As a young musician wanting to make a name for himself, Sweet set off to Athens, Georgia in the mid '80s, to attend college and join the vibrant Athens music scene, most famous as the home base for R.E.M. and The B-52's. Sweet worked with R.E.M. leader Michael Stipe at this time, joining Stipe's sister in a band called Oh-OK and then forming another band, The Buzz of Delight. Before long he was signed to a solo recording contract with Columbia Records.
One album, Inside, was released by Columbia in 1986 to little success.
Sweet was then picked up by A&M Records where he released his second album, Earth (1989), again without commercial success. This period marked a personal and professional low point for Sweet, as A&M lost interest and his marriage failed.
Sweet quickly recovered, and put together a new band including Richard Lloyd, Robert Quine, Greg Leisz, Lloyd Cole, and Fred Maher. The new group spent 1990 putting together Sweet's next work, originally titled Nothing Lasts.
In 1990, A&M released Sweet from his contract, and he signed with rival Zoo Entertainment. The album, still under construction, was retitled Girlfriend and released in October 1991. This album featured a classic set of pop-rock songs, was considered by many to be an artistic breakthrough and quickly garnered impressive U.S. sales (spawning a top-10 single with the title track). The video for the title track was aired on MTV and MuchMusic and features Japanese animation (commonly known as "anime"), of which Sweet is a fan. The animated clips in the video for "Girlfriend" are taken from the movie Space Adventure Cobra, and the video for "I've Been Waiting" uses clips of the show Urusei Yatsura featuring the character Lum, of whom Sweet has a tattoo.
Sweet's follow-up album, 1993's Altered Beast, was borne out of an apparent determination not to become mainstream. A more diverse and less immediately accessible album than Girlfriend, the album divided fans and critics who had mixed reactions to emotionally intense and brooding tracks like "Someone to Pull the Trigger" and "Knowing People."
In 1995, Sweet released, 100% Fun, a darkly ironic title alluding to a quotation from Kurt Cobain's suicide note: "The worst crime I could think of would be to pull people off by faking it, pretending as if I'm having 100% fun." The album mixed bouncy pop style with darker lyrics, including a leadoff track, the self-deprecating "Sick of Myself". The track has frequently been covered live by fellow '90s power poppers The Posies.
Decidedly out of the musical mainstream, Sweet would issue a few more albums in the second half of the decade and maintain a devoted core of fans, but critical acclaim and chart success would be hard to come by.
Sweet's international success had been somewhat limited by his fear of flying; however he gained a significant following in Japan and his most recent album, Kimi Ga Suki * Raifu, was a Japan-only release in 2003.
In 2000, Sweet worked with the Canadian band Delerium, to release the song "Daylight" that appears in their album Poem.
In early 2002 he formed the supergroup The Thorns with Shawn Mullins and Pete Droge.
He released a new album of solo material, Living Things in late 2004, though the material on the album was recorded in 2002.
In April 2006 he partnered with Bangles lead singer Susanna Hoffs to release a collection of 1960's classics, titled Under The Covers. Featuring their take on such widely known '60s hits as "Monday, Monday," and "The Kids Are Alright", the album represented a return to the accessible and melodic approach associated with Sweet's early breakthroughs.
He is featured in the release in November of 2006 of the Activision and Red Octane Play Station 2 game, Guitar Hero 2. His hit song "Girlfriend" is featured on the hit game.
Make Believe
Matthew Sweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But not today
What could tomorrow bring?
Even when I beg you
Will you please be good to me?
You're running free
Just make believe you love me
'Cause it's a real love
That keeps us coming back for more
(If anything) Anything I question can be used
Against my will
And it will be 'til you
Understand the question is
A cup that cannot be filled
By what you feel
I'll make believe I love you
And I'll try harder than before
'Cause it's a real love
That keeps us coming back for more
Just make believe you love me
And I'll try harder than before
'Cause it's a real love
That keeps us coming back for more
In Matthew Sweet's song "Make Believe," the singer is grappling with the disconnect between the current state of his relationship and his hopes for its future. He acknowledges that "everything is perfect in a way" but is still anxious about what the future might hold. The chorus is a plea to his partner to pretend to love him so that he can work harder to make the relationship work. He is willing to put in the effort because he believes that they have a "real love" that is worth fighting for.
The second verse introduces the idea that the singer's partner may not truly understand him, as if everything he questions can be used against him. He recognizes that his partner may not be able to fill the emotional needs that he has, but he is willing to pretend that everything is okay if it means they can stay together. The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the idea that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the relationship alive.
In "Make Believe," Matthew Sweet is exploring the idea of what people are willing to do in the name of love. The singer is willing to pretend that everything is okay, even if it means his emotional needs are not being met. The song is both a love song and a cautionary tale, reminding listeners that sometimes people will settle for less than they deserve because they believe they have found love.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything is perfect in a way
Although things might not be perfect, there are some good aspects of our situation.
But not today
However, right now is not a good day and things are not going well.
What could tomorrow bring?
We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but we can hope for something better.
Even when I beg you
Despite my requests and pleas,
Will you please be good to me?
Will you treat me well and show me kindness?
You're running free
You are free to do whatever you want and go wherever you please.
Just make believe you love me
Can you pretend to love me, even if it's not real?
And I'll try harder than before
I'll put in more effort this time, hoping to make things work.
'Cause it's a real love
Our love is genuine and authentic.
That keeps us coming back for more
Despite the challenges, we keep coming back to each other because we truly care.
(If anything) Anything I question can be used
If I ask any questions, my words might be twisted and turned against me.
Against my will
Without my consent or agreement.
And it will be 'til you
This will continue until you understand.
Understand the question is
Comprehend that my inquiries are valid and have meaning.
A cup that cannot be filled
My needs and desires cannot be met by what you are giving me.
By what you feel
Your emotions and feelings are not enough to satisfy me.
I'll make believe I love you
I'll pretend to love you, even though my feelings might not be genuine.
And I'll try harder than before
I'll put in more effort to make things work, even though it might not be easy.
'Cause it's a real love
Despite the challenges, our love is true and authentic.
That keeps us coming back for more
We keep coming back to each other due to our genuine affection.
Just make believe you love me
Can you pretend to love me, even if it's just for the sake of our relationship?
And I'll try harder than before
I'll put in more effort to make things work, even though it might not be easy.
'Cause it's a real love
Despite the obstacles, our love is genuine and authentic.
That keeps us coming back for more
We keep coming back to each other because of our mutual affection and deep connection.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATTHEW SWEET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MrAdmiralty1
Sensational. How can one man cram so many hooks into 112 seconds of music?
Craig Pasquinzo
One of his best songs
Congac Bodean
Let's all make believe he was more deservedly sucsessful and maybe it will happen.