Dear’s first single was 1999’s "Hands Up For Detroit" (co-produced by ghettotech pioneer Disco D, who performed under the name Daisha). Successive singles, such as "Stealing Moves" and the chart-topping "Mouth to Mouth" (as Audion) were issued on Spectral Sound, Ghostly’s offshoot that focuses on dancefloor music.
Matthew Dear’s 2003 full-length Ghostly debut, "Leave Luck to Heaven", is a suite of sparse, wickedly funky house laced with Dear’s deep, distinctive vocals, and includes the much-loved single “Dog Days” (voted one of Pitchfork’s Top 100 Songs of the decade). The record was met with rapturous acclaim from both the dance-music establishment and the critical press, including a four-star review in Rolling Stone. Dear’s 2007 follow-up, "Asa Breed", is a considerable departure from Heaven’s dancefloor excursions, incorporating the polyrhythms of afrobeat, the irreverent pop sensibilities of Brian Eno, and the austere beauty of krautrock. More four-stars reviews followed (Q and Mojo magazines), and Dear subsequently began touring with a live three-piece band, Matthew Dear’s Big Hands, in which he acted as frontman, commanding the stage with a Bryan Ferry-like swagger and a gentleman’s grace.
Today, Matthew Dear finds himself in a unique position. His highly anticipated fourth album, 2010’s Black City, is the culmination of years of hard work and experimentation, a darkly playful sound-world that envelops the listener like the arms of a malevolent lover. After over a decade of exploring pop’s outer limits, Matthew Dear now inhabits a rarefied corner of the musical universe: no longer tethered to any one genre, respected by his peers, and blessed with a bottomless well of creative energy. Now is Matthew Dear’s moment, and it sounds like nothing else.
Her Fantasy
Matthew Dear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Am I the chrome man, am I not of great design?
Do I feel love like all of the others or this feeling only mine?
Are you my delicious game? Is it an obvious play?
I’ll eat like a lion and pretend I’m trying but we know it’s one in the same.
Am I one heartbeat away from receiving a damaging shock to my life and believing that love was a cost worth a witness and seeing a larger machine?
Fighting is futile but I can’t concede to interior beliefs that control and deplete you dismounting a love which has grown from beneath you an ancient machine.
We’re on the ground, we can’t go far,
God’s in the hands, as in their hearts,
A poison brain, pass through the day,
Point at the frame, around the flame,
Trust is a form, and as a breed,
I will protect, you from my needs,
We can go far, sit where you stand,
And on your heart, and on your man
It’s just one, in a million hearts, that feels the way, the way I do x2
The opening lines of Matthew Dear's song 'Her Fantasy' are sufficiently compelling as they set the tone for the rest of the lyrics that follow. It suggests that the emotions that the singer is experiencing are unique and rare, but also somewhat isolated. He wonders if he is different from others in the way he loves and feels it. The repetition of these lines throughout the song adds an air of intensity and almost desperation to the singer's thoughts.
The following lines shift to more existential questions about identity and belonging. The phrase "Am I the chrome man, am I not of great design?" implies a sense of inadequacy or insecurity regarding the singer's role in his relationships. He wonders if he is being played by his lover, almost like a game. The lion metaphor suggests that he will devour her and her love, and not in a way where he values it. This ambiguous expression of his feelings expresses his confusion and also touches upon his divided personality.
The line "We're on the ground, we can’t go far" is an acknowledgment of the limitations of his life and relationships. The song's ultimate message may be one of preserving what is possible, despite the obstacles, as the singer protects the object of his love from his often overwhelming needs.
Overall, this song is a melancholic expression of a lover's concerns and doubts about his feelings, identity, and place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
It’s just one in a million hearts that feel the way, the way I do x2
I am just one among many who feel an inexplicable and intense emotion that others may not understand.
Am I the chrome man, am I not of great design?
Do I lack authenticity and uniqueness, or am I truly special and exceptional?
Do I feel love like all of the others or this feeling only mine?
