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.”
Safe & Sound
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your heartbeat small but strong
A child like summer
With eyes like skies of fall
Heavy is the heartache
When you're never around
Wherever your sweetheart is
I hope you're safe and sound
Sweet, your mother
She holds you soft and warm
A train's coming
You always heard the horn
I miss your hands on my face
As I rock you up and down
Wherever your sweetheart is
I hope it's safe and sound
I hope you're safe and sound
Go to sleep tonight, go to sleep tonight
Go to sleep tonight sweet Milly girl
Go to sleep tonight
The song "Safe & Sound" by Matthew Mayfield seems to be about a mother's love for her child. The lyrics focus on the feelings of longing and heartache that a parent experiences when they are away from their child. The first verse describes the mother hearing her child's breathing and heartbeat, which provides a sense of comfort, even though they are physically apart. The second verse talks about the child's mother, who is depicted as loving and nurturing. The sound of a train's horn is mentioned, which could symbolize the passage of time or the journey of life.
The chorus, "Wherever your sweetheart is, I hope it's safe and sound," is repeated twice, emphasizing the mother's wish for her child's safety and well-being. The verse that follows, "Go to sleep tonight, go to sleep tonight, go to sleep tonight sweet Milly girl, go to sleep tonight," serves as a lullaby to comfort the child and send her off to sleep.
Overall, "Safe & Sound" is a tender and emotional song that conveys the depth of a parent's love for their child. It reminds us of the importance of family and the powerful bond that exists between a mother and her child.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear you breathing
I can hear you taking deep breaths
Your heartbeat small but strong
Your heart is beating quickly, but steadily
A child like summer
You are young and carefree
With eyes like skies of fall
Your eyes are deep and full of emotion
Heavy is the heartache
The pain I feel is intense
When you're never around
I miss you when you're not here
Wherever your sweetheart is
No matter where your loved one is located
I hope it's safe and sound
I hope that they are comfortable and secure
I hope you're safe and sound
I hope you are also comfortable and secure
Sweet, your mother
Your mother is very kind
She holds you soft and warm
She is comforting and loving
A train's coming
The sound of a train is approaching
You always heard the horn
You were always listening for the noise of the train
I miss your hands on my face
I miss the way you touched me
As I rock you up and down
As I comfort you by rocking you back and forth
Go to sleep tonight, go to sleep tonight
It is time for you to sleep
Go to sleep tonight sweet Milly girl
You are a sweet girl named Milly and it is time for you to sleep
Go to sleep tonight
It is time for you to rest and become comfortable
Contributed by Noah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Georgeiluhluh
Incredible talent, why is he not promoted, I don't get it!
afu macdougall
aw, it's a beautiful song and you have a spectacular voice * - * congratulations!
Laura Sebert
Well, I've found something that helps me sleep at night.
Thanks for existing, matthew
Ahmed Omar
that guy is really under rated
Sbamabelle
Such an amazing and beautiful voice *sigh*]
Sydney Caruso
Just saw you at the Knitting Factory in Spokane, WA. What an awesome musician! I hope to see you again. Keep making music. (:
sparrowsong1983
How sweet, and yet sad all at the same time.
K. V.
Ohmygod. I have missed out on life.
Thayná Thoni
sad and beautiful
Katie Witek
The fosters brought me here :)