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.”
Carry Me
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the ocean meets the sand
Relieve me, relieve me
Breaking waves are hard to chase
With tremors in your hands
Oh, carry me
Inside the autumn breeze
That leave me cold
Waking up I see you
When you open, open your eyes
A child dreaming
That she's woven, woven in sky
Carry me
Inside the autumn breeze
Far from the rivalries
That leave me cold
Bury me inside the open sea
Where you can hear me scream
I'm coming home, I'm coming home
Carry me
Inside the autumn breeze
Far from the rivalries
That leave me cold
Bury me inside the open sea
Where you can hear me scream
I'm coming home
"Carry Me" by Matthew Mayfield is a song about finding peace and solace in the midst of turmoil and chaos. The opening lyric, "Pony up and meet me where the ocean meets the sand" paints a vivid picture of two people meeting at the edge of the world, where land meets water. The singer asks the other person to relieve them, possibly from the burden of their problems or the weight of their emotions. The image of breaking waves being hard to chase with tremors in your hands represents the struggle of trying to find stability in a chaotic world.
The chorus is a plea to be carried away from the rivalries that leave them feeling cold. This could signify the singer's desire to escape the competitive and judgmental nature of society, or possibly internal conflicts and self-doubt. The autumn breeze is symbolic of change and transition, and the singer wants to be carried away from the things that no longer serve them.
The second verse shifts to a dreamlike state, with the singer waking up and seeing the other person opening their eyes like a child dreaming in the sky. This could represent a sense of wonder and freedom, a longing to escape reality and soar above the clouds. The final lyric, "Bury me inside the open sea where you can hear me scream, I'm coming home" is a powerful image of surrendering to the vastness of the world and finding comfort in knowing that someone is listening.
Overall, "Carry Me" is a beautiful and haunting reminder that we all need someone to carry us through the difficult times, and that sometimes the most comforting thing is to let go and be lost in the vastness of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Pony up and meet me
Make an effort to come and meet me
Where the ocean meets the sand
Let's meet at the junction of the ocean and the beach
Relieve me, relieve me
Free me from my worries, ease my burden
Breaking waves are hard to chase
It's difficult to pursue waves as they come crashing down
With tremors in your hands
Feeling anxious and nervous
Oh, carry me
Take me away, offer me solace
Inside the autumn breeze
In the cool breeze of the autumn season
Far from the rivalries
Away from the competitiveness and conflict
That leave me cold
That make me feel indifferent and detached
Waking up I see you
I see you as soon as I wake up
When you open, open your eyes
When you wake up and open your eyes
A child dreaming
Like a child's dream
That she's woven, woven in sky
A dream where she's floating in the sky
Bury me inside the open sea
Let me rest in the vast expanse of the sea
Where you can hear me scream
In a place where my voice can echo and be heard
I'm coming home, I'm coming home
I'm returning to a place where I belong
Carry me
Take me with you, hold me close
Inside the autumn breeze
In the peaceful, refreshing gusts of the fall season
Far from the rivalries
Away from the competitive and contentious atmosphere
That leave me cold
That make me feel numb and apathetic
Bury me inside the open sea
Lay me to rest in the vast, open waters
Where you can hear me scream
In a place where my voice can reverberate and be heard
I'm coming home
I'm returning to a place where I belong
Contributed by Mia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Raymondfaf10
Lyrics:
The world reflected in your eyes, all that I could see.
Walls without windows, no floor beneath your feet.
I’m always home, inside.
You drew a line to keep me out, and built those barricades.
But I would use my arms to lift you past the walls you made.
I’m always home, inside.
Tides will change, rising waves, ooh,
Refrain:
I carry you carry me, it’s all we need. (All we need)
All the things you change about yourself, I will keep. (I will keep)
Oh, ohh, uh oh oh.
Oh, ohh, uh oh ohhh.(2x)
I wish you could see what you are, to me.
We’ve come this far together and much further we will go,
You and I, our hearts are tied, the only truth we know,
I’m always home, inside.
Times will change, I will stay, ohhh
I carry you carry me, it’s all we need. (All we need)
All the things you change about yourself, I will keep. (I will keep)
I carry you carry me, it’s all we need. (All we need) (2x)
I wish you could see what you are (3x)
To me.
Melissa Weyers
Wow. This song is incredible. You really need more recognition.
Raymondfaf10
Lyrics:
The world reflected in your eyes, all that I could see.
Walls without windows, no floor beneath your feet.
I’m always home, inside.
You drew a line to keep me out, and built those barricades.
But I would use my arms to lift you past the walls you made.
I’m always home, inside.
Tides will change, rising waves, ooh,
Refrain:
I carry you carry me, it’s all we need. (All we need)
All the things you change about yourself, I will keep. (I will keep)
Oh, ohh, uh oh oh.
Oh, ohh, uh oh ohhh.(2x)
I wish you could see what you are, to me.
We’ve come this far together and much further we will go,
You and I, our hearts are tied, the only truth we know,
I’m always home, inside.
Times will change, I will stay, ohhh
I carry you carry me, it’s all we need. (All we need)
All the things you change about yourself, I will keep. (I will keep)
I carry you carry me, it’s all we need. (All we need) (2x)
I wish you could see what you are (3x)
To me.
Ashley Helms
+Raymondfaf10 I think its actually "I'm always on, your side."
Mayara Souza Gomes
Thank you!
Ashley Cavitt
The first verse of this song means so much to me. Matthews lyrics never fail to hit home for me.
Manda
This song is amazing!!
Neneko9550
It's a beautiful song ! :D
Alonzo Hall
A buddy turned me onto your music last weekend. Been listening ever since. Great stuff.
alwaysbecool49
Great song!!
Janice Carlin
Gorgeous! The song ,too, lol. ;-)