Am I experiencing a common emotion like everyone else, or is it something unique to me?
Are you my delicious game? Is it an obvious play?
Is our relationship a fun and exciting game, or is it something predictable and expected?
I’ll eat like a lion and pretend I’m trying but we know it’s one in the same.
I will passionately pursue this relationship, but deep down, we both know it will end the same way it always does.
Am I one heartbeat away from receiving a damaging shock to my life and believing that love was a cost worth a witness and seeing a larger machine?
Am I walking into a situation that will forever change my life, and is it worth sacrificing everything to see what the bigger picture holds?
Fighting is futile but I can’t concede to interior beliefs that control and deplete you dismounting a love which has grown from beneath you an ancient machine.
I acknowledge that resisting the tides of fate is pointless, but I refuse to let internal struggles ruin a love that has grown deeply from within and has been long-lasting.
We’re on the ground, we can’t go far, God’s in the hands, as in their hearts,
We find ourselves in a situation where there is little room for progress, and our fate is largely in the hands of others, both human and divine.
A poison brain, pass through the day, Point at the frame, around the flame,
I struggle with negative thoughts and emotions throughout the day, and I am constantly reminded of the delicate balance in our relationship.
Trust is a form, and as a breed, I will protect, you from my needs,
Trust is a fragile thing that requires nurturing, and I will take care to distinguish between my own desires and the well-being of my partner.
We can go far, sit where you stand, And on your heart, and on your man
Despite our current limitations, we have the potential for great things if we stay rooted in the present, remember what truly matters, and remain committed to each other.
It’s just one, in a million hearts, that feels the way, the way I do x2
Nevertheless, I am still one among millions who experience the same intense, inexplicable emotion.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9
Written by: Matthew Dear, Peter Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stigmaticraven
It’s just one in a million hearts that feel the way, the way I do x2
Am I the chrome man, am I not of great design?
Do I feel love like all of the others or this feeling only mine?
Are you my delicious game? Is it an obvious play?
I’ll eat like a lion and pretend I’m trying but we know it’s one in the same.
Am I one heartbeat away from receiving a damaging shock to my life and believing that love was a cost worth a witness and seeing a larger machine?
Fighting is futile but I can’t concede to interior beliefs that control and deplete you dismounting a love which has grown from beneath you an ancient machine.
We’re on the ground, we can’t go far,
God’s in the hands, as in their hearts,
A poison brain, pass through the day,
Point at the frame, around the flame,
Trust is a form, and as a breed,
I will protect, you from my needs,
We can go far, sit where you stand,
And on your heart, and on your man
It’s just one, in a million hearts, that feels the way, the way I do
@huskercub9473
It been over 10yrs but still sounds fresh and new
@MaciejPodgorskiCOoperation
background sounds of this track are unreal, just 150% wow
@Perenbarn
its a sample from a 70s disco funk instrumental "cloud one - patty duke". Really amazing sampling.
@Kotroniusz
Really...disturbing😏😏
@Skolinys
one of the best song i have heard in my life. catchy, strong, not stupid and cheesy like most of the music today. 11/10
@natuskiewich
love literally everything about this video. tropical fever in sound, so well moderated vocal, like a hymn of ancient monks, strong lyrics with the soft spot, and playful allusion to K. Anger . also that vibrating noise at the end, perfect closure
@GearoidHayes
LOVE the Kenneth Anger reference! :)
@richardhead9818
Hey Gearoid, can you explain the reference? I love this song, I'm curious.
@natuskiewich
Richard Head this video was inspired by Kenneth Anger works/style - contrast lighting, strong colors, psychedelic motives, overlapping layers.. It will become totally clear when I google up Kenneth Anger : )
@silviafossati
"Am I one heartbeat away from receiving a damaging shock to my life and believing that love was a cost worth a witness and seeing a larger machine?
Fighting is futile but I can’t concede to interior beliefs that control and deplete you dismounting a love which has grown from beneath you an ancient machine."
♡ ♬