The Faster Songfacts says that his seventh studio album, Modern Love debuted on #17 on the Billboard 200 for the week of July 9, 2011, making it Nathanson's most successful album to date.
The members of his band have changed over the past years. Among others, he has been accompanied by Aben Eubanks on guitar, keys and vocals, but later replaced by Aaron Tap. John Thomasson has been his bassist since 2004. Jason McKenzie was on drums until Fall 2006; Nick Amoroso on two tours from Fall 2007 through Winter 2008. His current drummer is Konrad Meissner. Before 2005, Nathanson was often accompanied by cellist Matt Fish.
Clean
Matt Nathanson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a little makeup I can look brand new, but can I be pretty
Enough for you?
Fill me with secrets and I'll never tell
Fatten me up, and I'll feed you well
You can polish me perfectly and I'll shine pristine
But not even a cherub is this clean
Am I all that you d hoped that I would be, hanging on
To the words that I'm finding so hard to believe?
Am I all that you d hoped that I would be?
Why don't you just stop me if I'm sounding ungrateful
Why don't you stop me if I'm coming on a bit too strong.
The song "Clean" by Matt Nathanson is about the pressures women face to conform to society's beauty standards. The opening lines, "Am I pretty enough for you now that my ribs show through?" directly address the issue of body image and the unrealistic expectations placed on women. The verses continue with other themes related to the pressure to conform, such as fitting a certain mold, keeping secrets, and being obedient. The chorus, "Am I all that you'd hoped that I would be?" conveys the sense of seeking validation and approval from others.
Throughout the song, Nathanson uses vivid imagery, comparing the woman's body to something that can be polished and shined, and revealing the dark side of this process - the impossibility of ever being truly "clean." The line "You can polish me perfectly and I'll shine pristine, but not even a cherub is this clean" speaks to the idea that no one can live up to these unattainable expectations.
The bridge provides a moment of self-awareness, as the singer questions his own behavior and asks to be stopped if he is being too demanding. This moment of introspection underscores the larger message of the song, that everyone - men and women alike - must work to dismantle harmful cultural norms and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Am I pretty enough for you now that my ribs show through?
Do you find me beautiful only because I am skinny to the point where my ribs are visible?
With a little makeup I can look brand new, but can I be pretty
Enough for you?
I can change my appearance superficially with makeup, but can I still meet your definition of beauty?
Fill me with secrets and I'll never tell
Fatten me up, and I'll feed you well
I can keep your secrets if you confide in me, and I am willing to do what it takes to make you happy, even if it means gaining weight for your pleasure.
You can polish me perfectly and I'll shine pristine
But not even a cherub is this clean
You can clean me up and make me look perfect, but even a supposed angelic creature is not as pure as you may think.
Am I all that you d hoped that I would be, hanging on
Obediently
To the words that I'm finding so hard to believe?
Have I met your expectations by blindly following your words, even if they are difficult to believe?
Why don't you just stop me if I'm sounding ungrateful
Why don't you stop me if I'm coming on a bit too strong.
If I am coming across as ungrateful or too intense, why don't you kindly let me know instead of allowing me to continue?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Believe Guitar
wonderful! great Matt!
Maggie Gram
Love everything Matt Nathanson :) he's my favourite but I actually wanted to comment on the font, that's a gorgeous font! What is it?