Jones began performing in 1997, debuting at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA, but he soon relocated to Nashville. In 2000 he released Nowhere Else But Here followed by an EP, For the Road, in 2003. Released in 2006, Throwing Punches in the Dark was produced by Neilson Hubbard (Glen Phillips, Garrison Star) and met with high critical praise. Jones re-teamed with Hubbard for Swallow the Sea, which was released in 2008. His music has found a home on Film and TV with over 30 placements on shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Bones, One Tree Hill, Pretty Liars & Private Practice.
MPJ has shared the stage with Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, Paula Cole, as well as being a staple feature in the nationally acclaimed "Ten Out of Tenn. Collective" with fellow artists, Katie Herzig, Erin McCarley, Butterfly Boucher, Andrew Belle and others.
Jones released his third full-length record, Land of the Living, on May 29, 2012.
Jones released The Waking Hours in September 2018.
Website https://www.mpjmusic.com/
Only You
Matthew Perryman Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When memories come and go
You're all I've ever wanted
You're all I've ever known
Can I be happy
Living with your ghost?
The pictures tell the story
I took them off the wall
It's hard enough to get through
I still can feel the fall
Do you even think of me at all?
Oh, I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I can start it over
And find somebody new
A beautiful distraction
Just a hand to hold on to
But if you ask me
Would that love be true?
No, I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I want to taste you again
Like a secret or a sin
Breathin' out, breathin' in
There is no one else for me
I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
I want you
Only you
The lyrics to Matthew Perryman Jones's song "Only You" are a poignant exploration of the complexities of love and memory. The singer seems to be struggling with the aftermath of a past love, trying to reconcile the happiness and pain that it brought into their life. The opening lines, "How can I forget you / When memories come and go," introduce a recurring motif of memory and the persistence of past emotions. Even though the singer is trying to move on and find happiness with someone new, they can't help but long for the one they lost.
The refrain, "I want you / Only you," expresses this longing and desire with a haunting intensity. The singer is willing to start over and try to find love with someone else, but they know that it can never truly replace what they had with their former lover. The bridge brings in imagery of taste and breath, suggesting a physical and visceral connection to this lost love. The final repetition of "I want you / Only you" is a powerful declaration of this love and desire that can never be fully fulfilled.
Overall, "Only You" is a beautifully crafted song that captures the pain and beauty of lost love with a poetic precision. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing that is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the bittersweet memories of a past relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I forget you
The singer is struggling to forget about someone they used to know.
When memories come and go
Even though the singer tries to forget this someone, memories still resurface.
You're all I've ever wanted
This person was the singer's desire and dream.
You're all I've ever known
The singer only knows this person as they've been on their mind for so long.
Can I be happy
The singer is unsure if they can find happiness without this person.
Living with your ghost?
The singer feels like they are haunted by the memories of this person.
The pictures tell the story
The images captured on film show the relationship between the singer and this person.
I took them off the wall
The singer is trying to move on by taking down the pictures of themselves with this person.
It's hard enough to get through
The process of moving on from this person is difficult.
I still can feel the fall
The singer can still feel the emotional pain of when their relationship with this person came to an end.
Do you even think of me at all?
The singer wonders if this person still thinks about them, as they can't seem to forget them.
Oh, I want you only you
The singer's desire to be with this person is strong, and they are the only one they want.
I can start it over
The singer could try to start a new relationship with someone else.
And find somebody new
The singer could meet someone else to love.
A beautiful distraction
This new person could serve as a temporary distraction from their feelings for the original person.
Just a hand to hold on to
This new person could simply provide comfort.
But if you ask me
The singer knows that they don't really want this new person.
Would that love be true?
They question if their new love wouldn't be genuine.
No, I want you only you
The singer knows they only want this specific person.
I want to taste you again
The singer desires to experience the intimacy they had with this person again.
Like a secret or a sin
Their love felt forbidden and they want to experience that feeling again.
Breathin' out, breathin' in
The singer remembers the physical sensations they experienced when they were with this person.
There is no one else for me
The singer reiterates that they only have feelings for this one person.
I want you only you
The singer restates their unwavering desire to be with this person.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC VINSON, MELINDA LEIGH SMITH, MATTHEW PERRYMAN JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind