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.”
Maybe Next Christmas
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'We'll find a new life and we'll both run away
Maybe next Christmas I won't be with him
Maybe next Christmas we can start fresh again'
Maybe next Christmas we'll have reaped 'till we've sown
Maybe next Christmas we'll have paid what we owe
Maybe next Christmas we won't be afraid
'Cause
You can't pull the truth out of thin air.
You can't manufacture what ain't there
Maybe next Christmas we'll be by a fire
Maybe next Christmas you won't be liar
Maybe next Christmas I'll be in your arms
the scent of the evergreen keeping us strong
Maybe next Christmas I'll finally get to see
you wearing that dress that you bought just for me
Maybe next Christmas you'll be by my side
And relentlessly prove to me that I'm worth the fight
Maybe next Christmas I'll have more to say
than 'I gave you everything and you gave me away'
You can't pull the truth out of thin air...
You can't manufacture what ain't there
Maybe next Christmas you won't be thinking
that I'm just a criminal and you're still a queen
Yeah,
Maybe next Christmas I'll have more to say
than 'I gave you everything and you gave me away...
Yeah,
I gave you everything and you gave me
Yeah,
gave you everything and you gave me away...'
The lyrics to Matthew Mayfield's song "Maybe Next Christmas" are about a relationship that is struggling and the hope for a better future. The person in the relationship is longing for a fresh start and the possibility of running away with their partner. They express their desire for a better life in the coming year, one in which they have reaped what they have sown, paid what they owe, and are not afraid. They cling to the hope of being together, in each other's arms by a fire, with the scent of evergreen keeping them strong. They want to see their partner in a dress they bought for them and for their partner to relentlessly prove that they are worth fighting for.
In the chorus, the lyrics express a sense of longing and an acknowledgement that the truth can't be manufactured. The singer hopes that in the next Christmas, their partner won't be a liar and will be by their side. They hope that they will be able to move beyond the accusations of being a criminal and see each other for who they truly are. The final lines of the song express a sense of disappointment and betrayal, as the singer gave their partner everything, only to have it taken away.
Overall, the lyrics to "Maybe Next Christmas" convey a sense of hope and longing for a better future, while also acknowledging the difficulties and pain of the present.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe next Christmas,' she used to say
She hoped that in the coming year, they would be able to establish a new, better life together and leave their current situation behind.
'We'll find a new life and we'll both run away
They both wanted to escape their current life and start over somewhere new.
Maybe next Christmas I won't be with him
She wished that by the next Christmas, she would no longer be with her current partner and would have moved on with Matthew.
Maybe next Christmas we can start fresh again'
They hoped that the next Christmas would mark a new beginning for them.
Maybe next Christmas we'll have reaped 'till we've sown
They aspired that they would reap the rewards of their hard work and efforts by next Christmas.
Maybe next Christmas we'll have paid what we owe
They desired to have paid off their debts before the next Christmas arrived.
Maybe next Christmas we won't be afraid
They wished to not feel scared or anxious the next Christmas and be more secure in their life.
Maybe next Christmas we'll both be okay
They hoped that the next Christmas would bring good things and they would both be well.
'Cause
Transition to a new thought and emotion.
You can't pull the truth out of thin air.
The truth cannot be conjured or created from nothing.
You can't manufacture what ain't there
Something that doesn't exist cannot be fabricated artificially.
Maybe next Christmas we'll be by a fire
They wished that they would spend the next Christmas together, cozy and warm, next to a fireplace.
Maybe next Christmas you won't be a liar
They aspired that Matthew wouldn't have trust issues with his partner by next Christmas.
Maybe next Christmas I'll be in your arms
He hoped to spend the next Christmas being together with his partner, feeling close and loved.
The scent of the evergreen keeping us strong
The aroma and symbolism of an evergreen tree (typically used at Christmas time) gives them hope and strength to persevere.
Maybe next Christmas I'll finally get to see
Matthew hopes that he will finally have the opportunity to see his partner wearing a dress that she bought especially for him.
you wearing that dress that you bought just for me
A reference to something special that Matthew's partner has done for him that he is eagerly anticipating.
Maybe next Christmas you'll be by my side
He hopes that they will spend the next Christmas season together as a couple.
And relentlessly prove to me that I'm worth the fight
Matthew desires that his partner will be there for him, steadfastly supporting him and their relationship to fight through hard times and maintain their bond.
Maybe next Christmas I'll have more to say
He hopes to have more to talk about next Christmas, with more positive things to share about their life together.
than 'I gave you everything and you gave me away'
A reference to the feeling of heartbreak from giving one's all in a relationship only to be left behind by their partner.
Maybe next Christmas you won't be thinking
Matthew hopes that his partner won't think negatively about him by the next Christmas season.
that I'm just a criminal and you're still a queen
A metaphor for feeling like he is unworthy of his partner, while she is above him in perceived status or value.
Yeah,
Punctuation to indicate a vocal emphasis of emotion or conviction.
Maybe next Christmas I'll have more to say
Repetition of an earlier desire that he will have more positive experiences to share next Christmas season.
than 'I gave you everything and you gave me away...
Restating the feeling of disappointment and disillusionment from earlier in the song.
Yeah,
Punctuation to indicate a vocal emphasis of emotion or conviction.
I gave you everything and you gave me
A continuation of the earlier sentiment of heartbreak, with an added emphasis on the one-sided nature of the relationship.
Yeah,
Punctuation to indicate a vocal emphasis of emotion or conviction.
gave you everything and you gave me away...
Repeating the same sentiment from earlier in the song to emphasize the lingering pain of the relationship.
Contributed by Arianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dana Leigh
Beautiful...