In the past three years Matthew Mayfield has both redefined himself and red… Read Full Bio ↴In the past three years Matthew Mayfield has both redefined himself and redefined how a musician can record and release music. When Matthew’s previous band, Moses Mayfield, which signed with Epic when he was only 21, disbanded at the close of 2007, the Birmingham-based musician was forced to decide how to proceed with his life. A working musician since the age of 18, he only knew songwriting, recording, and touring. “All I ever wanted to be was a rock 'n roll star,” Matthew says. “When the band broke up, I knew I had to keep pushing."

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.”

by your side
Matthew Mayfield Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I have nothing more than this tonight
Hope for a dream to pass you by
You'd see me fight for you, my bride

Though it may sway like ocean's waves,
Love comes to life in your embrace
For you, I'd give my life away

And as we are leaving the grips of this life,
I'll be by your side
Yeah, I'll be by your side

I long for a day when freedom reins,
With you in my arms, I'll watch you sleep
And kiss your lips with fire and peace

And as we are leaving the grips of this life,
I'll be by your side

Yeah, I'll be by your side
Yeah, I'll be by your side

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Matthew Mayfield's song "By Your Side" speak of a deep and unconditional love that the singer feels for his bride. He professes that he has nothing more than this moment and hopes that his dreams would come true. He is willing to fight for her and even give his life away for his partner. The metaphor used by him is that love comes to life in her embrace, even though it may sway like the waves of the ocean. The love between them is a force of stability that lasts even after they leave the grips of this world.

The singer is longing for a day when they can be free together, with her in his arms as he watches her sleep, and kisses her with fire and peace. The lyrics indicate that their love is not just a fleeting emotion but a bond that transcends the earthly boundaries. It's a promise from the singer that he will be by her side even in life's darkest moments.

Overall, "By Your Side" is a song about the unbreakable bond between two lovers who are willing to go to any lengths to protect and cherish each other's love.

Line by Line Meaning

I have nothing more than this tonight
At this moment, I don't possess anything materialistically valuable to offer you.

Hope for a dream to pass you by
I wish and hope for you to receive all that you've ever dreamt of.

You'd see me fight for you, my bride
If ever there's a need for it, I'll go against all odds and fight to protect you, my dear wife.

Though it may sway like ocean's waves,
Love is a feeling that flows with its own will like the waves of the ocean.

Love comes to life in your embrace
Love flourishes and feels the most alive when I'm wrapped in your embrace.

For you, I'd give my life away
I'm willing to sacrifice my life for the sake of your own.

And as we are leaving the grips of this life,
As we move towards the end of our lives,

I'll be by your side
I will constantly stand by your side throughout this journey.

Yeah, I'll be by your side
Yes, I'll unquestionably remain by your side till the end.

I long for a day when freedom reins,
I hope for a day where freedom and liberty are bestowed upon us.

With you in my arms, I'll watch you sleep
Holding you in my arms, I'll watch you peacefully slumber.

And kiss your lips with fire and peace
I'll shower you with passionate yet calming kisses on your lips.

Contributed by Lucy L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

Aimee Piper

9y↑5

My husband and I danced to this at our wedding.. It still gives me chills.

Kerri Pitts

14y

He is so insanely talented. More people should know about him. I love him and the fact that his music is so simple, but so deep. He's a beautiful man, too. :)