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.”
Wild Eyes
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and full of fantasy we search the summer
to find a friend.
Take us higher, whether it's arson or it's wildfire,
We try to catch the ashes as they fly away.
Wicked ways, they swell a mile high
yet all of us still want to ride.
And it's a left turn to the right job,
and these wild eyes.
And it's a good look at the last straw
the bad girls and the sweet talk
and their wild eyes, these wild eyes.
Cut the ropes, don't settle in,
Ditch the guidelines and skim the skylines
For an offering.
Reckless ways and fickle crazes
become yesterday's forgotten and abandoned,
and lost along the way.
The blindness is still blindness today.
And it's a left turn to the right job,
the wrong man and the ______,
and these wild eyes.
It's a good look at the last straw
the bad girls and the sweet talk
and their wild eyes, these wild eyes.
Blindly give excitement when
They've clearly lost the way
________ _____ ________
Swing away.
La la, la la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la, la la
La la, la la, la la, la la, la la
And it's a left turn to the right job,
the wrong man and the ______,
and these wild eyes.
It's a good look at the last straw
the bad girls and the sweet talk
And their wild eyes, these wild eyes.
these wild eyes, these wild eyes
these wild eyes, these wild eyes
The lyrics of Matthew Mayfield's song Wild Eyes speak to the adventurous and daring spirit of youth. The first verse highlights the carefree nature of young people during summer. They are filled with fantasies and search for friends who can take them to greater heights. The chorus refers to the reckless ways of the youth, wanting to ride waves of wickedness and chase after their desires. The phrase 'left turn to the right job, the wrong man, and these wild eyes' implies that the path they are on may not be the right one, and their wild eyes symbolize their unbridled spirit.
The second verse speaks to the need for freedom and breaking away from the rules and constraints imposed by society. The lyrics refer to abandoning guidelines to explore new territories and taking risks that may be forgotten and lost along the way. The chorus reiterates the theme of the adventurous spirit of youth that blindly follows excitement, even if they have clearly lost their way.
Line by Line Meaning
Young and wild and free
We are in our youthful phase, with no restrictions and are free to do whatever we desire.
and full of fantasy we search the summer
With vivid imaginations, we aim to explore summer and all its delights.
to find a friend.
We seek companionship amidst our pursuit of adventure and fun.
Take us higher, whether it's arson or it's wildfire,
We crave excitement, whether it's through destruction or a natural high.
We try to catch the ashes as they fly away.
We attempt to capture the aftermath of our wild actions, not necessarily regretting them but acknowledging their consequences.
Wicked ways, they swell a mile high
Our malicious ways and negative influences grow significantly.
yet all of us still want to ride.
Despite knowing the potentially negative outcomes, we still yearn to indulge in our wild ways.
And it's a left turn to the right job, the wrong man and the ______, and these wild eyes.
Our journey is uncertain and unpredictable with obstacles and wrong paths along the way, and we see things differently with our reckless behavior.
And it's a good look at the last straw the bad girls and the sweet talk and their wild eyes, these wild eyes.
We are aware that we are approaching our breaking point and have encountered manipulative people, which reminds us of our own wild nature.
Cut the ropes, don't settle in, Ditch the guidelines and skim the skylines For an offering.
We refuse to be restrained or limited by societal expectations, instead we seek adventure and unique experiences.
Reckless ways and fickle crazes become yesterday's forgotten and abandoned, and lost along the way.
Our careless behavior and inconsistent interests eventually wander off, forgotten.
The blindness is still blindness today.
Even though we may be inattentive to consequences and risk-taking, we remain ignorant to it all.
Blindly give excitement when They've clearly lost the way ______ _____ ________ Swing away.
We numbly pursue thrilling experiences, even when the risks exceed the excitement. We must embrace the freedom and adventure while we can.
La la, la la, la la, la la, la la
Repeating chorus
these wild eyes, these wild eyes, these wild eyes, these wild eyes
The eyes represent our untamed spirits and desire for excitement.
Writer(s): Matthew Wilson Mayfield
Contributed by Jordyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sophie krop
love it!!!!! Awesome song Matthew! Loving the new album
Scott V
Fantastic video and song! Amazingly beautiful lyrics too! This is poetry.
Elena Mercuri
I love this song.
Love from Italy x
Christian Sutherland
Love your music! When does the Blue Cut Robbery album come out?
giulia poli
Where can I find the lyrics? :)
Morris Yang
I mean you have that Bruce Springsteen's Feel
Omar Casas
Vocals remind me of Jason Wade.
Tessa Coker
Come to Reno, NV - PLEASE!!