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.”
So Long So Long
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the first chaser today
New fire, new set of tools
New freedom in the truth
I know I know I know I know
I still love you
Too busy, too removed
But you've changed like you said you would
You must've misunderstood
Cos' I know I know I know I know
I still love you
I know I know I know I know
I still love you
So long, so long we've been waiting
For a chance but now I know we've been failing
Come on, come on, come on
We can walk this road
Hold on…hold on
Somehow I've lost my place
And we've both made our mistakes
Mine make and ocean inside
Face down, I'll drown in the tide
but I know I know I know I know
I still love you
I know I know I know I know
I still love you
So long, so long we've been waiting
For a chance but now I know we've been failing
Come on, come on, come on
We can walk this road
Hold on…hold on
The lyrics of “So Long So Long” by Matthew Mayfield suggest a man who is willing to reconcile with his girlfriend, even though she has changed and perhaps distanced herself from him. He is acknowledging his mistakes and understands that she has made some too, but still loves her despite it all. In the first verse, the man seems to be starting a new chapter in his life, equipped with new tools and now searching for new things. The sunrise may represent a new beginning and he has probably decided to move on from the past.
In the second verse, it becomes clear that the man’s girlfriend has also changed, and not necessarily for the better. He refers to her as “too busy, too removed” and suggests that she must have misunderstood something important. Despite this, he still loves her and wants to find a way to rekindle their relationship. The chorus is about their past, acknowledging that things have not been going well, but still holding out hope. He is asking her to come back to him, and they can try to make it work out, if they hold onto one another.
Overall, the lyrics of “So Long So Long” depict a man who is trying to reconcile with his girlfriend, even though things have not been going well, he loves her and is willing to give it another shot. This song is an emotional ballad filled with hope and determination, and its relatable message has resonated with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunrise show me the way
As the day begins, I'm looking to find my path
I'm the first chaser today
I'm motivated and eager to pursue my goals today
New fire, new set of tools
I have renewed energy and resources to tackle my challenges
New freedom in the truth
By facing reality, I'm able to experience a newfound sense of liberation
I still love you
Although things have changed, I still feel affection towards you
Oh girl where did you go
I miss you and I'm wondering why we've grown distant
Too busy, too removed
You seem preoccupied and detached from our relationship
But you've changed like you said you would
You've made changes, but perhaps they weren't in the way I expected
You must've misunderstood
There seems to be a miscommunication or misinterpretation of our intentions
So long, so long we've been waiting
We've been stuck in a holding pattern for quite some time
For a chance but now I know we've been failing
We haven't made progress towards our goals and it's become apparent to me
Come on, come on, come on
Let's not give up, we can still fix this
We can walk this road
We can work together to navigate through our issues
Hold on…hold on
Let's stay strong and persevere through this difficult time
Somehow I've lost my place
I feel like I've lost my way in this relationship
And we've both made our mistakes
We're both at fault for the problems we're facing
Mine make and ocean inside
My mistakes and regrets are overwhelming me emotionally
Face down, I'll drown in the tide
If I don't confront these issues, I'll be consumed by them
Writer(s): Matthew Mayfield, Paul Moak
Contributed by Kaitlyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.