Depending on whom you ask, Matthew Dear (born in Kingsville, Texas, USA) is… Read Full Bio ↴Depending on whom you ask, Matthew Dear (born in Kingsville, Texas, USA) is a DJ, a dance-music producer, an experimental pop artist, a bandleader. He co-founded both Ghostly International and its dancefloor offshoot, Spectral Sound. He’s had remixes commissioned by The xx, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Spoon, Hot Chip, The Postal Service and The Chemical Brothers; he’s made mixes for the Fabric mix series and Get Physical’s Body Language. He maintains four aliases (Audion, False, Jabberjaw, and Matthew Dear), each with its own style and distinct visual identity. He straddles multiple musical worlds and belongs to none — and he’s just hitting his stride.

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.

Overtime
Matthew Dear Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you don't have plans, don't touch the heartache
If you can act tough then start to running
You don't need to mess with the best of heartaches
I can teach you something if you let me when I want it

Ah, where have you been?
I've been wrapping ribbons on the rest of them
Oh, no that isn't right

You need to spend some hours working overtime
Whoa no, you must be kidding me, I need to get out of this cold misery
Live wire wrong

And the relative passage you've got to pay to fade up

Overall Meaning

Matthew Dear's song Overtime is a complex and layered track with multiple meanings and interpretations. The lyrics suggest that heartbreak is inevitable but can be avoided if the person doesn't have any plans. This implies that being vulnerable in matters of the heart is a mistake, and one should not touch it if they don't have to. The second line talks about being tough and running, which means that if you are not strong enough to handle it, then run away from it. Next, the lyrics say that you don't need the best of heartaches to mess with, which suggests that heartaches, whether small or big, can be challenging to deal with. The final line is, "I can teach you something if you let me when I want it," which seems like a warning that heartache is not something to fool around with.

In the chorus, Dear asks the question, "Where have you been?" He says that he has been wrapping ribbons on the rest of them, suggesting that he has been entertaining other people. He then corrects himself, stating that he needs to spend some hours working Overtime. This could be interpreted as him needing to work on himself and his relationships, or that he needs to put in extra hours to make amends for his time spent with other people. Finally, the last lines say, "Live wire wrong, and the relative passage you've got to pay to fade up." It's unclear what exactly these lines refer to, but it could be a reference to the consequences of our actions, and how one must pay a price for them.

Overall, the song is about the difficulties of relationships and how they can be complicated and challenging. It encourages people to take responsibility for their actions and recognize that consequences come with every decision.

Line by Line Meaning

If you don't have plans, don't touch the heartache
If you are not ready for a serious commitment, do not play with someone's emotions

If you can act tough then start to running
If you are going to pretend to be strong, be prepared to handle the consequences

You don't need to mess with the best of heartaches
It is unwise to involve yourself with someone who has experienced intense emotional pain

I can teach you something if you let me when I want it
I can share my knowledge and experiences with you if you are receptive to it

Ah, where have you been?
It has been a while since we last spoke

I've been wrapping ribbons on the rest of them
I have been putting effort into other projects and relationships

Oh, no that isn't right
Something is not adding up or making sense

You need to spend some hours working overtime
You need to put in extra effort and work harder to achieve your goals

Whoa no, you must be kidding me, I need to get out of this cold misery
This situation is unbearable and I need to escape from it as soon as possible

Live wire wrong
Something has gone awry or is not working properly

And the relative passage you've got to pay to fade up
You will eventually face the consequences for ignoring or avoiding a difficult situation