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.
Go Away
Matt Morris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In these lyrics, the singer is caught in a complex and emotionally conflicting situation with someone they love. The first line, "Who am I to tell you that I love you?" suggests that the singer is questioning their own worthiness of expressing their love. This could indicate feelings of insecurity or self-doubt, perhaps stemming from past experiences or a fear of rejection. On the other hand, the second line, "And who are you to tell me that I don't?" implies that the person they love may be questioning the validity of the singer's feelings towards them. This could signify a lack of trust or communication in their relationship.
The next line, "If leaving would be easy," suggests that separation or ending the relationship might seem like a viable option. It implies that there may be tensions or difficulties within the relationship that have made one or both parties contemplate ending it. The subsequent chorus, "Then go away, go away, I won't try and make you stay," reflects the singer's acceptance of the potential ending and their willingness to let the other person go if that is what they truly want. It indicates a sense of resignation and a desire to avoid any further pain or struggle in trying to keep the relationship together.
The line, "It's enough I let you hurt me," reveals that the singer has already endured some form of emotional pain or hurt caused by the person they love. This could indicate a pattern of mistreatment or a history of emotional struggles within the relationship. The following statement, "It's too much for me to bear the blame," suggests that the singer no longer wants to shoulder the responsibility for the negative aspects of the relationship. They might feel overwhelmed by the burden of blame and desire a resolution that does not involve them taking full accountability.
The repeated plea, "Please make this easy," further emphasizes the singer's longing for a resolution that does not involve a prolonged or painful process. It suggests that they want the other person to take responsibility for their own choices and actions in the relationship, rather than allowing the burden to solely fall on the singer. This plea serves as a desperate request for a clean and amicable exit from the relationship, devoid of any additional emotional turmoil or blame. It showcases the singer's vulnerability and their need for closure and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
WHO AM I TO TELL YOU THAT I LOVE YOU?
Who am I to assert that I have feelings of love towards you?
AND WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME THAT I DON'T?
And who are you to declare that I don't have love for you?
IF LEAVING WOULD BE EASY
If departing from this relationship were a simple task
CHORUS: THEN GO AWAY GO AWAY I WON'T TRY AND MAKE YOU STAY
Chorus: If it would be effortless for you to leave, then go away, I won't make an effort to keep you by my side
IT'S ENOUGH I LET YOU HURT ME.
It is sufficient that I allowed myself to be harmed by you
IT'S TOO MUCH FOR ME TO BEAR THE BLAME
It is overwhelming for me to carry the burden of blame
PLEASE MAKE THIS EASY. . .
I beseech you, please make this process simple
CHORUS
Chorus
PLEASE MAKE THIS EASY. . .
I implore you, please make this process effortless
CHORUS
Chorus
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ambebambi
On Matt Morris CD "Unspoken", ive had it forever and all the songs are amazing.... Oh and the verse is also "but its too much for me to bear the blame."
Damilove 4
Justin Timberlake is on background vocals but it's not his song. I love this entire album.
Malena Aimé Espinosa
Awwww i love this song... It's beautiful... ♥️
Teskue
Awesome song, they sound really good together.
ROBIN SALARIO
Beautifull song! But this is what i heard in the lyrics:
Please me , this easy, then go away. I won`t try and make you stay.
jf2290
please make this easy and go away 😊
Hamza Benarafa
Justin... The Best
dvgoody
does anyone know what cd this is on.
ShaunStrange
Also, he says "Please, make this easy", not "Please me, this is easy.
MTB BLN
no, he says: please me, this is easy..