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/
The Angels Were Singing
Matthew Perryman Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listening to birds
With no more to say,
I kissed my fingers
And touched the red dirt
Wandering away
Through the moon-colored field
My heart was a weight
Of rage and sorrow
That longed to be healed
Then I started running
To feel more alive;
To wake up my senses
That slowly had died
And I wondered if angels
Were singing that night
Nothing's the same
The colors aren't bright
Since I kissed your face
And slowly whispered
My last goodbye
Thinking of Jesus
At Lazarus's side
That heavenly sadness,
The shadows of light
His eyes saw the city
Where all is made right
And I heard that angels
Were singing that night
The angels were singing
As we sat and cried
Each tear was a chorus;
A sacred reprise
And I finally was grieving
That long goodbye
And I heard the angels
…Singing that night
The lyrics to Matthew Perryman Jones's song "The Angels Were Singing" tell a story of grief and searching for solace. The singer is in the desert, feeling lost and alone. They talk to the rocks and listen to the birds, feeling the weight of their own sadness and anger. They run to try and feel alive again and wonder if the angels are singing in the sky. The singer's world has lost its color since saying goodbye to someone they loved, and they compare their sadness to Jesus mourning the death of Lazarus. But in the end, as they cry and grieve, they hear the angels singing and find a sense of peace.
The song's lyrics use powerful imagery to convey the singer's emotions. The desert setting evokes feelings of isolation and vastness, while the mention of Jesus and angels adds a spiritual element. The repetition of the line "And I heard the angels were singing that night" reinforces the idea that the singer is seeking comfort and belief in something greater than themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Talking to stone,
Having a one-sided conversation with an inanimate object
Listening to birds
Paying attention to the melodious chirps of winged creatures
With no more to say,
Having nothing else to talk about
I kissed my fingers
Expressing love and affection by kissing one's own hand
And touched the red dirt
Feeling the coarse soil beneath one's fingertips
Wandering away
Roaming aimlessly with no particular goal or destination
Through the moon-colored field
Walking across a field illuminated by the light of the moon
My heart was a weight
Feeling weighed down by a heavy and burdensome emotion
Of rage and sorrow
Experiencing a mixture of intense anger and sadness
That longed to be healed
Desiring a sense of emotional relief
Then I started running
Breaking into a sprint
To feel more alive;
Seeking to invigorate oneself
To wake up my senses
Looking to arouse one's sensory perception
That slowly had died
That had gradually become dull or unresponsive
And I wondered if angels
Contemplating the possibility of otherworldly beings
Were singing that night
Creating a celestial music in the darkness
Nothing's the same
Everything has changed
The colors aren't bright
Losing vibrancy, becoming dull
Since I kissed your face
Since the last time I kissed you
And slowly whispered
Uttering in a soft and gentle manner
My last goodbye
Bidding farewell for the very last time
Thinking of Jesus
Meditating on a religious figure
At Lazarus's side
Beside a person who was brought back from the dead in the Bible
That heavenly sadness,
The divine sorrow that comes from a deep emotional wound
The shadows of light
The interplay of dimness and radiance
His eyes saw the city
Observing the intricacies of the urban landscape
Where all is made right
A place where everything is made perfect and harmonious
And I heard that angels
Discerning the sound of ethereal beings
Were singing that night
Enchanting with the resonance of their voices
The angels were singing
The supernatural beings were creating music
As we sat and cried
While we were grieving and shedding tears
Each tear was a chorus;
Each drop of sadness was a part of a greater expression of lament
A sacred reprise
A solemn repetition of a previously sung song
And I finally was grieving
Finally allowing oneself to experience profound sorrow
That long goodbye
The farewell that seemed to last forever
And I heard the angels
Sensing the presence of spiritual beings
...Singing that night
Creating an otherworldly harmony that pierced through the darkness
Contributed by Jeremiah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.