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.”
In Or Out
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She fends off all my thoughts, but she won't let me see
Well she ain't right, but she's always on my mind
She's inside, but she ain't comin' back this time
So don't believe me when I'm down and out
I ain't stable unless I'm bound
So lock it up and let's take it all the way
So kiss me with sugar lips with fire and delight Take back the phototgraphs you know
I can't stand the sight that you got rights
But you ain't leavin' with mine
Oh no no
So don't believe me when I'm down and out
I ain't stable unless I'm bound
So lock it up and let's take it all the way
Up and down, are you in or you out?
So don't believe me when I'm down and out
I ain't stable unless I'm bound
So lock it up and let's take it all the way
Up and down, are you in or you out?
The opening lines of "Wake up my heart dear and shake back the feen" suggests that the singer is asking their heart to wake up from a state of numbness or apathy. The next line, "She fends off all my thoughts, but she won't let me see" could be referring to the struggles the singer is having with their own thoughts and how they're being kept from seeing something they want or need. The next few lines go on to describe the hold that this person has on the singer, how they're always on their mind and inside them, even though they're not coming back this time. This indicates that there was likely some kind of separation or end to their relationship.
The chorus, "So don't believe me when I'm down and out, I ain't stable unless I'm bound" suggests that the singer may not be reliable or trustworthy when they're feeling low or unstable, but they need something to hold onto in order to feel stable. The last line of the chorus, "Up and down, are you in or you out?" could be seen as a plea for the other person to make a commitment, to decide whether they want to be part of this person's life or not.
The second verse goes on to describe the physical connection between the singer and the other person, the sweetness and passion of their kisses. The next few lines suggest that there is some kind of ownership or entitlement going on, that the other person has "rights" that the singer can't stand the sight of. The final line of the verse, "But you ain't leavin' with mine" suggests that the singer is possessive or protective of what they have or what they consider theirs.
Overall, the song seems to be about the singer's struggles with stability and reliability, and their desire for a deeper commitment from someone they're involved with. There are also themes of ownership and possessiveness, as well as emotional numbness or apathy.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up my heart dear and shake back the feen
Get me out of this slump and make me feel alive again
She fends off all my thoughts, but she won't let me see
I can't stop thinking about her, but she's hiding something from me
Well she ain't right, but she's always on my mind
I know she's not good for me, but I can't help but think about her
She's inside, but she ain't comin' back this time
She's still in my heart, but she's not coming back into my life
So don't believe me when I'm down and out
I might say things I don't mean when I'm feeling low
I ain't stable unless I'm bound
I need stability or a strong connection to feel secure
So lock it up and let's take it all the way
Let's commit to each other and see where it takes us
Up and down, are you in or you out?
Are you willing to ride the ups and downs of a relationship with me or not?
So kiss me with sugar lips with fire and delight
Kiss me passionately and with excitement
Take back the phototgraphs you know
Take your memories and leave me alone
I can't stand the sight that you got rights
I don't want to see you with someone else, even though you have the right to move on
But you ain't leavin' with mine
You can move on, but you can't take my heart and love with you
Contributed by Colton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Knights in Darkness
Brilliant performance! Matthew is such a good and underrated musician. Raw talent.
Lauren Fedders Umbaugh
Sometimes, music is pure magic. This night, it was indeed. Proud to call the makers of this beautiful video, a vehicle of heart and soul and passion, searing and soft, and still moved from having experienced such a wild performance. From goosebumps to fist pumps, Matthew Mayfield delivered, in possibly one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. Sometimes, in a darkened room, made brighter by being taken along on the highs and lows of a singer-songwriter bearing his soul to a packed room of complete strangers, absolutely everything falls into place, and it is something bigger. It is a gift, to watch, to feel, to share. Check this video, along with his latest single, Desire and others out by this unique and beautiful soul, friends!
River Clark
Great version of one of my MM favourites. Such a powerful song, and a emotional performance. As always your lyrics are deep, thoughtful and touching and this song is yet another example of your talent as a songwriter. What ever you do, never give this up Mathew! You're a great idol of mine, keep it up!
Rojane Belano
your voice is full of colors... !! :))
Lorraine Biggins
Another fantastic performance. I wish you would play at a great venue in Boston so people could really get the MM experience.
Tina Coombes
I don't know if anyone has told you before, but at certain angles you look like Wolverine... Just putting that out there :)
Peter Lisboa
Nice video ;-)
Tessa Coker
Come to play Reno or Tahoe!!
mscriever2
I feel like I'm at least 2k of the 8.9k views.