It was during his first year of college, that Matthew began playing guitar and writing songs. By Matthew's senior year, he was playing at every venue imaginable, from Fraternity houses to churches, and youth groups.
He signed an exclusive songwriting deal only a week after graduating and making the move to Nashville. His songs have been recorded by various artists including Rachel Lampa's most recent single, "Savior Song," which was Matthew's first top-5 song as a writer. Some other highlights were having songs placed on the platinum selling WoW 2002 project and also having his song, "Heart of Every Man recorded for the World Youth Day 2000 official soundtrack.
Matthew continued pursuing his dream of singing his own songs. Matthew had the opportunity to travel to universities across the country, and quickly began building up a steady following. With the help of Word Music and Extreme Writers Group, Matthew recorded an independent CD called, "Sellout," which caught the attention of Universal South Records.
Since signing with Universal South, He has released several albums, starting with "Happy" in 2003, "History" in 2005, and "Something to Say" in 2007; along with the re-release of Sellout in 2006. The Forgiveness Songfacts reports that West's fifth album, "Into the Light," is scheduled to be released on September 25, 2012.
Stop the World
Matthew West Lyrics
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The telephone's ringing
The lights are all on and the radio's screaming
A million distractions are stealing my heart from You
I'm tired and empty
This life is relentless
It weakens my knees and it breaks my defenses
Stop the world, I wanna get out
I need an escape away from this crowd
Just to hear You speak to me
I need to be still before I make a move
And I need to be humble with nothing to prove
And I need Your Word to show me the truth
I need time, precious time
Stop the world, I wanna get out
I need an escape away from this crowd
Just to hear You speak to me
Stop the world, I'm ready to listen
Show me a sign, just give me a vision of Heaven
That I can hold on to
Stop the world, I need some time with You
Before I can find my voice
I need to hear Your voice
Above all the senseless noise
Stop the world, I wanna get out
I need an escape away from this crowd
Just to hear You, I need to hear You, Lord
Stop the world, I'm ready to listen
Show me a sign, give me a vision of Heaven
That I can hold on to
Stop the world, I need some time with You
Stop the world, I need some time with You
The lyrics of Matthew West's song Stop The World portray a person who is overwhelmed by the busyness of life and seeking a break to connect with God. The distractions of the modern world such as the TV, radio, and telephone are taking away the individual's focus from God, and it has left them feeling empty and tired. The person is desperate to listen to God's voice amid the chaos and seeks an escape to receive a sign or vision of heaven that they can hold onto.
The song highlights the struggle of finding a balance between the worldly demands of life and taking the time to nurture one's spiritual growth. The lyrics express the importance of seeking stillness, humility, and truth through the Word of God. The individual understands that before they can find their voice, they need to hear God's voice above the senseless noise. The song concludes on a hopeful note, with the individual recognizing their need to spend time with God to find solace from the constant pressures of life.
Line by Line Meaning
The T.V. is talking
The noise and chaos of the outside world is overpowering and distracting me.
The telephone's ringing
External forces are demanding attention and taking me away from You.
The lights are all on and the radio's screaming
The stimulation is too much and it is keeping me from connecting with You.
A million distractions are stealing my heart from You
The endless distractions of the world are pulling me away from my relationship with You.
I'm tired and empty
The constant barrage of noise and stress has left me feeling exhausted and drained.
This life is relentless
The demands and expectations of society are too much to handle on my own.
It weakens my knees and it breaks my defenses
The stress of the world is causing me to lose my strength and feel vulnerable.
It's wearing me down and I'm desperate to hear from You
The constant turmoil of life is taking its toll on me and I need Your guidance to get through it.
Stop the world, I wanna get out
I need a break from the chaos and overwhelming noise of life.
I need an escape away from this crowd
I need time alone to clear my head and connect with You in a peaceful environment.
Just to hear You speak to me
I need to hear Your voice above all the noise and distractions of the world.
I need to be still before I make a move
I need to take a moment to center myself and hear Your guidance before taking any action.
And I need to be humble with nothing to prove
I need to let go of my ego and pride and approach You with a humble heart.
And I need Your Word to show me the truth
I need Your wisdom and guidance to help me navigate through the challenges of life.
I need time, precious time
I need dedicated time to spend with You to strengthen our relationship and find peace.
Stop the world, I'm ready to listen
I am open and receptive to Your guidance and direction.
Show me a sign, just give me a vision of Heaven
I need a sign or vision to hold onto and remind me of Your love and presence in my life.
That I can hold on to
I need a tangible reminder of Your love and guidance to keep me grounded and at peace.
Stop the world, I need some time with You
I need to prioritize spending time with You over the distractions and demands of the world.
Before I can find my voice
I need to hear Your voice and guidance to help me find my own purpose and direction.
I need to hear Your voice
Your guidance and direction is essential for me to navigate through the challenges of life.
Above all the senseless noise
Your voice and guidance is more important than anything else the world has to offer.
Stop the world, I'm ready to listen
I am ready and willing to hear Your voice and guidance.
Stop the world, I need some time with You
Prioritizing spending time with You is essential for my spiritual and emotional wellbeing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SARAH WESTEN RASMUSSEN, DAMON SHARPE, ROBIN FREDRIKSSON, JASON GILL, MICH HANSEN, MATTIAS PER LARSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind