In the past three years Matthew Mayfield has both redefined himself and red… Read Full Bio ↴In the past three years Matthew Mayfield has both redefined himself and redefined how a musician can record and release music. When Matthew’s previous band, Moses Mayfield, which signed with Epic when he was only 21, disbanded at the close of 2007, the Birmingham-based musician was forced to decide how to proceed with his life. A working musician since the age of 18, he only knew songwriting, recording, and touring. “All I ever wanted to be was a rock 'n roll star,” Matthew says. “When the band broke up, I knew I had to keep pushing."

Matthew’s career as a solo artist has evolved naturally over the past few years, his fanbase growing organically and his songwriting skills growing exponentially. But it has not just been the quality of Matthew’s songs that sets him apart. The prolific musician has self-released eight EPs since 2008, offering his fans a consistent stream of new music. In September of 2008, Matthew recorded his debut solo EP, The Fire EP, for $1000 in a Birmingham basement. This disc spawned “First In Line,” which appeared in the 100th episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

Matthew’s second EP followed in July 2009. Five Chances Remain Hers, produced by Paul Moak, which landed another track, “Better,” on Grey’s Anatomy. The single skyrocketed to No. 1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart and in December of 2009 Matthew offered fans a third EP-- Maybe Next Christmas. The reaction to these releases and to Matthew’s songwriting was so strong it just made sense for him to keep doing it.

“The response was pretty overwhelming and caught me a bit off guard,” Matthew explains. “It reset something inside me and got my wheels turning for the EP series. I wanted to try something that no one else was trying. I knew I had the songs, and I knew that if I worked hard, I could put out records that people wanted to hear month after month. I've had plenty of issues over the years as an artist, but there's never been a shortage of songs.”

Since Maybe Next Christmas, Matthew has written, recorded, and released five more EPs--regularly putting them out every month from January 2010 through May 2010. Each disc has showcased a different facet of the musician, revealing his depth and versatility. Funded by his fans— who were also involved in selecting the tracklists and cover art via Pledge Music--each EP has also reached the top of the iTunes singer/songwriter charts. The whirlwind process has taught Matthew, who toured in the midst of this with Needtobreathe, Pete Yorn, Switchfoot, Blue October and The Civil Wars, an immense amount about both himself and about creating music.

“Each EP is a different chapter for me,” he says. “Essentially, it was an exercise in storytelling.Late '08 into early '09 was by far the hardest period of my life. There was a lot of grief to process, and it was tough to file it down into song form. The ideas spilled out night after night, morning after
morning. I learned to keep a voice recorder close by at all times for that reason. Most of the melodies came to me in the car, the airport, the shower— pretty much the most inconvenient places for making noise.”

Riding on the momentum of this succession of music, Matthew is currently preparing to release his debut album, Now You’re Free, a record that was completely funded by his fans via Pledge Music. Recorded over the course of three weeks with producer Paul Moak in Nashville in June, the disc pairs five songs pulled from Matthew’s past EPs and five brand new tracks. The ten songs walk a fine line between Matthew’s acoustic singer-songwriter tendencies and the group-driven rock ‘n roll he loves making, in the end creating a cohesive, narrative-driven collection of spirited rock songs.

"I want to write songs that people can sing back at me the way I sing back at my favorite artists,” he says. “I'm excited about attempting to change something with a song. It could be someone's mood for four minutes, the temperature in their room or the way they watch the sun set driving down the interstate. Music has changed everything for me. I want to be a part of that for other people.”

A Cycle
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Baby would you love it if I could recover it
A tired, disfigured, desired, sense of me
Said I know that I don't want a cycle through
In and out of all these holes
Through the cracks of all these walls

So baby would you love it if I could recover it
A tired, disfigured, desired, sense of me

Said I know that I don't want a cycle through
In and out of all these holes
Through the cracks of all these walls
Said I know I don't believe that its all gonna be in line

So baby would you love it if I could be sitting here with you
And I know all the reasons that I've been believing in you
Said I know that I don't want a cycle through
In and out of all these holes
Though the cracks of all theses walls

Said I know,I know you would, want to wait, after all you should
All the time you've believed that its all gonna be in line
So baby would you love it if I could be sitting here with you
And I know all the reasons I've been believing in you
Said I know that I don't want a cycle through
In and out of all these holes
Though the cracks of all theses walls

And I know I would
Said I know I should

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Matthew Mayfield's song "A Cycle" express the desire to break free from the repetitive patterns and cycles that one finds themselves in. The singer is asking if their partner would be willing to love them while they work on recovering their sense of self, which has become tired and disfigured through the repeated struggles they have faced. They offer the idea of not wanting to cycle back through the same holes and cracks in the walls that have held them back before.

The vulnerability and honesty in the lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness and frustration with the cyclical nature of life, and the desire for change and growth. The repeated refrain of "said I know that I don't want a cycle through, in and out of all these holes, through the cracks of all these walls" emphasizes the singer's determination to break free from the patterns they have found themselves in.

Overall, "A Cycle" is a reflection on the struggles and challenges that people face in their lives, and the difficulty of breaking free from the patterns that hold them back.

Line by Line Meaning

Baby would you love it if I could recover it
Asking if the person would still love the singer if they were able to regain a sense of self that has been lost and worn down.

A tired, disfigured, desired, sense of me
The singer is describing a sense of self that has been heavily affected by negative experiences or trauma, but one that is still recognizable and craves connection.

Said I know that I don't want a cycle through
The singer acknowledges that they do not want to continue repeating negative patterns in their life, especially ones that lead to isolation and emotional pain.

In and out of all these holes
The artist refers to unpleasant experiences that are like emotional wounds, through which they seem to keep escaping and returning.

Through the cracks of all these walls
These lines give more depth to the previous one, as the artist almost feels trapped within the walls of their mind that keep getting penetrated by negative experiences.

So baby would you love it if I could be sitting here with you
The singer wants to be vulnerable and close with the person they are addressing, but fears that their emotional baggage will keep them apart.

And I know all the reasons that I've been believing in you
Even though the singer may have doubts and struggles in their own life, they still have faith in this other person and the connection they share together.

Said I know,I know you would, want to wait, after all you should
The artist recognizes that the other person may not know how to help or react to their own struggles, and that it is better to wait and work on things together when they are both ready.

All the time you've believed that its all gonna be in line
The other person has been a positive constant in the artist's life, believing that everything will eventually work itself out for the better.

And I know I would, said I know I should
The artist has the desire to work through their challenges and find a sense of peace and stability, but knows that it may require difficult work and perseverance.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MATTHEW MAYFIELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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