Matthew was born in Fort Ord, California, U.S. He was educated at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the Orange County High School of the Arts. He made his musical theater debut on Broadway in the musical version of Footloose, followed by a revival of the Rocky Horror Show in 1999.
His big break came when he landed the role of Link Larkin in the Broadway production of John Waters' Hairspray. After performing in the role for some time, he started working in television, guest starring on shows such as "Hack" and "Sex and the City". He also had small roles in films such as Marci X, Encino Man, Primary Colors, and Simply Funk. He followed up by performing the role of Sir Harry in the ABC-TV production of Once Upon a Mattress, starring Tracey Ullman and Carol Burnett.
Morrison recently changed gears, playing the role of Fabrizio Nacarelli in Adam Guettel's The Light in the Piazza. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. He left the show September 1, 2005.
Morrison joined the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns as Adam Munson on October 24, 2006, but left abruptly soon after due to a "scheduling conflict," last airing on the soap on November 27.
Morrison appeared in a benefit performance celebrating Andrew Lippa, and the 25th Anniversary of the performing troupe 'The Kids Next Door' at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa in December 2006. The performance benefited The California Conservatory of the Arts, a non-profit arts education organization focusing on pre-professional training for young students, grades six through twelve, in Orange County.
He earned a Drama Desk Nomination for his role in the Off Broadway show 10 Million Miles which ran at the Atlantic Theater Company in 2007. That same year he appeared in two films: Dan in Real Life and Music and Lyrics.
He recently finished starring in the Lincoln Center production of South Pacific as Lt. Cable. After leaving "South Pacific," Morrison was cast as "Will Schuester" in the FOX television series Glee, which debuted on May 19, 2009. His role is that of a high school Spanish teacher who takes on the role of restoring the school's glee club to its former glory. The show has been a commercial and critical success, garnering good ratings as well as a Golden Globe nomination for Morrison (Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy).
Don't Stop Dancing
Matthew Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Black máscara that runs down your pretty face
Your smile is outta place, days got you down
But things are lookin' up, (up, up)
Find yourself in a dream with a video sky
And the sound that you hear is like a heart that beats
Moving you close to me, it's like a symphony
Two shadows under a streetlight
We're just dancin' in the rain
Bodies flowin' like water
We'll be alright
As long as we don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Pray for time, tell tomorrow to wait for a while
Wanna take the moments and have always been
Back on our feet again, the world is sleeping
But we're wide awake
Two shadows under a streetlight
We're just dancin' in the rain
Bodies flowin' like water
We'll be alright
As long as we don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Ooh yeah
I just wanna make you feel the music, music
Throw your hands up in the air
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Everything you're looking for
You can find it on the floor
'Cause I know how to make you feel better, better
Two shadows under a streetlight
We're just dancin' in the rain
Bodies flowin' like water
We'll be alright
As long as we don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
Don't stop dancing, dancing
The lyrics to Matthew Morrison's "Don't Stop Dancing" convey a message of hope and perseverance in the midst of hardship. The opening lines, "And it feels like an endless December that chills/Black mascara that runs down your pretty face," paint a picture of despair and sadness. The singer notes that the person's smile looks out of place, suggesting that they are struggling to keep a positive outlook. But just as things seem bleak, the refrain kicks in - "things are lookin' up, up, up" - and the mood shifts towards optimism.
The lyrics go on to describe a dreamlike state where the singer and their companion are bathed in a "video sky" and surrounded by music that "moves you close" to each other. The reference to shadows under a streetlight and dancing in the rain conjures up an image of joy and freedom, uninhibited by the trials of everyday life. The refrain, "as long as we don't stop dancing," drives home the message that even when faced with adversity, we can find solace and comfort in music and movement.
Overall, "Don't Stop Dancing" is a song about resilience and staying positive in difficult times. It encourages listeners to seek out moments of joy and connection, even when the world around them feels bleak.
Line by Line Meaning
And it feels like an endless December that chills
The singer feels like they are stuck in a cold and lonely time of year, with no end in sight.
Black máscara that runs down your pretty face
The mascara is running down someone's face, making them look sad and upset.
Your smile is outta place, days got you down
The person's smile doesn't fit their current mood, and they're feeling down.
But things are lookin' up, (up, up)
Despite feeling down, the person is hopeful that things will get better.
Find yourself in a dream with a video sky
The artist is imagining a dream-like state where the sky looks like a video screen.
And the sound that you hear is like a heart that beats
The singer is hearing a sound that reminds them of a beating heart.
Moving you close to me, it's like a symphony
The sound is drawing the singer closer to someone else, and the feeling is like a beautiful symphony.
That's playin' for us
The music is meant for the artist and the other person to dance and enjoy together.
Two shadows under a streetlight
The artist and the other person they are dancing with are creating two shadows under a streetlight.
We're just dancin' in the rain
The artist and the other person are happily dancing together in the rain.
Bodies flowin' like water
Their bodies are moving smoothly and gracefully, like water flowing.
We'll be alright
As long as they keep dancing and being together, the artist believes that everything will be okay.
As long as we don't stop dancing, dancing
The singer thinks that as long as they keep dancing, everything will be okay.
Pray for time, tell tomorrow to wait for a while
The singer is asking for a little more time before facing the challenges of tomorrow.
Wanna take the moments and have always been
The singer wants to savor the beautiful moments they are experiencing and make them last forever.
Back on our feet again, the world is sleeping
The artist and the other person seem to have overcome some kind of difficulty and are now standing strong, while the rest of the world is asleep.
But we're wide awake
Despite the late hour, the artist and the other person are very much awake, alive and enjoying each other's company.
I just wanna make you feel the music, music
The singer is enjoying sharing this beautiful moment with the other person and wants to make them feel the magic of the music they're dancing to.
Throw your hands up in the air
The singer is excited and wants the other person to join in and throw their hands up too.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The artist is happy and enthusiastic about the dancing and the moment they're sharing.
Everything you're looking for
Everything the person is searching for or needs can be found in this moment and in the feelings they're experiencing while dancing together.
You can find it on the floor
The artist is hinting that the person can find whatever it is they are searching for by dancing and losing themselves in the music and movement.
'Cause I know how to make you feel better, better
The singer is confident that through music and dancing they know how to make the other person feel better and happier.
Don't stop dancing, dancing
The artist is urging the other person to never stop dancing as long as they're together and feeling good like this.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JC CHASEZ, LINDY ROBBINS, MATT SQUIRE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind