Ebel started learning piano at age five, later earning a BA in Music from Whitworth University, a private Christian university in Spokane, Washington, in the late 1990s. Originally intending to make his mark in the contemporary Christian music scene, Ebel moved to Nashville, Tennessee, after university, but quickly found the idea of only writing about one subject tiresome.
Remaining in Nashville for five years, Ebel released two albums Filling the Pages and Beer & Coffee and performed at the Grand Ole Opry. During his time in Tennessee, he evolved his style to incorporate greater use of synthesizers and delved into more "geeky" topics starting with the release of Goodbye Planet Earth in 2007.
Moving first to Massachusetts and later New Hampshire, Ebel's style continued to evolve and gained traction in geek and new media circles. During this time Ebel frequently performed at conventions, livestreamed performances online, and founded MatthewEbel.net (later, The Officers Club) where supporters could financially support him directly in exchange for early and exclusive content, merchandise and other perks. Music originally released on MatthewEbel.net has been released in three compilations, each titled Songs from the Vault.
Now less dependent on mainstream appeal to make ends meet, Ebel began to experiment with concept albums: 2009's The High Orbit Holiday Special dealt with the struggles of celebrating Christmas while incarcerated in a prison in space, 2012's The Lives of Dexter Peterson combined his music with a written novella about a boy who inexplicably jumps between lives, and 2015's High Orbit Saves the Pandas followed the crew of the spaceship UTF Revolution as they try to save the Earth from destruction.
Ebel's most recent album, 2017's Cognitive Dissonance saw a return to Ebel's piano rock roots.
In 2017, Ebel began to produce progressive house music under the name Avian Invasion.
The Good Life
Matthew Ebel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The noise is a Devil in your ear-
Fill you full of fear.
?Cause it?s driving you insane
And the Devil wants to steer
Everything you hear.
So you?re working for the man
But the man is going broke.
All the Devil?s going to say is
Your future?s up in smoke.
Life is but a joke.
Let it go,
Let it fall by the wayside.
Let the rhythm life you up
Into the sunlight.
Close your eyes and
Let the music move your body right.
Damn it?s good to be alive,
The good life.
Kill your television
Or you?ll find the Devil in your eyes,
Fill your head with lies.
Make you think the world is waiting
Just to cut you down to size-
Keep you paralyzed.
So the plague is coming back
And it?s taking the express.
You can hold your breath, yeah.
All the Devil wants to do
Is to keep you in distress,
Scaring you to death.
In "The Good Life" by Matthew Ebel, the opening stanza urges the listener to cut off the radio and silence the noise that the Devil puts in one's ear, leading to fear and madness. The Devil, in this case, is a metaphor for external forces that control one's opinions and choices. The lines, "So you're working for the man/But the man is going broke," represents societal and institutional controls that are failing. A toke of marijuana is recommended as the only respite that the Devil permits; however, it proves to be a self-destructive path leading to a bleak future. The chorus urges the listener to let go of this controlled, fearful state of mind and let the rhythm uplift and nurture the soul under the sun. The song emphasizes that life is fleeting and that one should opt to live freely, passionately and let go of control.
In the second stanza the focus is on television as a source of the Devil's influence. The lyrics suggest that television feeds one with lies, prompting feelings of inadequacy and impending doom. The tune urges one to avoid becoming paralyzed with fear by encouraging a carefree, dance-oriented lifestyle. The chorus stresses the beauty and value of life and its fleeting nature, encouraging the listener to deeply appreciate it. Although the Devil's influence cannot entirely be eliminated from society, one needs to be aware of its existence and not allow external influences to take control. Thus, the song evokes a sense of rebellion and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Cut the radio,
Stop listening to the negative voices around you that fill your mind with fear and insanity like a devil in your ear.
The noise is a Devil in your ear-
The cacophony of negative voices is like a devil that whispers fearful words in your ear.
Fill you full of fear.
The negative voices fill you up with fear and uncertainty about the future.
?Cause it?s driving you insane
The constant barrage of negative voices is causing you to lose your sanity and makes it difficult to think clearly.
And the Devil wants to steer
The negative voices are like a devil that wants to control your thoughts and emotions.
Everything you hear.
The negative voices want to control everything you hear and convince you to see the world in a negative light.
So you?re working for the man
You are working hard for your livelihood and future.
But the man is going broke.
Unfortunately, the person or entity you are working for is struggling financially.
Take another toke, yeah,
Relax and take a break by smoking something that takes your mind off things.
All the Devil?s going to say is
The negative voice in your head will tell you that your future is up in smoke and that life is a meaningless joke.
Your future?s up in smoke.
The negative voice in your head convinces you that your future is uncertain and that you should have no hope for a good life.
Life is but a joke.
The negative voice in your mind tells you that life is meaningless and not worth living.
Let it go,
Let go of the negative influences that weigh you down.
Let it fall by the wayside.
Simply let the negative thoughts and voices fall by the wayside and not give them any attention.
Let the rhythm life you up
Allow yourself to be lifted up by the rhythm of life.
Into the sunlight.
Step into the light and embrace the positive possibilities of life.
Close your eyes and
Take a moment to close your eyes and focus on your inner self.
Let the music move your body right.
Allow the music to move you and fill you with positive energy.
Damn it?s good to be alive,
It is great to be alive and experience all the wonders that life has to offer.
The good life.
Embrace the idea of living a good life and experiencing all the joys that life can bring.
Kill your television
Stop watching the television that bombards you with negative news and influences.
Or you?ll find the Devil in your eyes,
If you keep watching the television filled with negativity, the devil of negativity and despair will take over your thoughts and emotions.
Fill your head with lies.
The television is like a devil that fills your head with lies and negative thoughts about the world around you.
Make you think the world is waiting
The negative voice in your head convinces you that the world is waiting to cut you down to size, to pin you to the ground.
Just to cut you down to size-
The negative voice convinces you that the world is out to get you and instills a sense of cynicism in your perception of the world.
Keep you paralyzed.
The negative voices pull you down and restrict your ability to take action and make progress in your life.
So the plague is coming back
The recent pandemic is making a comeback and causing much distress.
And it?s taking the express.
The pandemic is rapidly spreading and infecting people who are not prepared.
You can hold your breath, yeah.
People are holding their breath and hoping that the pandemic will not affect them.
All the Devil wants to do
The negative voice in your head wants to scare you and cause you to panic in the face of adversity.
Is to keep you in distress,
The negative voice in your head desires to keep you in a state of anxiety and distress, convincing you that there is no way out.
Scaring you to death.
The negative voice in your head is causing you to be filled with dread and anxiety, and it feels like it is slowly killing you.
Contributed by Avery H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.