The album may be the follow-up to Matt's 2007 Geffen debut Best Days, but it's truly a formal introduction to the singer-songwriter. Writing and helping to compose the production on every song himself, he decided to go back to his piano roots for It's the Good Crazy, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. "This is really my first record," he declares. "Best Days was essentially chasing a time, and I experimented with a lot of nuances, like playing the guitar on half the record. But, playing the piano has always been my one true love. My parents constantly took me to concerts including The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Elton John, and it was those outings that gave me the itch to start playing the piano. This time, about 80 percent of It's The Good Crazy is done on piano."
Breaking away from modern trends, Matt recorded the entire album on analog tape, allowing any and all happy accidents to stay in the songs. "It was really special to record on analog tape because all of the albums I love were done that way. Tape sounds better, and it's always going to sound better. There's a depth in the sound wave that you can't capture digitally. There were no computers, no Pro Tools and no room for error. If I screwed up, it's on there," he laughs.
"I was dropped from Geffen in the winter of 2009 when I was on tour in Canada. It was a devastating experience for me. So I was depressed for a month, then realized that my happiness was in the music." Matt immediately began composing songs for what would become It's The Good Crazy. In order to capture that edgy tone, he retreated to a church in Woodstock, NY to record with producers David Baron and Henry Hirsch [Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger].
While in Woodstock, Henry pushed Matt to capture music in the moment, preserving the integrity of each song from its inception. "We were in that church, and Henry really got in my head and helped me evolve," explains Matt. "He said, 'If you can deliver on a performance level, something happens when you play a song live and it's recorded onto a tangible piece of equipment. There's nothing like it'."
Working on the same board that Led Zeppelin II was recorded on and tracking to what might be one of the last 3M tape machines left in existence, Matt stirred up a sound that's evocative of Elton John at times but with a wiseass wittiness. Hence tracks like the bombastic "Therapy."
"Yes, I've gone to therapy," he exclaims. "I'm a New York City kid; people go to therapy! Everyone in their late '20s is trying to get married, and there's this mass hysteria over it in Manhattan. That song is talking to your therapist about that fear of being single. My mom wanted to set me up with my neighbor's daughter after she graduated from college in May. Those things happened, and they're in the songs!"
Meanwhile, during "And The Beat Goes On," Matt chronicles the trials and tribulations of dating in the big city—with a smirk of course. "If you're dating a girl in New York, you're going to be spending a lot of money. I'm a musician, not a banker. I'm happy with chicken fingers. I don't need fancy food."
Midway through recording, Matt teamed up with Ryko for the release of It's The Good Crazy, and he couldn't be happier with this new partnership. He comments, "Everyone at the label genuinely loves music. They’ve been extremely nurturing and supportive on every level. I’m free to be me and not put into a box. I was going to put out this album come hell or high-water, but I sat down with Ruby Marchand (Head of A&R) and we talked about music and the business and she and Ryko felt like the perfect partner."
Since debuting in 2007, Matt's music has been featured in numerous films, TV shows and commercials including What Happens In Vegas, Shrek The Third, McDonald's, The Hills, Brothers and Sisters and One Tree Hill. In addition, his "Songs Of Freedom" became the theme for Gap's "Vote For" campaign, airing on a special electoral episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Best Days also hit #4 on Billboard's New Artist chart and received acclaim from RollingStone and Details. Selling 400,000 digital downloads, he's cultivated a diehard fan base that turns out anytime he hits the stage.
The stage is exactly where he's most charming. Touring and performing alongside everyone from B.B. King and Sheryl Crow to John Mayer and Counting Crows, he's got charisma that brings audiences back for more. Donning flamboyant stage attire and pounding the keys, Matt never fails to deliver a show.
"I play piano with my feet, I play it backwards and I hit it with my elbows and fists. It's a theatrical performance,” says Matt. “That's really what I always wanted to do as a kid.”
The world received its first taste of Crazy when Facebook premiered demos from the album as their music player's very first artist feature. Fan response to the tracks was overwhelming and it proved the perfect platform for the release of "Falling In Love (With My Best Friend)." The single goes to radio this summer, and you'll be humming along to it as soon as you hear it.
Matt grew up immersed in music. His grandmother was the first female orchestra leader in the country, while his great grandfather was responsible for giving Frank Sinatra his first violin.
