Matt Pond PA has performed with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Nickel Creek, Youth Group, Mae, Keane, Guster, Dios Malos, Neko Case, Straylight Run, and Liz Phair.
The band's music has been included in the soundtrack for the FOX television program The O.C., specifically cover versions of Oasis' "Champagne Supernova" and Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea."
As of late 2007, the lineup consists of Matt Pond on vocals and guitar, Dan Crowell on drums, Steve Jewett on guitar, Matthew Daniel Siskin on bass, and Chris Hansen on keyboards, guitar, and vocals.
Albums
* Deer Apartments (1998)
* Measure (2000)
* The Green Fury (2002)
* The Nature of Maps (2002)
* Emblems (2004)
* Several Arrows Later (2005)
* Last Light (2007)
* The Dark Leaves (2010)
EPs & Singles
* I Thought You Were Sleeping EP (2001)
* This Is Not the Green Fury (2001)
* Four Songs EP (2004)
* Lily Two (Single) (2004)
* Winter Songs EP (2005)
* Snow Day (Single) (2005)
* Halloween (Single) (2006)
* Champagne Supernova EP (2006)
* Several Arrows Later (Single) (2006)
* If You Want Blood (2007)
* People Have A Way (Single) (2007)
* Sunlight (Single) (2007)
* The Freeep (2008)
* The Threeep - Part I - Starting (2009)
First Song
Matt Pond PA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Filthy and humble hands strike the spark
From cardboard cones through screen door squares
My pockets of smoke, roll down the stairs
Long braids of leaves printed on knees
We fought through sleep, those wars were sweet
Our shadows running, filled up with thirst
I found a way, the curtains part
Failed songs sung loudly through holes in hearts
I can't tell why I'm sure
I am poisoned and I'm pure
These secrets we all share
Keep our breath inside the air
The flint might slip, the stream could stall
A twisted compass and still it finds the dawn
I found a way beyond the dark
Failed songs sung loudly through holes in hearts
The song "First Song" by Matt Pond PA appears to be a contemplative and introspective piece, focusing on the themes of uncertainty, directionlessness, and the search for meaning within difficult circumstances. The opening lines, "I've found a way beyond the dark / Filthy and humble hands strike the spark" present the singer as someone who has overcome something challenging, possibly emotional or psychological in nature. The following lines, "From cardboard cones through screen door squares / My pockets of smoke, roll down the stairs" suggest a sense of transience and impermanence, as though the singer has only just arrived in their current circumstance and may be ready to move on again soon.
The second verse brings in elements of memory and nostalgia, as the singer reflects on past experiences with someone else: "Long braids of leaves printed on knees / We fought through sleep, those wars were sweet." These lines portray a kind of bittersweet nostalgia, suggesting that the singer is remembering a time in their life when they were happy, but also acknowledging that those times have passed and may never come again. The lines "I've fed my lines, blank gutted words / Our shadows running, filled up with thirst" convey a sense of spiritual emptiness or desolation, with the "blank gutted words" representing a lack of meaning or insight.
Throughout the song, the singer seems to be grappling with a sense of uncertainty and lack of direction, expressed in lines like "I can't tell why I'm sure / I am poisoned and I'm pure." The final lines of the song -- "The flint might slip, the stream could stall / A twisted compass and still it finds the dawn / I found a way beyond the dark / Failed songs sung loudly through holes in hearts" -- seem to suggest that even in the midst of uncertainty and difficulty, there is a way forward, and that it may require accepting failure and imperfection.
Line by Line Meaning
I've found a way beyond the dark
I've overcome my deepest struggles and troubles
Filthy and humble hands strike the spark
Inspiration can come from unexpected places and people
From cardboard cones through screen door squares
Smoking cheap cigarettes on the porch becomes a symbol of release
My pockets of smoke, roll down the stairs
The smoke from the cigarettes fills the air, creating a metaphor for release and escape
Long braids of leaves printed on knees
Memories of being young, free and careless
We fought through sleep, those wars were sweet
The struggle and effort was cherished because it brought satisfaction
I've fed my lines, blank gutted words
Trying to create art with no inspiration is like trying to extract water from a stone
Our shadows running, filled up with thirst
The desire to achieve a better life and pursue promising opportunities
I found a way, the curtains part
A chance to see behind the curtains and experience new things
Failed songs sung loudly through holes in hearts
Using art to express inner pain and turmoil
I can't tell why I'm sure
A feeling of certainty even in the face of uncertainty
I am poisoned and I'm pure
Both good and bad experiences in life shape a person
These secrets we all share
The common experiences we all have as human beings
Keep our breath inside the air
We all have an impact on the world around us
The flint might slip, the stream could stall
Things can go wrong in life, but persistence pays off
A twisted compass and still it finds the dawn
Even in tough times, hope and optimism can guide us to better times
Failed songs sung loudly through holes in hearts
Using art to express inner pain and turmoil
Contributed by Aria M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.