bloodline" is a poignant song that explores the themes of love, sacrifice, and legacy. The girl's dedication to the man's bloodline shows her deep commitment to him, despite his shortcomings. The lyrics suggest that love can be a powerful motivator that leads people to make sacrifices and continue legacies.
Line by Line Meaning
She was a girl living in the city cleaning the old religion
A young woman living in the urban area, performing traditional religious rituals.
Praying for electricity to keep her warm for a little while
Asking God for basic needs such as electricity to provide temporary warmth.
Nobody made her wise to the things a girl might find In a belly of a hungry man who don't care nothing about his bloodline
No one warned her about the dangers of being involved with a man who does not care about his own family lineage.
She got lost in his bloodline
She got trapped in his family background and lineage.
Heavy cost of a bloodline
The high price one pays for the actions and consequences of their family lineage.
She goes on she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
She continues to suffer and maintain the legacy of the man's family despite the hardship.
So much riding on a bloodline
The great importance and impact of one's family lineage.
Why is he hiding from the bloodline?
Why is he avoiding his own family lineage and responsibility?
It ain't right she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
It is not fair that she bears the burden and continues the legacy of his family.
She heard heaven is invite only preserved for Christian soldiers
She learned that according to some beliefs, heaven is only open to those who have lived a certain way.
Not on wet girls living in the city asking for change from strangers
But this belief does not apply to downtrodden women struggling to survive in the city asking strangers for help.
But father said Jesus loves her even though she never married
Her father told her that she is loved by God regardless of her marital status.
God loves her more than the Christians did she's part of his holy bloodline
She is affirmed that God loves her more than some Christians and she is part of God's holy family lineage.
She got saved in her bloodline
She found salvation and hope in her own family lineage.
The price he paid for the bloodline
The cost of the man's familial legacy that she must bear.
Chased alive she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
She struggles to protect and maintain his family's legacy even if it hurts her.
She believes in his bloodline
She has faith in the importance and durability of his family lineage.
Lives and breathes by the bloodline
Her existence is defined and consumed by his family lineage.
With all her might she cries at night and keeps alive his bloodline
She endures the difficulty and pain of continuing his family's legacy with all of her strength.
I know I should have never left her a shoulder of a burnt eye
He regrets abandoning her with a burden that he caused.
She probably won't forgive me god might not even
She may have a hard time forgiving him for what he did, and even God may not forgive him either.
I made a cross and laid it on her back
He burdened her with the guilt and suffering of his actions.
But I never broke her spirit and she owes that to her bloodline
Despite the difficulties, he did not destroy her willpower, which is thanks to her family lineage.
She stood strong for the bloodline I did wrong by the bloodline
She remained unbroken for the sake of his family lineage, whereas he made damaging choices that affected his family legacy.
Sacrifice for the bloodline paid the price for the bloodline
The sacrifices and costly consequences of bearing and perpetuating his family's legacy.
For all her life she cried at night and kept alive her bloodline
All throughout her life, she suffered and preserved the lineage of her family.
She cried at night and kept alive her bloodline
She endured and continued her family's legacy even in her darkest moments.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MATT MORRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kidd-e
good, very good voice! what a pity this guy disappeared from the music scene.
give us new recordings, Matt! we're still waiting, still hoping for your artistic resurrection...
Lexi Lewton
My mother knows him in real life, it was incredible to listen to sing this live and in person.
Rachel Maiga
Such an Angelic voice. I loved you since High School. You are amazing.
Chimeras Keep
Absolutely beautiful. Thanks <3
Erica T
Sometimes I just need to listen to this to refuel my soul.
W2ATL
Epic.