Matt smiles, "My great grandfather started the Hertz School of Music. He used to give out instruments for free, and it turned out that he gave Sinatra his first violin. My whole childhood was musical. While everybody was watching sports growing up, I was studying the drum sounds of John Bonham from the 1973 live record."
His innate obsession with music is what makes the new album so insanely fun. "I'm the son of a psychiatrist," he goes on. "I connect with the Larry Davids of the world. I love the Annie Hall approach. I like things that are not perfect. I like art made from instinct. I'm definitely crazy. I'm up until six in the morning obsessing over everything, but I think I'm the good crazy."
I'll be there
Matt White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please don't look away
It feels like your tearing me to pieces
How much I wish you'd stay
I want to taste the salt from your sweet lips
Leave behind this lonely place
Cause your tomorrow wasn't how I planned it
Don't go chasing dreams that you can't follow
Because I'll be there
I'll swear you'll be home this time tomorrow
Knowing I'll be there
Cause I'll be there
My head is filled with memories
Of all that we've been through
Now I realize the emptiest of spaces
I couldn't wait for you
Don't go chasing dreams that you can't follow
Because I'll be there
I'll swear you'll be home this time tomorrow
Knowing I'll be there
Cause I'll be there
Cause I'll be there
Don't go chasing dreams that you can't follow
Because I'll be there
I'll swear you'll be home this time tomorrow
Knowing I'll be there
Cause I'll be there
Will you walk away?
Will you walk away?
Will you walk away and feel the same?
Feel the same
Will you feel the same?
Because I'll be there
Because I'll be there
Cause I'll be there
The song "I'll Be There" by Matt White is a heartfelt ballad about a person pleading with their loved one not to leave them. The lyrics are written from the perspective of someone who is begging their significant other to stay and not pursue their dreams if it means leaving them behind. The singer is aware of the fact that their lover wants to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams, but is torn apart by the thought of being left behind. The chorus repeats the phrase "Don't go chasing dreams that you can't follow, because I'll be there," signifying that the singer is willing to support their loved one no matter what.
The first verse begins with the plea "just take my hand, please don't look away" which accurately represents the desperation the singer feels. They tell their lover that it feels like they are tearing them to pieces by leaving, and they wish they could stay. The second verse is more introspective, with the singer reflecting on the memories they share with their lover and realizing that they are willing to sacrifice anything to have them back. The bridge is the singer's last attempt to convince their lover not to leave, asking if they will feel the same after leaving and reassuring them that they will be there for them no matter what.
Overall, the song is a powerful ode to the lengths someone will go to keep their love close, even if it means sacrificing their own desires. The emotion in the lyrics and the haunting melody make "I'll Be There" a beautiful and poignant expression of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Just take my hand
I want you to trust me and let me help you through this.
Please don't look away
I need you to stay present and face this with me.
It feels like your tearing me to pieces
The pain of our situation is overwhelming me, and I'm struggling to cope.
How much I wish you'd stay
I want you to choose to stay with me, even though it may be difficult.
I want to taste the salt from your sweet lips
I want to kiss you and taste the emotion behind our connection.
Leave behind this lonely place
Let's move on from this painful and isolating situation.
Cause your tomorrow wasn't how I planned it
Our future isn't turning out the way I hoped or expected it to.
Will it ever be the same?
I'm questioning whether our relationship and future can still be salvaged.
Don't go chasing dreams that you can't follow
Don't pursue goals that aren't realistic or achievable for us.
Because I'll be there
I'll support you and be there for you, no matter what.
I'll swear you'll be home this time tomorrow
I promise that we'll be together and everything will be okay soon.
Knowing I'll be there
You can count on me to support and guide you through this.
My head is filled with memories
I'm thinking back on our relationship and all the experiences we've shared.
Of all that we've been through
Reflecting on the ups and downs we've faced together.
Now I realize the emptiest of spaces
Without you, there's a void in my life that nothing else can fill.
I couldn't wait for you
I missed you and wanted you here with me.
Will you walk away?
Are you going to leave me behind and move on?
Will you walk away and feel the same?
Will you also feel the loss and emotional pain of our separation?
Will you feel the same?
Will you understand the depth of my love for you when we're apart?
Cause I'll be there
No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN WHITE, GARY NICHOLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind