On September 19, 2006, Matt released his third studio album, Everything In Between.
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An excerpt from the Matt Wertz facebook fan page (as of 12/17/09)
Hi. My name is Matt Wertz, and this is my bio. Usually these aren’t written by the artist, at least at this level- but as I was trying to decide who could tell my story the best, I felt like that person was me. So, I’d like to be the one to tell you where I come from, why I write music, what I’ve seen happen along the way, and where I see things going according to my finite vision.
I’m from Liberty, Missouri, but have called Nashville, Tennessee, home for the last seven years. It seems fitting that I would be writing my own biography on the cusp of my first major label release, just as I did eight years ago before releasing my first independent album. This time, though, I’m not trying to play it off like I didn’t write it.
I grew up in a home where I was encouraged to explore and dive into whatever grabbed my attention. Sports? Sure. Art? You bet. Girls? Yep. Music? Obviously. There was no expectation other than to do my best “and let God do the rest,” as my Mom always says. With that kind of freedom end encouragement, I did just that—I played sports for the fun of them, made art because I loved to create, and eventually, I wrote and performed music… because I had to.
My love for visual art led me eight hours from home to the University of Illinois, where I studied Industrial Design. As a result of that experience, music became my respite—my escape from the responsibility of class work. Dorm life served to provide a small, built–in audience who graciously embraced my first attempts at songwriting. Before I knew it, I was recording versions of those songs on my roommate’s computer and burning copies for my new cohabiting fans. Eventually I started playing concerts outside the walls of Scott Hall and made the leap to register my name as a dot-com. That may not seem like a big deal today, but at the time, those were the early, shaky steps I took toward a full-fledged career in the music industry.
Early on, I was shown many graces—like a loan from my parents to pay for the first 1,000 copies of my debut record, Somedays (2001). To assuage their fear that I was throwing my life away, I democratically assured them that I’d get a job after the summer was over. Needless to say, that never happened.
What did happen was that my summer burst at the seams with bookings at camps for high schoolers… which spilled over into a fall schedule of touring their hometowns… which set up a spring full of shows at colleges… followed by more summer camps. Rinse, wash, repeat—and you have the first few years of my career.
The days between then and now have been a series of “baby steps” that have somehow afforded me success as an independent artist. All these things really kicked into gear after the release of Twenty Three Places (2003), the first record I recorded with producer and friend, Ed Cash. The album featured some of the songs that set the tone for the rest of my career—“Everything’s Right,” “Marianne,” “Red Meets Blue,” and “Counting to 100”— songs that are still staples in my set today.
On the heels of the Twenty Three Places release, people started taking notice. Creative Artists Agency got involved booking my shows. Nettwerk took over my management. And a bunch of record labels started knocking down my door. But none of them felt like a good fit. So what did I do? I did what I’d always done: I recorded another record on my own and kept touring.
Ed and I began working on Everything in Between in February 2005, hitting the studio sporadically whenever I had breaks from the road. “The Way I Feel” was the first song we approached and it provided the compass for the record, ushering in an energy and musical depth that redirected my career to a new level. The tone of the record was my musical response to what I learned playing hundreds of clubs a year—I realized the need for up-tempo, lively songs to get the room going. The album also meant a lot to me personally—it was written and recorded during my first dating relationship since college, and much of the album followed the progress of the relationship. “5:19” was written on July 7, 2005, at 5:19 p.m., while I waited for the phone call that would inevitably be the end of that relationship.
Everything in Between was the first record I released with any kind of organized push behind it. We came out of the gates strong, charting high on the iTunes pop charts and filming a video for the song “Carolina.” Some of the songs landed in unexpected places—on TV’s “Brothers and Sisters” and in theaters via movies like My Super Ex-Girlfriend.
Since the start of my career, I’ve sold around 75,000 albums, played shows with Ben Folds, Jamie Cullum, and One Republic, as well as headlined sold-out clubs around the country. This was all done, mind you, as an independent artist. Over time, momentum built and more labels took notice, including Universal Republic. Finally I encountered a label that felt right, a label that could pull the trigger, a label that understood where I was coming from. And so, I signed.
The record that will be released on Universal Republic is called Under Summer Sun and it is a combination of my favorite songs from my first few independent releases, like “5:19” and “Everything’s Right,” as well as four new songs. Among the new tracks are “Waiting,” an introspective bedroom song that deals with the fear that I’m “growing old but not quite growing up,” and “Summer Sun,” my best effort at a nostalgic summer love song in the vein of Stevie Wonder musically and Don Henley emotionally. And the rest of the songs will strike a chord with anyone who enjoys soulful, carefree, singer-songwriter pop music.
How do I know? Because these songs emanate from the pages of my life, and I’ve seen first-hand the way that people have connected with them from their own experiences. In eight years of touring through hundreds of venues, playing three albums’ worth of songs for thousands of listeners, that connection is what fuels my passion. Ultimately, the thing that you and I have here—between the words and the chords and the lights and the beats—that is the thing that encourages me to keep singing.
Feels so Right
Matt Wertz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got this feeling and it won't go away
I don't know how to hide it
So it's time that I finally say
Ooh... It feels so right
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Ooh... It feels so right
I can't wait any longer
I don't know if you can receive
My love keeps growing stronger
If you say yes, I'll give you everything
Ooh... It feels so right
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Ooh... It feels so right
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Ooh... Feels so right
Ooh... Feels so right
Ooh... It feels so right
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Ooh... It feels so right
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
In this song, Matt Wertz is confessing his love to someone he cares about deeply. The opening verse indicates that Matt has been harboring this feeling for some time, but he can no longer keep it a secret. The lyrics "Got this feeling and it won't go away/I don't know how to hide it/So it's time that I finally say" suggests that he might have been afraid of revealing his emotions up until this point, but he has now found the courage to speak his true feelings.
The chorus is a declaration of his love, and Matt emphasizes just how strongly he feels, as he sings "Ooh... It feels so right/Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life." He is certain that he has found someone special who he wants to spend the rest of his days with. The use of repetition in the chorus, especially the phrase "knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life", emphasizes just how much Matt's love is consuming him, and how sincere he is about his feelings.
The second verse is a continuation of the first one, as Matt expresses his impatience in waiting for his potential love interest to reciprocate his feelings. Despite this, he assures the person that if they give him a chance, he will show them unconditional love. By the end of the song, Matt's love unrequited love has become a certainty. The repetition of the chorus at the end of the song drives this point home, showing Matt's confidence in his feelings and his future with this person.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you ready to hear it
Do you have the willingness to listen to what I am about to say?
Got this feeling and it won't go away
I have a strong emotion that persists and I cannot shake it off.
I don't know how to hide it
I am unable to conceal this feeling.
So it's time that I finally say
Therefore, I feel like it's appropriate for me to disclose it now.
Ooh... It feels so right
Expressing these emotions feels correct and appropriate.
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Believing that I could have a lifelong affection for you.
I can't wait any longer
I can no longer delay expressing these feelings.
I don't know if you can receive
I am uncertain if you feel the same or if you can accept my emotions.
My love keeps growing stronger
My affection for you keeps increasing in intensity.
If you say yes, I'll give you everything
If you reciprocate my feelings, I am willing to do anything for you.
Ooh... Feels so right
Again, expressing my emotions feels correct and appropriate.
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
A recurring thought of believing that I could have a lifelong affection for you.
Ooh... It feels so right
Still feeling that expressing these emotions is the right thing to do.
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
Once more, believing that I could have a lifelong affection for you.
Knowin' I could love you for the rest of my life
This thought continues to linger and I believe it to be true.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
R.J. Carlos
This song came on randomly on Spotify after I listened to Matt Nathanson. I'm glad it did! Pure pop, rock, country, etc. Goodness! I'm a fan.
deliah oberreich
Love this song! makes me happy whenever i'm down
Robin Sena
I love your voice, music and lyrics. They make me calm and happy. Thank you, Matt!
willcans
first time i heard his voice i smiled with joy :)
Dermin Vicente
Feel good music..i finally found this in Spotify.
Lise Lotte
Omg! this song is more than fantastic!!!!
aad0italian
Awesome! Now this is the Matt Wertz we know!!
Teona
Beautiful music.
nestlinggirl
I just found Matt Wertz. He is so good. Looking to see him do more!
Marchawc
Great song!